Author: RichardReina

G. Potter King Atlantic City Car Show Report, 2016

RichardReina Auctions, Car shows, Events , , , ,
The pushers move a VW Beetle off the block an past the TV screen.
The pushers move a VW Beetle off the block. This one was a no-sale at $4,250.

G. Potter King (GPK) again hosted its winter edition car show in the Atlantic City Convention Center during the last weekend of February. The event features an auction, a car corral, and a swap meet, all of which comfortably fit inside the cavernous hall. One of the main attractions of this show is that it is mostly impervious to the weather, and so gives us hobbyists a chance to relieve our cabin fever.

The swap meet had the usual mix of old and new stuff to tempt us all.
The swap meet had the usual mix of old and new stuff to tempt us all.

This year, similar to what we observed in 2015, the number of consignments seemed to continue to be on the decrease. The car corral in particular had enough empty space for an additional 20 or 25 cars. The auction side of the building was a bit more occupied, yet still could have held a few more cars.

The car corral again included plenty of dealers showing new and classic iron.
The car corral again included plenty of dealers showing new and classic iron.

For the third time in the last 5 years, GPK rearranged the auction stage and seating. This time, the flow of cars on and off the block seemed better integrated, and seating for non-bidders (like me) was more readily available. One downside to the new set-up was the lack of airflow. Non-catalyzed vehicles emitting exhaust fumes in an enclosed space eventually gets to you. There needs to be a way to move more fresh air through the grandstands.

The view of the auction block from the grandstand.
The view of the auction block from the grandstand.

Having attended auctions hosted by Mecum, RM, Bonhams, Auctions America, and Carlisle, it’s frustrating to see that GPK still could improve their auction block screen shots. This year, they took a step in the right direction by superimposing the lot number, vehicle year and make, and current bid onto the TV image. But the wording was not always easy to read, and often, the bidding on screen far lagged the real-time bidding. Mr. King, a suggestion: watch Mecum to see how it’s done.

If old cars bore you, gaze upon this row of new C7 Corvettes.
If old cars bore you, gaze upon this row of new C7 Corvettes.

The show was helped by a decent weekend of dry and sunny weather in southern New Jersey. There were 100 or more early birds who were waiting for the doors to open at 9 a.m. Foot traffic was plenty strong, and the bidders area directly in front of the auction stand was almost filled to capacity. Nevertheless, the sell-through rate, or, the percentage of cars actually meeting reserve and moving to new owners, appeared to hover around 50-60%. This is due to some combination of unrealistic reserves, poor quality offerings, or not the right bidders in the room.

Car show food is overpriced and doesn't taste great. We walk 5 minutes to the AC train station in the same building for great food at Esquire's.
Car show food is overpriced and doesn’t taste great. We walked 5 minutes to the AC train station in the same building for great food at Esquire’s.

It says a lot about an auction company which can attract quality consignments, get sellers to agree to reasonable reserves, and then draw hungry bidders into the process. It may look easy from the outside, but it’s not. The Arizona auctions in January indicated some slight softening of the market, which didn’t help here. But we did see some cars change hands. Below are details on a random sampling of cars which caught our interest from both the auction and the car corral. (“CPI” values are from the author’s copy of the Jan.-Feb. 2016 edition of the classic car price guide Cars of Particular Interest.)

Auction cars, coming or going.
Auction cars, coming or going (sellers hope the latter).

AUCTION CARS

Lot #1542, 1995 Jaguar XJS convertible, champagne, brown cloth top, glass rear window, tan interior, 86,900 miles. Car looks very nice from the outside. Some driver’s seat bolster wear, otherwise clean interior. 6 cylinder, automatic, nice alloy wheels, paint looks great except for repainted passenger door (but it’s hardly noticeable). Sign on the dash said “not sold on Friday, but for sale at asking price of $9,500”. Online, the car was reported sold for $8,000. CPI values the car between $10,250 (#3) and $17,425 (#2). We would rate is at 3+ and call it very well bought.

Lot #1712, 1986 Corvette coupe, silver/dark grey, red interior, automatic. Mileage is 109,073. Looks just OK on outside, red interior is very worn. Car offered at no reserve, hammer price was $3,400. We rate it a #4 car, and CPI rates a #4 car at $4,475. If it runs, passes state emissions, and doesn’t leak copious amounts of fluid, someone who just wants to have fun may have gotten a very good deal. As one buddy put it, “drive it for 10 years, then throw it away”.

Lot #1782, 1974 Jaguar E-type convertible, Series III with V12 engine, manual transmission, A/C, dark red with biscuit top and interior. Last year for the E-type. Owner claims 16,000 original miles, and also claims it was thoroughly restored. We didn’t see this one up close, but it did appear to be near a #2 condition car. CPI values a #2 car at $87,750, and this hammered sold at $85,000, so someone was willing to pay full boat for it.

At $85,000, the highest sale we saw on Saturday.
At $85,000, this E-Type was the highest sale we saw on Saturday.

Lot #1716, 1990 Suzuki “Every” mini-mini van. Right hand drive, 3-cylinder, 5-speed, factory air, 2,800 original miles. Sliding doors, 2 rows of seats, roomy looking interior. Tall, narrow box on 4 wheels. Everyone was all over this little thing, but it was declared no-sale at a reported high bid of $8,250. We hope it sells just so you can claim to be the only person in your state with one.

Lot #1783, 1965 Austin-Healey Mark III, inline 6, light blue over white paint, with dark blue leather interior. Chrome wire wheels, blackwall tires. Odometer reads 77,000. Car looks very clean overall, no blemishes outside or inside, but appears that restoration may have been done a few years ago. CPI rates a #3 car at $52,500 and a #2 car at $100,000, so that’s a huge spread, mostly defined by condition as there were few options. This one sold for $58,000 which was fair to buyer and seller.

Lot #1784, 1939 Packard, 4 door convertible sedan, black, off-white convertible top, dark red interior. Odometer reads 50,166. Whitewall tires, Packard hub caps, everything looks stock. The car gives off the vibe of a vehicle that was restored 20-30 years ago. It’s all there, and may run out well, but everything has the look and feel of a 20-year-old used car. Rare and unusual body style not seen much, where the B-pillar is removable for a full-open look when the top is down. Car hammered sold for $38,000, which may seem rich, but A) it’s a Packard, and B) try to find another convertible sedan in that price range. Join AACA and go on a tour.

