A Mid-Week Breakfast “Sandwich”

August 4, 2026 RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Drives, Events

My good friend Mike and I know each other from working together at Onyx, the company that operated the CARiD website. We each had our ups and downs at work, but that is water under the bridge. We have remained friends since first meeting in 2011, and as part of that friendship, we meet once a month for breakfast, almost without exception. Our go-to place for a number of years now has been Orlando’s on Route 31 in Hopewell, NJ. I can’t recommend it enough.

We had breakfast there today. Last night, during a quick phone call, we agreed to drive our classics to the restaurant, me in my Alfa, and Mike in his ’66 Corvette roadster. Unusually for a weekday morning, Orlando’s parking lot was filled almost to capacity, and we had to park our rides way off to one side, sandwiching them close together because there was little room to put them anywhere else.

Breakfast was incredible as always: we each had two eggs, home fries, whole wheat toast, and unlimited coffee, and the check with tax but before the tip came to $12. That’s not each, that’s for both of us. Like I said, I can’t recommend it enough. Another great thing about Orlando’s: they never rush us out. Even after our plates are cleared away, our waitress lets us sit there all morning, continuing to refresh our cups.

Finally, it was time to leave, and as we approached our cars, we were struck by how great they looked aside each other, so similar yet so different. Mike’s is a ’66 with a V8, 4-speed, and a drop-top, which he fully restored himself. Mine is one year newer, with a four-banger, 5-speed, and a rear seat. Both are carbureted and are equipped with four-wheel disc brakes. But each car in its own way spoke to the true sports car enthusiast of that decade.

We both were happy to give our cars some exercise. It was a great day all around.

I was on my way to the Post Office…

July 30, 2026 RichardReina Cars on the street C1 Corvette

… in the sleepy little town of Three Bridges, NJ, just a few miles from my house, when this popped into my peripheral vision. While it’s impossible to be certain, the overall impression is that, A, the car has been sitting there for a while, and, B, the wind has loosened the tarp which heretofore had been completely covering the car. The hidden fossils are still out there waiting to be discovered!

I’m no Corvette C1 expert, but the quad lights make it no older than a ’58, and the red-painted cove makes it no newer than a ’61. Any Corvette experts out there care to chime in?

The Alfa Gets Four New Koni Shock Absorbers

July 28, 2026 RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Events, Repair sessions Crutchfield, Koni shocks

When I rebuilt the front suspension of my Alfa Romeo over the winter of 2014-2015, the rebuild included replacement of the front shocks. The removed shocks appeared original to the car, which would have made them forty-eight years old! I also went “cheap,” purchasing a lower-priced pair from Classic Alfa, my usual supplier, instead of brand-name ones like Koni or Bilstein.

Jump to the spring of 2026, and not only are the replaced front shocks eleven years old, I haven’t touched the rear shocks. I decided it was time to replace all four with the ones most recommended on the Alfa Romeo bulletin board (the AlfaBB), which were the Koni “red” shocks. (The “yellow” shocks are stiffer, and the online consensus was that they were more appropriate for those who track or race their cars, which I don’t.)

I ordered the shocks and as is typical for Classic Alfa, they arrived in a matter of days. (Their shipping costs from the UK have always been reasonable, but now I’m also paying tariffs and “administrative fees” to DHL.) The front shock replacement was easy, as it’s a straightforward removal of nuts and washers at both top and bottom. The Alfa front suspension is upper and lower control arms, so there is no need to compress the springs.

It’s similar in the rear, except access is a little trickier. According to my service books, replacement of the rear shocks is made easier if the rear seat is removed. The implication in that statement is that it’s not required to do so. I saw that the issue is that the shocks’ top mounts are so far forward in the trunk that they are almost impossible to reach from outside the trunk. So, with some trepidation, I removed the rear seat bottom and backrest, concerned that it might be difficult, or that I might find deteriorated material. My concerns were for naught: not only did the seat cushions come out rather easily, but I was pleasantly surprised to take note of the fine condition of the undersides of the cushions.

For the seat bottom, it was simply lift and remove.

For the seat back, there were bolts hidden under the upholstery at the bottom, and clips at top.

The undersides of both seats showed no signs of deterioration at all.

