shifting in Alfa's + tribute to digest

[Maximillien Hendrickx <Max_hendrickx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>Date: Thu, 19 Nov 1998 14:48:07 -0800
Dear Simon,
Where were you two years ago? Your advice is abolutely fantastic, but as
things go, I have had the pleasure to experience them the hard way. If I
had only known then...

When I just bought my 33 16V, I was so impressed by it's power and
handling, that I abused the gearbox quite a bit. I was inexperienced and
had no idea of what was going inside that box. I used to come racing down
at around 110km/h and just dropthe car into second to slow it down.
Wonderfull fantastic sensation to feel the car bleed off the speed and the
popping deccelaration sound of that Boxer-engine...I just couldn't get enough.
Until one day....shift down from 3rd to 2nd...CRUUUNCH. Oops! The second
gear synchro had passed away. In somewhat of a panic I emailed the "best
source" on Alfa's in the world: the Alfa Digest and started learing about
gearboxes and their synchro's and about double-clutching. It took me some
time to adopt this method, but hey wow it really works, sounds cool and
really gives you that driving sensation you had when you stepped in your
Alfa for the first time. (haven't good that heel and toe business cracked
yet, although people who drive 33's will heel n toe quite a bit by
themselves considering how close the pedals are to each other 8-)

So all you Alfisti out there, I would just like to second Simon's advice:
Don't just downshift any way, do it the right way and as he says don't just
downshift   to get to a stop or slow down: use your brakes (its cheaper
that way). 

I just can't emphasize enough how much I have learned about Alfa's and cars
in general by reading the "digest". The advice of so many Alfisti willing
to educate the unknowing. It has helped me better understand my car, helped
me love it even more (because you understand the details) and saved me
loads of cash (didn't rebuild the 2nd gear synchro). 

Ok, I'll stop tributing before all of you start crying in an emotional
frenzy of being touched by my kind words 8-)

Max
33 1.7 16V
- -----------------------------Simon wrote: 
 The brakes on most cars, especially Alfas, are more than powerful enough
to stop the car under any circumstances unless you were going too fast,
following tooclosely, etc.  If you KNOW you have to come to a complete
stop, just step on the clutch and use the brakes.  Remember, brake rebuilds
are a lot cheaper and easier than clutch and tranny rebuilds.  

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