Inside shot of B-pillar shows latches
Inside shot of Packard B-pillar shows latches

Lot #1755, 1956 BMW Isetta, bubble-window coupe, red/white, white sunroof, white vinyl interior. Restored to an acceptable cosmetic standard. Like most Isettas, interior not done to original style. Car has original ISO-designed side windows, as well as coveted “Z-molding” on the side. Every auction seems to have at least one Isetta. This one had shiny paint but little else to rave about. In the opinion of this former Isetta owner, if you plan to drive the thing, get the sliding-window model, as airflow through these tiny pivoting triangular windows is next to non-existent. CPI rates a #3 Isetta (which this one barely was) as worth $30,000. The car was sold for $33,500, so someone paid a slight premium for 13-horsepower worth of cute.

 

CAR CORRAL ENTRIES

1986 Corvette coupe, red, tan interior, automatic, claimed to have 23,000 original miles. Asking $13,900. Car was fairly clean yet obviously used. Rear panel has been resprayed, and that red does not match rest of car. Lots of swirl marks in paint. Car is in CPI between $8,000 (#3) and $14,700 (#2), and this car just didn’t look like a 23,000 mile car. $10,000 would be all the money, however, there are lots of C4 Corvettes for sale all the time, many of them under $10k .

1958 Edsel Pacer convertible, unusual off-white/pale yellow exterior, black interior. Sign claims 35,000 miles, yet car looks restored, not preserved. Very straight overall, interior very nice, engine compartment especially well-done. The entire car does pop, but so does the asking price of $100,000. That is not a typo. CPI values a #2 car (which this is) at $66,000. Even if you pay a premium for the low miles, what do you do with it? Every mile you drive it will depreciate it.

1963 Mercedes Benz 190 SL, dark silver, black convertible top, red interior, narrow whitewall tires, MB hub caps in red, cosmetically very pretty car. No asking price displayed. (Why would you put a car in the car corral and not show a price?) All 190s have 4-cylinder engines and manual gearboxes. Having never driven one, I’ve read that the driving experience is nothing special. Up until about 2 years ago, these languished in the $30k-40k range. Suddenly, as 300SL Gullwings and Roadsters regularly broke through a million, the baby brother 190 came along for the ride. Prices broke $100,000 and seemed headed to $200,000. Now that there’s been a slight cooling, more level-headed thinking has pushed these values back into the high-fives. Whatever he’s asking, I wish him luck.

1980 MGB convertible, odometer reads 45,822 miles, odometer may have turned over once. White with black interior, stick shift with overdrive switch in shift knob, MG-style mag wheels, trunk-mounted luggage rack. Engine compartment a bit of a mess. Last year for the MGB in this market. This car might be unrestored, as it’s all there but nothing is tidy. We would rate this car as a #3- or even a #4. CPI puts a #4 car at $4,150 and a #3 car at $8,000. The ask here is $8,995. Offer $6,000 if a rubber-bumper MGB is on your bucket list and you’re feeling generous.

 

All photographs copyright © 2016 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

 

 

 

 

 

The Fiat 124 Sport Coupe: An Abbreviated History

RichardReina Print material , , ,

Last week’s blog entry on the 1970 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe which I owned for two and a half years reminded me of the lasting impact that car had on my automotive psyche. As my first European car, first Italian, and first stick-shift vehicle, it’s something I recall with fondness. Through the years, I’ve collected various publications on the 124 Sport, and piecing together last week’s posting had me referencing this printed material. So, as an epilogue of sorts, here is a short history of the three generations of this coupe with which not everyone may be very familiar!

Early print ads were stark, showing nothing more than part of the exterior, and the price
Early print ads (this from 1968) were stark, showing only part of the exterior and the price

The Sport Coupe’s mechanically-identical sister, the 124 Spider (later known as the Spider 2000), is much better known in the States for several reasons. The Coupe’s production run ended in 1975 but the Spider’s continued until 1985. Ironically, the Coupe’s production numbers far exceeded the Spider’s (278,000 vs. 210,000 worldwide), but from 1975 to 1981, the Spider was built exclusively for the U.S. market. The Fiat Spider was also part of a “last gasp” of affordable European sporty convertibles, most of which withered and died away by the end of the ‘70s (think MG B and Midget, and Triumph Spitfire, TR7, and TR8.) The typical buff book review gave high praise to the Fiat when compared to the British iron, much of which was rooted in the Sixties. Unfortunately, various mechanical ills, aided by the tin worm, resulted in many Fiat owners deciding not to repeat the ownership experience.

 

The 124 Coupe, for those requiring four seats under all-weather protection, was the more attractive offering compared to the Spider. The car was built in 3 series, internally known as AC, BC, and CC (“A” Coupe, “B” Coupe, and “C” Coupe). The basic body shell and greenhouse carried over; front and rear styling was tweaked with each succeeding generation. The wonderful Lampredi-designed DOHC inline-4 grew from 1438cc to 1608cc, and finally to 1756cc.

 

The first-gen coupe (AC) was officially built from 1967 to 1969 (U.S. sales began in 1968). Preferred by many for its clean design, the front end had dual headlights and a sharply sloping hood. Tail lights were simple horizontal affairs on a vertical back panel. The airy greenhouse was distinguished by rear quarter glass larger than the door glass. The instrument panel centered two large round dials in front of the driver, with smaller round gauges to the side.

The first generation "AC" 124 Coupe is considered the best-looking by many
The first generation “AC” 124 Coupe is considered the best-looking by many

In 1970, the BC model saw a significantly revised front end, now with quad headlights. The car’s front bore more than a passing resemblance to the Fiat Dino Coupe. The tail lights were larger, but the sheetmetal to which they attached did not change. Minor refinements to the interior were noticeable only if one parked the old model next to the new one.

Straight-on front and rear shots of the 2nd gen "BC" model
Straight-on front and rear shots of the 2nd gen “BC” model

Model year 1973 Coupes, the “CC” models, again brought front and rear styling changes. The headlights were set into their own panels, and the grille was recessed, with a dual-step front bumper below it all. To most eyes, the front end was too “busy” compared to the clean predecessors. The trunk lid opening extended down to the bumper, greatly reducing liftover height, but this required the tail lights to become vertical elements, moved to the outer edges of the quarter panels. Convenience was gained at the expense of looks. While many felt that the changes were necessary to keep this aging model looking “current”, 1975 was the end of the line for the Sport Coupe.

The 124 Coupe CC model; the book agrees that it's not the most attractive version
The 124 Coupe CC model; the book agrees that it’s not the most attractive version

This 124 Full-Line brochure from 1972 includes the 124 sedan and wagon, both of which used the OHV-4 engine. By grouping them together, Fiat was undoubtedly trying to allow some of the sportiness of their Coupe and Spider to rub off on the more pedestrian offerings.

