Re: GS 4R on eBay (a footnote)

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

Il Fossile, still remembered affectionately by some as "the oldest rat in the
Alfa barn" was relayed a copy of my last post on the GS 4R and returned a copy
to me with his notes interleaved, adding that Arturo Reitz (who was then
running ARI) was convinced by Don Black (then director of technical services
for ARI) and dealer Bill Knauz of Lake Forest (big and influential dealer back
then)that the car should be imported. Arturo was against it but to pacify them
he did bring in about 15 cars, of which Knauz bought about 10. He added of the
2600 prices I cited for comparison "these were distressed prices for the 2600
line which was not marketed correctly, and were re-titled vehicles", confirmed
that "the motor was only single Solex carb type 101.12 (original application
Giulia Sprint 1600",.and that the magazine, not Alfa Romeo, "commissioned the
brothers Zagato to do the project.  It was 3marketed2 thru the A.R. dealer
network. The model number, for Ital DOT was same as the factory spider 101.23
and the first telaio number was 393.001 with the A.R. in-house designator
31750 Spider Zagato 4R2". He added a pidgin-Italian "CORRECTI" after the
statement that Alfa was involved in the project only as a  supplier of engines
and running gear, and as a sales outlet, and added "NO RELATION WHATSOEVER,
NOR FOR THE SAME MARKET" after my opinion that I find it hard to see this as a
conceptual sibling of the Tubolare Zagato - or of any other pure-blood Alfa.

This is only a footnote, but some feel that from an historical perspective any
peculiar anomaly deserves a footnote. Il Fossile did not explicitly comment on
my possibly passing it on, but I think he knows that is always a risk. I wish
people like him and the few other survivors of those who were there in the
fifties and sixties (Tenney, for instance) found the digest more hospitable to
their participation, but in general they haven't. Our loss, in my opinion.

Cheers

John H.

Raleigh, N.C.
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