The Alfa Earns Its AACA “HPOF Original” Certification

June 30, 2024 RichardReina Car shows, Events AACA, Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior, HPOF

When I bought my ’67 Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr. from my friend Pete in 2013, it was already wearing its HPOF badge from the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA). Pete had prepared the car for judging and was solely responsible for taking the car through the certification process. (We must also remember that he owned the car for 45 years, preserving it in its outstanding condition all that time.) Although I’ve been very involved in AACA activities over the last 2 decades, including showing both the BMW Isetta and the Mazda Miata at Hershey, up until now I had never entered the Alfa in an AACA National Show. It’s been in NJ Regional shows, but National judging is stricter.

The Saratoga Springs National which was held last week seemed to be the ideal place to enter the car for continued HPOF certification. I spent many hours during the spring detailing the car as well as attending to its maintenance needs to ensure a confident and reliable 400+-mile round trip. As you may have read in my most recent post, the car performed flawlessly in getting me there and back. Now, here’s the rest of the story.

HPOF, which stands for Historical Preservation of Original Features, is a judging class which rewards originality. Cars in this class are not restored. In fact, a car which has been restored would be deemed ineligible. Once a vehicle is certified HPOF, it is eligible for the next level of certification which is “HPOF Original”. The difference is in the number of allowable points which can be deducted. Put simply, an “HPOF” car may have X number of non-original components and still be certified, while an “HPOF Original” car will need to have a fewer number of non-original components.

Owners are required to complete a sheet, indicating exactly what on the car is not original. That sheet is then handed to the judging team. For me, I noted that the front fog lights, replacement alternator (generator was factory original), battery relocation from engine compartment to trunk, and added ammeter gauge were the non-original items. The judges only spent a few minutes examining the cars (the steady showers kept them moving quickly from car to car), and at the Saturday banquet, I was honored to be presented with an HPOF Original badge for the Alfa! I admit I got a bit emotional because my mind went back to my friend Pete, who passed away last October. He would have been thrilled to know this, and as I told my fellow hobbyists at the dinner table, Pete gets most of the credit for this achievement.

ABOVE: The HPOF badge on the left was awarded to Pete, probably around 2003. The “AACA Original” badge on the right was given to me last week, and mounts behind the existing HPOF badge.

HPOF cars are always eligible to the shown at subsequent National meets, where they will either continue to be certified at their current level of achievement, or have the certification reduced or removed. For example, if I were to repaint my Alfa and replace its 1300 cc original engine with a larger and more powerful Alfa engine, I would completely lose its HPOF rating. (And of course I have no intention of doing anything of the sort.) The plan, both short-term and long-term, is to keep driving the car, keep up its maintenance, and keep it as original as it is today!

AACA Eastern Spring Nationals, Saratoga Springs, NY, June 2024

June 23, 2024June 26, 2024 RichardReina Car shows, Events AACA Nationals, Saratoga Springs NY

The 2024 AACA Eastern Spring Nationals were held in Saratoga Springs, NY on Saturday, June 22. After enduring heat advisories in the metro NY/NJ during the week leading up to this event, the forecast for Saratoga Springs looked like it might bring some relief: Friday and Saturday were supposed to bring temperatures about 10 degrees cooler, with a 40-50% chance of showers. Indeed, when my wife and I arrived at the host hotel, the Gideon Putman, around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, it was noticeably more comfortable outside. We headed into town for lunch and tried to forget about the weather for now. (I should also explain that we handled this trip differently: for the first time, we took two cars, with me in the ’67 Alfa Romeo and my wife piloting her ’24 Volvo XC40. She ran interference for me on the highways, rode in climate-controlled coolness with Sirius-XM piped into the cabin, and used the Volvo to shop on Saturday during the show. We both agreed that this arrangement worked well.)

Back at the hotel on Friday evening, our host Region, the Saratoga Region of the AACA, arranged a chicken wings & pizza party, which provided an opportunity to meet some participants. (Saratoga Springs is only a 3.5 hour drive from my house in central Jersey, and I’ll express disappointment that I was the only member of the NJ Region to show a car on Saturday. Yet I met participants who traveled from CT, MD, and VA with their cars, either driven or trailered.)

