CAROC 2024 Election News
As of the December 16th deadline no new nominations were received for the CAROC board of directors. Hence per the chapter bylaws an election will not be held, and the 2023 board members will continue in their current roles for the year ahead.
Officers:
Trustees:
Executive Advisor (former President) - Tony Cavaliere
As a reminder the club hosts four board meetings each year, and all CAROC members are welcome to attend. If you have thought about volunteering, but are unsure as to what is involved, why not join one of the meetings to see how it works? We'd love to see you there! Remember, it's your club, so come and have your say.
Respectfully submitted;
Dennis M. Sbertoli
As of the December 16th deadline no new nominations were received for the CAROC board of directors. Hence per the chapter bylaws an election will not be held, and the 2023 board members will continue in their current roles for the year ahead.
Officers:
- President - Dennis Sbertoli
- Vice President - Sandy GaNun
- Treasurer - Cindy Bennett
- Secretary - Marco Battistoni
Trustees:
- Dave Johnson
- Chip Van Sant
- Robert Clauss
- Doug Clark
Executive Advisor (former President) - Tony Cavaliere
As a reminder the club hosts four board meetings each year, and all CAROC members are welcome to attend. If you have thought about volunteering, but are unsure as to what is involved, why not join one of the meetings to see how it works? We'd love to see you there! Remember, it's your club, so come and have your say.
Respectfully submitted;
Dennis M. Sbertoli
CAROC Member Name Badges Available NOW
The Chicago Chapter is offering personalized AROC name tags to all members and spouses. There has been interest in badges for use at events such as the annual banquet, picnic, tours, monthly meetings and other events. The badges will assist in putting a name to familiar faces, and will be particularly useful for new and prospective members and guests.
Purchasing name badges is optional and will be made at a member’s request only. The cost is $12 per badge and sourced from a local supplier. We have negotiated a reduced rate of $10 per badge for the club’s first order which we hope will be enough to meet the supplier’s discount quantity. If you are interested in ordering a badge, it is a benefit to you and the club to place your order by Friday, March 10, 2023. We can obtain the lower price and have the badges available by the end of March. The badges are 1” x 3” with either a magnetic or pin fastener and appear as in the sample below. Please contact Greg Korak with any questions, and with your orders stating the first name, last name, and fastener preference (magnetic or pin) at greg.korak@gmail.com. The pin fastener is $1 less than the magnetic. Your badges will be available at the next event you attend (or we can send them to you).
2023 Banquet Montage
To the General Membership:
We have published the minutes of our February board meeting VIEW HERE
We have published the minutes of our February board meeting VIEW HERE
Alfa Romeo Launches Classiche Heritage Program To Look After Its Most Iconic Cars
This move will ensure that icons like the 33 Stradale live on for decades to come.
Alfa Romeo is a brand steeped in history, with beautiful creations like the 33 Stradale, Spider, Montreal, Giulia, and 8C, to name a few.
The Italian brand is preparing for the future with the launch of the 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale, a new crossover with a bespoke hybrid drivetrain. Recently, it also launched a new brand identity and will now focus on being a luxury automaker, slowly moving away from its sporty reputation.
But Alfa Romeo is not quite ready to let go of its past. READ FULL ARTICLE
Alfa Romeo is a brand steeped in history, with beautiful creations like the 33 Stradale, Spider, Montreal, Giulia, and 8C, to name a few.
The Italian brand is preparing for the future with the launch of the 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale, a new crossover with a bespoke hybrid drivetrain. Recently, it also launched a new brand identity and will now focus on being a luxury automaker, slowly moving away from its sporty reputation.
But Alfa Romeo is not quite ready to let go of its past. READ FULL ARTICLE
On Sunday September 25, 2022, your Board of Directors conducted the third of its 4 scheduled meetings for 2022. BoD members present at Panera Bread, 1603 N. Rand Road, Palatine were: Dennis Sbertoli, Cindy Bennett, Tony Cavaliere, Chip Van Sant and Robert Clauss. Marco Battistoni and Doug Clark had other commitments and could not attend. Wayne Seely, and Frank Fortuna also participated.