With the seat out, I still couldn’t see the shock mounts, so I removed the package shelf, which took a little more effort. Pete, the previous owner, had installed an aftermarket 6×9 speaker in the shelf, and that needed to be removed first. As soon as I touched the speaker’s paper cone, it disintegrated, so a new speaker was ordered from Crutchfield. But removing the shelf turned out to be unnecessary. It was the trunk’s rubber matting, which covers both the trunk floor and the forward wall, that was blocking my access. Once I folded the mat out of the way, the shock mounts were exposed, and it was revealed to me that I could have done the job with the parcel shelf in place. Oh well, this just gave me an excuse to install a new speaker.

Here you can see the trunk mat up against the forward wall. Note how light the paint coverage is.

This Jensen speaker was probably from the early 1970s.

The shock’s top nut has been removed, but the black cap, held in place by three small bolts, also needed to be removed to extract the shock.

The rear shocks were 59 years old, and I was shocked that they had any resistance at all. The new Koni shocks went in without a hitch. Koni’s shocks are adjustable, and the installation instructions state that they leave the factory set to the softest setting. The consensus on the Alfa Bulletin Board is that most Giulia owners prefer to leave them at that setting, which is what I did. With all four Konis in place, I took the car for a drive. Ride comfort, which was always good, did not change at all. Road handling felt just slightly more “buttoned down,” meaning, the car’s steering responses and road grip were ever so slightly improved. Mainly, I was happy that the ride did not become harsh. The Koni red shocks were reasonably priced, easy to install, and provided a small but noticeable improvement in overall drivability. I would recommend them to anyone looking for shocks for their classic sports car.

This closeup shows some markings: “POST” is short for “POSTERIOR,” meaning “rear”. “ALTO” is “top”.

Side by side are the old front shock and the new Koni red shock.

NJ Alfa Romeo Club Sunday Breakfast, July 19, 2026

July 19, 2026 RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Drives, Events NJ-AROC

After wet and windy weather walloped the metro NY/NJ area on Saturday July 18, Sunday morning the 19th dawned with the promise of a drier day, making it ideal for members of the NJ Chapter of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club to enjoy their monthly breakfast meet. This month’s host was again the Americana Diner in Shrewsbury, NJ, and a dozen of us made the trek.

The diner’s parking lot was enlivened by our cars

While the number of Alfas in the parking lot was small, the selection of models was spectacular: two 4C convertibles, two Duettos, and one Giulia coupe. The lineup was impressive enough to draw the attention of other diner guests, who looked on with envy at our beautiful Italian performance machines.

As always, the food, coffee, and service at the Americana were exemplary. We pressed our waiter into also acting as our group photographer, and the poor young lad took so much time with my SLR camera that the boss came up behind him, causing me to worry that he would be scolded (or worse)! But common sense prevailed, the requisite photo was captured, and the young man kept his job.

As is our style, departure from the building did not equate to departure from the parking lot. The group managed to dally for at least another thirty minutes (there’s always something automotive-related to discuss among us). I hit the road at 11:30, leaving at least a half-dozen of my fellow Alfisti to continue to squander their Sunday. My trip home took an hour, and I’m happy to report that not only is the car running very well, but during today’s drive, the odometer reached 70,000 miles. In March of 2013, when I took possession of the car, there were 54,000 miles on the clock, so 16,000 miles in thirteen years counts for a goodly amount of driving! Every mile has been a blast.

The Simeone Museum’s Demo Day, Featuring an Alfa Romeo 8C 2900A

July 11, 2026 RichardReina Events, museums Alfa Romeo 8C, Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum

The Simeone Museum in Philadelphia, PA, is renowned for its collection of historic race cars. The late Dr. Fred Simeone, inspired by his father’s car collection of pre-war classics, started his own collection as a young man, focusing on unrestored racing vehicles. Decades ago, such “worn out” machinery could be acquired for very little money. Dr. Fred’s desire to keep the cars original also led him to insist that all his cars be drivable. To that end, the museum hosts a monthly “Demo Day,” when a select few cars are taken outside and put through their paces.

The Gullwing takes center stage during the slide presentation

Saturday, July 11, 2026 was such a day, the theme of which was “Car Detective: Defining the Simeone Museum from Alfa to Vauxhall.” As the museum’s website states, “Through research, intuition, and patience, Dr. Simeone gave voice to cars whose stories might otherwise have been lost. This is their story.” The chosen cars included a 1921 Vauxhall, 1926 Bugatti Type 35, 1933 Squire Roadster, 1937 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900A, and 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing. Members from both the NJ and Delaware Valley Chapters of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC) turned out primarily to see (and hear) the Alfa 8C.