Saturday morning, the weather forecast had changed and not for the better. Depending on which of 3 websites I consulted, the chance of rain was either 60, 70, or 80%, but all agreed that we would endure this chance all day. We had an early breakfast at the hotel, and when I stepped outside to move the Alfa to the show field, the skies were dry. Once the car was parked, I grabbed my camera because I sensed an opportunity to get some photography done in case it turned damp. Vehicles were still arriving but I was able to grab some shots. Back at my car, the showers started, and once they did, they didn’t stop for the remainder of the event. Actually, the showers got heavier and I had to resort to an umbrella I (luckily) remembered to tuck into the Alfa’s trunk.

It’s dirty work, but someone’s got to do it

My car was in the HPOF class, Historical Preservation of Original Features. There were perhaps 25-30 cars in HPOF, and the judges came around early. It was impossible for them to keep their judging sheets dry, and I felt a bit sorry for them, soaked through as they were. They spent about 90 seconds on each car; it was more a contest for them to keep moving! Many of the car owners had taken to huddling under a brick portico, out from the rain. At least the temps remained high enough to ward off any chill.

I noticed that as soon as the cars were judged, they were making their way toward the exit. Ironically, this was just about when the heavy showers began to subside. I took another loop around the show field and met up with my friend Dave B., who was showing his ’55 T-Bird. I had met Dave at this same location 3 years ago, and featured him and his car in my blog post from that event. A long-time high school friend, Vinnie G., drove up from Pawling and I enjoyed walking the field with him to take in the few remaining cars. It was probably close to 3 p.m. when I moved the Alfa back to the hotel parking lot (1/2 mile away) and covered it; of course, the skies were dry!

Looking at the Program, there were 236 vehicles registered, a decent number for a Regional show. I overheard an AACA member say that 175 cars were on the show field. If that’s accurate, about 60 cars stayed home, which is regretful. While I do my best to remain positive (I had made plans for this show about 3 months ago and we were attending regardless), the weather made it a disappointing day. Yet, I made new friends and reconnected with old ones. My car made the 425-mile round-trip without a hiccup, and even my wife seemed pleased with the weekend! (A/C and satellite radio obviously work to an advantage here.) Up next for the Alfa: Fort Lee in July, but before that, some deferred maintenance is on the agenda.

THE PARKING LOT BEFORE THE SHOW

THE SHOWFIELD

This Jaguar XK-140 was stunning:

Local Church Holds Inaugural Cars & Coffee Event

June 16, 2024 RichardReina Car shows, Events Cars & Coffee, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, Three Bridges NJ

My wife and I belong to our local Catholic Church, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, just 2 miles up the road, and I’ve recently befriended the husband of one of my wife’s friends from church. Andy is a ‘car guy’ in the sense that he likes cars and rather recently treated himself to a pre-owned BMW Z4 as a weekend driver. At my urging, he also joined the NJ Region of the AACA and has attended some meetings.

Andy is involved in various church activities and got the idea for something different. He approached the pastor about having a Cars & Coffee type event on a Sunday afternoon. He quickly got approval, and the word went out among the parishioners. The show was scheduled for Sunday June 2, 2024, and while he was initially hoping for around 15 cars, he got 11 owners to sign up; but then, 3 dropped out the day prior. He still had 8 vehicles, and a varied assortment at that.

To help him fill out the field, I promised Andy that I’d bring both my ’67 Alfa Romeo and my ’93 Mazda Miata. My wife was willing to drive the Miata there, and she got to hang out with some of her girlfriends, while the guys clustered together to talk about their machines.

Besides my two cars and Andy’s Z4, we had a BMW Z3, a C4 Corvette, a mid-90’s Camaro, and 2 late ’70s MGBs. I had not met any of the owners before, and this was a great opportunity to get to know some local car enthusiasts. Everyone was courteous and complimentary of each other’s cars, and at the end of the gathering, we promised each other that we would do this at least one more time this year, and perhaps even work in a little road tour. I would especially appreciate the tour, as the 4-mile round trip barely got my engines warm!

NJ AACA Spring Meet, May 5, 2024

May 5, 2024 RichardReina Car shows, Events Annual Spring Meet, NJ Region AACA

To quote Mark Twain, “In the Spring, I have counted 136 different kinds of weather inside of 24 hours.” And he didn’t live in New Jersey! A few days ago, we hit a daytime high of 89 degrees F; on Sunday May 5, the day of our one and only judged car show (The Spring Meet), it was 50 degrees F and windy, with intermittent showers. The inclement weather resulted in a less-than-ideal turnout of show cars, yet the good members of the NJ Region were there in significant numbers. For the first time ever, it appeared that we had more judges than we had cars to judge!

