Two Nine @ Monterey

[David Lee Mericle <ok3wire@domain.elided>]

Anyone have the chassis number of the Two Nine sold at Monterey last
weekend?

I ask because I had the duty, honor, privilege, you name it, of judging
the Two Nine class (and the Alfa competition class) at the Torrey Pines
Concours d'Elegance last year.  I was team leader but had two
assistants, one named Phil Hill and the other Pat Braden.  You're right,
I was the clipboard carrier.  Usually I am a slow learner but in this
case I caught on fast.  We had seven Two Nines in the judged category.
Phil's original daily driver Two Nine  Spider, the one he ran at Pebble
Beach in the olden' days,  was on display in the unjudged category.  If
Alfa lust can be experienced  walking around in front of a crowd with
all your clothes on - that was it.  Phil was somewhat bummed that the
C/O of his old car hadn't even fixed it up.  The wire wheels a disgrace
and unsafe.  Phil knows Two Nines by heart.  I am convinced that he
could build one in the dark from scratch just by the feel of the parts.
It was a kick to see Phil show John Mozart how the windshield wipers
should work.  They didn't but he won anyway.  Ask me (off line) how to
start a Two Nine if you don't have the key .  Pat Braden knows Two
Nines, as all Alfas, and really knows stuff like how the underside of
the cars should look - paint color, electrics, nitty gritty, etc

I am looking at a picture of J.M Fangio in the Alfetta taken at Monterey
in 1985 and his autograph on my entry pass.  Leather helmet, ear to ear
grin.  I spun in turn nine that year and heard that he had done so
also.  According to recent posts but  it may have been the corkscrew but
I have never heard or seen a spin there.  If I had spun there I would
still be rolling.  I said "even the very best of us get out of shape
sometimes" and blamed it on oil.  Fangio signed autographs for hours in
'85 and more so later in '92? when he was in more fragile health.  A
true gentleman.  Put Phil Hill right up there with Fangio as an honest
to god down to earth person.

Dave Mericle the Elder
Leucadia, CA  BEACH-N-RIDES



Just wondering if the 4M$ car was at Torrey Pines

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