The next Board Meeting will be December 11, 2022 at the same location and we welcome any member’s attendance. Check the web site to verify location, manner and time. We truly want your input.
Thanks Dennis
CAROC\Mem-0991522
September BoD Minutes
READ PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES or Check out previous Prez Says announcements.
"Barb Carroll receiving her certificate of appreciation from Dennis Sbertoli"
Tribute to Al Promisco
Our good friend Al Promisco died last week. Al, the owner of Italia Automobili, was perhaps the most experienced active Alfa mechanic in the Chicago area. Al got his start with Alfa in 1968 when, as an 18-year-old, college freshman, he purchased a used 1962 Giulietta spider from Foreman Motors in Chicago. Although he really wanted a Jaguar XK120 or XK140, he was seduced by the sexy look and expectation of impressing women. When the Alfa needed repairs, Al found that the available mechanics were less than reliable and began doing work himself under the tutelage of John Morzos. Other members of the Alfa club, seeing Al’s expertise, suggested that he open a shop and repair Alfas full time. Thus began a life of deprivation and depravity.
Throughout his career, Al has owned over 100 Alfas – as many as 10 at one time. He seemed to particularly enjoy working on the 1950’s – 1960’s Alfa models. He owned many models over the years including Sprint Speciale and Giulia Spider “Abnormale.” Perhaps his favorite was the 1750/2000 Berlina. He often lamented that he sold his last one many years ago. In the years since he began, he owned almost exclusively Alfas, favoring Berlina’s as daily drivers save for a few notable exceptions such as the XK140 Jag, the Morris Minor, the E-type, the Fiat Dino and the infamous Chevy wagon. He has owned some unique cars over the years including 2 Sprint Speciale, a Quattroute Zagato, a number of Giulietta Spiders and Sprints, and a 63 Giulietta Spider upgraded to Spider Veloce spec 101.18 spec in 1975.
A short story about Al will illustrate his standards. Some years ago Al donated several transmission internal pieces to the club for use as centerpieces for the annual banquet. At the end of the banquet, another guest asked if he could have some of the pieces to use for a rebuild he was doing. Al’s response was that as far as he was concerned the parts were headed for the trash bin anyway. His standards would not let him use marginal parts. That somewhat Teutonic sense made Al more difficult to deal with if you didn’t have similar standards.
Al’s failing was that he was meticulous in his work. He rebuilt the engine on my GTV, and I watched as he checked main bearing torques three times to ensure correct setting. He had definite opinions about the proper way to repair, and it was reflected in his attention to detail. No car left his shop until it met his high standards. As a consequence, he “suffered fools poorly” - particularly mechanics who did shoddy work and owners who tolerated such work or had no appreciation for the care, feeding and handling of special cars.
Upon first meeting Al, one would have thought him a curmudgeon of the first order. Once past the first impression, those he approved of, found him to be a good, caring, highly principled man.
Although a mechanic of considerable skill, he also possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of old movies (particularly horror films – He watched Svengoolie many Saturday nights and was doing his best to corrupt his grandchildren.) He also had a disgustingly extensive knowledge of particularly jazz and blues players and combos. He knew who played on what track, who went on to another combo, who had written what piece, etc.
His interest in history might have made him a superb teacher, as he could discuss at length historical happenings, how they occurred, what led up to the event, ramifications of the event, etc. It was impressive and intimidating all at the same time.
Al was an avid baseball fan. Having grown up near Wrigley Field during one of the Cubs’ long dry spells, he observed that the Reds were displaying the talent to win, and became a lifelong Reds fan.
He is survived by his wife Mara. He was concerned about the future his beloved children, Andrea, Matthew, Eric and grandchildren faced, finding behavior of some politicians and their supporters unfathomable. He did enjoy a spirited political discussion! He was a true and loyal friend to a fault. He was highly principled and honest. If you were counted among his friends, then you had a person who would support you regardless. I will personally miss our vigorous discussions of politics, music, history and life. Our lives are considerably diminished by his death. May his memory be a blessing to us.
