Alfa GTV

Alfa in Print
I
LOVE TO READ AUTOWEEK. it has
become so good as to be almost unbearable.
I especially envy Randy
Leffingwell because he gets to drive all
those weird cars featured opposite the inside
back page of each issue. Even when
Randy blunders, as he did in a recent article
on the history of the Alfa badge, he's
still enjoyably readable. A recent Leffingwell
effort was a penultimate-page
tryout of the AlfaJunior Zagato, and in the
Sept. 6 issue, he talks about Alfa's plans for
the next several years.
Of course, you should have your own
subscription, so I won't report Randy's.
news in detail except to say that the next
three years will see the end of all the Alfas
we know today, a new coupe, a new Spider
and a replacement for the GTV6 body (you
can bet the V6 engine will be around for a
while yet).
If you're a Speciale fan, Autoweek's Sept.
13 issue will be of particular interest
because there's a full-page appreciation of a
Giulia Sprint Speciale by John Matras.
I'll gloss over the Road & Track Spider
road test and other Alfa mentions in print
(this isn't a bibliography) to comment on
one other publication. Automotive News has
also been having a run of articles about
AHa. Automotive News is more or less the official
rag of dealerdom and has been filled
this last year with documentation of the
demise of the American automobile industry.
A recent article reported that even
AHa has lost dealerships in the last year, so
hard times touches us all in the United
States. In its current issue there's a report
by John Russell on statements by Sergio
Fonda, Alfa's general sales manager in italy.
Fonda announced the new "small"
Alfa, designed to compete in the lower price
categories of the U.S. sports car market.
"Low price" means RX-7, 280ZX territory.
Fonda cautioned his interviewer
"not to exclude the possibility of a new
range of GTV in a lower class." Asked
about a turbo two-liter, Fonda replied that
"everything is possible." Fonda said that
Alfa's sales goals for the United States are
to sell 10,000 units a year by the mid-'80s.
In 1981, Alfa sold 2301 cars in the United
States. Increased sales will come from improved
performance by the 140 current AIfa
dealers instead of the addition of new points.
Fonda stressed his conviction that the U.S.
market is important and a stable source of
AIfa sales. That's good to hear, both for us
consumers and the dealers as well.
Pivotal times for Alfa, folks: It's good
just to be alive (better if you're employed).
Just as the old straight-4 is fighting ofT the
enemy, a fresh group of recruits is heard, just
over the rise: We could win this one, yet!
Corporate Notes
Our team, reported by Mike Hemsley in
this month's Alja Account, is headed by
Luigi Zucchet, ARI's new CEO. Mary
Nichols is ARI's new advertising and sales
promotion manager, and she has a new
agency, Marsteller, to work with.
This Issue
Mike turns his editorial focus on building
models from scratch in this month's Tullo
Scala. Want to have a model that looks just
like the one which raced during the 1958
Mille j\1iglia? Mike tells how elsewhere in
this issue.
It's no surprise that winter is approaching,
but it is amazing how repeatedly winter
catches us with our battery down, so to
speak. Take time now to winterize: Joe
Benson tells how in his Alja Experience article
this month. Uoe just bought an Osborne 1:
I reported last month that this is being written
on my own Osborne; are there any
other Osbornes out there in Alfaland?)
Bob McGill's a fine writer: this month
we read his "Green-Eyed Women," which
has something to do with cars, no doubt,
and probably even Alfas!
Finally, we read about the '81 season as
campaigned by our "Spider With A Soul."
In all, this is an informative issue: Hope
you enjoy reading it!
Newsletter Notes
I'm trying to build a closer working relationship
between the editors of the chapter
newsletters. The approach to newslettering
varies from "throw it together" to really
professional stuff. Several of the local
newsletters rival The Owner for sold advertising
space. I want to emphasize that some of
the most informative (as opposed to pretty)
publications are not typeset and are obviously
low budget efforts. What
distinguishes them is a contributor who has
something to say. Those issues are the kind
that get picked up by other chapter pubs
and reprinted to death. I think that better
liaison between editors would produce better
final publications all around. The problem
is that editors tend to be overworked.
Additional chores to correspond with others
are probably not universally welcome. The
membership does need to know, however,
that I am going to launch an effort to get us
editor types working more closely together.
