Finding a classic Italian sports car online with one photo, no price, and a vague description usually ends in emotional heartbreak and financial ruin. Yet Brian Tullio of This Side Up Motorsports pushed past the obvious red flags. Then he spent months tracking down the seller, and landed a 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000. It had been sitting untouched for 12 years.
The body was bubbling with rust, the wiring was a fire hazard. The hydraulics were shot, but the tires held air, and the engine allegedly ran once a month. Naturally, Brian did what any sensible driver with ten years of racing experience would do. He fixed the absolute bare minimum, bolted in the mandatory safety gear, and took the Alfa Romeo straight to the track in the Vintage Auto Racing Association (VARA) B-Sedan Unlimited class.
Italian engineering, however, eventually exacted its revenge. After a year of racing, the original motor overheated and seized. Refusing to take the hint, Brian rebuilt the four-cylinder with high-performance pistons. He pushed compression to a fiery 12.5:1 on VP120 race fuel. The universe responded at Willow Springs by blowing a connecting rod clean through the block. Embracing the inevitable, Brian scrapped the shattered block, sold the surviving bits, and turned to Japan for a proper fix.
Instead of going the “predictable” Honda K-series route, Brian bought a high-revving 2.0-liter F20C inline-four. He also needed an AP1 six-speed manual transmission from an S2000 for $5,000. He fabricated custom engine mounts, welded a bespoke exhaust header, and wired the motor to a Link G4X ECU, squeezing out 209 HP and 142 lb-ft of torque on E85.
The AP1 gearbox sits under a custom removable transmission tunnel built for quick trackside maintenance, mating via a billet aluminum adapter to a custom 2.75-inch carbon-fiber driveshaft from Driveshaft Shop. Power hits the pavement through a stock Alfa Romeo solid rear axle fitted with an upgraded clutch-pack limited-slip differential.
Supported by Koni Classic Red shocks, four-piston aluminum front calipers on 288 mm vented discs, and stock rear discs, this Italian-Japanese hybrid now tackles VARA races without needing a dedicated tow truck full of spare engine blocks.