Today, it’s rather easy to find a 124 Spider/Spider 2000 for sale; amazingly, the survival rate is high enough that eBay or Craigslist will put one up on your mobile screen in a matter of moments. (Condition of said find is another matter.) You’ll have no such luck with the Coupe version. Yes, they’re out there, but so is a small and rabid contingent of collectors who see the goodness in these little cars. Those who own one tend to hold onto it. Values aren’t going anywhere; but it’s nice to know that Fiat’s long-lost classic Coupe has its admirers.

 

Stats and photos for this blog entry taken from "Essential Fiat 124 Spider & Coupe" by Martin Buckley (in the author's collection)
Stats and photos for this blog entry taken from “Essential Fiat 124 Spider & Coupe” by Martin Buckley (in the author’s collection)

The 1970 Fiat 124 Sport Coupe

RichardReina Family cars , , ,

The post about my family’s 1966 Buick Sport Wagon ends with the statement that I sold the wagon in order to purchase a Fiat. This is the story of that Fiat. My “first car”, the Mustang, was mine to drive, but it belonged to my father. The Buick was registered in my name, but I bought it from my mother and had given her a token sum for it. Up until this point, I had yet to go out and purchase a car on my own. That changed in 1974.

 

First, some background on what led to this. In 1973, I was nineteen, and having withdrawn (temporarily) from college, was working full-time in a clerical position for an insurance company in downtown Manhattan. The Buick, while a reliable beast, was also very thirsty. In my earlier post, I stated that local driving returned 8 mpg. Highway driving did not do much to improve on that figure.

 

In late 1973, the U.S., indeed the world, was struck by the first oil embargo, sharply driving the price of gasoline upward, while at the same time, severely limiting supplies. My full-time salary of $110/week was being stretched by the suddenly more expensive fill-ups. Besides, I really wanted to ditch the wagon and get a sports car, and had always been attracted to the looks of the Fiat 124 coupe, first introduced to this market in 1968. Scanning the classifieds for several weeks with no luck, I noticed there was one parked on the street about two miles from my house with a For Sale sign on it.

 

It was February of 1974. I called the number on the placard, and the seller agreed to show me the car. My friend Vinny came along. We looked at the car. It looked OK to me. I had no idea what I was looking at! My mind was made up before the owner showed it to me. His ask was $1700. There was no negotiation. I had the money, gave it to him, he signed it over, handed me the key, and wished me luck.

My Valentine’s present to myself

The Fiat, of course, was a stick shift, a 5-speed, when my two best friends, one driving a VW Beetle, the other a Toyota Corolla, were both rowing 4-speeds. There was just one small problem in getting this thing home: I did not know how to drive a manual transmission car. Oh, I knew the theory of driving one. However, I had never actually put the theory in practice. (Typing this 42 years later makes me realize that I did not test drive my own used car purchase.) Vinny had dropped me off and went on his merry way, so I was alone. I started the car, put it into gear, and was thankful it was just two miles home. Somehow, after stalling only 10-12 times, I made it. Breathing a sigh of relief, I coasted into the driveway, turned it off, and went inside.

Yes, it weighed 1,648 lb.

First call was to my best friend Richard Sawler, whom I sheepishly asked to give me lessons. We went out together, me driving, he riding shotgun. Richard would instruct me on the finer points of shifting. He worked the parking brake whenever I had to stop on an incline. After about a week, enough confidence was gained to venture out solo.

 

Acquaintances presume that my automotive mechanical knowledge came from working at car dealerships, which began in 1978. That is not exactly true. It really started with the purchase of this Fiat. The car was an absolute joy to drive, and I drove it a lot. However, “something” happened to that car about once every other week. There was no way I could afford to pay someone to fix the car that frequently (see weekly salary quoted above). Soon after the purchase, I was at my local Sears, buying my first set of metric tools, a set of 1/2” drive sockets which I still own (Dad had nothing metric). I also obtained a Haynes Workshop Manual for the car, which I read on the ferry as I commuted to and from my insurance company job.

Kept the book in case I get another...
Kept the book in case I get another…

Small jobs I could do, and I started small, doing the brakes, a tune-up, and a coolant flush. But a U-joint went, then the exhaust, and I needed someone to make those repairs for me. On Staten Island, two brothers had opened a “foreign car only” repair shop. The name of the business was “Brothers”. By the summer of 1974, we were on a first-name basis with each other. To be fair, they were great guys, and were very fair to me, realizing that I couldn’t afford to take care of every single thing that poor piece of Italian transportation needed.

Brothers they were. I was there so much I considered getting a part-time job with them.

Frequent repairs or not, the Fiat was taking me all over the place. In March, a friend and I used the car to make a successful round trip to Buffalo, NY, the farthest I had driven from home in my life. Its cavernous back seat could hold my drum set, so the Fiat was the car driven to all my music gigs. Vinny was so impressed, he traded the Corolla for a new 124 Coupe. My car had about 57,000 miles on it at the time of my purchase. Within the first six months, I had driven it about 8,000 miles.

March, 1974, unwashed but safely back from Buffalo
March, 1974, unwashed but safely back from Buffalo

Then the timing belt broke.

 

On a warm summer August evening, heading back from Brooklyn to Staten Island via the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, I paid the toll on the S.I. side, accelerated out of the toll booth, aimed for the Bay St. exit on my right, and the car died. It cranked just fine, but made no attempt to catch. Finding a phone booth, I called my dad, and somebody called a tow truck. The car was brought to Todd Motors, Staten Island’s only Fiat (and coincidentally, only Volvo) dealer.

 

They called me with the bad news. All I heard was a litany of parts: head gasket, valves, pistons, rods, etc. They said the job would take a while, perhaps a week. In a matter of days, I was heading back to college. Being without transportation was torture. But the real torture was seeing that repair bill. At the age of 20, I wasn’t exactly floating in spare cash; $345! Were they kidding? Look at this Repair Order: Nine hours of labor at $16/hour! Four exhaust valves at $8 a piece! A SIX DOLLAR head gasket, for cryin’ out loud! Did they think I owned Fort Knox?

At the time, highway robbery. In retrospect, quite fair.

This is all quite funny now. We have become accustomed to labor rates close to 10 times this figure. Somehow, I found the money, paid the dealer, and picked up my car. The good news was that it ran well. Yet, the car continued to penny-pinch me. The brake master cylinder went (for which I bought a rebuild kit, and rebuilt it in my dorm room). A carburetor screw fell out, and the car would not idle. A steering tie rod went bad. The Fiat got me through my sophomore year of college.

NYC phone nos. still used 2-letter exchanges, and area code was not needed (all 212)
NYC phone nos. still used 2-letter exchanges, and area code was not needed (all 212)

Returning home from college for the summer of ’76, the rust was getting worse, with an actual hole in the left front fender, large enough to see through. When the water pump quit that summer, I felt defeated. The fun-to-drive aspect never went away, and my technical skills were improving, but I could no longer count on the car to get me around. The Fiat, at 6 years of age, its cancerous rust eating away at all four corners, was sold to Stuckers, the well-known foreign-car junkyard on Staten Island. It had been mine for the last two-and-a-half years and 40,000 miles of its life.