Don Brubaker
(Posted 6/11/22)
Throughout his career, Al has owned over 100 Alfas – as many as 10 at one time. He seemed to particularly enjoy working on the 1950’s – 1960’s Alfa models. He owned many models over the years including Sprint Speciale and Giulia Spider “Abnormale.” Perhaps his favorite was the 1750/2000 Berlina. He often lamented that he sold his last one many years ago. In the years since he began, he owned almost exclusively Alfas, favoring Berlina’s as daily drivers save for a few notable exceptions such as the XK140 Jag, the Morris Minor, the E-type, the Fiat Dino and the infamous Chevy wagon. He has owned some unique cars over the years including 2 Sprint Speciale, a Quattroute Zagato, a number of Giulietta Spiders and Sprints, and a 63 Giulietta Spider upgraded to Spider Veloce spec 101.18 spec in 1975.
Al’s failing was that he was meticulous in his work. He rebuilt the engine on my GTV, and I watched as he checked main bearing torques three times to ensure correct setting. He had definite opinions about the proper way to repair, and it was reflected in his attention to detail. No car left his shop until it met his high standards. As a consequence, he “suffered fools poorly” - particularly mechanics who did shoddy work and owners who tolerated such work or had no appreciation for the care, feeding and handling of special cars.
Although a mechanic of considerable skill, he also possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of old movies (particularly horror films – He watched Svengoolie many Saturday nights and was doing his best to corrupt his grandchildren.) He also had a disgustingly extensive knowledge of particularly jazz and blues players and combos. He knew who played on what track, who went on to another combo, who had written what piece, etc.
His interest in history might have made him a superb teacher, as he could discuss at length historical happenings, how they occurred, what led up to the event, ramifications of the event, etc. It was impressive and intimidating all at the same time.
He is survived by his wife Mara. He was concerned about the future his beloved children, Andrea, Matthew, Eric and grandchildren faced, finding behavior of some politicians and their supporters unfathomable. He did enjoy a spirited political discussion! He was a true and loyal friend to a fault. He was highly principled and honest. If you were counted among his friends, then you had a person who would support you regardless. I will personally miss our vigorous discussions of politics, music, history and life. Our lives are considerably diminished by his death. May his memory be a blessing to us.
Don Brubaker
(Posted 6/11/22)
Tribute to Eric Goldmann
It saddens us to announce that longtime CAROC member Eric Goldmann has passed away.
Eric started his love of cars with large displacement American muscle, but once Burt Levy showed him the advantages of light weight, great handling, high revving Italian sports cars, Eric was hooked forever. The two of them had countless adventures together, many of them written about in Burt's books like The Last Open Road.
Later, Eric teamed up with Loeber Motors friend Bob Dekoy where they campaigned Alfa Spiders in both Midwest Council and SCCA. With Eric's wrenching talents and Bob's "hot shoe", they were ultra successful for years.
After Eric left Loeber, he opened his own shop, AutoSport, on Division Street downtown. He maintained a loyal following for many years, working on mostly high end European sports cars (although he could be convinced to work on lowly Japanese SUV's if you were a close enough friend!)
Most recently, Eric took his talents to the Northshore where he opened Midwest AutoSport in Evanston. He continued his true love and passion for exotic machinery, and was known as the go-to guy for many many people.
A Celebration of Eric's Life was held by his family Saturday, May 8th at Moretti's Ristorante.
You will be missed daily my dear friend. Keep the revs up, eyes toward the apex and rest in peace.
Marco Battistoni
(Posted 5/5/21)
It saddens us to announce that longtime CAROC member Eric Goldmann has passed away.
Eric started his love of cars with large displacement American muscle, but once Burt Levy showed him the advantages of light weight, great handling, high revving Italian sports cars, Eric was hooked forever. The two of them had countless adventures together, many of them written about in Burt's books like The Last Open Road.
Later, Eric teamed up with Loeber Motors friend Bob Dekoy where they campaigned Alfa Spiders in both Midwest Council and SCCA. With Eric's wrenching talents and Bob's "hot shoe", they were ultra successful for years.