We were expecting most of these spots to be filled.

I had pre-registered my ’67 Alfa Romeo, and spent most of the week detailing it, so I was determined to make the 40-mile drive to East Hanover no matter what the forecast. As was done last year, the dealer on Route 10, Nielsen Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Ram, hosted the show for us, and shuffled their considerable inventory to make room. Upon my arrival, I was directed to park in the class I had registered for, HPOF (Historical Preservation of Original Features), which by the rules of the NJ Region is a “Do Not Judge” class. But it quickly became apparent that of the 17 or so classes, many would remain vacant, while the other classes had only one or two cars in attendance. Within a few minutes, the Chief Judge asked me if I would be willing to move my car to Class 7, where my Alfa would be the only judged car. I agreed with the request; there was another car in that Class (coincidentally belonging to the Chief Judge) but it was labeled as a “Do Not Judge” car.

Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, and … Cadillac?

Given the small number of vehicles and the large number of judges, many judging a show for the first time, it was decided that ALL of the judges would move from car to car together and judge via consensus, with final point values resting with the Chief Judge. This turned out to be a fun exercise, very similar to the two Judging Schools that the Region conducted earlier this year.

Class judging, meaning, the whole class judges together!

An eye-opener for me occurred when several vehicles which were alone in their class were awarded a “Second Place” trophy. The rationale given was that the point deduction totals were large enough that at a National level, the car would not have attained a First Place award. (Without diving too deeply into it, at AACA National events, cars are not judged against each other; rather, cars must meet a certain point threshold to earn a First or Second place showing. This also allows more than one car per class to earn a First or Second.)

Judging started about an hour earlier than scheduled and moved along at a rapid clip. Tallies were completed by 12 noon, announcements were made, trophies were awarded, and the official closing curtain dropped on the 2024 NJ Region Spring Meet by 1 p.m. The Alfa won two (uncontested) awards: first in its Class, and an NJ Region Membership trophy for “Best Unrestored Car” in its class. Despite the lack of competition, I was honored and humbled to be so recognized. Only at the end of the show did the pace of precipitation pick up, and the ride home on Interstate 287 was less than fun (but not lacking in thrills). Yet I made the 40-mile trek in just under an hour and was able to safely tuck the Alfa away until next time.

THE CARS

The 2-seater class: Japanese, British, and Italian

This ’67 Mustang was the one vehicle for sale at the show: asking price $50k

THE PEOPLE

Registration Chair Vince; Spring Meet Chair Pete; Chief Judge Craig

Bob (his ’50 Ford) with NJ Region Prez Paul

John P gets down and dirty to judge that undercarriage

The coffee & tea lady had a big smile for everyone

Bob informs Craig of the multiple deductions on Dick’s Model A

The 2024 New York International Auto Show

April 1, 2024 RichardReina Car shows, Events NYIAS

As has long been custom, the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) is scheduled this year around Easter week. The show officially opened to the public last Friday March 29, and will be open through next Sunday April 7. Press days were Wednesday and Thursday March 27 & 28, and I was there on the 27^th, again able to attend on a press pass representing Richard’s Car Blog.

For show-goers excited to see some well-known domestic brands such as Buick, Cadillac, Lincoln, Chrysler, Dodge, and Ram, as well as big import manufacturers like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Mini, Mazda, and Alfa Romeo, I have disappointing news: NONE of these manufacturers entered their wares in the 2024 edition of the NYIAS. This trend is not surprising, and has been ongoing for several years. In our internet-driven 21^st century world, many automobile manufacturers are seeing diminishing returns for their not-inexpensive investment in global auto shows. One side effect of such decisions is that those who do show up to play (including Toyota/Lexus, Nissan/Infiniti, Honda/Acura, Hyundai/Genesis/Kia, and Subaru) take advantage of the physically larger footprint available to them.

Perhaps the oddest decision to me was the way that GM and FoMoCo “split the bill”. There were large displays from Chevrolet and GMC, but sister brands Buick and Cadillac stayed home. Similarly, there were plenty of Ford-branded cars and trucks while Lincoln sat it out. What does that say about how top-level executives view their portfolios? Note that I excluded Jeep from the “absent from class” list above. While no new Jeeps graced the carpeted main floor, Jeep did again have its simulated off-road track experience set up outside. Even on press day, there was a line of people wanting a ride.

