Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, with optional self-leveling

[<JHertzman@xxxxxxx>]

Howard Warren writes:

>my oldest daughter is deep in the throws of puberty

My first thought (being me, alas) was, uh, isn't that 'throes'? But then I
remembered a certain friend who occasionally showed up with bandaged gashes
when he hadn't been quick enough dodging the Ronson table lighter (sturdy
buggers, those Ronsons-) and, having never had a pubescent daughter, (my own,
I mean) I decided to just offer my heartfelt best wishes, either way. It must
be 'interesting', and will probably get more so.

>one blessing for the self-leveling system: I can load my wife, all three
kids,
myself, enough luggage for a weekend at Grandma's and not worry about the rear
end drooping!  (And still kick ass on the curvy road!)

Was part of my point. People who need it, need it, even if they don't have
automatics, and retrofitting should be both possible and recommended when the
shoe fits, as deleting can be practical when it doesn't. I just never
understood the logic of coupling the two features, except as part of the
profit-driven logic which said (with the '87 platinum) that you can't get low-
profile tires without a sunroof, or leather upholstery without low-profile
tires.

> The concept of *ME* driving a 4 door car has always symbolized being one
foot in the grave <g>.  But a 4-door that eats Porsche 944s... hmmm... maybe
it's time to revise my attitude <g>.

Yes! Yes! That has been part of the Alfa mystique for those who caught on at
least since the Giulia Super. People with bathtub Porsches who could sometimes
say Nyah! Nyah! to a flaming red but single-carb Giulietta Spider could be
sucked in by the brick. There is nothing more innocuous-looking than a stock-
height beige Berlina with steel wheels, even one which has been thoroughly
tweaked. And as your daughter may someday know, 'sleepers' sometimes have the
most fun. 

Grin on, Howard. When the spirits flag, if they ever do, go read the first
stanza of Robert Browning's 'Rabbi Ben Ezra'-

John

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End of alfa-digest V7 #33
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