A few weeks ago, my wife and I were in downtown Manhattan, where we spent a pleasant afternoon at the new Whitney Museum. Our trip into New York County was via the Staten Island Ferry, and while we had taken a taxi from the ferry terminal to the museum, the afternoon weather was pleasant enough for us to make the return trip to the terminal on foot.
Much of our walk took us south on Hudson St., through the West Village and SoHo. These areas are full of trendy bars, coffee shops, and galleries, and autumn’s Sunday warmth had lots of people out and about.
Just about the last brand name I expected to see on a building in SoHo
I’ll be the first to tell you that my eyesight isn’t that great … except when it comes to spotting cars. A few blocks past Houston St., in the glass window of a building across the street from where I stood, was the unmistakable chrome face of a 1958 Cadillac. “Wait, wait”, I yelled to my wife, whom I knew would have no choice but to follow me. “What is this place? Wait, the Cadillac emblem is on the front of the building!”
The view that first caught my eye
My wife went in first; I wasn’t even sure they were open. But sure enough, they were. We scooted past two young adults who were building some kind of display, and entered the first floor ‘showroom’, all glass and mirrors and chrome. Oh, and several Caddies from the ‘50s and ‘60s.
Public area on first floor is all hard surfaces
We wandered around a bit. There was a hipster coffee bar, and a small clothing boutique in the rear. A large placard gave details about an upcoming Andy Warhol exhibit. The space is open seven days a week, and “hanging out” is encouraged.
Sit, stay a while, enjoy the views
Cadillac + Andy Warhol = who knew?
We didn’t stay long, and on the way out, I asked the young woman at the desk if this was in fact Cadillac’s headquarters. “Oh yes” she exclaimed enthusiastically. “All the upper floors are where all the offices are. We like it here, because this is a great neighborhood.”
Fun with mirrors, part 1
Fun with mirrors, part 2
The Cadillac brand, in an attempt to establish independence from its General Motors parent, moved its national operation to New York in 2015. This is all part of brand chief Johan de Nysschen’s grand plan to take the luxury car maker upscale.
Say “tailfins”, and most will conjure up an image of the ’59 Cadillac
My presumption had been that their offices would be somewhere in Midtown: perhaps near Bloomingdale’s (and Trump Tower), or maybe around the corner from Rockefeller Center. So Johan wants to be where the young trendsetters are. Hasn’t this been tried before?
1963 Cadillac, in black, natch
I had one more question for our hostess: “Where are the new cars?” She said that they had all been moved out in preparation for the Warhol event. For now, these behemoths from Cadillac’s heyday had the floor to themselves. Here’s hoping that Cadillac finds its muse somewhere in lower Manhattan.
The organic coffee sign symbolizes the distance between this ’58 and its trendy surrounds
On the evening of November 18, 2016, the AACA Museum in Hershey PA officially opened its “Amore della Strada” Italian machinery exhibit with a reception at the museum. The public was invited to attend, and turnout was large, making for crowded aisles. The doors opened at 6pm, and your $20 admission included antipasti, beer, and wine. Those who owned cars on display were admitted “gratuito”.
Italian cars come in colors other than red!
There were approximately 20 Italian cars, and perhaps a dozen or so Italian motorcycles. The museum is arranged in such a way that there was no practical way for the curators to place all the special exhibits together. Therefore, they were arranged in smaller groups of 2, 3, 4, or more, and placards with each vehicle provided sufficient history regarding the make and model. Owners who were loaning their wares for the five-month duration of the show were dutifully acknowledged. (Last week’s blog entry covered this author’s drive to deliver his ’67 Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior to the exhibit.)
Fiat, Alfa, and Christmas tree
Fiats and Alfa Romeos seemed to comprise the bulk of the vehicle displays, and some might agree with me that it was a refreshing change of pace for an “Italian Car Show” to NOT be dominated by late-model supercars from the Big 3 of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati. (Of these three makes, I counted only two Ferraris.)
Ferrari 308GTB shares floor space with modified Fiat 124 Spider
Among the Fiats, we saw three 124 Spiders, two X1/9s, and an 850 Spider. The X1/9s were a study in contrasts, as the bright green one was a first year example wearing the original bumper-less design, while the white one from 1987 wore no Fiat badges at all, as it was manufactured and sold by Bertone, and badged as such, since Fiat left the U.S. market after 1982. The only Italian prewar car on the floor was a delightful 1937 Fiat Topolino (Little Mouse).
