Along came a spider… 7 classic drop-tops for sale

For that wind-in-your-hair feeling, nothing beats an open car. This week’s Mille Miglia traditionally featured many open sports cars—including perhaps the most famous Mille Miglia car ever, the Mercedes-Benz SLR 722 that won in 1955.

That car is unobtainium, but here are seven open, sporting cars we’ve found for nearly any budget.

The car: 1959 Ferrari 250GT California LWB
Price: $10,950,000
Location: Emeryville, California
Seller’s Info: Click here

Do we need to even caption this? OK, here are two words: Ferrari California.

The car: 1965 Bizzarrini P538 Brecheta
Price: Inquire
Location: Costa Mesa, California
Seller’s Info: Click here

While the history of these often bespoke race cars is often difficult to piece together, this example looks like a good example of a supercar from the mid-‘60s. Yes, there’s a 5.3-litre Chevrolet V8 in the middle with more than 350 horsepower!

The car: 1959 Fiat-Abarth 750 Spider
Price: $73,000
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Seller’s Info: Click here

The very pretty and very rare 750 Spider punches way above its weight on twisty roads, and this one bodied by Allemano is one of apparently just 750 made.

The car: 1971 Mercedes-Benz 280SL
Price: $72,000
Location: Santa Barbara, California
Seller’s Info: Click here

For more relaxed open air touring, the 280SL is hard to fault. Find a ‘70s example, such as this one, and you’ll take advantage of proven Mercedes-Benz mechanicals and a value that’s steadily on the rise.

The car: 1957 MG MGA Roadster Petrol 
Price: £29,995
Location: Surrey, UK
Seller’s Info: Click here

MGAs are available almost anywhere, and when found in good condition they remain one of the best open-air experiences available—with parts prices that remain on this side of “reasonable”.

The car: 1959 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spyder Veloce
Price: £75,000
Location: Oxfordshire, UK
Seller’s Info: Click here

Based on the humble-but-sporty Giulietta, the Spyder Veloce is one of the most sublime sports cars an enthusiast can get. This example, a rare factory Sprint version with the 1300 twin cam engine is said to be “wonderfully revvy”—and sounds like fun.

The car: 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C2300 Monza By Pur Sang
Price: $595,000
Location: Emeryville, California
Seller’s Info: Click here

OK, so you might need to hire a full-time mechanic or at least get your favorite khakis a bit dirty as you learn to operate a pre-war beast. It’s not an inexpensive way to get your open air thrills, but if you want one of the best—and a sure-fire way to be featured on Petrolicious, there’s nothing like an 8C.

If you know of a great, stylish car for sale and would like us to feature it, please let us know!

Petrolicious makes no claim as to the accuracy of the information contained in the car’s original listing, nor will it be held responsible for any errors in said information. If you’re interested in any of these cars, do your homework and research extensively before you buy.