Now, let's comment on some of the tidbits
picked up from the local newsletters:
I have to comment on the photography
V.F.O. Department:
Pictured here is what appears to be an Alfetta ... but closer examination tells us it
isn't exactly stock. From what we can tell, this creation is a regular contender in the
Australian Touring Car Championship (the same series that semi-retired Fl World
Champion Alan Jones is currently running in a Porsche 935 K-3), and is extensively
modified to near Group 5 specification.
The name on the window tint reads "Tony Edmondson," so we'll boldly guess 01'
Tony is the brave pilot of this beast.
Can any of our readers shed more light on this car, its driver or their competition record?
OCTOBER 5

that's been gracing the Overhead Cams (Alfa
Romeo Association of Northern California).
Lovely ladies, nicely photographed.
I want to send kudos to the Arizona
chapter for being the first newsletter to
carry a four-color cover Oune). Sounds like
a fun group: Among the club officers are a
"Prexy, Veep, Bagman, Chief Scribe,
Scandalmonger and Teller of Old Tales."
If we ever get those guys together with The
Horn of Capitol Chapter, the whole club's
in trouble.
From Velocissima (New England) we
learn that a turbo has emerged from the
. 'project turbocompressore" started in
1978 by Alfa Romeo Avio. It's called the
ARITC2000 (hmmm . . . wonder if it
would fit a two-liter?), It's slated to enter
production by the end of the year. The unit
can be bolted to a gas or diesel engine, and
it first appeared at this year's Geneva show.
I note the disclaimer ' , For Off Road Use
Only" published in a recent Alfetish (Ohio
Valley). The disclaimer was prompted by a
note from ARI to the New England
Chapter reminding them that Alfa can't
condone any tampering with the merchandise,
when tampering might reduce the
reliability or emissions controls of the
engine, It's a good idea for all the newsletters
to remind their readers from time to
time that our (humble) tech tips are not official
and could render the warranty invalid,
or disable the emission controls. It is
a serious matter for ARI and we should
keep it in mind. Throwing seriousness
aside, for a moment, the Alfttish disclaimed
responsibility for any harm its tips might
bring to bear by any other "individual, institution,
government, business, religion,
insurance organization, political government,
business, religion, insurance
organization, political action committee,
cult, coven, environmental extremist or
other chtonic (sic) organization." I'm
awaiting a response from the Alfa Coven of
Transylvania.
I note an article in the July New Jersey
newsletter about "Autocrossing for the
Beginner" by Mario Romagnoli. One
heading caught my eye: Can you roll over or
otherwise get hurt? Read on: "Theoretically,
yes, but, in fact, very rarely. , . chances
are you will never go faster than redline in
third gear, " Reminds me of the road test I
wanted to do on the GTV6: "Several attempts
at a good, crisp rollover were attempted
with unsatisfactory results."
6ALFAOWNER
Contratulations Jack!
Members who attended Alfa
Romance will not be surprised to hear
that the gorgeous 1928 6C1500, (our
September cover car), of convention
Co-Chairman Jack Becronis has added
new laurels to its history, In
August it won first place at the Pebble
Beach Concours, which is probably
the most prestigious and competitive
event of its type in the
United States.
Of equal note is that, unlike most
of its competition, the Alfa is not a
"trailer queen," The day before the
Concours the Alfa could be found on
the track at Laguna Seca Raceway,
competing in the Monterey Historic
Car Races, Contributing even more
to the story is the car's recent
history, Just one year earlier, while
being tuned in the pits at Laguna
Seca, a backfire caused an engine
fire which gutted the car. All of
which must have made this win one
of the most satisfying on record.
Finally, a note from Romeo and Giulidla
(San Diego): "What spare parts should I
carry. , ." Answer: Fan belts, fuel injection
belt, throttle cable and radiator hoses. The list
should be continued, the editor notes, and
asks for contributions. The present list's a fine
beginning, though.
Boy, Are We Red
Well, Almost.