Adorable 1937 Fiat Topolino (owned by AACA Museum)
1974 Fiat X1/9 – note lack of battering ram bumpers
1987 Bertone X1/9, one of the last of the breed
Nose of ’87 X1/9 wears this in place of Fiat badge
Early chrome bumper 124
Later 124 with bumpers removed
Fiat 850 Spider
The four Alfa Romeos included two Giulia coupes, one early step-nose and one 2nd generation design, a rare Montreal Coupe (with a factory V8), and the last Alfa sold in the U.S. market (until Sergio’s recent resurgence), the large front-wheel-drive 164 sedan.
This ’67 has step-nose front
This ’74 has redesigned front
Owners Ed and Shayna Geller with their stunning Alfa Montreal
Alfa GTV in red, Alfa 164 in black. Snake eats man; it’s part of the Alfa legend.
Yes, there were speeches too
The show included vehicles that required an explanation how they passed the entrance exam, as two of them had big American V8 engines, and one had a British 4-cylinder lump. The DeTomaso Longchamp and Italia Omega are vehicles belonging to a class long known as ‘hybrids’ (decades before that term was used to describe a gas/electric vehicle).
Most car aficionados have heard of the DeTomaso Pantera, sold here by Lincoln-Mercury dealers in the early 1970s. The Longchamp is the squared-off, four-seat sister to the Pantera. The one on display featured a Ford 351 Cleveland engine mated to a 3-speed automatic. I’ve seen many a photo of Longchamps, and this was the first one I’ve ever seen in the metal.
DeTomaso Longchamp
Longchamp rear shows hard edges
The car labeled as a 1967 Italia Omega is more familiarly known to me as an Intermeccanica Italia. Based on my reading of the car’s placard, the history of this car company is convoluted at best. (Indeed, none of the several import-based compilation books in my library make any mention at all of this company.) The vehicle in the museum was an attractive convertible, using a front-mounted Ford 302 V8 paired with a 4-speed manual transmission.
Italia Omega has LONG hood
Interior shows Italian sumptuousness
The 1961 Triumph Italia on display is one of 329 built. While the design is certainly in the Italian mold, the sheetmetal hides what is essentially the drivetrain and chassis of a stock Triumph TR-3. One of the outstanding features of the Italia is that it is the handiwork of a young Giovanni Michelotti, who would later pen the restyle of the TR-4 into the TR-6.
1961 Triumph Italia, with TR-3 mechanicals
Scan through the photos below for shots of other vehicles which were on display. (And as always, click on any of the photos to enlarge them.)
Among the motorcycles, which are not my primary interest, I could not help but be drawn to the 1958 Iso Moto, built by the same company that originally designed the Iso Isetta. Like the Longchamp, it was a first for me to actually see one of these in person.
The “Amore della Strada” exhibit runs through April 22, 2017. There’s plenty to see at the Museum besides the Italian stuff. If you’ve never made the trip, this is a good excuse to do so. If you have, the Italian cars are a nice addition to what you may have seen before.
1960 Fiat Autobianchi
1954 S.I.A.T.A, with Fiat 8V engine
1957 Vespa 400, designed in Italy but built in France
1971 O.T.A.S. 820 Grand Prix, built on Fiat 850 chassis
This 1954 Fiat 1100 wears custom bodywork reminiscent of the Alfa B.A.T. cars
Unlike the cars, the bikes fit into one room
Yes, it’s an ISO; same parent company as the Isetta and the Griffo
Earlier this year, the AACA invited its members to submit applications for their Italian cars to be considered. I completed said application, and was thrilled and humbled to learn that the ’67 Alfa Romeo which normally resides in my garage was accepted to be part of the show. (Of the approximately 20 Italian cars to be displayed, all but one are privately owned.)
On the crisp clear Friday morning of November 11, 2016, I started up the Alfa for its two-hour drive to Hershey (this car is no trailer queen). After putting 260 miles on it on last Sunday, this 120-mile ride would be simple. Aside from dicing it up with the tractor-trailers on Route 78 through Allentown PA, the trip was uneventful.
The Alfa arrives at the AACA Museum. The Hershey Kissmobile was also visiting.
Arriving at the museum a little past 10 a.m., I drove around to the load-in entrance at the rear. Glenn from the museum staff met me there, and we went through some of the small peculiarities that make Italian cars so lovable. Glenn seemed especially astounded to learn that the ONLY way to open the trunk is by opening the passenger door and pulling the cable release in the door jamb, something he needed to know in order to access the trunk-mounted battery.
In the basement. You can see a Fiat 124 in front of my car.
My buddy Larry, who is a saint-among-saints as a friend, met me out there in his Silverado. We toured the museum (it was his first time visiting), and got a sneak preview of the upcoming show, as most of the Italian cars were already on display. After a local lunch at Red Robin, we were back on the road by 3-ish.