After Eric left Loeber, he opened his own shop, AutoSport, on Division Street downtown. He maintained a loyal following for many years, working on mostly high end European sports cars (although he could be convinced to work on lowly Japanese SUV's if you were a close enough friend!)
Most recently, Eric took his talents to the Northshore where he opened Midwest AutoSport in Evanston. He continued his true love and passion for exotic machinery, and was known as the go-to guy for many many people.
A Celebration of Eric's Life was held by his family Saturday, May 8th at Moretti's Ristorante.
You will be missed daily my dear friend. Keep the revs up, eyes toward the apex and rest in peace.
Marco Battistoni
(Posted 5/5/21)
Tributes to Rick Dunleavy
Brotherhood of the boattail. (Contributed by Steve Crowley)
Rick Dunleavy passed away on November 22, 2020. He had a stroke the week before that he was not able to come back from.
Rick was one of the first people I met in the club almost 35 years ago. He welcomed me in not as friend but as part of the family the club was at that time. He truly was that brother form another mother. He mentored me in the finer things in life, like the proper amount of toilet paper to stuff in the toilet sop that when you flush it the rest of the roll spins off and goes down the toilet. It would be sacrilegious today, but when you’re stuck in dive motel waiting of the track event the next day, you have to entertain yourself somehow.
Rick was never afraid to enjoy himself. He taught the finer points of his 1 hour from bottle to throttle lifestyle. So well, that when I quit drinking, my driving suffered. When he got his Duetto, we had the big bet at road America as to who would get the faster time. He did one lap and his motor let go. I spent the rest of the weekend trying to beat that time. He won the battle but lost the war. I wound up trailering his car home and he drove mine back from road America. When I was new letter editor, rick got engaged. I put an announcement in the newsletter. It must be true love, because she only has a one car garage. He said he read that, and a light went on in his head. What am I doing!?!?. Rick ended that relationship. He wound finding someone so perfectly matched that I got them boxing gloves for a wedding present. My money was always on Robin.
Although Rick did enjoy himself, he also worked as hard as he played. Always pitching in at events, if we need corner works, etch people or grid workers. Even if he just came up to spectate, if we were short people, he would step up. He knew what it took to put on an event and was always there to help. He was aware of how enjoyable it was to take your car out on the track and wanted others to enjoy it as well. If his car was unable to go out, I would always throw him the keys to mine. That just what you did for family. Whether it was an overzealous tour to New Glarus where your fuses blew and you had no headlights, or a trip to Maribel’s for just one more, he always made sure we got home. Sometimes in unexplainable fashion.
He sold his Duetto and the transport came to pick it up while Rick was in the hospital. I met them and help load it up. It was a multiple car box trailer and as the car rolled in there, it disappeared into the darkness. As I closed the garage up I saw his lite beer sitting there on his work bench. It was truly the end of an era. I’m not trying to make light of rick and his adventures, It just makes me smile when I think of him. I think that is truly the best tribute you can give to someone. When you think of them it brings a smile. Rick was that person. I can never think of him with out smiling. I hope it is the same for you. God speed my brother.
I am sorry to hear of Rick's passing. (Barb Carroll)
Wow. Unreal, and so sad. What a great picture that Steve painted. The last time that I saw Rick was at the Bonneville reunion a couple of years ago - Kreines, and now him? It’s just not right.
