Re: Alfas as orphans

["Paul Misencik" <paul@domain.elided>]

Look in Hemming's Motor News (www.hemmings.com).  Last I checekd there were
more than 70 alfas for sale, although I admit, that's not a lot whne you
consider it covers the whole nation and even beyond...

On this same thread, I'm a little surprised at how rabid the aftermarket and
owners marketplaces are for cars like MG's, Triumphs, etc are compared to
the Alfa marketplace.  I mean, I guess there aren't that many cars around (I
don't think I've ever seen another Alfa here in Charlotte in the 4+ months
I've lived here), but I sure haven't seen any MGs or Triumphs either!

When I had my 1963 MGB, I could have built an entire new car out of various
catalogs.  Moss Motors, etc. have absolutely everything you could ever need
for an MGB, from every little washer and nut to every little trim piece and
emblem, all the way up to a full line of speed parts and even complete new
bodyshells!  Although I'm so pleased that companies like International Auto
Parts and Vick's and AR Ricambi and Spider Point exist, I have already - in
just three and a half months of ownership - found a number of pieces that
are not available from these sources.

I walk into Barnes & Noble, and there are a bunch of good magazines devoted
to old British iron, but nothing that includes Alfas, except the occasional
ariticle in Classic Car or something...

This is the first Alfa that I've owned in the last 12 years, but during
those 12 years, I've owned MGs, Triumphs, Porsches, Mercedes-Benzs, etc and
I have been active in all of the clubs.   Each club is pretty rabid.  When I
moved here to Charlotte - a small city by city standards but certainly not
the boondocks - I found that there is no active Alfa club chapter.  There
WAS one, but it just sort of faded away and no one knows what's been going
on with it for the last several years.  AROC national says no one has filed
any paperwork for the club in years, and it's basically "defunct" in their
eyes.  So I joined Mid Atlantic, which seems to be AWESOME, but driving 3
hours to go to a meeting is not feasible very often.

Alfas aren't common, that's true, but neither are Triumphs.  Or MGs.  Alfas
are such inspired cars, and they have such a long and richly successful
competition heritage.  They were also offered for sale in the US much more
recently than some other now-unavailable marques.  Why such a dearth of
owner resources?

I don't mean to sound TOO discouraged, but without this list, I swear, I'd
feel almost totally alone, and I think that's a shame.

Paul Misencik
Huntersville, NC  28078
Tel: (704) 892 4775
email: paul@domain.elided
www.paoloroman.com

----- Original Message -----
From: <greg@domain.elided>
To: "Mark Mucciacciaro" <mmthrax@domain.elided>
Cc: "Watry, Andrew (LNG-SFR)" <Andrew.Watry@domain.elided>;
<alfa-digest@domain.elided>
Sent: Friday, January 10, 2003 11:53 AM
Subject: Re: Alfas as orphans


> One thing more to point to the loss of Alfa in the US.. I was at a store
> and saw a book on 1965 Automobiles in the US. Had all the typical US cars,
> and in the imports had all kinds of cars, and talks about the British
> cars, Fiat, Ferrari, and others.
>
> Now, first question, was Alfa officially in the US in 1965? If so, there
> was zero mention of Alfa in that book. And that's not the first time I've
> seen various books that talk about "autos" in the US in various years with
> nary a mention of Alfa.
>
> It's as if Alfa is a lost marquee.
>
>
> On Fri, 10 Jan 2003, Mark Mucciacciaro wrote:
>
> > --- "Watry, Andrew (LNG-SFR)"
> > <Andrew.Watry@domain.elided> wrote:
> > > If one needed more evidence that Alfas are becoming
> > > a rare breed in their
> > > US orphan status, there are currently no Alfas for
> > > sale in the print San
> > > Francisco Chronicle classified ads, and haven't been
> > > for more than a week
> >
> >     Indeed, here in Dallas, Texas it's the same story.
> >
> >  In the Dallas Morning News Classifieds maybe one Alfa
> > will show up every three weeks.  Also in the Auto
> > Trader magazine, the same 86 Spider has been there for
> > a little over a year.
> >
> >   Which is why I am forced to look in fields and
> > behind buildings.....of course that brings its own set
> > of problems.....
> >
> >   Mark Mucciacciaro
> >   81 Gtv6-project to be daily driver
> >   82 Balocco #43-"extra one of everything" parts car
> > Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now.
> > http://mailplus.yahoo.com
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