The presenter highlighted specs that would be impressive even for some modern cars

The event began with a slide show highlighting the technical features of each car, followed by an explanation of Dr. Fred’s approach to car collecting. During the slide presentation, the five cars were parked nearby, and it was a rare and wonderful opportunity indeed to get so close to this gorgeous piece of Italian machinery. You can read the details of Dr. Fred’s search and acquisition here: https://simeonemuseum.org/collection/1937-alfa-romeo-8c-2900a-mille-miglia-spider/, but suffice to say that this one was so rough that there was no choice but to perform a complete restoration. In what must have been a once-in-a-lifetime thrill for him, the restored Alfa Romeo 8C was driven by him and a co-driver in the 1991 Mille Miglia in Italy.

I’ve been to several previous Demo Days, and I recall crowds which made it almost impossible to see the action. Fortunately, the head count on this day was a little light, and I had mostly good sight lines. I’m not a videographer, but I still managed to capture some of the excitement as the cars circled the track. Three video clips are included below along with the photos.

The Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum (https://simeonemuseum.org/) is located in south Philadelphia, not far from the Philadelphia airport. It’s about an hour’s drive from central New Jersey. If you have not been there, it’s highly recommended. If you can be there for a Demo Day (and here is their 2026 calendar: https://simeonemuseum.org/2026-events/), all the better.

THE 1937 ALFA ROMEO 8C 2900A

THE 1926 BUGATTI TYPE 35

THE 1933 SQUIRE ROADSTER

THE 1955 MERCEDES-BENZ 300SL GULLWING COUPE

Replacing the Mazda3’s roof-mounted antenna

July 9, 2026 RichardReina Events, Repair sessions antenna replacement, Mazda3

While there are several decent car wash businesses near me, I have tended to favor a particular one that is a few minutes farther away than the others. They have had no issues with my manual transmission-equipped Mazda, and their drying technique always includes the use of compressed air to blow away water from the rear-view mirrors and tires. My experience has been that they do a more thorough job overall. I normally don’t stand at the windows to watch their machinery go through its paces, but I few weeks ago I did, and that’s when I saw it. The big overhead roller brush rolled right over my stubby roof-mounted antenna and ate part of the antenna’s rubber sheathing.

This was not their fault. The antenna easily unscrews with finger pressure only, and the business posts signs about potential damage to such items. I should have removed it. As I drove home that day, I was relieved to discover that the car’s radio reception was not affected. That was fine until I was waxing the car last week, using my new Griot’s Garage orbital buffer, and as I glided the machine past the antenna, I succeeded in snapping the spring-wrapped ceramic core. Now I had no radio reception, and it was time to source a replacement.

Google directed me to Amazon, where I had a plethora of choices, most of them from the aftermarket. Several companies offered a stubby version, but the reviews mentioned a loss of reception, an unworthy trade-off. I had to scroll down quite a bit to discover the Mazda factory antenna, which at $35 was twice the price of the elcheapo knockoffs, but I prized functionality over frugality.

Amazon delivered the part within a day, and thankfully, it was the correct item. (I had the Mazda part number, and checked that against several Mazda dealer websites.) The remove-and-replace took a minute, and everything is hunky-dory (yes, it’s in Merriam-Webster’s). I’m considering sticking a Post-It on the dash: “REMOVE ANTENNA AT CAR WASH!”

Although purchased from Amazon, this is a genuine Mazda part

Flemington, NJ, Cruise Night, June 13, 2026

June 22, 2026 RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Car shows, Events Flemington NJ Cruise Night

The Flemington, NJ, cruise night was previously held on Main St. in downtown Flemington on alternating Saturdays. I last attended this event in 2023, and a few things have changed since then. First, the show has been relocated to Stangl Road, a supposedly quieter street for local traffic (more about that below). The second change is that it’s now held only once a month. What has not changed is the selection of a different “featured class or brand” for each cruise night. On Saturday, June 13, import vehicles were featured, and I made a late-day decision to hop into the Alfa Romeo and drive over (it’s only fifteen minutes away).