Last month seemed to have been the
worst the Alfa Owner staff can remember in
the way of delays and screw-ups,
To compound matters, we inadvertently
left a permanent record of our failures in
the form of transposed type columns in part
two of "Spider With a Soul" (you, of
course, figured it all out, anyhow), and our
cover color - which can only be described
as pigmtntous-magtnla-barJo.
The type error can easily be passed off on
the art department hurrying to make up
time lost by our editorial staff but the cover
, , . ughh . , . that was the . . . er . . . ahh . . ,
hummph . , , publisher's idea,
Well, look at the good side, at least you
now appreciate the regular cover color!
-Pat Braden
Ahhh, Publicity
We have been reliably informed that the
November issue of Car Collector and Car
Classics magazine will be of interest to Alfa
enthusiasts. This issue, which will appear
on the newsstands in early October, is
reported to contain a four- to five-page article
about Alfa Romance and to feature the
6C1500 of Jack Becronis as the "Collector
Car of the Month." The feature article on
Jack's, (Pebble Beach Concours-winning)
1928 Zagato Spider will include a color
centerspread photo of this concourswinning
Alfa, -Tom Suter
EVENTS CALENDAR
In our ongoing effort to develop a usable
events calendar in the pages of Alfa Owner,
we again ask chapter presidents and
newsletter editors to send us up-to-date
schedules of what your group has planned
in the near future,
Oct. 10, Fort Wayne Chapter "Caley's Caper". Add'i Info
(219) 484·5511.
Oct. 10, Capilal Chapter Picnic Drive to Judge North's. Add'i
Info (301) 654·0334.
Oct. 12, Northwest Chapter General Meeting. Add'i Inlo
(206) 692·8227.
Oct. 13, Houston Chapler General Meeting. Add'iinlo (713)
96().()604.
Oct. 14, Suncoasl Chapter General Meeting Add'iinlo (813)
391,9175
Oct. 15, Lone Star Chapter General Meeling. Add'iinlo (214)
423,8204.
Oct. 17, Delroit Chapter Color Tour. Add'i Inlo (313)
373,9342.
Oct, 16, Conneclicut Chapter General Meeting. Add'i Inlo
(203) 485·9800.
Oct. 17, Oregon Chapter Time Trials al Portland Raceway.
Add'i Inlo (503) 649-9723
Oct. 17, Lone Slar Chapter Tech Session. Add'i Inlo (214)
423·8204.
Oct. 17, New Jersey Chapter General Meeting. Add'i Inlo
(201) 540-8913 .
Oct. 21, Chicago Chapter General Meeling. Add'iinlo (312)
689-3263.
Oct. 20, New England Chapter General Meeling. Add'i Info
(6 I 7) 443-603 I .
Oct. 20, Oregon Chapler General Meeling. Add'i Inlo (503)
649-9723
Oct. 22, So-Cal Chapter General Meeling. Add'i Inlo (213)
97()'()127.
Oct. 23, Sacramento Chapter General Meeling. Add'i Inlo
(916) 971·1173.
Oct. 26, Detroil Chapler General Meeting. Add'i Inlo (313)
373·9342.
Oct., Arizona Chapter General Meeting. Add'i Inlo (602)
835.()457.
Oct. 28, San Diego Chapter General Meeting. Add'iinlo (71 4)
571·7873.
Oct. 29-31, Arizona Chapter Overnight Tour and Halloween
Party. Add'i Inlo (602) 835-0457.
Noy. 1, Capilal Chapler General Meeling. Add'i Inlo (301)
654·0334.
Noy. 2, Colorado Chapter General Meeling. Add'i Inlo (303)
344·8001.
Noy. 3, Alabama Chapter General Meeling. Add'i Inlo (205)
879-0334.
Noy. 4, Ohio Valley Chapler General Meeling. Add'iinlo (513)
821·9160.
Noy. 9, Norlhwesl Chapler General Meeting Add'i Inlo (206)
692·8227.
Noy. 10, Houston Chapler General Meeling. Add'iinlo (713)
96Q.0604.
Noy, 11, Suncoast Chapler General Meeling. Aad'iinlo (813)
39t,9175.
Noy. 12, Conneclicut Chapler Eleclion Meeling. Add'i Inlo
(203) 485·9800.
Noy, 13, Sacramenlo Chapler Progressive Dinner. Add'iinlo
(916) 971·1173.
