Introducing my first ALFA

[YellowSpider]

Hi All,

I started my quest for a classic car about 1.5 years ago. This is the very short version of my journey.

I wanted a Morris Minor. After inspecting and test driving more than 5, I realised they look better than they drive. They take forever to reach 30 kmph and I became fearful they might go downhill rather than uphill on an incline.

One of these was near Taree (NSW). Another was a nice convertible example but the owner would not let me drive it. He wanted my money without letting me try the car.Oh yes, I met all sorts of owners in my quest.

I now decided I must have a convertible. Always wanted a Convertible.

Quickly, the Morris Minor dropped from the short list and my I decided I must have either an MGB (pre rubber bumper) or a classic Alfa Spider.

I inspected and test drove no less than a dozen (maybe more) MGB's in various states of keep and maintenance. They were all charming. The induction note of the twin carbs is nice and the shape is a classic. The owners , ranged from gentlemen to the absolute polar opposite of gentlemen. I get the car is a classic but what's with some of the attitude and arrogance?

I made offers on a few cars but one that worked out. The MGB hood design kept  nagging me. It is designed so that you can have scone, cucumber sandwiches and tea by the road side as you work out how that hood folds and then work yourself up in knots folding it with a brolly in one hand as the rain belts down on you. Quintessentially charmingly English, old chap I say and all that. And then you reverse the process when the rain stops and the sun is up.

Maybe, subconsciously, I was sabotaging my MGB deals because of the infernal hood.

I looked at MGB's for nearly a year. Over time, mentally, I started moving away from them. They has their good points but I was unable to connect with the car emotionally.

I then veered towards the classic MX5 - pre 1992 with pop up head lights. Nice car, reliable  and could not find any flaws. The hood is nice and easy to use but there was only 1 problem. The thing has no charm - at all for me. I inspected around half a dozen MX5's. They do drive quite well. So what was the problem? They lacked the extra factor - call it history (MG has it), call is tradition or whatever. Mind you, I have owned functional Japanese cars and I still do but this purchase was not about function.

A fine sunny morning, over a cup of tea no less :-) childhood memories of being captivated by the ALFA ROMEO cars in magazines and on TV in rally's frothed up tot he surface in a tide of smiles and happiness. I had always mused about having an ALFA ROMEO.  I decided to give the Alfa Spiders a look.

I looked up the classifieds and test drove my first. What a lovely car i thought. The induction note brilliant, the cockpit layout was unique, the shape a timeless classic  and a much better driving car than the MGB and MX5.

But the rust on the car was terrible but the hood, the hood was super and probably designed tp embody the true Italian spirit of getting there as fast as one can so no time to fiddle with the hood as against the MGB spirit of dawdling around the country side fiddling with the hood having afternoon tea.

The Alfa even had all disc brakes and an overhead twin cam aluminium alloy engine in the late 60's? Wow. And every time I hit the throttle, it sent my heart racing.

My criteria for the car was:
1. Convertible.
2. Series 1 or 2 (because of the Chrome)
3. No SPICA
4. as stock as possible

Most importantly, I wanted one that I can drive and enjoy not  obsess about how stock it is, although, I did not want a Mongrel either.

Over time, I realised that its a rust race to the bottom between the MGB and the Spider. One is a rust marvel of British ingenuity and the other a fine Italian dream machine built with Russian steel. Both seem to dissolve in a drizzle.

Disillusioned, I decided to now focus on the BMW e30 convertible, the classic with the manual hood and Chrome highlights. I inspected around 4. They were all good and drove well but.. there was something missing. The cockpit was a charmless, boring collection of black plastic.

I then explored the classic (pre 1993) Saab turbo convertible. Quirky car, interesting design but a slug from 0-30 kmph and then once the turbo kicks in will shred the undies of a BMW! But all Turbo's I saw were autos. Nice car, pity GM wrecked it.


By now, I just wanted a convertible and my search had gone on too long and I had nothing to show for it. I spent many 100's of $'s in pre-purchase inspections. All a waste. We were well into summer and nothing to drive. It got all too hard so I just walked away from it.

The emails from various web sites kept coming which I kept deleting. Then..

On day in December '13, in Sydney, I saw this lovely Spider advertised for sale in Melbourne and desire welled up in me - again. Oh no, I thought - here we go again on the convertible treadmill - lots of huffing and panting but no distance covered.

