We had had such a grand time on the 2013 New England 1000: we saw old friends, made new ones, and the Alfa performed almost flawlessly. That rally ended a 6-year drought, and I was determined to drive the Alfa in the event again in 2014, but rally brother Steve had some scheduling conflicts. I turned to another Volvo alumnus, my friend Bob, whom I knew was a fan of European sports cars and had the additional advantage of residing in central Massachusetts. Bob said he was in, so the Alfa was prepped and away we went.
Alfa and I, ready to depart Neshanic Station
Some of the work done to get the Alfa in shape included the removal of the air conditioning system. The factory belt-driven fan and shroud were reinstalled, and not only did the overheating problem cease to be, the engine actually ran on the cool side, at least according to the water temp gauge. This gave me great peace of mind given the distances we would be covering.
The 2014 host hotel was the Harraseekent Inn in Freeport ME, ironically, the same host hotel for our very first rally in 1998. The drive from my domicile to Freeport is over 6 hours in a modern car, a bit longer in the Alfa. Bob’s house, coincidentally, is almost exactly halfway between the two, and he and his wife graciously invited me to stay over, breaking the drive up (and back) in half, which was a pleasure.
The Rich and Bob show: new team, new adventure
The assortment of interesting and unusual cars was even more so this year. There was a Corvair Fitch Sprint, a Fiat Abarth, an Arnolt-Bristol, a 1955 Chrysler 300, a genuine Studebaker Avanti, and a very rare Ferrari 250 GT Pininfarina Berlinetta Speciale, which despite its rarity was driven to and from the event as well as the 1,000 miles of the event. It was also nice to see an MGB and Triumph TR-6 as reminders of the good ol’ days when the NE1000 field was populated by more popular (and affordable) sports cars.
Corvair Fitch Sprint
Fiat Abarth
Arnolt-Bristol
Ferrari 250GT Pininfarina Berlinetta Speciale
This was my 8th time out on the NE1000, run by Rich and Jean Taylor of Vintage Rallies, and to my recollection, this would be the first time that the entire rally remained in one state. If we had to select a state to do this, Maine would not be a bad choice. It’s large, diverse, lightly populated, and extremely picturesque.
2nd year in a row that the rally book included pic of the Alfa (taken during 2013 rally)
As always, documenting the official license plate install
The traditional Sunday car show had us jammed onto the Harraseeket’s lawn
One of the many perks provided to us rally participants is the chance to visit car museums and collections, both public and private. This year we made it to the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum and the Bob Bahre Collection. Even though I had been to both on previous rallies, there always seems to be something new to take in. One such highlight was Bahre’s ‘30s-era unrestored Alfa Romeo 8C, and I had to pose with it.
Alfa and I again (different Alfa)
The weather stayed cloudy and cool, with little precipitation. The overcast skies helped with the photography, but it was a bit nippy on the optional boat ride. One thousand miles over four days goes by very quickly, and before we knew it, it was over. On our way out of town Friday morning, we took advantage of the proximity of LL Bean’s HQ store literally just down the street before heading home.
The Alfa did it again! I had owned the car a little over 14 months and had already put close to 3,000 miles on it. It was a keeper, and I had every hope of driving it in next year’s NE1000.
Jaguar XK-150
Mercedes-Benz 300SL roadster
Ferrari 330 GT 2+2
Porsche 911
MGB
The queue to depart a checkpoint
THE BOB BARHE COLLECTION
Bob Bahre keeps his vast collection in a specially-built “garage”, if one can call a 2-story building where each floor can accommodate about 30 cars a garage. The majority of his collection focuses on American luxury cars of the 1930s, but it does get eclectic. The less interesting cars stay in the cellar. The fact that a Tucker lives in the cellar tells you something about this collection.
’30s era cars on main floor
A few spare engines too
Basement: Studebaker &
Tucker
Couple of black beauties at Owl’s Head
The Alfa poses with Maine shoreline in background
Arnolt-Bristol & Ferrari keep Alfa company
Arnolt-Bristol is a car most of us haven’t seen until now
Fiat 126 (never sold in U.S.) found in Maine parking lot
Happy New Year! It’s winter, with not much going on in the garage or out in the collector car world, so it’s a good time to catch up with some old business. Below is my summary of our participation in the 2013 New England 1000 rally. Previous reports for the 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, and 2007 rallies can be found at the highlighted links.