Stuckers was a great source for parts, and the car's final resting place
Stuckers was a great source for parts, and the car’s final resting place

As time went on, I only remembered the good things about the Fiat, never dwelling on the breakdowns or repair costs. At my father’s urging, the next car was an American make, but after that came a succession of German cars, then a career in the car business with a Swedish auto maker (and many Swedish cars in the driveway). It would be 37 years before another Italian car entered my life. While that car is my delightful Alfa, it has not stopped me from thinking that someday, I’ll find room for another Fiat. I remain that impressed by the little coupe’s capabilities.

Richard Sawler (L) and Vinny Signoriello (R) prove that rust has yet to permeate door sills. Good times, good memories.
Richard Sawler (L) and Vinny Signoriello (R) prove that rust has yet to permeate door sills. Good times, good memories.

 

All photographs copyright © 2016 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

 

1993: Visiting the Arizona Auto Salvage Yards

RichardReina Events, salvage yards, Uncategorized , , ,

In 1993, with seven years at Volvo Corporate under my belt, I had done my share of domestic and international business travel. Volvo generously allowed employees to keep and use their own earned frequent flyer points. In April of that year, with some of my points about to expire, I burned a bunch of them by taking a long weekend trip to Phoenix AZ.

Now, Phoenix was not exactly my first choice as a vacation hot spot. Of course, there was an ulterior motive: I had heard about the auto salvage yards in the area, mainly filled with ‘50s-‘60s Detroit iron (as rust was not an issue in the Southwest). My 1967 Dodge Dart was in need of a few components not available in the aftermarket. Telling this to my buddy John M, who owned a 1963 Buick, resulted in being given a shopping list for his car. (I sold the Dart several years after this trip was taken; John still owns that ’63 Wildcat convertible today.)

Packing little more than a weekend bag, my camera, and some cash, I was off to Phoenix. Expecting warm weather, I didn’t bother with sweaters or coats. Good thing, too, because Phoenix was having a heat wave. Temperatures reached 114 degrees F during my stay, making me very glad that my hotel’s swimming pool was open.

Finding the salvage yards was easy. I brought the Yellow Pages from my hotel room with me, and armed with a map I picked up in the airport, off I went in the rental car. While I did find my parts, the real treat was being able to stroll through these yards at my leisure. The staff was more than willing to let me wander, scrounging for parts, admiring the cars, taking photos, and generally acting like the East Coast tourist I was.

I’ve long forgotten what I purchased for the Dart and Wildcat (John, do you recall?). However, the sights of the 4 or 5 yards I visited were captured on color film, and looking at them brings me back to that busy (if blazing hot) weekend. Here is a small selection of those photographs.

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A stack of ’60s Buicks
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Another stack of Buicks, with a ’63 on top

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The evolution of the Cadillac tail fin

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1962 Chrysler 300- that’s a good quarter panel!
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Junkyard dog admires Imperial styling
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A pair of ’61-’63 ‘Jet Age’ T-Birds
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What a great instrument cluster; does anyone know the year and make of this MoPar?
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More Buicks! Was this a Buick-only yard?
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These Nash Metropolitans were among the few imports I saw
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1957 Buick with AZ mountains as backdrop
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2nd gen Plymouth Barracuda; pebbles & weeds indicate she’s been under water
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Not much left to pick off this ’58 Caddy carcass
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’65 Chevy Impala looks like it could be brought back
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Let’s not forget we’re in the (former/still) Wild West

Photos were taken with my Nikon EM camera; film info not recorded, but likely Kodak Gold, either 100 or 200 ISO. Prints scanned with Epson V500 photo scanner.

All photographs copyright © 2016 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

Back To Print: Car and Driver, March 1967

RichardReina Print material , , , , , , , ,

In March of 1967, for my 13th birthday, I was given a subscription to CAR and DRIVER magazine. I already had been reading everything I could on the topic of automobiles. Up until this point, the majority of that had been my dad’s Popular Science and Popular Mechanics magazines. While their automotive articles were good, they encompassed but a fraction of those magazines’ editorial content.

 
It was my father who selected C&D among the then-available buff books; it was a decision which profoundly affected and still influences the way I think about automobiles. CAR and DRIVER, in 1967 under the helm of David E. Davis Jr., was already displaying a slant toward European machinery and away from American iron. They were also several years into embracing a tone of irreverence, in part fed by 1960s counter-culture, that would grow stronger in the decade of the 1970s.

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My first issue of CAR and DRIVER magazine, March 1967. Mailing label still attached. 

I recently plucked that March of ’67 issue from the bookshelf for a revisit. Their preference may have been sporty European cars, but they were also in the business of selling magazines (at 60 cents per copy), so the newly-announced 1967 Pontiac Firebird graced the cover. The statistics page at the end of the Firebird road test swings between factual calculations (0-60 in 5.8 sec.), and a “Check List” which uses “excellent”, “very good”, “good”, “fair”, and “poor” for its subjective ratings. Nice to know that the “synchro action” was excellent, while the “trunk space” was poor.

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This says there were 3,450 Pontiac dealers in the U.S. in 1967.

C&D regularly featured articles on personalities and/or topics related to, but not necessarily directly about, cars. Case in point was this article about the photographer Pete Biro. The sharpness of the color photos I find especially enthralling.

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Pete Biro: One Man Show
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Jim Hall and Don Garlits
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Rodriguez in the Ferrari, and Hill in the BRM

Some of the real fun in browsing through an almost-50-year-old magazine is re-reading the advertising. The Volvo ad for the 122 uses the “Stronger Than Dirt” tag line which Volvo aficionados know well. But look at the fine print: “Stronger than dirt copyright Colgate Palmolive, used with permission”. The Porsche ad, like Volvo’s, quotes a 3rd party source for credibility. With prices ranging from $4790 to $6990, these German sports machines were expensive cars, especially compared to other cars featured in ads in this issue such as the Renault 10 for $1647, the Fiat 124 for $1798, and the MGB/GT for $3095.

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Volvo print ad from 1967
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Porsche print ad from 1967

By contrast, note that these two ads from domestic manufacturers are in color. Bigger ad budget perhaps? The Camaro ad pointedly attacks the perceived discomfort and unreliability of other (unnamed European) sports cars, finishing off with “… and go show those purists”. The biggest surprise in the magazine for me is this ad: “Mercury, the Man’s Car”. Really? Try that today. Nevertheless, they still attempt a tie-in with the overseas competition by informing you that “European elegance comes to Cougar Country in Mercury’s Car of the Year”.

