Re: GS 4R on eBay (bis)

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@domain.elided>]

Russ Neely's further post on the eBay Zagato prodded me into running by the
stacks to look for an ad I thought I remembered having on the cars. Yup, found
it, a single sheet printed on one side in a reasonable approximation of the
historic Alfa red on white (not a trace of black ink, which is probably
correct too). The flier, by ARI in Newark, says "Produced by the original
manufacturer, Alfa Romeo, and the original body builder, Zagato. Only 100 cars
will be manufactured. Available through any Alfa Romeo dealer." And lists a
price $4950 P.O.E. (Undated price list from about the same time, probably a
bit later, puts that just above the Sprint Speciale and 2600 Spider, both
$4,886, but below the flagship 2600 Sprint). The only specs listed are "Giulia
96-cu-in. engine, 106 hp SAE, 100 miles per hour, folding windshield." The 106
hp and 100 mph sound like twin Webers (which Fusi lists) but the one I checked
out had the single Solex twin-throat downdraft d'Amico & Tabucchi list. (No
room under that vintage hood-form for sidedrafts, I think).

The same folder produced a forgotten article about the car from the August
1966 "Car and Driver" by David E. Davis Jr., not my favorite journalist (or
'urinalista', as il Fossile calls them, not 'giornalista') but still a source.
Davis liked it, called it "more fun than a bathtub full of otters" (?) but
said ambivalent things about the electrics (they're Italian), the steering
(too slow), the suspension and handling ("You judge the accuracy of your line
on a given corner by whether you are still on the road and upright") but
clearly enjoyed the month he had the car.

Davis says (as I had understood) that the car was the project of Quattroruote,
("the He-Weasel of Italian car magazines") who "evidently convinced Zagato
("whose operation looks like a scene from a 1929 movie") to go along", and
wrote "we understand that Alfa is involved in the project only as a supplier
of engines and running gear, and as a sales outlet." I suspect that this
understanding is absolutely correct, and that Davis' source was at the top of
ARI, but inclusion of the car in Fusi and other quasi-official accounts lends
it some vestige of authenticity - although I find it hard to see this as a
conceptual sibling of the Tubolare Zagato - or of any other pure-blood Alfa.
Still, pleasure is where you find it.

If anyone is seriously interested (and doesn't have that issue in his files) I
can photocopy and snailmail the article and/or the ARI advertisement.
(Reimbursement for postage appreciated, unless among established friends -)

Cheers

John H.

Raleigh, N.C.
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