The cruise night was advertised as running from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and I planned my arrival to coincide with the start time. I was taken aback with how crowded the show was at 5 p.m. As I slowly motored down Stangl Road, I was directed to the “featured cars lot,” where I managed to secure the final available parking spot. Backing in between a Triumph TR-6 and a tricked-out Hyundai Veloster, I correctly surmised that the evening’s “import cars” would include a wide variety of automobiles.

Sharing space with the other “furrin” cars

No sooner had I exited my Alfa when two fellow NJ-AACA members, John P. and Jerry P. (no relation) sauntered over. John had his beautiful ’57 Chevy Bel Air parked down the street, and Jerry placed his ’64 Pontiac Bonneville next to John’s Chevy. The three of us proceeded to amble along Stangl Road together, admiring the machinery, when we ran into Dave, another NJ-AACA member (who didn’t have a car there). It was a nice mini reunion, with lots to talk about, surrounded as we were by classic cars.

Stangl Road is lined with restaurants and retail stores, which brings its own share of traffic, but you would not refer to it as a primary thoroughfare, the way you would Main St., the cruise nights’ previous location. During my visit, Stangl Road was so crowded with pedestrians that many of us (wrongly) presumed that the road was closed to through traffic. It was not. Most drivers had the courtesy to keep their speeds low, but several wise guys wanted to show off their muscle cars. The worst offender of the night was the driver of a FedEx truck, which was attempting to speed through the area until traffic slowed him down. At that point, Jerry, a Navy veteran, leaned into the truck and gave the driver an earful, scolding him for his carelessness while there were children in the road.

I eventually made my way back to my Alfa, where several spectators engaged me in conversation about my car. The cruise night is run by Fred Beans, a large multi-franchise series of dealers throughout NJ and PA, and around 7:30, they announced that if your windshield placard was missing from your car, that meant you won a trophy. Mine was missing, and a short while later, I was presented with my trophy! What was confusing, though, is that about one-quarter of the import cars won trophies, and no explanation was forthcoming regarding how or why certain cars were chosen. Oh well, it was an honor to win. Once that part of the evening was concluded, I headed home. The Flemington Cruise Night offers a very large number of vehicles, covering the spectrum of collectability: old, new, and everything in between. It was crowded, noisy (there were TWO live rock bands playing all evening), and I’ve concluded that I prefer Somerville’s cruise night. Still, I might pay Flemington another visit (without the Alfa) later this summer.

The local Jaguar Club arrived and parked together. Below is a sample of what they had on display.

NJ Alfa Club Alfresco Breakfast, June 14, 2026

June 16, 2026 RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Drives, Events

Regular readers of my blog know that the NJ Alfa Romeo club holds a breakfast meeting once a month, rotating among several diners throughout central Jersey. We have been very consistent at maintaining this tradition for the past few years. Once a year, we break from that routine and treat ourselves to an alfresco breakfast in Colonial Park in Somerset, NJ, typically in June, and we again joined forces there on Sunday, June 14. Our event coordinator, Bill DiPrima, always does an excellent job by arriving with bagels, muffins, cookies, and most importantly, hot coffee. The perfect spring weather encouraged over a dozen club members to arrive in their Milanese machinery, old and new. My ’67 Alfa, which was so recalcitrant last month, got me there and back without missing a beat.

An accidental array of superlative Italian machinery

As seems to be typical for us, we spent as much time in conversation as we did in culinary consumption (I personally enjoyed smoked salmon on a multi-grain bagel with my java). Although there were bocce ball courts adjacent to us, we did not play this year, which speaks to the extent to which we were enjoying each other’s company. And as if the breakfast food couldn’t be topped, it was when V.P. Vic surprised his wife with a birthday cake. (Her birthday wish was that we talk about something other than car repair.)

Birthday girl Gail is in the middle, with hubby Vic and sister Dawn

Next month, it’s back to a diner, which I always enjoy, but there is something special about taking in the combination of breakfast foods, great friends and our Alfa Romeos in the spring air.

Bill is still setting up while others have already dug in

Above: we had classics from the ’60s and the ’90s

Above: the newer cars fit in just fine with the classics

Lorenzo’s car may not be an Alfa, but his Lancia Fulvia Zagato is welcomed just the same

The Somerville, NJ, cruise night, June 5, 2026

June 8, 2026 RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Cruise nights, Events

Attending events with my ’67 Alfa Romeo has been a hit-or-miss affair lately. As I covered in an earlier post, I was unable to drive my car to the Carlisle Import Show (although I attended in a modern car). My NJ Alfa Romeo club gathered at the Somerville NJ cruise night the week before last, but I was out of town at a concert, so I missed that as well. We’ve had a spate of good weather recently, and I was itching to take the car somewhere, so last Friday I made a late-day decision to head off to Somerville, which is only six miles from my home.