It was the dawn of 2013. We (my rally brother Steve and I) had not driven in the New England 1000 since 2007. Why the six-year layoff? Life had gotten in the way. Whether still in the way or not, we threw caution to the wind and signed on to participate once again. In the 2007 rally, we drove my ’68 Mustang California Special. The Mustang was sold in 2012, and was replaced by my 1967 Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior, so the Alfa was the ride of choice. Steve, still living in Southern California, was flying east to be co-driver / co-navigator.
The helmet twins about to depart NJ. The ’12 Ford Focus and ’03 Volvo V70 are both gone.
In hindsight, it was a bit of a gamble to be taking the Alfa on a roughly 1500-mile journey. I had acquired the car only two months prior, in March of 2013, and had put hardly any miles on it. Some early teething problems were already addressed: the battery had died and was replaced, and the hard-as-a-rock tires were swapped out for a new set of Vredesteins.
Overheating was still a concern, though, as (previous owner) Pete’s attempt to install an air conditioning setup overtaxed the car’s cooling system. Even with the A/C turned off, the removal of the factory fan and shroud to make room for the compressor, combined with the extra weight of the compressor and its bracket, made the coolant temperature creep up at idle and low speeds. An aftermarket electric fan was bolted to the radiator, controlled by an on-off switch on the dash. The driver’s job was to constantly monitor the water temp gauge and engage said fan as necessary. It usually worked, but one had to be on constant alert.
The ceremonial attaching of the plate
This year’s host hotel was the Sagamore Resort on Lake George NY, where we had stayed during previous rallies. Much of the week’s itinerary kept us in New York, with dips into New Hampshire and Vermont. (The “New England 1000” takes liberties with its name; please, no angry missives from you Revolutionary Patriots. You know who you are.)
The queue to get past the starting checkpoint
It was great to be back with some familiar faces and vehicles, and it was equally great to meet new folks and see their rides. The classics were again out in force: Mercedes 300SLs, various Jaguars and Maseratis. We noted that modern machinery represented an increasing percentage of the cars: the rally book listed no fewer than 5 new 2013 Porsches, plus several Ferraris less than 10 years old. Our class of three included an MGB and a Morgan 4/4. In the bigger picture, though, our 95 horsepower Alfa was significantly outgunned by the more powerful 6-, 8-, and 12-cylinder ground missiles. The NE1000 of old, with its preponderance of quaint 4-cylinder ‘50s and ‘60s European roadsters, was not to be seen again.
A photo of the Alfa made it into the rally book.
By Monday morning, we were already experiencing a highlight of the week when we stepped into the private car collection of Jim Taylor. Jim is the CEO of Taylor Made Products, and judging by what he has been able to amass, business has been very good.
THE JIM TAYLOR COLLECTION
Jim Taylor’s building
Mustangs & Shelbys
Jaguar E-Types
Jim Taylor on the left
Signage including Alfa
Red cars incl Benzes & Maseratis
Nick is Pink Floyd’s drummer
Brock Yates’ Challenger
Jim also collects guitars
Lake Placid NY was another déjà vu, as we had stayed in this Olympic town during the 2001 NE1000. The Mirror Lake Inn is situated on the body of water after which it’s named, and the views are stunning. The view from the top of one of the ski lifts is equally stunning in a very different way!
This is why it’s called Mirror Lake
Lake Placid ski jump
We decide to NOT look down
We left Lake Placid and headed to Whiteface Mountain, still in NY. Although the day was cool, driving up the steep mountain started to push our car’s temperature gauge into uncomfortable territory. Flicking on the electric fan didn’t help, so half-way up the mountain, we opted to reverse direction, but not before losing one of the car’s hubcaps. If that was the biggest tragedy we were to face, so be it.
Our turnaround point; note missing hubcap
Driving into New England proper, we stopped at a perennial favorite: the RPM Repair & Restoration Facility in Vergennes VT. Not only has the Markowski family provided wonderful technical support to the rally through the years, they also run a top-notch workshop which can fix anything automotive, with a special focus on Ferraris. This was the 3rd or 4th time the rally has dropped by, and we were again given free run of the place. This gearhead could stare at disassembled 12-cylinder engines all day long.