I was going to be in Melbourne on Monday - why not I though I reach Sunday night and give this one a good inspection. I called the seller and after some persuasion he agreed for me to inspect the car on a Sunday.

I rescheduled my QANTAS ticket, took a taxi to the seller home straight from the airport This chap as all sorts of ALFA's in his back yard front yard and even had some squatting on the nature strip. An Alfisti I thought - this is a good sign.

I test drove the car. Since, I had walked away from it all a few months ago, it had been a while since I had test driven an Alfa or any other car. Smiling ear to ear after the test drive, I agonised over and then decided to do away with the pre-purchase inspection (It had done me no good previously, anyway). Over the next 1.5 hours, I eventually ended up with a price that I realised the seller would not go below.

What to do now? I liked the car, I had conducted my own inspections. (Over time, I had a checklist that I had designed based on my research). The negotiated asking price I could afford. The question was should I pay it?

None of my meticulous spreadsheet analysis, intellectual head banging had actually worked for me in the last 12-14 months. I was still without a convertible .Meanwhile, the owner was getting impatient now. I had taken up more than 1.5 hours of his time.

Since, this was about the heart, I decided to literally throw it away and see it it comes back. If it did - it was mine.

So I fished in my trouser pocket and found a 20 cent coin. I winked at the owner, asked him to call heads or tail - he said Heads - so I said OK, if its Heads I buy if it tails, I walk and threw the coin up in the air.

We both watched it spin high and then as I grabbed it in both my palms as it descended, I looked at the seller and said - do you know what it is - he said "No' and I said "Neither do I and here goes", I opened my palms and there lay flat in all its glory, the 20 cent coin with QE2 staring out to wherever she stares.

I said - "Mate, I buy" and the seller looked at me gobsmacked with disbelief in his eyes and muttered "Never seen  anything like this but whatever works for you".

I paid him the deposit and after paying him the balance the next day organised a tow truck to pick up the car and deposit it at Seb's (Mauceri Motors, Clayton) for a thorough service. On 12 December I left for my overseas holiday.


Every Spider I inspected I loved driving but the rust issue always nagged me. Finally, after about 1.5 years and a lot of twists and turns on 9 December 2013, I became the owner of a 1972, 105 Spider Series 2. I had driven the car for a grand total of about 10 minutes but the smile on my face has still not disappeared.

I look forward to sharing as much of my adventures in this car as you will have and learning from all of you as I get to know my Spider. Pictures attached.

This post has become longer than I intended. Apologies.

I thank you for reading and look forward to a face to face with many of you in the future. I want to compile a history of this car. If you know anything about this car please do share.

I will email ArchivioStorico@alfaromeo.com as a start.

PS: The NSW plates in the picture have gone. The car now has VIC plates.

PPS: What happened to the 20 cent coin? It sits safely in my centre console coin box :-)

[extraball]

  destiny

[Cool Jesus]

BWAH hah, took me 30 seconds to by my first Alfa. Welcome aboard and start up your Alfa fund for the next three to park alongside the spider, true classic. I ended up with 4 in my first year of Alda ownership 

[colcol]

What a great story, something  illogical about buying an Alfa Romeo, but the fun factor outways everything else, welcome aboard Yellow Spider, your life will never be the same, Colin.

[Evan Bottcher]

Great story.  If the archiviostorico email address doesn't work, try centrodocumentazione@alfaromeo.com - I think it changed at some point.

cheers,
Evan.

[YellowSpider]

Thank you all for the welcome and kind words.

2 pictures of the car being picked up from the sellers place to Mauceri.

I also considered bthe Karmann Ghia and FIAT 124 Spider. Both were rejected because they seem to be very exotic cars and spares availability and pricing may be worse than the Alfa. I must admit the Karmann Ghia is beautiful.

2 pics of the car at Mauceri. Seb keeps a very clean and tidy workshop.

Evan, thank you for the email address. My email to archiviostorico bounced 2 days ago. I did receive a reply from centrodocumentazione yesterday.

[YellowSpider]

Next Part:

My newly acquired toy now lay at Mauceri motors for a RWC and any other essential repairs that Seb thought fit for the car while I boarded a plane for a beach holiday overseas after a frenetic year at work.