Becky remembers when we all did the Riverside (?) 4th of July parade in our Alfas many years ago. We met up at Rick & Robin’s house, and Rick got Will's stroller to take in the car for later. First, he had to empty out all of the beer bottles. “Oh, yeah,” Rick explained, “Robin and I always have a drink when we take Will for a walk”. Perfect. (Robert Clauss)
This truly saddens me, Rick was a great guy, always a smile on his face. So sorry to hear… (Marco Battistoni)
I'm stunned. He was way too young. Any time Rick showed up, he brought an added fun factor to whatever was happening. (Sandy Ganun)
So sad to get this news. I hadn't seen Rick in a while, and I understood he had been having health problems, but this was still so unexpected. He was always friendly and welcoming to me, as he was to everyone. I remember being up at Road America one year, not long after I joined the club and back when CAROC was still running our annual event there. I found myself alone at the Siebken's bar, figuring I'd have a beer and soak up the legendary atmosphere before heading back to the hotel for an early night. But my plans soon changed, as Rick and Craig Beilat joined me at my table even though I really didn't know either of them back then. There followed an entertaining evening full of stories and humor that I still recall fondly. Rick made me feel part of the Alfa family, just as Steve so movingly described.
I was going to conclude by saying rest in peace Rick, but I'm sure he will be living the next life to the full, just as he did this one. (Dave.Johnson)
Rick Dunleavy passed away on November 22, 2020. He had a stroke the week before that he was not able to come back from.
Rick was one of the first people I met in the club almost 35 years ago. He welcomed me in not as friend but as part of the family the club was at that time. He truly was that brother form another mother. He mentored me in the finer things in life, like the proper amount of toilet paper to stuff in the toilet sop that when you flush it the rest of the roll spins off and goes down the toilet. It would be sacrilegious today, but when you’re stuck in dive motel waiting of the track event the next day, you have to entertain yourself somehow.
Rick was never afraid to enjoy himself. He taught the finer points of his 1 hour from bottle to throttle lifestyle. So well, that when I quit drinking, my driving suffered. When he got his Duetto, we had the big bet at road America as to who would get the faster time. He did one lap and his motor let go. I spent the rest of the weekend trying to beat that time. He won the battle but lost the war. I wound up trailering his car home and he drove mine back from road America. When I was new letter editor, rick got engaged. I put an announcement in the newsletter. It must be true love, because she only has a one car garage. He said he read that, and a light went on in his head. What am I doing!?!?. Rick ended that relationship. He wound finding someone so perfectly matched that I got them boxing gloves for a wedding present. My money was always on Robin.
Although Rick did enjoy himself, he also worked as hard as he played. Always pitching in at events, if we need corner works, etch people or grid workers. Even if he just came up to spectate, if we were short people, he would step up. He knew what it took to put on an event and was always there to help. He was aware of how enjoyable it was to take your car out on the track and wanted others to enjoy it as well. If his car was unable to go out, I would always throw him the keys to mine. That just what you did for family. Whether it was an overzealous tour to New Glarus where your fuses blew and you had no headlights, or a trip to Maribel’s for just one more, he always made sure we got home. Sometimes in unexplainable fashion.
He sold his Duetto and the transport came to pick it up while Rick was in the hospital. I met them and help load it up. It was a multiple car box trailer and as the car rolled in there, it disappeared into the darkness. As I closed the garage up I saw his lite beer sitting there on his work bench. It was truly the end of an era. I’m not trying to make light of rick and his adventures, It just makes me smile when I think of him. I think that is truly the best tribute you can give to someone. When you think of them it brings a smile. Rick was that person. I can never think of him with out smiling. I hope it is the same for you. God speed my brother.
I am sorry to hear of Rick's passing. (Barb Carroll)
Wow. Unreal, and so sad. What a great picture that Steve painted. The last time that I saw Rick was at the Bonneville reunion a couple of years ago - Kreines, and now him? It’s just not right.
Becky remembers when we all did the Riverside (?) 4th of July parade in our Alfas many years ago. We met up at Rick & Robin’s house, and Rick got Will's stroller to take in the car for later. First, he had to empty out all of the beer bottles. “Oh, yeah,” Rick explained, “Robin and I always have a drink when we take Will for a walk”. Perfect. (Robert Clauss)
This truly saddens me, Rick was a great guy, always a smile on his face. So sorry to hear… (Marco Battistoni)
I'm stunned. He was way too young. Any time Rick showed up, he brought an added fun factor to whatever was happening. (Sandy Ganun)
So sad to get this news. I hadn't seen Rick in a while, and I understood he had been having health problems, but this was still so unexpected. He was always friendly and welcoming to me, as he was to everyone. I remember being up at Road America one year, not long after I joined the club and back when CAROC was still running our annual event there. I found myself alone at the Siebken's bar, figuring I'd have a beer and soak up the legendary atmosphere before heading back to the hotel for an early night. But my plans soon changed, as Rick and Craig Beilat joined me at my table even though I really didn't know either of them back then. There followed an entertaining evening full of stories and humor that I still recall fondly. Rick made me feel part of the Alfa family, just as Steve so movingly described.
