Old Alfisti Never Die

My fascination with European automobiles began almost half a century ago. In ’51-’52 while I was stationed at the Naval Shipyard in Charleston, South Carolina, considerable numbers of MGTs were entering the U.S. via Charleston Port of entry. As a result, several found their way into the hands of my shipmates and offered me exposure to these agile automobiles.

With the car still on the auction lot we removed the gas tank, took it home and soft-soldered on a copper patch...

During the mid-sixties the sale of the McDonnell F-4 Phantom II to the British Navy involved my frequent travel to the United Kingdom. During these years I drove and maintained a ’60 MG Magnette (and later a ’68 MGB). These MGs gave me my first real taste of European machinery.

The care and use of MGs became a considerable subject of conversation with one of my Royal Navy colleagues, in spite of the fact that he drove a ’60 Giulietta Spider. Harry lived about 30 miles outside London and on one visit to his home I had my virgin excursion in Alfa driving. An experience I shall never forget.

Fast forward to mid ’75. I had never owned an Alfa until the opportunity occurred via a friend of mine. Bill had the capability of buying, through auctions, autos being disposed of as totaled insurance losses. As fate would have it, a ’66 Giulia Sprint GT that had been totaled because of a double-ended crunch was available for bid. The car had suffered a 10-12 inch shrinkage in body length. One side of the trailing arm had been rammed into the fuel tank resulting in a 4 inch diameter hole.

I won the bid, at (if I remember correctly) $319.00!

With the car still on the auction lot we removed the gas tank, took it home and soft- soldered on a copper patch, reinstalled the tank, gassed up 3-4 gallons, jumped the battery, fired-up and it was away on the first try.

The next 12-18 months were spent in cosmetic rehab. It was a major undertaking. During this period I was still working a job that involved travel from Europe to Japan and CONUS (The Continental United States) in between. Restoring the Giulia continued. Front grill and hood sill sheet metal was cut out, reshaped, and reinstalled. Fortunately, the hood had popped on impact and required little or no help. Not so with the trunk lid; it was bent into the shape of a taco awaiting the fixings. It required max effort. The lower trunk sill also required removal, reshaping, and reinstallation. Skinning, straightening, beating, and reassembling, not to mention a tad of Bondo here and there consumed more time. Doors, quarter panels, and front fender side panels suffered little damage. No glass casualties were found, however the crunch popped the rear window and reinstalling the glass required some minor rework and realignment of the glass channeling to accept the glass. I used a frame and body straightening device locally referred to as a “Doser” to stretch out the body panels to their original configuration.

In late ’76 the car was ready for a finish paint job after which it was returned to daily service alternating duty with the MGB.

About this time I first joined the AROC and have remained a member ever since. Alfa #1 turned out to be the major rehab item of my entire Alfa affair. It was a major cosmetic rework; the only mechanical rework was a clutch and throw-out bearing replacement about 3-4 thousand miles after returning to otherwise roadworthy condition.

Alfa #1 was followed by a ’72 GTV, a ’67 Duetto (my favorite AR), a ’76 Spider, a ’78 Alfetta GT, an ’82 Spider, and finally, an ’87 Milano. Through the years I have sold Alfas and arranged deliveries to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Kalispell, Montana; Liverpool, New York; and Syracuse, New York.

Through the more than 20 years of “Alfaing” I have had mechanical help from locals including Bob Mazzi, Jon Rhodes, and Paul “Harpo” Miller of Auto Sport. At 81 years of age it seems prudent, although I am reluctant, to give up the kick of Alfas. The urge will never go.