Noy, 17, New England Chapler General Meeling. Add'i Inlo
(61 7) 443·603 I .
Noy. 17, Oregon Chapler General Meeling. Add'iinlo. (503)
649·9723.
Noy. 18, Chicago Chapler General Meeling. Add'llnlo (312)
689-3263.
Noy. 19, Lone Slar Chapler Dinner Meeling. Add'iinlo (214)
423·8204.
Noy. 21, New Jersey Chapler General Meeling. Add'i Inlo
(201) 540-8913.
Noy. 23, Detroit Chapter General Meeting. Add'i Inlo (313)
373·9342.
Noy. 24, Arizona Chapter General Meeling. Add'i Info (602)
835-0457.
Noy. 25, San Diego Chapler General Meeling, Add'i Inlo
(714) 571-7873.
Noy_ 28, So-Cal Chapler General Meeling and "While Turkey
Auction". Add'iinlo (213) 97Q.0127.

W
Reprinted From Alfa Bits,
The Newsletter of the Alfa
Romeo Owners of Oregon
OMEN ARE JEALOUS OF ALFAS! I
do not state this lightly: For 23
years I have observed the malefemale-AI
fa relationship. I believe Alfa is
more entitled to wear a triangle emblem
than Mercedes.
The problem originates in the eternally
romantic Italian nature. Alfa engineers and
their designers create machines not only
with personalities but with gender. They
give Alfas voluptuous shapes, wildly eager
engines, delightful suspensions, provocative
handling, a demanding nature
with even a touch of perversity . Yet above
all, gentle and forgiving in a crisis.
The true Alfa owner may refer to his car
as "it." But in his secret heart-of-hearts, he
knows the gender is essentially feminine.
Unfortunately, the women of Alfa owners
soon know it too. They instinctively
recognize the rival.
It is not the same with other marques.
Take those dashing chaps with a derring-do
air, popping along in Britain's best. Their
grim grip on the wheel betrays a distrust of
what the bloody beast will do next. Or take
German cars which these days tend toward
brutishness ... so their drivers tend toward
lion-tamer types. (The 911 Turbo is the
ultimate here with the machine a phallic extension
of its macho master as they dash
about the streets looking for something to
assault.) These are all, at most, likable
cars. But not lovable.
Now consider the Alfa driver. Not your
Giovanni-corne-lately owner but your experienced
second-or-third-Alfa man. Note
the passionate intensity when he speaks of
his Alfa (an obvious deep emotional linkage
to a love object). Note, too, it is a rapt but
troubled look, tinged with apprehension -
for he asks himself the age-old anguished
lover's questions: "Will she be true?"
(reliable). "What more can I do?"
(maintenance-wise). "Why did she say
that?" (weird-sound syndrome).
Listen to the conversation when Alfisti
are gathered - entirely about the signs and
sounds and symptoms of impending Alfa
fickleness and how to avoid all with Tender
Loving Care. And that is precisely what
embitters Alfa women: All that attention
and concern and time and TLC (and money)
squandered on this Italian mistress.
At this point you are snorting or retching
or about to burn this issue so your wife
won't see it. I assure you the problem is
real. In the dozen years of this club's
history I can point out more than a dozen
cases. Did you notice that local classified ad
three weeks ago: "Alta Montreal for sale.
Family split forces ... etc."? I met the guy
and he was really racked to have to split
from the car. He didn't mention his wife.
Well, what's to be done? How can a
home-loving, Alfa-Ioving man preserve his
A different kind oj sex-symbol.
pleasurable menage a trois? Obviously
some succeed. Some have a wife and a
whole harem of Alfas. I wish I knew their
secret. I only know one troubled case
history well - my own.
My problems began in 1958 when one of
the town's first Spiders came to live in my
garage. I had felt affection for most of my
prior cars - an interest tolerated by M.
who even helped wax the MG TD which
she thought was cute.
From Day One my Alfa relationship was
different. Nowadays you can hardly
understand our delight with the early
Spiders - the agile cornering, magnificent
braking, intoxicating acceleration to the
snort of the Webers and the cackle of the
Abarth exhaust. You can't imagine the
ecstasy unless you knew the competition in
1958. The Alfa was a hummingbird among
turkeys ... a gazelle among plowhorses.