I was going to conclude by saying rest in peace Rick, but I'm sure he will be living the next life to the full, just as he did this one. (Dave.Johnson)
Crowley 2L
Alfa Romeo: what's all the fuss about?
Roadster Salon, a great way to spend a Saturday
Many thanks to the guys at Roadster Salon for treating us to a couple hours at their shop on Saturday, September 29th. Ray and Robert were most accommodating in showing us their various works in progress including many Fiat 124s, ALFAs and a handful of Brits. It would seem the Fiats are their specialty but I saw some striking ALFA restorations.
In the early 1990's John Marchica started a small detail shop in Barrington called The Auto Spa. Auto Spa prospered and grew into a full fledged restoration shop. They do pretty much anything from interiors, cut and sewn on site, mechanical, electrical. You can even have your ride modernized to include the latest techno-gadgets such as a satellite controlled speedometer. Fortunately for the car guy world, John passed his passion for Italian aesthetics and design on to his son Ray. Since John’s passing in 2012 Ray and his wife have taken over and oversee every aspect of a restoration.
READ FULL ARTICLE | VIEW Gallery
Details Emerge On Alfa Romeo’s Five-Year Plan
BY SEAN SZYMKOWSKI — AUG 20, 2018
Alfa Romeo has quite a bit to look forward to in the years to come. British publication CAR (via Autoblog) spilled out the latest details surrounding the Italian marque’s five-year plan, and expect an ultra-light 8C sports car and two more SUVs.
The brand confirmed the 8C’s return during Fiat-Chrysler Automobile’s latest five-year plan announcement, but the details allege a mid-engine 8C with a Quadrifoglio-sourced V6 engine on tap. Some sort of electrification will likely find its way to the front axle to push power to around 800 horsepower. A carbon-fiber monocoque will help keep weight down as electrification adds heft.
The new GTV will allegedly have the task of competing with the German’s range of two-door offerings, and CAR expects regular, high-performance and efficient variants, such as a plug-in hybrid. We also learned the GTV will likely spawn a convertible, too.
Finally, look for two more SUVs to join the Stelvio at Alfa Romeo. The last FCA meeting mentioned new SUVs, but the latest details claim they will now ride on Alfa’s Giorgio platform rather than a cheaper architecture, such as the Jeep Renegade’s bones.
The details all went to print before the sudden death of former FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne, however, so plans are subject to change. However, new FCA chief, Mike Manley, has said he plans to follow Marchionne’s final five-year plan.
BY SEAN SZYMKOWSKI — AUG 20, 2018
Alfa Romeo has quite a bit to look forward to in the years to come. British publication CAR (via Autoblog) spilled out the latest details surrounding the Italian marque’s five-year plan, and expect an ultra-light 8C sports car and two more SUVs.
The brand confirmed the 8C’s return during Fiat-Chrysler Automobile’s latest five-year plan announcement, but the details allege a mid-engine 8C with a Quadrifoglio-sourced V6 engine on tap. Some sort of electrification will likely find its way to the front axle to push power to around 800 horsepower. A carbon-fiber monocoque will help keep weight down as electrification adds heft.
The new GTV will allegedly have the task of competing with the German’s range of two-door offerings, and CAR expects regular, high-performance and efficient variants, such as a plug-in hybrid. We also learned the GTV will likely spawn a convertible, too.
Finally, look for two more SUVs to join the Stelvio at Alfa Romeo. The last FCA meeting mentioned new SUVs, but the latest details claim they will now ride on Alfa’s Giorgio platform rather than a cheaper architecture, such as the Jeep Renegade’s bones.
