[alfa] Quad A/C

[Stacy Faught <onethumb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I have to agree with the others who have said to keep
it.  The Quad was a limited edition model, loaded with
every luxury feature Alfa could jam in there.  Some
people may not like this---if not, then don't buy one.
 This is why they had different models.
While I've only used the AC in my Quad once or twice
just for the sake of novelty (yes, it DOES work!
Neet!), Taking it out would be losing some of the
originality of the car.  Quads currently run about
$2-3k more than a similar condition Veloce, and I
expect that through time this differential will only
get larger, as people wreck the remaining Quads, or
they rust away, ect...

Now I don't think this means you shouldn't modify your
Quad at all...rather I think that sport springs,
headers, moderately wild cams and some head porting
(and possibly motronic pistons) are in order, because
most people don't feel this detracts from the
originality of the car, and these things are easy to
'return to normal' anyway, should the next owner
choose.  It's not too difficult to get 140-150hp out
of the L-Jet engine--this may not be fast like Ferrari
fast, but it's certianly fast enough to put a
s***-eating grin on my face during a run down one of
the canyon roads around here.  
If you're worried about losing the 1 or 2 hp from the
AC, mabye look at an electric radiator fan
instead---you'll get a noticable boost at the rear
wheels, and wiring couldn't be easier if you splice it
into the aux. electric fan power supply---then BOTH
fans come on at temp and when the AC is turned on. 
The engine sounds much better at high rpm without all
that noise from the plastic engine fan, too.

As far as series 2,3 and 4 spiders (and GTV6's,
Milano's, etc.) being collectable--don't forget they
aren't really that old yet....and the styling looks
'ugly' to us now because EVERYTHING from the 80's
seems 'wrong' or 'ugly' right now.  In ten or fifteen
years, you'll be seeing 80's partys on college
campuses, big hoopy dangly earrings (on gals AND
guys), 8ft tall hair, AND cars with black
plastic-rubber bumpers will be considered 'classic'
and 'collectable'.
Okay, mabye I'm wrong about the hair part...but the
trend is definately to look back about 30 years and
re-cycle parts of the culture of that era.  We're
doing it now with the 70's.  After 2010, we'll be
doing it with the 80's as well.  Scary, huh?
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