The Pininfarina Spider body was new and
striking then and about to influence a whole
generation of sports roadsters.
I tell you all this to explain why I
couldn't help doing some peculiar things.
For instance, I couldn't walk through the
garage without pausing to admire the
Alfa's elegant charms: the graceful body
line from headlight to taillight, the
down swoop of the hood to grille, the fantastic
head with double overhead cams, the
sophisticated simplicity of the Weber induction
(imagine - a venturi and jet-set
for each cylinder!).
The first few times M. came on me in
this fondly-bemused state, she smiled
tolerantly. Later she stopped smiling. One
day she even asked grimly: "Why would
they want to name a car 'Giulietta'
anyway?"
M. drove the Spider a few times, not very
comfortably. There was a roughened clutch
problem and a nose scraped on a supermarket
curb. When I expressed mild anguish, it
backfired. M. announced she would never
drive the car again. And she hasn't!
We did reach a neat equilibrium in the
next few years. The Alfa and I developed a
close relationship (50,000 miles worth). M.
was busy with children and working and a
Master's degree. The kids loved the car.
And the Brittany Spaniel and I went on
long bird hunting trips fast and in style plus
35 m.p.g.
But I couldn't leave well enough alone.
Overwhelmed by a sudden passion, one day
I brought a Sprint Speciale home to live in
the garage alongside the Spider. M. 's
faithful Nova four-door was evicted out into
the weather. Obviously you couldn't
leave that gorgeous but rust-prone Bertone
body exposed to Oregon's winter rain. It
was a long, cold winter, too, indoors and out.
However, there were compensations. You
could study the Bertone sculpting of the
S.S. body for hours and keep seeing new
pleasures. Funny thing, too, you could
OCTOBER 9

The last pit-stop of 1981 ... during the 4-hour.
Bob Dekay is exiting while Mike Zajicek stands
ready to replace him. Eric Goldman is in the
background helping Bob out of the car while
Burt Levy handles rejueling (face obscured by
roll-bar), two Lober Motors assistants pitch-in.
SpiderWith
A BYBURT Soul S.LEVY
Conclusion
Battered, bruised, but infrequently beaten, writer/
racer Burt Levy's racewom '74 Alfa Spider,
salvaged in '78 from the depths of a body shop, sat
impatiently awaiting the '81 racing season. But
this time there were obstacles other than competition
in its way: Dreaded $$$$.
Armed with a depleted wallet and checkbook,
Levy sets out to assail the enemy. . . - Ed.
"1981: Fiscal Responsibility"
M
y TRUSTY '74 ALFA SPIDER finished
the '80 racing season - its
third - more than a little
tuckered out. The driveline hadn't profited
from service in three years and the
bodywork was looking pretty ratty (not to
mention rusty). The time was ripe for a
major refurbishing. There was never a
thought of switching to another car, mind
you; Number 74 had spirit, and that's
something you can't buy over the counter.
Other things you can buy over the counter
were going up in price and, try as I might
to avoid it, financial reality was looking me
straight in the eye. My family deserved better
than bread, water and the occasional
postcard. I took on a partner.
Bob Dekoy, a top salesman at Loeber
Motors in Chicago, had felt the itch to race
for a long time. Like most enthusiasts, his
desire had gotten lost in (he shuffle
somewhere between working, eating and
raising a family. The Alfa needed plenty of
work, so we struck a bargain: Bob bought
into the car and we agreed to split the cost
The whole crew after the '81 4-hour. Standing
left to right in the car are Burt S. Levy, Bob
Dekay and Mike Zajicek.
of getting it back into shape. We would
then co-drive the long races and alternate
driving other events.
Out came the engine - for the very first
time. A magnified look at the cylinder liner
walls and piston ring surfaces reminded me
of the lunar landscape. We got a new set of
pistons and liners, but a quick inspection
revealed something interesting: The stock
1974 slugs had a nice, even dome from edge
to edge. The later items had a definite relief
cut around the circumference. No question
about it, the '74s had to have more compression,
no matter what the parts book
said. So we reused the old pistons in the
new liners with Hastings moly rings. A new
oil pump was fitted, along with new "red"
crank and rod bearings. New timing chains
and rod bolts completed the bottom end.