Sneak preview: DeTomaso Longchamp, Fiats 124, 850, and X1/9
My wife and I will be headed out there again this coming Friday for the exhibit’s opening reception – blog story to follow. And now that I have an empty garage slot for the next five months, we’ll see if I can slip something else in there. (Honey, I know you’re reading this….)
Hamburger with arugula, spicy black beans; does it get any better?
From the ’60s through the ’90s, the family resemblance is there
The New Jersey Chapter of the Alfa Romeo Owner’s Club held an informal Sunday cruise during the afternoon of November 6, 2016. Five club members, led by our chapter head Enrico Ciabattoni, gathered at our starting point at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel NJ. We pushed off around 2pm and cruised to various spots in Monmouth County, including Atlantic Highlands, Sandy Hook, and Colts Neck.
Alex and Carly’s ’66 Duetto
John’s 164
The oldest car in today’s contingent was the 1966 Duetto driven by Alex and Carly. Richard’s 1967 GT 1300 Junior was just a year newer. The eighties were well-represented by two GTV6s, Enrico’s and Bill’s. The newest Alfa for today was John’s beautifully-kept 164. Alas, no new Giulia sedans showed up to surprise us. However, Enrico’s wife and daughter did a commendable job driving the sweep car in their Honda Odyssey. Thanks, ladies!
Richards’ ’67 GT 1300 Jr.
Plenty of time was allotted for photo ops (what with such gorgeous cars!), and a personal highlight was stopping for pictures at the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, the oldest operating lighthouse in the country. The cameras were not always aimed at cars; the vista from atop the Mount Mitchill Scenic Overlook in Atlantic Highlands provided glorious views of the New York skyline and lower bay.
The Alfas line up in front of the Sandy Hook Lighthouse
The tremendous view from the Mount Mitchill Overlook
Our day ended at Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck, which also gave us a chance to pick up some produce (Enrico was spotted heading for the Italian chestnuts). Since it was the first day back on Eastern Standard Time, the rapidly-diminishing daylight had this scribe heading for home before sunset.
The six-cylinder cars hang out together
And you thought Subaru Foresters were small cars….
For those who doubt the reliability of Italian machinery: combined with this morning’s breakfast run, Richard’s Alfa was driven a total of 260 miles today, much of it buzzing along the highways of New Jersey at 70 mph, fending off soccer moms in the SUVs. Not bad for a 49-year-old car.
Carly snaps, and has a great line of sight with the top down
It was wonderful to be out with fellow Alfisti and to delight in the sounds of 4- and 6-cylinder engines in full song. We hope to get the group back on the road in early 2017.
The final Sunday morning breakfast run of the season was held on November 6, 2016. New Jersey weather in early November can be unpredictable; today, we were blessed with sunshine, high pressure, slight winds, and temps in the mid-50s. In other words, it was perfect weather to take our classics out for one more spin around the neighborhood.
Julio’s Coronet in the foreground, with most (but not all) the remainder in front
Today’s joke was that we’ve become victims of our own success; we had a record 20 cars (even if not all of them hung with us the entire morning), and 20 hungry mouths to feed at breakfast. Kicking off from our usual starting spot at the Sheraton Crossroads Hotel in Mahwah, a number of first-timers joined the usual crowd. We ventured north, eventually connecting with Route 513, which we followed south all the way to Route 80 and then Route 46 in NJ, ending at Paul’s Family Diner in Mountain Lakes.
The BS starts before the caffeine flows
Several participants commented on the wide-ranging variety of machinery in today’s caravan. The British made a strong showing with Rich S’s MGB-GT V8, Rich L’s Jaguar F-Type, and Greg’s ’66 E-Type Coupe (RHD, no less).
American muscle was well represented by Julio’s Coronet, Ralph’s Skylark, Larry’s Nova, Paul’s Camaro, and Nick’s Mustang.
The Germans, as usual, had an army of 911s, including Peter’s, Dave’s, and Ted’s. BMWs were represented by Sal in his E30, and Julio’s’ son in a 3-series sedan.
The class winner was the Corvette contingent. We had Burton’s C1, Bill’s C2 (with a 427 3×2), two C3’s (neither joined us at breakfast) and Ron’s C4.
Jim brought his Datsun Z but didn’t drive with us, and the lone Italian car (again) was your author’s very trusty Alfa.
American, German, and British machinery sweep through the curves
The cruise down Route 513 was scenic, if a bit hampered by locals driving modern cars. We arrived at the diner at 10 sharp, and although it was under construction, both the food and the service were exemplary. After the usual post-meal parking lot BS session, we were all on our way back by noon. And so ends a very successful 2016 driving season. The sooner that Old Man Winter gets here, does his thing, and gets out, the sooner we can dust ‘em off and start driving in 2017. We can’t wait.
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