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Camaro print ad from 1967

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Bringing up the rear is “The Classified Marketplace”. While Road & Track magazine’s classified section was probably better-known (and more likely to contain exotic sports cars), there are still interesting tidbits here at CAR and DRIVER. Among them are a Lancia Flaminia for $1100, a ’63 Porsche 90 coupe for best offer over $3000, and a 1934 Rolls-Royce for $1450 FOB England. My favorite is the picture ad which ran in C&D for years: “A Playboy’s Dream”, the Volvo 1800 convertible. With all my years around the product, I’ve rarely seen one in the metal, which makes me wonder how many were made, and how many survive?

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The Classified Marketplace

This glance back to March of 1967 was fun, and I think we’ll do this again with other ancient periodicals that may be in the collection.

 

All scans are from the March 1967 issue of CAR and DRIVER magazine; the copy of the magazine is from the author’s collection.

 

 

 

 

Father’s First Ford: The 1967 Mustang

RichardReina Family cars , , ,

My dad was a GM man throughout the first two decades of his marriage. Although it was a Willys station wagon which served as family transportation when he and my mom got married in 1950, he bought a new Chevy 210 sedan in 1953 (the car which brought me home from the hospital), and a new Corvair wagon in 1961. The ‘60s saw the Corvair augmented with a ’63 Pontiac Catalina wagon, then replaced by a used 1966 Buick Sport Wagon.

 
When the Ford Mustang was introduced in 1964, this 10-year-old car-crazy boy was infatuated with it. Some magazine advertisement at the time offered the chance to buy a promo model, which I did (and which I disassembled so I could paint it.) One advantage of growing up in New York City was the opportunity to visit the 1964-1965 World’s Fair in Flushing Meadow Park. The family went six times! Of course, the new Mustang, having been introduced there, was always on prominent display. Dad, who normally didn’t say much, ever so slightly let it be known that he “liked” this new pony car.

1964 1/2 Ford Mustang promo model (hand painted)
1964 1/2 Ford Mustang promo model (hand painted)

 

From the book "Images of America; The 1964-1965 New York World's Fair (author's collection)
From the book “Images of America; The 1964-1965 New York World’s Fair” (author’s collection)

 

In the mid-sixties, we were a typical suburban American family with two cars, what with two working adults and three school-age children in the household. At that time, our transportation needs were met with station wagons (the Corvair, Catalina, and Sport Wagon). But by the late ‘60s, perhaps there was room for something more fun. (Was it a coincidence that my father turned 50 in 1969 and may have been having something of a mid-life crisis?) To my surprise and delight, “we” got just that in the form of a Ford Mustang.

 
In 1969, my father found a used ’67 Mustang for sale in our hometown of Staten Island, NY. It was a Lime Gold coupe, 289 2V, automatic, vinyl roof, full wheel covers, whitewalls, AM radio, and nothing else. My dad paid $2,050 for it; the number always stuck in my head because of the odd $50. I was 15, and, just two years away from a driver’s license, hoping that someday it would become my car.

 

My dad's '67 Mustang, photo taken by me in our yard in 1969
My dad’s ’67 Mustang, photo taken by me in our yard in 1969

In 1971, with that freshly minted license, the Mustang was ‘mine’ to drive. Dad bought a third car so that he and Mom would each continue to have their own wheels. Giving a 17-year-old a V8 Mustang was maybe not his best decision, although I used the car responsibly as transportation to a part-time job, as well as a weekend “cruisemobile” with my high school buddies. Like many teenagers, I considered myself a good driver, but in retrospect, my driving was aggressive, cocky, and naively self-assured.

 
It is ironic then, that on the morning of December 23, 1971, at the speed of perhaps 10 mph, I rolled through an intersection, having failed to see a stop sign, and was punched by another car. The accident was 100% my fault. The car had 2-point lap belts, but mine wasn’t on. My head hit the steering wheel, I was knocked unconscious, suffered a concussion, and required 10 stitches. (The hospital needed to shave my hairline to sew me up. Today, the scar is well below the hairline!)

The wrecked Mustang in 1972
The wrecked Mustang in 1972

This happened in Brooklyn, which is why my speed was so low. I didn’t know the neighborhood, and was looking at street signs. Dad drove to the hospital to see me. I dreaded his scolding, but he didn’t. He was upset, but took it all in stride. The Mustang was totaled. For reasons possibly having to do with insurance, the car was towed to our house, where it sat for several months before he sold it to a salvage yard. My father went back to new GM cars (Buicks and Oldsmobiles), a new Dodge Dart, and eventually moved to import vehicles (Renault, Datsun, Mazda). “Father’s first Ford” turned out to also be his last; he never bought another Ford.

 
Fast forward to August 2003: I purchased my first collector Mustang, a ’68 California Special, in Lime Gold (my first color choice for sentimental reasons). Dad was in failing health, and never got to ride in it. He passed away in 2006. My ’68 is a story for another time. But every so often, I think back to that ’67 coupe and wonder: did someone rescue it from the junkyard, or did it give itself up for parts so that other Mustangs could stay on the road to be enjoyed today?

The 1968 Mustang California Special in Lime Gold
The 1968 Mustang California Special in Lime Gold

All photographs copyright © 2016 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

 

1988: My visit to the Bertone Factory in Italy

RichardReina Events, Factory visits , , , , ,

Happy New Year!

There’s some unfinished business from 2015 I need to cover. Back in September, this story ran on the Hemmings daily blog:

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2015/09/01/remainder-of-the-bertone-concept-car-collection-rights-to-the-bertone-name-goes-up-for-sale/

Similar stories about the end of this storied Italian design house can be found in other locations on the internet.

Reading this saddened me, and not just because a Bertone-designed car currently sits in my garage. First, on a higher level, we have observed that the car business goes through changes, and those changes can drive away marques that you thought would be around forever. When I was 15, posters of the 1969 Pontiacs were Scotch-taped to my bedroom walls. Never in my lifetime would I have believed that the day would come when Pontiac would be no more. The last 20 years have also witnessed the demise of Plymouth, Oldsmobile, Mercury, and Saab, among others.

Second, on a more personal level, I am fortunate to have once visited the Bertone factory outside of Torino, Italy. It was one of the most memorable business trips I have ever taken, and it’s a story that I’ve never told in its entirety. Allow me to tell it here.