RPM, VERGENNES VT
Ferrari 330 GTC (my ATF)
Ferrari 365 GT 2+2 “queen mother”
Fiat 600 in the basement
Stephen wrenches on another
Body on rotisserie
12-cylinder nakedness
My recollection is that, with the exception of the occasional sprinkle, the weather held up during the week, but I also recall driving home on Friday in torrential downpours (which at least kept the Alfa’s engine cool). Aside from the slight trouble on Whiteface Mountain, the Alfa ran flawlessly for us, and it was an easy decision to proclaim the car fit for duty for future rallies.
Modern Porsches
C2 Corvette
Morris woody wagon
Ferrari 365 GTC/4
Ferrari 250 GT Lusso
This unrestored Maserati…
… was a crowd favorite
Lamborghini 350 GT
Acura NSXMaserati Ghibli
Something old (Morgan), something new (911) The Alfa with some of its competition
ACs and Alfa
We pose with the Alfa, which was a real champ all week
As I said in my post about the recent AACA Spring National, it’s really about the people and their stories behind their automotive treasures, more than is it about the cars themselves. This has been true at so many recent car shows, and it was evident again last weekend.
Below are three stories about three individuals whose paths crossed mine on Saturday: one whom I met for the first time that day; one whom I thought I was meeting for the first time when in fact we had met six years prior; and one whom I had gotten to know but had not seen in almost 20 years.
RIDING IN RON’S E-TYPE
Saturday morning; in a golf cart with Leif Mangulson, the Chief Judge, who wants to show me the spot to locate the club’s PA system. While we’re stopped, a gentleman approaches the cart. “Hi Leif, I’m Ron, and we spoke numerous times. I have the Jag”. Hmm, I ponder, a Jag. This gets my attention, and I find it impossible to not speak. “Excuse me, Ron, my name is Richard. What kind of Jaguar do you have?” “Oh, a ’66 E-Type”. “Fixed Head Coupe or Open Two Seater?” I ask, trying to impress him with my use of the preferred Britishisms for the hardtop and roadster. “Mine’s the OTS”. “Oh, and as a ’66, it’s got the 4.2 liter engine, all-synchro gearbox, and better seats, yes?” “Yes, and my, sounds like you like these cars. Why don’t you make a point of stopping by to see it on the show field?”
Not only did I “stop by” to see the car – it was one of the cars for my Judging Team to evaluate! I was happy to see Ron again, and I assured him, AND my Team Captain, that I could fairly and objectively perform my duties within the engine compartment. When we were done, Ron again invited me to seek him out before the car was loaded back onto his trailer.
It was late in the afternoon by the time I worked my way back to Ron’s gorgeous opalescent silver-blue roadster. Ron and his son were packing up their chairs and other paraphernalia when Ron turned to me and asked “Would you like to ride with me back to the trailer?” The look on my face provided the answer. But I did ask “do I need to remove my shoes?” Ron laughed and said not to worry about it.
Ron entered the driver’s side while I squeezed in the passenger seat. With a little choke, ignition key turned to “on” and a push of the starter button, the big 6 immediately came to life. At 5’ 10”, I was surprised that my head grazed the erect convertible top, but at the same time, the seat cushion felt either overstuffed or not broken in, which could explain the lack of headroom.
The passenger’s view from within an E-Type
With the shift lever in 1st, Ron eased out the clutch and we were moving. The view out the front over the L-O-N-G hood was gorgeous. We were in a parking lot with dozens of other valuable cars, so he kept to a reasonable speed, perhaps 20mph tops. But the ride was sublime. My first ride even in an E-Type was worth it, and I certainly hope it’s not the last.
Watch out for that DeLorean!
When I got out, I couldn’t thank Ron enough for his kindness and generosity. Turns out that he lives about 45 minutes south of me, and he invited me to keep in touch. I certainly shall.
OWEN AND THE ISETTA
As I alluded to in my previous post, judging a class of cars was a rewarding, if very time consuming, undertaking. One of the most rewarding aspects of it was the sharing from the vast pool of knowledge among the five of us. We were judging Class 24, two-seat sports cars, so each of us had some level of familiarity with these vehicles, and the stories started to pour out.
