Re: Corvettes & Alfas

[Sidney Gage <sidney_gage@domain.elided>]

I can report from personal experience that at the Coronado vintage 
races in 1998 a 1957 Giulietta Spider finished ahead of a 1957 
Corvette. it was a short, bumpy airport course with big pavement 
creases right where the drivers wanted to put the power down. Live 
axle vs. live axle, and the Alfa got the job done better than the 
Corvette. The Alfa was a real Giulietta, 1300cc, drum brakes and all.

Do not take too much from this; another Corvette was the overall 
leader in the group. My point is that on a given circuit (short and 
bumpy) with 40+ year-old cars, Alfas and Corvettes can give each 
other a good run.

Sid Gage
San Francisco

>
>Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 13:24:07 EST
>From: Vilejidiot@domain.elided
>Subject: re: corvettes vs. alfa
>
>>>  the corvette could toast *any* alfa on *any* road or on *any* track.
>>>  prolly could toast most *any* car period.
>
>>Tell me - I'm interested... what colour is the sky on your planet?
>
>>Unless, of course, by 'track' you mean 'oval'...
>
>I'll jump into this as an interested onloooker.
>
>First off, I've never liked corvettes (or for that matter ANY GM product).
>Big fat fiberglass pigs. Latest generation (C5) looks and evidently IS much
>nicer. It has gained some grudging respect from me. And then...
>
>Last weekend a bunch of us took the alfas down to the local autocross which
>is put on by a club that is heavily corvette. Nice folks. We were very
>impressed with how those Corvettes handled the course. One of the newest
>'vettes did times to beat many of the stripped-down total-autocross machines
>(and Integra R's & M3's). And done with what appeared to be the greatest of
>ease... quiet exhaust, no tire squeal, little lean... Granted the driver has
>much input here and he must have been quite good but still the car has to be
>able to peform too!
>Anyway, our gang of Alfas were nowhere near the times these guys were doing.
>I have new respect for 'vettes after that. I'd never own one but I'd hate to
>get in a pissing match with a well-driven one on the road... it would be over
>so fast for my poor alfas...
>
>Happy where I am (but still waiting for the 156...)
>Michael Williams
>

------------------------------