The bottom level of the Javits Center was again mostly occupied by a large EV test track. Ironically, there were Cadillac EVs there, as well as EVs from Ford, Hyundai, and Kia. Also downstairs: a two-car Lucid display. (Hey! Get one while they’re still building them!) It is noteworthy that EVs are still being pushed while U.S. sales show a strong shift toward hybrids.

Below is my commentary by manufacturer, in no particular order.

THE HYUNDAI GROUP (HYUNDAI, KIA, GENESIS)

Quite possibly the stars of the show, these 3 brands offer style and features compatible with competitive vehicles, while usually undercutting them on price. Remember when car shows always included a good selection of concept vehicles? Hyundai remembers. Painting all 3 in bright orange and lining them up was traffic-stopping. I don’t think there were any other true concepts at Javits this year. Their production models are outstanding as well. The new Santa Fe looks like a Range Rover, which is not a bad thing, and the Genesis SUVs are, in my opinion, some of the best-looking of the genre available today.

SUBARU

We’ve seen this act before: a manufacturer takes a vehicle attribute which is readily available among other car makers, and markets it to make it its own. Granted, Subaru was an early pioneer of AWD, but even as the rest of the world added it, Subaru never stopped hawking it. Folded into the mix is the whole outdoorsy, paved/off-road, car-for-all-seasons seasoning, and voila! We get Subaru = Love.

Can’t say they haven’t been successful with it, though. The real shock to me is how Subaru now claims safety as another badge of honor. Have you seen any of their recent TV commercials? As someone who worked for the Volvo brand for 30 years, I stopped dead in my tracks when I spotted the wrecked Subaru. Who has the nerve to display such a thing? In the past, only Volvo would have. Of course, Volvo didn’t show up, so Subaru has the badge to itself. Perhaps just as shocking was seeing the 20-year-old Forester, another way for Subaru to brag about its heritage.

VOLKSWAGEN

Speaking of heritage, who doesn’t remember the Beetle? And if you do, then you certainly remember the bus. VW brought a 1949 Beetle to the show (quite rare) and then parked it alongside the ID.Buzz, the modern EV version of the beloved hippiemobile. They were both painted a similar shade of blue as well. Was the Beetle there to remind us of how inexpensive VW’s used to be? My very first new car was a 1977 VW Rabbit, which stickered at $3,599. Today’s GTi, sized and shaped not all that differently from my bunny, displayed a Monroney claiming that the GTi starts at $31,765, not bad with current average transaction prices hovering near 50 large. But note that the vehicle on display really costs $42,000.

TOYOTA

Four vehicles, four quick comments. The 2025 Camry has entered itself in the Ugliest Car Grille competition, giving some of its Lexus cousins a serious challenge. Who designed the Toyota Crown? Are its “distinctive” looks designed to make it easier to find in a parking lot?? If you think the GTi is expensive at $42k, check out this Corolla GR for $47k. And finally, the new Land Cruiser is easily the best-looking of these 4, with its retro design that avoids current cliches.

FORD

April 1964: The Ford Motor Company unveils a new youth-oriented car, the Mustang, making its debut at that year’s New York World’s Fair in Flushing Meadow Park, Queens, NY.

April 2024: At this year’s NYIAS in the Javits Center, exactly 10.3 miles from Flushing Meadow Park (according to Google Maps), the Ford Motor Company celebrates the 60^th anniversary of the Mustang. On display: plenty of new Mustangs. MIA: any previous generation Mustangs, any mention or memorabilia from the World’s Fair, and any historical records from the model’s long and successful history. I think Ford missed a significant opportunity.

CLASSIC CARS

Each year, the NYIAS seems to find a way to squeeze in one or two classic car displays. This year did not disappoint, and better yet, they were in easily accessed areas, compared to previous years when they were tucked into a basement corner.

FINAL COMMENTS

It’s been decades since I commuted via mass transit. On the Port Imperial ferry, I noticed how eerily quiet the cabin was. As this photo shows, it’s because almost no one actually speaks to any human beings anymore. Everyone has their nose in their phone.

Hyundai was so dominant, even their banners took over the front lobby.

This vehicle did not make it to the show this year.