Somehow, I let it be known that I had owned a BMW Isetta for the better part of 30 years. A while later, when judging was over, Owen, our Team Captain, came up to me. He asked me “do you still have the Isetta?” “No, Owen, I sold it.” “What year was that?” “I sold it at the RM Auction in Hershey in 2013”. With that, Owen removed his wallet from his back pocket, reached in, and pulled out a black and white photo. It was a snapshot of an Isetta with two boys standing next to it. One boy, a teenager, was quite tall, and the younger fellow was pre-school age.
“Wait!” I exclaimed. “I’ve seen this photo before, but I’m not sure where.” Owen asked “do you read Auto Restorer magazine? The photo was in there”. “Nope, that’s not where I saw it”. “What color was your car?” “Red, solid red”. Owen said “I now know where you saw it”, and related this story to me.
He was able to recite in some detail the location of my car within the RM Hershey tent, and remembered that he had approached me in 2013 to tell me how his parents bought a new Isetta which they kept for many years. He had shown me that photo in Hershey, explaining that the tall fellow was his older brother, and the little guy was he at 5 years old. A few days later, Owen kindly mailed me a photocopy of that photo, along with the letter he had written to the magazine.
The Isetta with young Owen, as printed in Car Restorer magazine
The coincidence of again meeting someone who had shown me a photo of the family’s Isetta 6 years ago was uncanny. That we would end up on the same Judging Team goes to show how small this automotive hobby can be. But Owen would not be the ONLY person on the Team with whom I had a connection.
YES, THATIAIN TUGWELL
Day-of-show judging at an AACA event always starts with the judges’ breakfast. There, you meet your team, get an overview from the Team Captain, and preview the list of vehicles to be judged. I was a bit late for breakfast, so while the others talked, I was still getting up several times to fetch my eggs and coffee.
When I got back to the table, I finally saw the list of cars, and noted that the printout also included the names of all my fellow judges. A quick eyeball scan revealed that I knew no one at my table, except….. How often do you come across a first name like “Iain?”
I looked up from my coffee. He was sitting directly across from me. The din in the room forced me to raise my voice almost to a yell. “Hey Iain! I KNOW YOU.”
His expression told me he didn’t quite know what to make of that comment. I continued. “I don’t expect you to remember, but the first time was 1998. A buddy of mine and I were on the New England 1000, in a British Racing Green Sunbeam Tiger”. Slowly, his puzzled frown changed to the slightest of smiles. Once I heard the accent, there was no mistake. “Oh yes, the Tiger, yes, I do remember it. How are you?”
Well, other than shocked to hell, I was fine. I grabbed my phone and texted Steve, the Tiger owner.
“You are NOT going to believe this. I’m at the judges table at the NJ AACA show in Parsippany. On my team is a guy named Iain Tugwell. Yes, THAT Iain Tugwell.”
Iain smiles for the camera
As if I needed to prove it, I snapped a shot with the cell and sent that to Steve too. To the two of us rookie rally drivers, Iain Tugwell was a legend. He ran the Sunday night “Famous Navigators School”, teaching us the finer points of scoring zero in our rally stages. There was probably some ex-military in him, as he was so set in his ways we nicknamed him “The Carmudgeon”. He was probably on the NE1000 with us until about 2001 or so, making it 18 years since we last connected.
Iain named as one of the Wranglers
“Famous Navigators School”
Judging with him was fun; he was the old Iain, short, brusque, to the point, but ultimately big-hearted and good-natured. Later on, I got to meet his wife Jane, and then bade them farewell, as they departed the hotel immediately after judging ended, to get home to Buffalo before midnight. I promised Iain that we would again see each other at an AACA event. I certainly hope to make that true.
I just recently came across these photos, which I had frankly forgotten about, which is why this technical procedure, performed in May, is only getting its own blog post now.
If your memory is good, then you’ll recall reading back in May’s report on this year’s New England 1000 that the Alfa’s alternator failed us in the middle of the rally. If your memory is not so good, or if you’re just joining us, you can read about it here.
