Sprint reds

[Scott Fisher <sefisher@domain.elided>]

In general, the Sprints and Spiders *were* different reds because they
were made in different workshops.  The Pininfarina works, where Spiders
through 1994 were built, preferred a more orangey red, presumably the
AR304 Spider red you mention.  The Bertone works, who built the Sprints,
used a more "red" red, on both the Sprint and Sprint Speciale cars.

The later Sprint/Coupe color code is AR501 Alfa Red, at least for Alfas
built in the Sixties.  That's the color I painted my '67 coupe, for
example, though it was built at Alfa's factory in Arese and not in the
Bertone plant itself.  When I've parked my car next to Fifties-era
coupes, they appear to my somewhat-educated eye to be the same red, but
I don't know for a fact that they're the same.

As one final subtlety, I'm not sure what the Zagato cars used -- the few
red SZ cars I've seen also appear to use AR501 red, but I haven't parked
my copue next to one to check.  The last TZ I saw was Felix Chiu's
French blue coupe, quite striking in its non-redness, but the ill-fated
TZ of Marnix Dillenius (the one that lost its LF upright at the exit of
4 at the Historics last August) seemed just a hair darker.  Could be a
trick of the eye, with that pale-green nose his car has on it.  (And
anyone who wants to debate the paleness of that car's green should
simply remember what I have to compare it to, my darker-than-Jag-green
'74 Spider. :-)

BTW, anyone know how Marnix's car is coming along?  It's gorgeous, he
drives it very well, and I feel certain we're all hoping he gets it back
together and returns to the fray soon.

- --Scott

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