For all of you Alfa fans
 

A little tidbit from today's New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/10/au...es/10CARS.html

Enjoy.

Somehow they left all of the racecar bits out of the diesel wagon I rode in last year. My impression is that it's just as well that Alfa left the US market. The true fans didn't have to watch it's decline into being the italian Buick.

I seriously considered 1984 Alfa Romeo Spyder before I went and bought BMW 318I back in 84. I love the Alfa shift knob and exhaust pipe tone.

John, same here. Except, instead of buying the Alfa (I was looking at an '85 if I recall correctly), I worked a deal with my dad and got his '82 Fiat Spider. I had that car for seven years, and it only left me stranded three times. ;)

I drove my 318I for 7 years also. I never regretted it. It was a fine automobile. When I was in Germany, I seriously thought about getting the 3 series but was disappointed with ho hum design for the money. I preferred angular design of the 70's and 80's. That is why I would love to get 2002.

They did know how to make some beautiful looking engines. I came very close to buying one once, mid-70s time frame, but an Alfisti friend talked me out of it.

I have not been impressed with any of their more current models that I have read about. Their styling seems very bland; at least the ones I've seen.

When I was a pre-teen my fathers boss restored an Alfa that was a year older than the one shown in this article. I remember going into the garage and sitting in the car and pretending to drive it. Looking back it may of been the first sportscar I ever sat in. They gave me some parts from it when they sold their estate and I still have them in my attic.

I've owned a number of Alfas over the last 25 years and have loved each one. I currently have a '95 164 LS sedan and a '60 Giulietta spider. This past spring I bought an '02 S2000 as a daily driver because it best represents a modern redesign of the Giulietta, i.e. a two seat sports car with a high revving, high performance four and outstanding handling. I'm crazy about them both even though there is 45 years of design progress between them.

Over on the Alfa BB there is an ongoing thread about a fellow in California installing an '05 AP2 motor in an early seventies Alfa GTV. It should be a blast when he's done. See it here: http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/showthread.php?t=14444

Mike Hollinger
Atlanta

Mike, I am sure glad I don't have all his headaches trying to shove the AP2 in there and come up with a drivetrain/suspension system that can support it all. Some gearheads just love the challenge.

I had two Giulias and a Duetto (duck tail). I thought they were great, but they all rusted at about twice the speed of an MGB