Seb had previously performed a pre-purchase inspection on an Alfa Spider Series 3 which did not eventuate so I had been to his workshop once before. Inspite of Seb being busy, he agreed to take my car in after I agreed that he could it his time. This arrangement suited us both.

I was away for 5 weeks anyway and I would rather the car sat in Seb's garage than in mine. Since, I was in no hurry, I wanted Seb to take as much time as he needed so that it got all the quality attention.

After I returned from my holiday all charged and refreshed, we were well and truly in the middle of summer but my Spider was in the garage. Mindful of my arrangement with Seb for him to take as much time as he needed, I but my tongue and waited.

And waited some more. Summer was passing by and I yearned to hear the induction note of the twin Webers. Time made its slow and inevitable march, gradually but surely consigning the balmy evening notes of summer evenings into distant memories as hope of at least one drive before the end of summer faded with each passing day.

Then, one day, Seb called. I was at my desk. I could have the car on the Friday he said. Scarcely did I believe those words. It had been 3 months since I owned the car, but I had not made it mine yet. And now, it was going to be. It was an exhilarating yet strange feeling. This car was going to enter my life and I had no idea how it would change me or my life.

There were a few warm days left. Maybe, I could still squeeze in a drive or two before the winter chill with its allure of warm sticky date puddings and piping hot laksa's took over.

I counted off each day of the week. Each passing day got Friday closer but it seemed farther. Illogical and sentimental I kept reminding myself. When was the last time I counted days off with child like enthusiasm?

In the days leading up to Friday, I organised the insurance. Since the car was unregistered, I would also have to drive it to VicRoads to register the car and get my plates. I re-organised my diary for Friday, organised an appointment at VicRoads Lygon Street office for 12:30 PM on the Friday so I would not require a permit and waited.

I slept with restless anticipation the night before and on the Friday morning went to the office early, got rid of some pending matters and  then took the train from the city to Clayton. On the way i realised that it was unlikely i was going to make it back to the Lygon Street registry.

This was a problem because the law allows you to drive an unregistered car on the day only for the purpose of getting of registered.

If I was unable to make the appointment, I would have to pay for and obtain a 30 days permit. I called VicRoads and explained the situation, They were very helpful and rescheduled my appointment to 2:30 PM at Huntingdale. I was very lucky because usually VicRoads need 24 hours notice for any change.

The walk from Clayton station to Meriton Pl was one of my longest walks. As I rounded the last bend before Mauceri, I got my first glimpse of the unmistakable Yellow Spider in Mauceri's driveway in all its glory.

I had asked for it to be detailed and there she was, shining gloriously in the sun light as the beautiful chrome bits reflected the light and accented bits of the car.Oh! What a joy to behold.

I stood int the driveway and after taking in an eyeful, walked into Seb's office. He was not there so I continued walking into his workshop and there he stood - under an Alfa in blue overalls. I called out and as he turned his head first and then body towards me slowly, his face broke into a smile as he saw me. I must have had a grin on my face!

PS: I was at  AutoItalia Canberra on Sunday. Some of my pics https://picasaweb.google.com/107443527745610324651/AutoItaliaCanberra2014?authuser=0&feat=directlink

[Please excuse my typos]

[YellowSpider]

Finally attended my first club meeting today at the Bells Hotel.

It was awards night and it was lovely to hear the stories and backgrounds of various award winners as members lustily cheered every winner.Today, it felt like everyone was a winner.

I felt very welcome and unlike a few other car clubs, the members were very friendly and warm. Lots of people come up and said hello and I even had a few discussions with some very enthusiastic members. Not lacking in passion this club.What a hoot!

Looking forward to more meetings and perhaps my first club run.

The spider went for a run on the weekend to Healesville.Pic attached.

I will [at some stage] complete the story I started.

[krysRAW = AROCA-Vic PR =]

Even though it was brief, it was nice to meet you last night! 

Hope to see you at the following:
Dyno Day At Beninca Motors (even just to watch others push the throttle)
http://www.alfaclubvic.org.au/component/option,com_jcalpro/Itemid,67/extmode,view/extid,591/

Sunday Drive To Kilcunda
http://www.alfaclubvic.org.au/component/option,com_jcalpro/Itemid,67/extmode,view/extid,594/

[colcol]

Nice to meet you at the Alfa Club meeting at the new old Bells Hotel, Mr. Yellow Spider, your life will never be the same, but mostly for the better, Colin.