In January of 1988, 15 months into my employment with Volvo Cars of North America (VCNA), the management team decided that I should travel to Volvo’s world headquarters in Gothenburg, Sweden, to be trained in the investigation of vehicle fires. While fires were not a huge problem for the company, very little was known at that time about the cause and effect of “thermal events” (the euphemism we used). The Volvo Car Corporation in Gothenburg (VCC) had done some investigative work on its own, and they had an in-house fire expert who would train me. For me, it was an opportunity to travel to the land which gave birth to all those Volvo 140s and 240s I had wrenched on as a technician, so off I went, my delight completely undiminished by the concept of winter in Scandinavia.

Arriving in very snowy and very dark Gothenburg was a culture shock. Given that “daylight” such as it is lasts from about 9am to 3:30pm in January, this combined with a 6-hour time difference made the first few days at work a struggle. Nevertheless, my hosts were cordial and accommodating, and always polite about speaking English in my presence. Within 3 days, we made a field trip to investigate a Volvo which had gotten crispy a few days before. What a thrill – I was getting my hands dirty.

The author and Viking Hallgren examine a crispy critter, Jan. '88. From the author's collection.
The author and Viking Hallgren of VCC on the job, Jan. ’88. From the author’s collection.

Then Friday came.

During my first four days at work, no mention was made of a looming “engineers” strike. In Sweden, unlike the U.S., many of the white-collar workers are unionized. Lots of banter in the native tongue was overheard but not understood about management, the union, the labor negotiations, etc. On Friday morning, there were union representatives outside the now-barricaded chain link fence in Torslanda (the Volvo factory). No one was being allowed admittance to the buildings. My Swedish colleagues were on strike, and I was on my own.

The strike, at first predicted to last only several days, was soon seen to be stretching out to a week or more. As part of my business trip, I had made tentative plans to also travel to Brussels, Belgium for an auto show; to Hamburg, Germany, if only because my father was born there and I had yet to visit; and to Italy, because I had been there 10 years before and had fallen in love with the place. Besides, I told my boss back in the States, visiting Italy was really a “business trip”.

In 1988, for the second time in its history, Volvo contracted with Carrozzeria Bertone to design and manufacture a limited-production, 2-door specialty car. First was the Volvo 262C, made from 1978 to 1981. Next came the Volvo 780, which was in production at Bertone at the time of my planned visit. Such was the extent of freedom with business travel that I needed no more of an excuse than that. Euro-rail pass in hand, I headed south through mainland Europe, arriving in Italy, and finding it less snowy but just as cold, dark, and damp as Sweden.

The Volvo 780. From the author's collection.
The Volvo 780. From the author’s collection.

Through contacts in Gothenburg, I was given the name of someone who would host my visit. Taking a cab from the train station in Torino to the suburb of Grugliasco, I somehow found my way to the correct office building in the sprawling Bertone complex, and was greeted by a Mr. Mario Panizza. He welcomed me, and asked me to sit while he fetched my Swedish host. Within a few minutes, Mr. Roine Lundin arrived.

scan312

Roine was a Swede temporarily relocated to Italy in order to oversee Volvo’s interests there. (As an aside, Roine told me that he had a Chinese wife and a 6-year-old daughter, both living in Italy with him. The daughter went to an English-language school, and she was already fluent in Swedish, Chinese, English, and Italian. Wonder what she’s doing today.) Roine gave me the behind-the-scenes tour of the factory. Photographs were strictly prohibited. But I have a clear memory of watching the factory workers as they assembled FOUR distinctly different cars going down the assembly line at the same time: in addition to the Volvo 780 were the Lamborghini Jalpa, the Fiat (Bertone) X1/9, and the Opel Kadett Cabriolet. The point was made to me that at Volvo’s insistence, Bertone significantly upgraded their painting facility in order to meet the Swedish carmaker’s standards, and the Fiat, Opel, and Lamborghini also benefited from the improved painting process.

The Lamborghini Jalpa. From the author's collection.
The Lamborghini Jalpa. From the author’s collection.

 

The Fiat/Bertone X1/9. From the author's collection.
The Fiat/Bertone X1/9. From the author’s collection.

A previous-generation Opel Kadett. For the cabrio, picture a Chevy Cavalier convertible in Euro-trim.
A previous-generation Opel Kadett. For the cabrio, picture a Chevy Cavalier convertible in Euro-trim. From the author’s collection.

At lunchtime, Roine and I dined in the factory cafeteria with the line workers. That lunch was the best meal I had during what turned out to be an almost 3-week-long visit to Europe. After lunch, Roine invited me to have espresso with him in the executive dining area. As coffee was served, he asked me if I wanted my drink “fixed”, a time-honored Italian way of asking if I desired a shot of liqueur, such as Sambuca or Amaretto. I demurred.

Knowing he was setting me up, Roine pointed to a sign hanging over the bar and asked me what it said. It was in Italian, so I had no idea. He translated: “There shall be no alcohol served at this bar during work hours”. He paused and, as a smile crept across his face, waited for my reaction. “But Roine, you just offered to ‘fix’ my drink, what gives?” He answered “you have to think like an Italian. The sign means that you cannot drink the alcohol by itself. But in the coffee, it’s OK!”

The tour concluded, I left the Bertone complex and found a hotel to spend the night. By the next morning, I was again on a train for the return trip north. Convinced that the strike would be over by the time I got back to VCC, alas it was not. Calling my boss back home one more time, we both agreed that enough time had been spent waiting (and wandering). The long-planned training event lasted for 4 days out of its expected 2+ weeks.

Since that trip in January of 1988, I made business trips to VCC in Sweden in excess of 20 times. Yet that first trip remains most memorable. And someday, I’d like to have another one (or three) Bertone-designed cars in the fleet.

 

Garage Tools: Micrometers, Vernier Calipers, and Dial Indicators

RichardReina Tools and supplies , , , , , , ,

My dad was a career mechanic-machinist, spending most of his working life first in the garment district in Manhattan, repairing sewing machines, then with Proctor & Gamble at their Port Ivory (Staten Island) manufacturing plant, maintaining the production lines. Much of the love and respect I have today for tools of all kinds came from hanging around my father in his workshop. It is also my privilege to have inherited many of his tools, which now reside in my garage. Recently, when straightening out one of my tool drawers, I thought that featuring some of my dad’s old tools would be an enjoyable topic for a blog entry.

While it’s a cliche to say “they don’t make ‘em like they used to”, in many cases they don’t (but in some cases they still do!). To the point: these measuring tools, each about 60-70 years old in my estimation. Their metal composition gives them heft in the hand, yet operating their slides and dials is to exercise their silky smoothness. Their markings are for the most part stamped into their faces; no printing or transferring to wear away. They feel like they will last another 75 years. They may see infrequent use; but there is no doubt that they have maintained their measuring accuracy.