The truth is, I should have been wise to an impending failure, as even with the Red-Top Optima battery on trickle charge, the car would still occasionally need a boost. Alternator output measured at the battery was barely 13 volts, a weak statistic which I rationalized to a low idle.
As mentioned in the rally write-up, the drive to our starting destination was done in a steady rain, with lights blazing and wipers flailing. It’s likely that was enough to seal the fate of the battery.
Tuesday morning, we bought a NAPA-brand battery, and leaving the Optima in its place in the trunk, we simply swapped the cables onto the new unit, using bungee cords to keep it from sliding around. The alternator wasn’t completely dead, just on life support. With the new battery, we had zero starting issues the rest of the week, and coasted home on Friday.
Once again I must give a shout to my friends at Classic Alfa in the UK. A new alternator, ordered Tuesday afternoon after they had closed for the day, arrived at my house on Thursday evening. I dare say that most U.S.-based suppliers would not have been able to get me one with such speed. So Memorial Day weekend was spent in part performing the alternator-ectomy.
Old alternator and attendant wiring connections
Access to the unit in the engine compartment was quite good, improved by the battery’s relocation to the trunk, performed by the previous owner (PO). The PO had also removed the factory generator (which I still have) and installed this alternator plus an external voltage regulator. My new replacement alternator has an internal regulator, and it’s a so-called one-wire job.
Old one again. Note alignment of upper bracket.
I photographed the wiring to help with any reinstallation questions, then removed the two components. I noted that the alternator’s upper mounting bracket was at a slight angle, and vowed to focus on improving that geometry when putting it all back together.
New & old side-by-side
Note pulley sizes
With everything hooked up, I measured a steady 13.8 volts at the battery (yet another new Red-Top that I purchased to be on the safe side). I was able to recover the old Optima by very slowly trickle-charging it, and both that battery and the barely-used NAPA one were sold to a young man in my office who is always working on 3-4 project vehicles at a time. (And for the record, both the old alternator and regulator were put in the trash. I don’t keep worn-out parts around.)
New alternator in place, and better aligned too
The only issue, and it’s the smallest of nits to pick, is that the one-wire alternator needs to be ‘excited’ after initial start before it will charge (much the same can be said about me). The ammeter reads zero until I bring engine revs above 3,500 rpm (waiting a few minutes so that oil circulates), at which point, the amp gauge needle jumps to life. It’s a small price to pay to be secure in the knowledge that the battery’s got the juice to crank that 1300cc monster to life.
The 2018 edition of the New England 1000 rally was held during the week of May 21. The rally started and ended at our host hotel, the Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, NY, with additional overnight stays in Newport RI and Lenox MA. The group also visited Wayne Carini’s F40 Motorsports and Mystic Seaport.
In all, about 35 cars drove in the event (the number is estimated because first, not every car listed in the tour book showed up; and two, some of the cars spotted earlier in the week seemed to have dropped away by the end of the week). The oldest vehicular participant was a 1952 Cunningham convertible. Tied for newest set of wheels were a 2017 Audi R8 and 2017 Porsche 911.
For rally co-driver and co-navigator Steve Hansen and me, this year was a double-milestone: it was our tenth NE1000 (although not all 10 were driven with each other), and it was the 20th anniversary of our first such rally in 1998. We both recall that during our initial drive to Freeport ME in Steve’s Tiger, we pondered what other vehicles might be joining us. Instead of the resto-modded Camaros and slightly rusty Chargers we envisioned, the first car spotted in the hotel lot was a white four-door Bugatti. We instantly knew we were in for something special.
Rallyist extraordinaire Steve H behind the wheel
This year’s rally was different in several ways:
The semi-official featured marque was Cunningham. The realized dream of Briggs Cunningham, a total of 25 road cars were manufactured. Four were scheduled to run the rally, but only three actually did so. It was a rare thrill to see three in the same place at the same time, and even more rare and thrilling to hear them run and watch them move.
For the first time in our experience, one of the four “rally days” consisted of no driving events. Tuesday was spent in Newport RI; participants were given the option to ride on an America’s Cup yacht, visit an automobile museum or two, and/or tour the “cottages”, as Newport’s mansions are euphemistically called.
