Who wants a new Alfa?

[alfacybersite <acs@domain.elided>]

I rarely reprint a complete post, but didn't know where or what to cut.
James Montebello's post in #1088 was very near and dear to my heart:

"Actually, *this* enthusiast doesn't want a new Alfa.  Nothing the
company
is currently producing pushes my buttons.  They're nice to look at, in
many cases, but the underpinnings aren't all that interesting anymore.
I don't want a 164 for many of the same reasons.  It's not so much
that I'm against fwd (I've owned a great many "pullers"), but there's
nothing much in any of them to connect them with the Alfas I have now.
There was a significant break with the past with the 164.

"I miss simple cars.  My next Alfas will all be older than the ones I
have now.  A Giula Super and a 750/101 Sprint are on my list.  Nice,
simple cars.  I don't mind some electronics (basic ignition and fuel
control are good things, as is variable valve timing).  But the things
BMW, M-B, et al are sticking in cars now (stability control, traction
control, nav systems, 20+ speaker stereos, etc) are not my cup of tea.
Even a Milano has too many doodads to interest me.  Nothing but trouble.

Trying to keep most of that working for 25 years will be a huge
headache."

********

I truly hope Alfa returns to the US and sells enough cars to make it
profitable and they're either a whole bunch or at least reasonably
exciting. Part of my thinking is for 'our' cars not to be orphans. Most
people I talk to do know of Alfa Romeo but are surprised to hear they
are no longer being sold in the US. That can't last much longer. Alfa
really should doo-doo or get off the loo.

But lordy, lordy do I love to hear of Alfa folks driving their cars on a
daily basis. Yup. Self serving, but know, at best, I'll only get a small
handful to restore. I'm also aware that in 99% of the cases, the daily
driver owner  will have considerably more into his / her car than the
Sports Car Market Guide says is prudent.

While doubtful to 'make up the difference', it has to put a smile on
one's face when they go to the mailbox, get their yearly registration
notice. Whilst opening the notice they walk past their pristine
'vintage' Alfa, which is insured for $35k, and find they owe a total of
$35 (and no smog test required).

Those who've bothered to read might have figured out I think absolute
extremes are stupid on 'our vintage' cars - lowered almost beyond being
able to run over a pebble in the road without getting high centered
after breaking off the oil pan, 21" rims on 35 series tires, and just
overall bad taste.

That said, I do feel some elegant engineering, especially with the
4-cylinder's is not inappropriate. Knowing nothing about them, I
nevertheless feel a well sorted out EFI system should make any
(non-tired) 4-cylinder almost literally 'sing'. Possibly add a
supercharger and intercooler and one's on-ramp, melding into traffic,
(not to mention fun factor) will be greatly increased. Then, if the
budget will allow, why not do it in / on a Twin Spark?

I've mentioned this numerous times but still am proud of the sound
system a friend of mine and I engineered for client's '73 Spider. Don't
even remember the 'unit' but it was period correct for the car. Added
one large base speaker in the passenger side, high-end 4" x 6" coaxials
hidden in the middle portion of the doors behind perforated leather, and
with an Alpine amp boosting power, it was a very nice, though hardly
killer, sound system.

Without trying to turn them into 2002 street tarts, there's a lot of
life in these old girls yet!

Okay, this has not been an inexpensive restoration and it is getting
close to two years since she wandered into my shop, but yesterday late
afternoon whilst driving 'home' / shop in client's '60 Spider Veloce
(her 2nd outing), I says to myself, you know, I'd be happy with this old
girl as a daily driver. Her cowl doesn't get all wiggly, giggly going
over a slight bump, she happily chirps her 165 x 15" tires just 'cause
she likes the sound, and that little, but hotted up 1300cc engine just
wants to have fun (ohhhh, you cut back on the revs just as I was about
to have a...).

I have two sayings: (1) I feel if a car, especially an Alfa, has been
carefully restored, it's nice to show it for a year so other's can see
it while it's still fresh and before putting any significant mileage on
it. (2) It belongs to the owner and if he wants to crush it into a big
square lump and make a coffee table out of it. That's his prerogative.

Yeah, you'll have more responsibilities than you do in a generic Toyota
or?, but what fun to fuss a bit on weekends. A little cleaning, inside
and out (don't forget the trunk and especially the engine bay), check
those tires, oil, water, and if feeling energetic, the plugs and points.
Not so bad, especially if you have someone to help and / or bring you a
cold one while you're hard at it.

Ahhh, those, and possibly these, were the good old days,

Biba
Irwindale, CA USA
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided