Re: alfa-digest V9 #636

[George Graves <gmgraves@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I spoke with Giordano the elder about a year ago on the phone. He told 
me that they were incorporated and licensed by the feds as an 
automobile manufacturer. When I asked what the hold-up was on selling 
cars here, I was told that they were still getting air pollution 
certification from California and New York, and when this was 
completed, they would start selling these cars. He also told me that 
they take the stock Alfas and 're-manufacture' them according to US 
safety and smog requirements, and that this entailed some 200 
modifications including everything from tail light lenses, headlight 
bulbs, to windshields and side glass to extensive engine modifications. 
He went on to say that they had to install new bumpers and side impact 
protection and air bags, and apply Auto Delta badges and manufacturer's 
plaques. He further told me that all of this would add about $10,000 to 
the European price for these cars. So, the Spider and GTV would be 
about US$50,000  and the 166 would be about US$66,000.

Even then I was a bit skeptical, because (1) Euro bumper impact 
requirements are slightly more stringent than the US ones, and (2) 
every modern Alfa that I've ever driven in Europe had the same SRS 
airbags as do most American cars.

I guess all of this became too much trouble, so, apparently,  he just 
bought the cars in Italy, brought them in using his manufacturer's  
permit, and then sold them WITHOUT doing the aforementioned 
'remanufacturing.'  Nice way to cut costs - IF you don't get caught :->

What is really distressing about this is that we Americans can't have 
the cars we want any more. The government can't be bothered to find 
Muslim terrorists, here on student visas who have disappeared into the 
general population, but they can be bothered catch and prosecute a man 
who is just trying to fill a sales vacuum by giving people cars that 
they want to buy (a victimless crime, BTW. I want to buy a new Alfa, he 
sells me a new Alfa. What do I care that it's gray market?). And there 
is no way that anybody can do anything to get these stupid laws altered 
to allow American citizens to import a car personally,  or get them 
revoked altogether. So much for freedom.


George Graves
'86 GTV-6 3.0S




On Friday, Jul 11, 2003, at 11:46 US/Pacific, alfa-digest wrote:


> Date: Fri, 11 Jul 2003 15:47:27 +0000 (GMT)
> From: greg@domain.elided
> Subject: Re: The end of Autodelta?
>
> It would be a pity if this is true. With these guys around there was at
> least hope that some new cars would find their way here. Of course, it 
> was
> really hard to find anything from their website, and the only dealers 
> you
> heard about was in CA or NJ/NY area. And everytime I went looking at 
> their
> site I kept wondering if these people were for real or even legit.
>
> Now, I seem to recall some mumblings about Alfa Romeo not too happy 
> with
> them using Autodelta in the US. Could it be Alfa reported them?
>
> I also remember reading Autodelta USA's site saying they special 
> ordered
> these cars from Alfa to be in compliance with US specs, and that they 
> were
> made in the factory, what I don't remember is where exactly AR logos 
> etc
> were removed and Autodelta USA's logos were installed.
>
> As for emissions compliance -- I think one of the things to be
> declared is that the engine is basically the same as one previously 
> sold
> in the US, thus the cars were only available with the 3.0 litre engine
> since the AR 3 was in the 164 until 94/95. Of course, that's now 8 
> years
> ago, and engine management changes or other changes might mean a more
> recent 3.0 is not the same motor "legally" speaking. Plus, I know AR 
> has
> been selling a 3.2 recenty, and smaller sized v6, but I don't recall
> hearing about the 3.0. Is the 3.0 still in production models? Since all
> cars now are supposed to have ODBC II, does that include "small
> manufacturers"? Would these cars have to be ODBC II compliant? If so,
> that's probably one thing they'll get nailed for.
>
> Just thinking out load. Anyone have any concrete information about this
> story?
>
> Greg
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