The details all went to print before the sudden death of former FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne, however, so plans are subject to change. However, new FCA chief, Mike Manley, has said he plans to follow Marchionne’s final five-year plan.
Art and the Automobile 2018
A week ago, I ventured out to the Art and the Autmobile show in Palos Park, one of the southwest suburbs of Chicago. The drive into the area is a surprising change of scenery. Leaving the arrow straight roads of a mostly brick and concrete grid behind, you find yourself surrounded by greenery on roads that gently curve every so often. The claustrophobic effect of a flat, dense, urban terrain, gives way to lush greenery, and some actual hills believe it or not.
I had to start it off with this Alfa Romeo Duetto pictured below. In short, this car is the kind of perfection that anyone looking to build, restore, modify, resto-mod, whatever label you want to give it, should strive for. I had a chance to chat with the owner of this Duetto, Steve, who was happy to chat with me for a while about the car. It took many years, and much effort for him to end up with the car you see today, and he is clearly proud and happy with the results. Steve's vision for the Duetto, was not necessarily an all original restoration, but instead something of a resto-mod.
READ ALL THE DETAILS
Thanks for reading.
Dennis
March 16, 2018
Respectfully, Dennis M. Sbertoli
View archived notes from the Prez
A week ago, I ventured out to the Art and the Autmobile show in Palos Park, one of the southwest suburbs of Chicago. The drive into the area is a surprising change of scenery. Leaving the arrow straight roads of a mostly brick and concrete grid behind, you find yourself surrounded by greenery on roads that gently curve every so often. The claustrophobic effect of a flat, dense, urban terrain, gives way to lush greenery, and some actual hills believe it or not.
I had to start it off with this Alfa Romeo Duetto pictured below. In short, this car is the kind of perfection that anyone looking to build, restore, modify, resto-mod, whatever label you want to give it, should strive for. I had a chance to chat with the owner of this Duetto, Steve, who was happy to chat with me for a while about the car. It took many years, and much effort for him to end up with the car you see today, and he is clearly proud and happy with the results. Steve's vision for the Duetto, was not necessarily an all original restoration, but instead something of a resto-mod.
READ ALL THE DETAILS
Thanks for reading.
Dennis
March 16, 2018
Respectfully, Dennis M. Sbertoli
View archived notes from the Prez
If you have any questions call the local chapter hotline (708) 494-9287 and ask for Dennis
Alfa Romeo’s New Coupe Will Revive the GTV Name and Offer 600-Plus HP
If anything can live up to the legendary nameplate, this could be it.
The rumors of an Alfa Romeo Giulia coupe were enticing enough, but the reality has turned out to be so much better. Alfa’s new sporty coupe instead will wear the legendary GTV nameplate, which has adorned a number of the company’s two-door models over the years.
We expect the four-seat, two-door GTV to be positioned as a competitor to the BMW 4-series and the Audi A5, sacrificing a bit of its sedan counterpart’s practicality in the name of style. A teaser image released as part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ five-year plan shows a slinky silhouette, with a similar headlight shape as the Giulia but a more rakish roofline.
Lower-trim versions of the GTV are expected to share the Giulia’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations, but the real excitement comes in the form of the GTV Quadrifoglio. Alfa says it will have more than 600 horsepower thanks to an electrified powertrain (called E-Boost) that will offer all-wheel-drive capability and torque vectoring. This should put the GTV well above the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio in terms of performance, as both of those existing models use a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6 good for 505 horsepower.
- The 505-HP Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio’s Hotness, Visually Explained
- NRING the Dragon: Nurburgring Edition Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglios Revealed
- Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio: Tests, Reviews, Specs, Pricing, and More
JUNE 1, 2018 AT 7:58 AM BY JOSEPH CAPPARELLA
FCA to Buy, Restore, and Sell Classic Alfa Romeos, Fiats, Lancias, and Abarths
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) may want your classic Italian car. The automaker has just launched a new initiative, Reloaded by Creators, that aims to buy, restore, and sell some of the most significant vehicles from the company’s history. Focusing on Italian brands (the company has shown no interest in your slant-six Plymouth Valiant), the project aims to bring Alfa Romeos, Fiats, Lancias, and Abarths back to life while building the company’s own collection of historic cars. READ FULL ARTICLE- This is the default HTML.