Starrett micrometer #216
Starrett micrometer #216

This first tool is a micrometer, with two features that I especially enjoy: it’s metric, and it’s digital. Reading a micrometer in the conventional way is something I can do, but I’d rather look at the digital readout! This one is marked “Starrett No. 216”, and to my surprise, it’s available today from Starrett:
http://www.starrett.com/metrology/product-detail/216P-1

 

Starrett micrometer #230
Starrett micrometer #230

Another Starrett micrometer in my collection looks a little worse for wear, but still functions fine. This one, model #230, has its fractional readings converted out to 4 decimal places in both 16ths and 32nds. I love the way those numbers are sturdily stamped directly into the frame of the tool.

This too can be bought new from the Starrett Company:
http://www.starrett.com/metrology/product-detail/Outside-Micrometers/Micrometers/Precision-Hand-Tools/Precision-Measuring-Tools/230FL

 

MZB vernier calilper
MZB vernier caliper

The kind of automotive work I’ve done has called for use of Vernier calipers more often than a micrometer. This Vernier caliper was made by a company called “MZB”. A Google search coughed up this ad from the May 1951 issue of Popular Mechanics. It would not surprise me if my dad bought this via this advertisement. (What, they don’t take Pay Pal?)

 

MZB caliper ad, May 1951 Popular Mechanics
MZB caliper ad, May 1951 Popular Mechanics

 

On my calipers, of special note is the reverse stamp: “Made in Germany Western Zone”. That must date its production to the time immediately after the end of World War II. (Also note my father’s name engraved into the tool, as he did with almost everything he owned.)

MZB caliper: Made in Germany Western Zone
MZB caliper: Made in Germany Western Zone

Spot-On Engineering Products of London England produced this lovely dial indicator, in its own protective hard-shell case. Little else is known about Spot-On, at least based on futile Google searches. However, the tool lives on in my garage, seeing occasional use for run-out measurements. It’s delightful to operate, and I especially enjoy watching the dial move around the face of the gauge.

What is it about tools that appeals to us car guys? Whether we fix our own vehicles or not, I think we share an admiration for the fine workmanship and usefulness that goes into a long-lasting quality tool, much like we feel about our classic rides.

 

All photographs copyright © 2015 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

Simeone Museum Presents: “Preserving Shelby Cobra Daytona CSX2287”

RichardReina Car shows, Events, Repair sessions , , , , ,

On Saturday, December 12, 2015, the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia PA hosted a special “Preservation Workshop”, featuring the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe (serial number CSX2287) owned by the Foundation. The gist of the presentation was that, after this vehicle spent some 30-odd years languishing in hidden storage, it was acquired by the Foundation and brought back to running, driving condition. The work to accomplish that goal was considered “preservation” and “conservation”, not “restoration”, in an attempt to keep the car as original as possible.

The star of the show awaits its start
The star of the show awaits its start

This particular vehicle is one of only 6 Cobra Daytona Coupes built, and on that basis alone, it is an historically important vehicle. However, CSX2287 is also the first Daytona Coupe built, and the only one constructed entirely in the U.S. Most infamously, it has a long and convoluted ownership history (including, for a short time, serving as daily driver for the music producer Phil Spector). No attempt will be made here to delve into this history, about which much has been written elsewhere. Instead, this blog entry will summarize the workshop presentation, which was fascinating both for its detail as well as some of its controversial “conservation” decisions. For those interested, the Foundation’s website has this information on the car: http://www.simeonemuseum.org/the-collection/bonneville-salt-flats/1964-shelby-cobra-daytona-coupe


The event started promptly at its scheduled time of 12 noon, with about 150-175 people in attendance. After the briefest of introductions, the mic was handed to Dr. Fred Simeone, who spoke while clicking through Power Point slides on a large screen at the front of the room. The Belle of the Ball, the car itself, sat on the floor, roped off from groping hands.

Dr. Fred Simeone works the crowd
Dr. Fred Simeone works the crowd

The good doctor proved himself to be knowledgeable, well-spoken, interesting, and occasionally amusing. One got the sense while listening to him that he was actively involved in the car’s refurbishment. He may not have literally had his hands on components (indeed, he informed us that the work was performed by a restoration shop in Georgia), but he likely was helping to make key decisions.

The slide presentation began with the history of CSX 2287: its creation and racing exploits. Again, there is no need to cover that here. The Foundation purchased the car in the early 2000s, and since one of their goals is to maintain all vehicles in running condition, work started to make it a driver again. A rotisserie was constructed, with mechanical systems (fuel, suspension, brakes, etc.) disassembled and carefully documented and photographed. Various methods were employed to remove dirt, scale, and rust, while preserving whatever original finishes might be found. In this way, the original black paint on the tube frame was saved; so were factory markings on the engine, cooling system, even the hardware. Rubber fuel lines, obviously corroded to nothingness after such a long time, were replaced as a necessary safety matter. However, the metal ends were reused, a painstaking and more expensive approach, but one which preserved what could be saved. Almost every piece of hardware was cleaned and reused. In cases where worn parts were replaced (wheel bearings), the originals were kept and stored away.

As Yogi might have said: "Carroll must have signed it while he was still alive"
As Yogi might have said: “Carroll must have signed it while he was still alive”

The engine, not original to the car (Shelby American installed a “spare” Hi-Po 289 into it when they sold it to a private individual in the late ‘60s), was determined to have relatively few miles on it. One controversial decision was to NOT rebuild the engine, for as far as anyone knew, there was nothing wrong with it! In fact, Dr. Fred stated that the ONLY reason the engine was removed from the frame was to replace a seeping freeze plug, a job which could not be done with the engine in situ.

The photos below reveal that the body and paint on this Shelby were decidedly not restored. This of course, was also controversial, for several reasons. The first and most obvious is that in this hobby, “refurbished” cars are not just mechanically corrected; they are cosmetically returned to their most glamorous state. The controversy is further fueled by Pete Brock, this vehicle’s original designer. He has made it publicly known that in his opinion, the only correct “restoration” of CSX2287 is to remove its hood scoops and rear spoiler (which were added while the vehicle was competing in real races), and to repaint it in the original (lighter) shade of blue which it wore in 1964. Dr. Simeone was not shy in stressing that while he respects Pete, he disagrees with him.

As mentioned earlier, Dr. Fred was far from boring during the hour+ he held the mic. Some of his memorable quotes from the day include:
• “A car that doesn’t run isn’t a car. It’s a statue.”
• “Restoring a car for Pebble Beach does nothing for its conservation. All it does is make you eligible to win a plastic trophy.”
• (Quoting Carroll Shelby, who was trying to negotiate the repurchase of the Daytona coupe from the woman who hid it away for 30 years): “The bitch would only talk to me through the screen door”.
• “Watch out if you disagree with Pete Brock. First he’ll argue his case with you, and when he’s done, he’ll sic his wife on you”.

