Re: Need an Alfa in my life-

[Piloto@domain.elided]

"I found a '65 2600 Spider on the web, reasonably close to home, good
condition.  What are they like?"

Henry:

As a long-time 2600 Spider owner, I can tell you that it is a very nice car 
to own and drive and is a sports car too (sorry, Lawrence) but is not 
"tossable" as much as I think you would like, from what the rest of your item 
said.  It has as good a power to weight ratio as any of the older Alfas 
including the Giulietta Veloces so is actually pretty quick and responsive.  
It is just not quite as nimble as the smaller ones.  I have run mine at Sears 
Point during the Alfa club's (ARA) noontime tours during CSRG races and never 
had any problem keeping up, in fact often passed other cars in the process.  
They are great road cars and everybody I know who owns one loves it, no 
matter what the reviews say.  The brakes are great (particularly on the later 
all-disc ones like a '65) but the car is handicapped with skinny tires in its 
stock state.  Parts can be a problem but in some respects that situation is 
getting better.  If you get the ARA magazine "Overheard Cams", the up coming 
December issue is supposed to have an article by yours truly that expresses 
my feelings about the car pretty completely.

John Maclay
'65 2600 Spider (not for sale)
'91 164L (ditto)

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