D.C. Alfa Spotting

[Pearsondan@xxxxxxx]

Just feeling warm and fuzzy about Alfas,
Congratulations to Dave and John Pratt--check out their web page at
www.people.ne.mediaone.net/dvpratt/saga for a nice treatment of their trip and
some gorgeous photos.

Unlike Dave and John, I saw plenty of Alfas around yesterday.  D.C. seems to
be one of the hotbeds of Alfisti with plenty of everything from GTV-6's on to
be seen on a regular basis (I have even had a ride in Doug Sedon's GTWE-6).
In Bethesda, I spotted a black 164L, a white 164S and a Silver Milano all in
the course of ten minutes of cruising around.  A little later, I passed a
Silver Milano (Platinum) out on the beltway and a spider heading the other
way.

And I got my 164S back from Doug at Crown.  Doug has had the big cat in since
the 4th of July with an elusive electronics problem (and I had been playing
with it for a month before that).  One of those deals where you identify a bad
relay, order from Italy, wait for arrival, find it doesn't do the trick (or
only partially) and start again.  The guy was relentless, and I am sure his
final bill grossly understated the time he put in on the job.  

The S is running like a top again and its drive quality is so different from
the Milano Verde that it was a shock to be behind the wheel after so long.
The Verde feels more raw, with a little bit of tape and bailing wire feel to
it.  The 164 is a solid mass that roars with every touch of the gas.  The
Verde gives you the big body roll through turns whereas the 164 feels glued to
the road (except for torquey accelerations).  Great weekend running them both
around and it was fun to see other Alfas out in the grey Northwest-style
weather.

Next up on the Alfa screen?  New front cam in the S and antirust fighting in
the wheel wells of the Milano.
Dan Pearson
Silver Spring, MD
1991 164S
1988 Milano Verde

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