Floor poster sums up an incredible history
Floor poster sums up an incredible history

This concept of keeping original cars original is not new to CSX2287. Those in the old car hobby began to notice a hard right turn in that direction within the last decade or so. Recent auction results around the globe have shocked onlookers by repeatedly proving that “barn finds” in some cases fetch more money than 100-point restorations. The Simeone Automotive Foundation, in 2012, published a book “The Stewardship of Historically Important Automobiles” which draws parallels between art and furniture collections (which pieces would never be stripped of their finishes) and automobile collections.

Hood up so the battery could be connected

Hood up so the battery could be connected

The book does make the distinction (as Dr. Fred did today) that the concept of preserving what is original is not intended for every “Model A and Mustang out there”. Some astute writers have noted that compared to an oil portrait or a desk, a functioning automobile has moving parts which are designed to become worn, deteriorated, and consumed. Eventually, the entire vehicle is discarded. Therefore, for many vehicles selected for the restoration process, there is no choice but to completely renew all their components.

 

After an hour of the slide presentation and audience Q & A, the Daytona Coupe was started and allowed to idle for a minute. Slow to crank, it fired up on the second try. Expecting a cacophonous roar, the vehicle sounded docile at idle. While never to turn a wheel in anger again, this simple demonstration helped prove that the preservation efforts accomplished their intended goal.

A final note about this particular car and the maturing of the old car hobby concerns the National Historic Vehicle Register, overseen by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The National Historic Register has been awarding “historic status” to buildings and other architecture in this country for decades. Recently, it was proposed to extend such recognition to automobiles. This Shelby Cobra Daytona CSX2287 is the first such vehicle recognized, a massive accomplishment, and one that signifies that not only is the old car hobby alive and well, it is growing in important ways.

Comments concerning “restoration” versus “preservation“ are invited.

 

The car and the HVA plaque
The car and the HVA plaque

 

All photographs copyright © 2015 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.

 

Enzo Acquires an Alfa

RichardReina Events, Repair sessions , , , ,
Proud new owner with his 1991 Alfa Romeo spider
Proud new owner with his 1991 Alfa Romeo spider

My friend Enzo (he signs his emails as “EC”, so that shall be his nom de plume) is a former colleague of mine from Volvo corporate. We’ve known each other for over 25 years. After I retired from Volvo in 2009, I didn’t see him again until he retired this past December, when we reconnected. Since then, he’s joined us for several of our weekend breakfast runs, but always riding shotgun.

Note valve cover indentation for previous version air intake
Note valve cover indentation for previous version air intake

Since his retirement, he’s talked about acquiring a toy car, preferably an Alfa Romeo. He informed me that as a younger man, he owned a Fiat 124 spider and several water-cooled 4-cylinder Porsches, and had no desire to repeat those experiences. He TRIED to buy my Alfa from me, but alas, it’s not for sale. The only Alfa GTVs in his price range are project cars, which are not where his interest lies.

Clean interior features Alcantara seat inserts
Clean interior features Alcantara seat inserts

EC put considerable effort during 2015 into searching for the “right” car. He and I talked at length about an Alfa spider. Although a convertible was not his first choice, he did finally recognize that at the present time, almost all of the “Duetto” shaped spiders, built for over 25 years without significant change, represent a good value in the collector car marketplace. Only the original dove-tail spiders, sold in the U.S. from 1966-1969 (MIA in 1968 and again in 1970 for failing to meet emission standards), were out of his price range.

VIN plate verifies that in 1991, official company name was "Alfa Lancia"
VIN plate verifies that in 1991, official company name was “Alfa Lancia”

The so-called Series 2, 3, and 4 spiders, which differ mainly by fuel delivery systems and nose-and-tail styling enhancements, are available in the high 4-figure range in reasonably good condition. They also were built in sufficient quantity that dozens are on the market at any given time. As with any Italian car, rust is public enemy #1. A former Alfa corporate field rep once cautioned me: “these cars are pre-rusted from the factory”.

Company symbol "f", company name "pininfarina". Anyone know why?
Company symbol “f”, company name “pininfarina”. Anyone know why? Add a comment.

Earlier this month, EC found the right car. A classic used-car dealer in Queens, NY had a 1991 spider, with a purported 43,000 original miles. Attractive in silver with a black cloth top and tan interior, there was a stack of recent maintenance and repair records, including but not limited to new Pirelli tires, new brake calipers, rotors, pads and hoses at all 4 corners, and a front suspension rebuild. The car was put on a lift and verified to be solid. EC’s assessment after several test drives was that the mileage was believable, the condition was excellent, and the price was fair. A deal was struck, and EC picked up his new toy and first-ever Alfa Romeo several weeks ago.

Washer motor and A/C accumulator only accessible from under front bumper
Washer motor and A/C accumulator only accessible from under front bumper

On the day after Thanksgiving, by mutual arrangement, EC drove the car to my house so that we could give it a more thorough going-over. While much work had indeed just been completed, there were still items requiring attention, truthfully not unusual for a 21-year-old used (Italian) car. This GT 1300 Junior owner took the spider for a spin, and overall, completely agreed with the new owner’s assessment: the car was solid, drove well, and gave us no reason to think that it couldn’t be taken for a long weekend trip right now. The few minor mechanical and cosmetic issues were not deal-breakers, and most could be tackled while continuing to enjoy the car, at least until the first snow flies.

Spider at rest
Spider at rest

We rotated the tires, and while doing so, verified the date stamps on all the tires (good) as well as the brake and suspension work (also good). Several torn boots on steering tie-rods were noted, as well as one incorrect wheel lug nut, so a list was begun of needed parts. Just before he was about to head home, I asked EC to drive my ’93 Miata. He had never driven an MX-5, and found it enjoyable, if a bit rough-riding with 98k on the clock (the original shocks are shot and will be replaced this winter).

Tire rotation aided by fire-truck-sized wheel chocks
Tire rotation aided by fire-truck-sized wheel chocks

 

All 4 wheels have right-hand threaded nuts; author's '67 has left-hand threads on 2 left wheels
All 4 wheels have right-hand threaded nuts; author’s ’67 has left-hand threads on 2 left wheels

 

Steering tie rod end boot is torn but still holds grease
Steering tie rod end boot is torn but still holds grease

So, to my friend Enzo, I offer heartfelt congratulations on behalf of myself and the rest of our group! As you yourself would say, you finally pulled the gun. When we schedule our first breakfast run of 2016, you no longer need to hitch a ride – we look forward to seeing you there with YOUR OWN Alfa Romeo.

 

All photographs copyright © 2015 Richard A. Reina. Photos may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission.