Re: Why Alfas? and 164 Knob

[Chris Lesher <chris.lesher@domain.elided>]

Most everything's been said but I have to say my piece as well - especially
considering my wife has been thoroughly infected as well and we're adding a
gorgeous red 164 to the stable in a few days!  

As a teen I always wanted a sports car and we had a close family friend
whose father owned one of the early imported car parts houses.  Tom had all
manner of cool cars including various bugeyes and I got to ride in all of
'em.  He bought a red GTV brand new in '74 and I was bowled over looking at
that car every day.  I'm still going to have a GTV one day - like when I
buy another house with a three car garage!  

When I turned 16 Tom found me a pair of Fiat 1100R sedans to piece together
as one and that was the beginning of a new appreciation for Italian
machinery.  I wanted something sexier, of course, and rather disliked that
Fiat -  so much in fact that I'd flog it mercilessly yet the more I abused
the engine the better it ran!  That little 1100 cc pushrod just ran and ran
and I gained a measure of respect for the poor thing.  Still, I traded it
for a car with an Italian designed body though more pedestrian mechanicals 

A bunch of years and many cars later I finally bought a car I'd always
loved the looks of but new next to nothing about, really - an Alfa Spider.
As I owned it I quickly realized it wasn't just a pretty face but was
remarkably well engineered as well.  That car was my daily driver for
several years and now sits sadly in the driveway awaiting my attentions.  A
few years ago I finally decided I needed a car with a back seat - something
we hadn't had in years.  At the same time a guy down the street from me had
a stunning black Verde in the driveway that I had to drive past twice a day
and the looks grew on me quickly.  I am one of those wierdos that much
prefers the Milano to the GTV6 so the decision was made. Soon we had a
silver Platino in the drive and my appreciation for these tremendous cars
has grown even stronger - the 2.5 Milano is a *great* daily driver for
ridiculously little money. 

So now fate has brought us a lovely 164 just as my wife is ready for a new
car.  I must be getting old 'cause the plush appointments of this car look
mighty nice for commuting and road trips!  We are both truly infected with
the Alfa virus - now we're both Always Looking For Another even with a new
one!  Let's see, a GTV for me and get the Spider fully restored for her...
then a Verde for my daily driver... of course there's the 164LS that I
drove last week - wow that was fast...

So - now that Terri has a 164 I felt it needed christening and bought a
lovely wooden shift knob to go with all that soft tan leather.  Does the
original knob just pull off on the 164?

Chris Lesher
79 Spider
87 Milano
91 164L



 

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End of alfa-digest V7 #981
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