Daily drivers

[alfacybersite <acs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

In #702 Will Owen muses: "...I can't imagine that a Giulia or Giulietta
would be any less usable. As long as the car is properly maintained, an
older vehicle such as this can actually be a better choice for daily
service,
given the lower registration costs, ease of service, availability of
parts and freedom from smoggery."

********

Will, all, let me define Daily Driver as I see it. First, one lives in
an area which pretty much requires getting on a freeway / interstate to
get anywhere more than say 15 miles away.

Secondly, it is your Only car. No back-up, no wife's car, no nothing.
She goes belly up (even if it is relatively minor), you fix it or you
don't drive anywhere - including work.

One of the more vulnerable elements of these cars is the generator. But,
you might say, generators were used for many decades and people got
along fine. First 'fine' is a very relative term. Additionally virtually
any filling station had a good handful of brushes and could probably get
you running again. Try that today.

Yes, many Giulietta / Giulia owners convert to alternators, but you're
now beginning to mess with the whole vintage daily driver bit. Next step
is electronic ignition. Then since you modified your 1300 / 1600 motor
so you can keep up with traffic,  it starts getting tired at around 60k
(+ or -) miles. So you put in a 1750 or 2000.

Note all of this work takes place in the evening or on weekends so you
can have the car ready for work. I disagree with your 'availability of
parts' statement. Chances are you'll need to stockpile new and used
parts since expensive overnight delivery is not soon enough.

True, it probably still looks pretty original from the outside (except
for those wider rims and sticky 50 series tires) but it is still a neat
old daily driver...

...or is it really?

(Epilogue: Chances are if one is married, the day will come when one is
under the car and look over to see a pair of suitcases with a firm
female voice from above saying, "Don't bother getting up. I'll leave you
the car. The rest is mine." been there done that all.)

*********
There was a comment recently regarding the fellow who was contemplating
buying a Normale and I suggested he look for a Veloce since they are
much more valuable once completed. The comment that was made to the
potential buyer was (in essence), buy the car, don't try to make money
off the project.

I doubt if anyone has ever made money after doing a complete restoration
on virtually any Alfa (except perhaps a handful of some of the 30's
cars).

Most often price guides indicate which particular models are most
desirable to owners / buyers. While not always, the higher value is most
often indicative of desirability - as in fun to drive, looks neat,
possibly is more zippy, and possibly sold for more when new. This fits
the Giulietta / Giulia Spider Veloce. However, the Bugeye Sprite is
worth about three times what the latter 'improved' Sprites go for. A
Porsche 356 Speedster is worth about two and a half times what the
considerably more expensive 356 Cabriolet sold for originally.

Essentially I was saying, "Spend your time, energy, and money on the
more fun car."

Biba
Irwindale, CA USA
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