The 2011 Lime Rock Vintage Car Show

January 14, 2024 RichardReina Car shows, Events Lime Rock Park, Sunday in the Park

Continuing with my winter photo cleanup, I came across these film photos which I’ve never published, taken at the 2011 Lime Rock vintage car show. I have no specific recollection of attending, and I mention that only because the pictures show a light turnout of show vehicles, which I cannot explain. My photo quantity is also light, likely because I started the day with a partially consumed roll in my camera and did not have more film with me. Still, the vehicles on the field were attractive and varied, bearing out my long-held opinion of Lime Rock as one of the few places in the Northeast to spot rare and unusual machinery.

Ownership of my first Alfa was still 2 years away, yet my long fascination with the marque is borne out by this photo.

This gorgeous Fiat 850 Spider is an early car, as evidenced by its glass-covered headlights, a treatment that would soon be replaced by exposed sealed beams.

I was attracted to the color combination of this big-bumper Fiat 124 Spider.

A couple of old and rare Fiat station wagons. Note the suicide driver’s door on the blue car.

Ferrari Daytona

I never pass up an opportunity to photograph the eternally beautiful Jaguar XKE.

The bump in the hood (and the license plate) inform us that this is an MGC, with an inline 6 under that hood.

Spotted in the paddock: a Ford/Lotus Cortina in the middle of an engine swap.

An NSU Wankel Spider, with a rear-mounted rotary engine.

A very clean and nicely restored Volvo 1800S.

The 2014 AACA NJ Region Annual Car Show

December 24, 2023 RichardReina Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Jr., Car shows, Events AACA NJ Region, Annual Spring Meet

How is it that I keep coming across photographs that I had forgotten I have? I was looking through my photo album from 2014 the other day, searching for something which has now completely escaped me. But while doing so, I noticed car show photos which did not look familiar to me. Researching my blog, I found that I’ve documented the AACA NJ Region Car Shows for 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019… but not 2014. Well, here they are, in all their Kodak glory (ALL photos below were taken with my trusty Nikon EM which I’ve owned since 1982).

We didn’t know it then, but 2014 would be the second-to-last time that the NJ Spring Meet would be held at the Automatic Switch Company’s parking lot in Florham Park NJ. After our 2015 show, the company announced to us that the lot would no longer be available due to planned long-term renovations. It was a shame for several reasons: the location had become well-known to show-goers, the lot itself was immense, and the location was ideal for Region members who resided anywhere in northern and central Jersey.

The 2014 show was also the 2^nd time I had entered my Alfa Romeo. Glancing through the images reminds me of how delighted I was to finally own a show-worthy car which could be driven to and from the venue. Another highlight I note in my images is the greater number of import cars on display, a count which seems to have dwindled within the club in recent times. (I know I’ve called out that my Alfa has been the only non-American vehicle in some recent AACA events.)

To my followers: thank you for reading my blog! February will mark 9 years since my inaugural post. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

My friend Sean with his Pontiac Grand Ville convertible

ABOVE: This Alfa GTV was tastefully modified, but (obviously) not AACA-eligible, so it was not judged.

Trophies are awarded by class. At the end of the show, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners in each class line up to receive their just rewards:

More Old Cars and Old Cameras

December 3, 2023 RichardReina Car shows, Events 120 film camera, British Car Shows, Kodak VC160 film, Succasunna NJ

I was delighted by all the positive responses to last week’s post, which frankly I didn’t expect. One friend in particular encouraged me to “get out there and use film cameras to photograph more old cars”, which I intend to do once the 2024 show car season flips its switch to “on”. In the meantime, I leafed through a couple of photo albums and found snaps which up until now have not made it onto the blog.

According to my documentation, these shots were taken in 2006, which is when my antique-camera obsession was born, triggered by a dear aunt of mine who gifted me with a bag full of old cameras she discovered when cleaning out her attic. The show was the All-British Car Show in Succasunna NJ, the camera was a Kodak Brownie Bullet, and the film was Kodak VC160. While I no longer own the camera, I’m certain that it was an inexpensive fixed-focus model, and these photos appear to be mostly in focus, with good depth of field.

If it weren’t for the minivan in the background of the Bugeye Sprite (and perhaps the QQ “antique” license plates), you could be convinced that these were taken 50 years ago. In the final photo of the yellow MG-TC, you can see some camera flare at the bottom, adding to the old-time aura. Looking at these photos again reminds me how spoiled we are by digital picture-taking, with its instant gratification. With this roll of film, first, I had to finish it, then send it off to developing, then patiently wait a week before being able to critique my image-making. Here, I felt lucky that the compositions captured what I had hoped they would. But that is part of the charm, isn’t it?