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The Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio
Enzo Ferrari, during his employment at Alfa Romeo, encouraged his friend Ugo Sivocci to follow him there. Together they joined with two others - Alberto Ascari and Giuseppe Cam-pari - to form the four legendary Alfa Romeo factory race car drivers.
Of the four, Sivocci was quick, but rarely won races. It seemed he just had bad luck. Out of frustration, in advance of the 1923 Targa Florio, he painted a lucky symbol on the hood of his RL: a green four-leaf clover on a white diamond background. He won the race, and believed now that his luck had turned due to his "Quadrifoglio".
Later in the year, he was tragically killed while practicing for the Grand Prix at Monza in the newly designed P1. Ironically, he had not yet had an opportunity to paint his good luck Quadrifoglio on this car.
Alfa Romeo recognized this tragic loss by retiring his car's number - 17 -which has never appeared on a factory race car since.
The four corners of the white diamond where said to represent these four famous piloti. With Sivocci's un-timely death, one point of the diamond was removed, creating the triangle, which remains to this day as an integral part of the Quadrifoglio badging, appearing on competition cars for the last 95 years.
All-new 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Wins Three Awards from the Texas Auto Writers Association
The all-new 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio was crowned "Car of Texas" and also took home honors for "Performance Sedan of Texas" and "Most Drives" at the Texas Auto Roundup hosted by the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).
If interested or if you have any comments or complaints, drop me a note at: dsbert4978@aol.com
D e n n i s
Enzo Ferrari, during his employment at Alfa Romeo, encouraged his friend Ugo Sivocci to follow him there. Together they joined with two others - Alberto Ascari and Giuseppe Cam-pari - to form the four legendary Alfa Romeo factory race car drivers.
Of the four, Sivocci was quick, but rarely won races. It seemed he just had bad luck. Out of frustration, in advance of the 1923 Targa Florio, he painted a lucky symbol on the hood of his RL: a green four-leaf clover on a white diamond background. He won the race, and believed now that his luck had turned due to his "Quadrifoglio".
Alfa Romeo recognized this tragic loss by retiring his car's number - 17 -which has never appeared on a factory race car since.
The four corners of the white diamond where said to represent these four famous piloti. With Sivocci's un-timely death, one point of the diamond was removed, creating the triangle, which remains to this day as an integral part of the Quadrifoglio badging, appearing on competition cars for the last 95 years.
All-new 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Wins Three Awards from the Texas Auto Writers Association
The all-new 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio was crowned "Car of Texas" and also took home honors for "Performance Sedan of Texas" and "Most Drives" at the Texas Auto Roundup hosted by the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) at Circuit of The Americas (COTA).
If interested or if you have any comments or complaints, drop me a note at: dsbert4978@aol.com
D e n n i s
Make Your Ears Love You Again By Letting Them Experience Six Minutes of Bliss
Road & Track published BY TRAVIS OKULSKI APR 5, 2018You might not realize it, but your ears hate you. Listen to this to remind them that they shouldn't hate you.
Your ears hate you. The people you talk to have grating voices and bad opinions. You shove poorly shaped ear buds in them for hours on end to listen to music that should legally be considered trash. They're full of wax that you neglect to clean. They're dying for you to be nice to them. To do something that'll remind them that you need them, that they're loved.
Well, here's the solution: six minutes of Alfa Romeo 155 touring car sounds. That's it. No political agenda. No bass beat that's too loud. No Q-Tip puncturing your ear drum. Just the mellifluous sounds of an Alfa Romeo driving around the hills of Italy at full chat. An orchestra of smooth loveliness that will remind your ears why they listen to all the other crap you force them to hear. And a noise that'll make them want to stay around for years to come.
So, please, listen to this and let your ears experience pure bliss.
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