(We magna fluxed the rods, but even after
all those street miles and three brutal
seasons of racing, they checked out fine.
Unbelievable!) The stock Alfa crank is a
hardened forging and needed nothing but a
light polish.
The driveline got a new clutch and synchros,
new U-joints and doughnuts, and
the rear end got a once-over. Wheel hubs
got new bearings, the suspension received
new ball-joints and bushings, and the brakes
a new master, flex lines, and caliper rebuild.
We replaced the worst of the brake discs.
The body got several more pounds of
bondo, fresh paint, and a promise to do it
right next year. We rigged brackets to the
front bumper struts for a towbar; for the
first time, the Alfa would ride to the races
instead of drive.
The winter project would not have been
fun unless we could figure out some new
trick to try and, after some headscratching,
we found one. The rule book
specified that the exhaust system must
follow the original routing and use a constant
diameter tubing. Nowhere did it
stipulate just what that diameter must be.
Hmmm. A quick stop at a local custom exhaust
shop fixed us up: The cast-iron
headers dumped into two short secondary
pipes, then into a monster 2 !4 -inch collector
pipe that went all the way back. It gave
the Alfa a new sound, a real mellow bellow.
It was different, sharing the car. Any I
hope of a Championship hinged on absolutely
terrible competition, and this was
not to be. Close friend Leo Franchi was
back with his orange BMW 2002, running
almost every race. It would be his year and
there was no denying it. Just to make
things interesting, two Council veterans
came up with an indecently fast TR6. I
There was still the fun of trying to beat
them all on the track, though, and that was
plenty.
Bob inherited a difficult position. Here
he was, absolutely green, in a car known as
a winner. It put quite a lot of pressure on
him. Besides that, he seemed to have a real
running battle with the weatherman. For
the first couple of events, if it was Bob's
turn to drive, the heavens opened and the
rain came down.
I was Bob's instructor in Driver's School
and quickly goaded him into a spin on the
rain-slick track. I tell you, teaching racing
is a lot different than just driving, and
maybe tougher. Despite my best efforts, I
Bob passed the school. H is first race was
the very next day. It rained, natch. Bob
finished fourth but came away with just the
right gleam in his eye. He did better the
next race, taking third in spite of a few
spins. I drove the car in the season's first
race at Road America, and we took the pole
and the win. (The winter's work really paid
off. The car felt great and the engine just I
hauled and hauled. It was showing over 50
psi oil pressure at the end of the race, which
was incredible.)
Then came Bob's turn at Elkhart Lake,
which has to go down as one of the most
memorable race weekends of my life, driving
or not. Road America can be more than
a little intimidating, especially to a rookie
driver. The four-mile track is just godawful
big and even a little tiddler gets up to some
pretty impressive speeds. After Blackhawk,
it's like going from a TV set to Cinemascope.
Up-and-Down-Hill Cinemascope.
Bob found his way around fairly well
during Saturday morning's session, nice
and easy. In the afternoon session, he was
just starting to give it the stick when he
dropped a wheel otT in the dirt on the last corner.
He lifted, the car caught traction and it
spit him across the track like a bilJiard shot.
Bob got on the brakes as the Alfa bounced
through the rough stutT. Just when it seemed
he had ridden it out, the AJfa hooked a rut all
funny and peeled up on two wheels, teetering
there forever and meandering along with one
side tipped toward the sky. Then it flopped
OCTOBER 11

Gordon Johncock. Patrick Racing
Winner 1982 Indy 500
"On the
track or
on my
personal car ...
can't beat
Koni shocks:'
\\It pays to use quality equipment that means so
much to a car's handling and performance. That's
why Koni Shock Absorbers are 'standard equipment'
on the Patrick Racing Wildcats as well as the
car I drive to and from the track. Sure, Konis are
more expensive than the mass produced major
brands, but they're worth it. Handling, control and
ride are important to me whether at 220 MPH at
Indy or 55 MPH in my personal car."
For more information call or write:
Koni America, Dept. F, P.O. Box 40, Culpeper, VA 22701 703/825-4543