Also for the first time, there were no optional driving events, such as hillclimbs, gymkhanas, or drag races. In large part due to only three days of touring, we drove slightly less than our usual 1,000 miles. As per the tour book, the mileage total for the week was 837.
Those of you in the Northeast know all too well what disappointing spring weather we’ve had. Things were no better as we departed Neshanic Station on Saturday. We drove in a near-steady rain on Saturday afternoon, the trip made more bearable only by its brevity (Mohonk is just two hours away). Sunday dawned damp and cloudy, but by that afternoon, we saw the sun, and except for some sprinkles on Tuesday evening, we were spared further precipitation.
Our steed, my 1967 Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior, was in its fourth (2013, 2014, 2015, 2018) NE1000. Its performance was almost flawless. Tuesday morning, intending to drive into town, the car would not crank. The battery was drained, but the car instantly roared to life with a jump start. With the help of Peter and Keith from RPM (thanks guys!), we determined that the alternator was intermittently charging. It’s very likely that the Saturday drive, with lights and wipers on the entire time, helped accelerate the battery’s depletion.
The local NAPA store, in exchange for some credit card info from me, donated a new battery, and our starting problems were solved for now. From my phone, I ordered a replacement alternator from my preferred supplier, Classic Alfa in the UK. The alternator was on my front porch on Thursday afternoon, a day before we arrived home. How’s that for service?
Participation in multiple events has taught me that rally photography is a tricky proposition. Once the driving starts, opportunities for the camera can be few and far between; after all, I’m either driving or navigating. Below is a sampling of pictures, organized roughly chronologically by location. Please note that all these photos are different from the “Photo Gallery” pictures posted last week. Enjoy the shots!
ARRIVAL, SATURDAY & SUNDAY
Although the official festivities begin on Sunday afternoon, many participants (including us) arrive on Saturday to feel less rushed as we perform any final car prep. Here are some of the cars as they arrived in a lot set aside for the rally participants.
Cunningham
Shelby Mustang
Puma GT
Ferrari Daytona
Jaguar XK120
1967 Corvette
Lamborghini Miura
Porsche 356
Porsche 911T
The ceremonial mounting of the rally plate
SUNDAY CONCOURS
Every year, the rally events begin with an informal “concours” on the hotel property, done as much for the owners to show off as to present our wares to the hotel guests and public. At Mohonk, we were crowded onto a narrow walkway.
The lineup
White cars
Sun trying to break through
Alfa Giulietta interior
Cunningham interior
Ferrari 250GT PF
Old and new
Drivers and spectators mingle
Italian cars
6-4-12
F40 MOTORSPORTS VISIT
On Monday, we made a scheduled stop at F40 Motorsports, the home of Chasing Classic Cars starring Wayne Carini. Mr. Carini was on the premises, and gave a short informal presentation. Better still, he led us into the back shop where many treasures are hidden away. He was warm, gracious, humble, and obviously a very knowledgeable enthusiast.
F40 Motorsports, Wayne Carini
1958 Skyliner in the garage
Domestic cars
Ferrari 330 GTC
THE AUDRAIN MUSEUM
On Tuesday’s “open” day in Newport, we had every intention of visiting two of the local car museums. Our battery issue, while fortuitously falling on the non-driving day, shortened our available time. We were only able to get to the Audrain Auto Museum, located in downtown Newport. The building itself is an architectural masterpiece. The smallish display area featured American muscle.
Audrain Museum exterior
Ford hot rod
1969 Hurst Olds
1969 Mustang
1970 Barracuda
DeTomaso Pantera
MYSTIC SEAPORT
Wednesday found us in Mystic CT, with about 2 hours to kill at the Mystic Seaport Museum before our scheduled lunch. As lunch ended, the parking lot served as an ideal staging area for our departure, and was also a great photo op.
In the queue to get a time out
Corvair Fitch Sprint
Alfa with new battery
Ferrari Mondial
Porsche 944
Red cars
THE RALLY ENDS
By Thursday, everyone feels a sense of accomplishment at just having driven the roads. That evening’s banquet dinner will reveal the final score, including how many teams “zeroed out” (this year, only one). As the cars arrived back at Mohonk, they were prepped to be either driven or shipped out on Friday morning.
richardscarblog 