Mostly RustyButTrusty is not a car show site – there are plenty of other sites where you can find pictures of shiny cars. However, for this case I’ll make an exception, mostly to drive the point home that you can amazingly *still* afford cars related to some of the shiny ones in this post, some of them so closely related that they have nearly the same engine and suspension. A prime example of this is this row of 4 Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Giulia Sprint Speciales – the number 81 car raced at Sebring back in the early 1960s. Not only that, the owner had driven it down from British Columbia with his wife and was doing the high performance driving school, time trials, and the concorso!
The next example of a closely related car is the Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ. Where SSs are still mostly in the five-figure range, these are solid six-figure cars, and yet a car that shares significant similarities, like a spider or an Alfetta, is quite affordable. Funny enough, one of the coolest things about attending the convention was seeing cars like this vying for hotel parking with boring sedans and SUVs, so you never knew what surprise was hiding behind those.
And in the Alfa-only parking, this TZ was one of the stars. This car also participated in many of the events – pretty neat that a humble little RustyButTrusty Alfa can share the track with something like this. Even this car has the same basic drivetrain, although the head is probably a twin-spark and everything else about the car is much more exotic. Notice the rest of the lot is full of Alfas…
Also in the Alfa parking lot was this silver 1979 Alfetta sedan. The same-year spider must have looked antiquated on dealer lots next to these. The car was in gorgeous shape, maybe even all-original, and had been driven down from Washington state.
Here you can see the back – it’s pretty evident Alfa was feeling self-conscious about the design of their sedans, since the Giulia TI and Super, Berlina, and first-series Alfetta sedan were all criticized for their quirky design, and that’s putting it kindly. This almost looks like they strayed to the other end of the spectrum, but considering its rarity on the roads, it’s quite a handsome and definitely European design.
From Dick DeLuna’s collection, a 1-of-3 Nardi with a 6C2500 engine, and a 1900 3-window coupe. The aircraft inspired construction was plain to see on the Nardi. Interestingly enough, the 1900 was not appreciated until recently since it was considered underpowered and not as sporty as the later aluminum-engined cars. This car was at Pebble Beach several years ago, like many show cars never ran properly, and was just recently resurrected for road work.
Two Alfa race cars from the San Francisco Academy of Art collection, which is well-worth visiting if you’re into the shiny stuff. Less than shiny is the 8C2300 (2900? not even sure this is theirs) in the foreground, and the 1939 6C2500SS Berlinetta Aerodinamica is in the back.
More sexy shots of these cars. I’m trying to decide if I like them because I truly like them, or because they’re rare and valuable. I remember reading reviews saying they were just heavier versions of the regular cars, with more divisive styling. Either way, it sure was nice following one on a recent back roads drive and admiring its curvy hips.
Lastly, some more shots of the Giulietta SZ.
My attempt at artsy shots of another car on whose design I have mixed feelings. It looks a little like a football on wheels to me – am I the only one who thinks that?
Tags: alfa california, alfa romeo, alfetta, berlina, car show, convention, coupe, gt, italian, sedan
Rusty But Trusty 
July 17, 2013 at 8:55 pm |
“Is it because I truly like them, or is it because they are rare and valuable?” A very intelligent and truly insightful statement, indeed.
I’ve always been a “Ferrari Man,” and anyone that likes Ferrari must admit to the history of the ALFA and the “Scuderia”. Any mechanic that has the wrench turning background to substantiate a knowledge of either car must admit that although both companies build beautiful machines, both marques are somewhat tedious to repair. I feel a little less stressful when working on a Ferrari, whereas an ALFA, no matter what the year/make/or model, leaves me a little less than impressed when I take it out “for a quick turn around the block.” Everyone can relate to “name dropping;” I certainly seem to be more important to my peers when I have just completed some sort of service to a Ferrari. As to the ALFA, “who builds that?” is usually the question. How funny though, is that the ALFAs seem to be commanding bigger money than some of the “more famous” namesakes of the Italian machines. Production numbers? Post history? Exotic style? All of the above…. Go figure.
July 18, 2013 at 2:48 pm |
Wow, interesting perspective – I would have thought the Alfa would be less stressful since it’s a more mass-produced (and in some ways simpler) car. Not that that would stop me from trying, though! Having done many years of working on Alfas, I have to say there’s always been something appealing about working on a basic car like a Morris Minor or Fiat 500.