The Somerville cruise night is held every Friday from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and the special interest and collector cars always manage to fill up almost all of the parking spaces along Main St. The local businesses love the crowds, and the evening takes on a party atmosphere, with teens, families, locals, and out-of-towners joining the fun. I snagged a good parking spot in front of an Italian restaurant, jokingly telling one of the waiters that I parked my Italian car there to bring them more business! Several passers-by stopped to admire and chat about my car, which is always nice. I was out of there by 7:30 and home by 8 p.m., and it was a great way to spend the evening.

The photos below tell the rest of the story. I’ve always enjoyed the variety of vehicles at this cruise night, and last Friday was no exception.

4 p.m. and happy to have gotten a good parking spot in the shade.

A beautifully restored pre-war Plymouth.

Something I rarely see at shows: a Model T Ford.

The ’49-’51 shoebox Fords were revolutionary

Late ’60s – early ’70s Mercedes Benz. Note the German license plate.

This photo could have been taken in the 1960s

Main St. was packed with pedestrians all evening long

In Memory of Al Lanza

May 31, 2026 RichardReina Uncategorized

Last week, I drove to Ottawa, Canada, with a college buddy of mine to see a jazz band we like. During the ride, we reminisced about our fifty-two-year friendship. That’s a long time, but I have high school friends I’ve known longer. I’m in regular touch with at least a half-dozen of my high-school classmates, some of whom I’ve known for fifty-eight years. Many other friends I met during my years with Volvo, where I started working forty years ago. I have been blessed to have such long-term friends.

I’ve also been privileged to have made new friends later in life. My friend Pete, from whom I bought my Alfa, didn’t enter my life until 2001 (still a while ago, I realize). Belonging to several car clubs as I do, I keep meeting new people, and given our common interests, a bond can quickly form.

The New Jersey Chapter of the Alfa Romeo Owner’s Club (NJ-AROC) is full of some of the friendliest, most down-to-earth people that I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. I joined the club soon after buying my Alfa in 2013, and every breakfast meet, tour, and cruise night has been delightful. I heard a saying many years ago about automotive events: “You show up for the cars; you stay for the people.” It sounds hackneyed, but I have repeatedly experienced it. Without the owners and the enthusiasts, it’s just a bunch of automobiles. The people make the experience.

Our little Alfa club has seen a steady influx of new members, partly because Alfa Romeo is currently selling new models in our market again. Some folks have purchased new (or slightly used) Giulias, Stelvios, Tonales, and 4Cs, they catch wind of our club, and they join. One such person was Al Lanza, who bought a used Giulia sedan and signed up with AROC. Looking at my photos of previous events, it looks like Al came into our ranks early in 2025, and he immediately fit right in. He had both a Giulia and a Stelvio, and typical Alfista that he was, he showed more interest in talking about others’ cars than he did in talking about his own. When we first met, Al and I hit it off, and we often spoke about upcoming events that appealed to us.

Al Lanza with his Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan

The Carlisle, PA, Import Show was just two weeks ago, and Al drove out to join us. The NJ Chapter had six members in attendance, including spouses, and we all stayed in the same hotel, had breakfast and dinner together, and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company. I commemorated the trip with a group photo along with individual shots of the guys with their cars. Just before Al and I parted company for the weekend, we spoke about our mutual interest in an upcoming tour hosted by the Delaware Valley Chapter. I was looking forward to seeing him there.

Earlier this week, I got an email that stopped me cold. It said that Al had passed away. I had to read it several times because I didn’t believe it the first time I read it. I had just seen him. He was happy. One of his sons and several of his grandsons had visited him on the showfield at Carlisle. When the news finally sunk in, I was so saddened to lose a friend. Here was someone that I had known for a little more than a year, and now he was gone. Al had become widowed several years ago. He leaves behind four children and several grandchildren.

I keep learning life lessons, and one of them is, it doesn’t matter how recently someone becomes a friend; when they pass on, the sadness and emptiness are the same. Al, it was great to know you. I’m honored to be able to say that we were friends.

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