Old Cars, Old Cameras

November 26, 2023 RichardReina Car shows, Events 120 film camera, 35mm film camera

Among other hobbies of mine which drain money from my wallet, I have a modest collection of old cameras. Not to turn this into RichardsPhotoBlog, but most of the cameras take 120 (medium format) film, utilizing a negative that is roughly 4 times the size of a 35mm negative. Everything being equal, the larger the negative, the more detail which can be captured. However, these old cameras (3 of my favorites date from the decades of the 1940s and ‘50s) have inferior lenses compared to “modern” film cameras. These cameras are also completely manual in operation: there are no batteries installed, no light meters, no (gasp!) auto-focus. Yet the larger negatives can produce results which a technically better 35mm camera cannot. Part of the fun is to see if I can A) load film into them; B) operate the controls; and C) produce acceptable images.

I’m not the first with this idea (check out Murilee Martin, who’s carved out a corner of the Internet by combining his passions for cars and film photography) , but when I remember to bring an old camera, I’ve enjoyed using it to photograph show cars. This all came to mind recently when I uncovered a few envelopes of prints. My photos go into albums in somewhat chronological order, and I had not attended to that task in several years. Hence, the subject of this week’s blog post. The pictures I found had been taken during the summer of 2021, when I attended 3 different events, each time with a film camera in tow. Posted below are samples of the results. There is definitely a softness, a color shift, an old-world quality to film that digital does not possess. I did use an older (1981) 35mm film camera for some of the snaps, and I’ve indicated that below. See what you think compared to the cold perfection of digital.

NESHANIC STATION NJ CAR SHOW, 120 FILM CAMERA

NEW HOPE PA AUTO SHOW, 120 FILM CAMERA

AACA NATIONAL, SARATOGA SPRINGS NY, 35MM CAMERA

Alfas and Espresso in Red Bank NJ, Nov. 12, 2023

November 12, 2023 RichardReina Car shows, Events AROC NJ Chapter, Auto Exotica, Red Bank NJ

On Sunday November 12, 2023, the NJ Chapter of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC) sponsored an “Alfas and Espresso” event at Auto Exotica in Red Bank NJ. The gathering was scheduled to run from 9am to 12 noon, and as I observed as I pulled into the lot at 9:05 in my ’67 GT 1300 Junior, much of the available parking was already spoken for. The folks at Auto Exotica had also invited members of the Italian Car Club of Staten Island, and they showed up in good numbers, driving mostly late-model Alfas and Ferraris. Auto Exotica is an independent used-car dealer, stocking newer high-end machinery from brands like BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes-Benz.

It was great to see friends from our NJ Chapter again; there has been a rejuvenation of the club since the middle of the year, and hopes are high that this will continue into 2024. The day was partly sunny but brisk, with morning temps in the low 40s, so soon after parking, we headed inside where coffee, bagels, and (no surprise here) Italian cookies and cannolis awaited us.

I didn’t wait long to head back outside because I wanted to photograph as many of these beautiful Italian automobiles as I could. Standouts included a Giulietta Sprint Speciale, a large handful of 4Cs, including some in seldom-seen colors, modern Giulia sedans modified with exterior goodies, and arriving several hours late, a pair of Giulia GTAs which I was told were authentic, complete with twin-spark engines and plexiglass windows. (When they change hands, which is infrequent, real GTA transaction prices are in the 200 large range. Buyer beware, as many ‘tributes’ are built.)

Wanting to beat the crowd, I departed Auto Exotica around 11:30 am. The ride home, like the ride to the place, was uneventful, with mostly highway driving on Route 287 and the Garden State Parkway. This was my final event of this year, so once I got home, I topped up the fuel tank, added the requisite dose of Sta-Bil, and put the Alfa in the garage for the winter. It was a very good year for that car: By my records, I drove it 813 miles in 2023, close to my personal goal of 1,000 miles. The car ran flawlessly. It consumed no oil, never failed to start, and never failed to get me home. Of course I have a to-do list for the car, consisting mostly of maintenance items. Weather permitting, I’ll be working on it over the winter and updating the blog as progress ensues.