Pretty clever of
Mwah, eh? As I just cannot help myself here... And that's before even dipping into Ye Eggnog once
again; Hooah! Yet since I'm always on the prowl 24/7 for riveting storey ideas,
I've since intertwined three different Automobili travails into this
Nofendersville yarn...
Thy Ghost 'O Automobili
Present
Originally I "Zoom Zoomed" past
this story, the first week 'Lucy, my ARSE-Steamed Screen Reader who
"Double Dips" by working as one of thee voices available on my NFB
Newsline for The Blind telephone service read I-T to me...
Since after all it was about Fiero's, which
although a novelty, I've really never held
in very high esteem, simply because they were made by "the
Enemy," ergo GM, (General Motors) made outta "Plastic," and
lastly didn't really seem that 'Uber appealing! As the concept wasn't new,
still clinging to my fleeting memories of riding around town in my Grandma's
blue Fiat X1/9.
'As I'll confess, I've always wanted a Fiat X1/9
and have often fantasized 'bout tastefully dropping an Alfa Romeo V-6 or
twin-plug 4-banger 'lump into it! While the Toyota MR2 is probably the best
example of these "Pocket Rocket" cars...
DON'T wanna say I'm a "Neophyte"
'bout Miami vice, but! My brain screamed Testarossa when listening to the
article 'bout Onix
Taveras via the soothing tones of 'Lucy bright 'N
early Sunday morning...
Going even further down this "Rabbit-hole,"
I do recall fondly that the shows first two seasons ran with our Hero Sonny
Crockett puttering 'round in a black Ferrari Daytona Spyder, of 1970's vintage
365/4 style before the car was blown-up by a Stinger missile up its proverbial
tailpipe!
Yet the story's cleverly crafted title tugged
at Mwah, and viola, I found myself racing back Saturday Nite
"Justin-time" before the next week's gauntlet 'O New York Times Autos
section stories replace I-T!
Alas, as they say, one man's Junk is
another's treasure, eh? Although Mr. Taveras, a 46yr old certified Mercedes master
technician was also very pragmatic - wisely realizing he, like the majority of
us will never be able to own or afford a Prancing Horse! Whilst admitting it
was the aforementioned Miami Vice TV show that wetted his appetite for motor
cars.
With Onix owning not one, but two Fiero's
currently, which are his third and fourth overall; CRIKEYS! As his story like
countless others, sounds like an episode straight out of "Car Crazy"
to Mwah, which was quite enjoyable and even better yet, I learned some
interesting tidbits 'bout those forlorned, and most likely forgotten Fiero's...
Like the 'Uber rare Formula version.
Which made me initially say "DON'T DO
I-T DUDE!" When Mr. Taveras
mentions how he's contemplating dropping a "Mister Bitchy"
(Mitsubishi) 4-banger turbo lump into the engine bay of his '88 stallion,
before pondering if there's such a
thingy as a "rare" Fiero? Hooah!
And upon listening to said story, it
immediately triggered memories of an ex co-worker who actually owned a silver
notchback edition purchased brand new, and oh how I reveled in mocking those
FEE-ERR-OES!
Yet in retrospect, the Fiero could have actually
been A pretty cool 'lil two seater Sports Car if Pontiac, and more importantly
I presume, the Bean Counters at GM had let Pontiac build a decent car, i.e.;
proper suspension bits and powerful enough engine from the get-go, instead of
recycling 'Chebbie Chevette and Citation suspension "Bits" with
warmed over "Iron duke" 4-bangers...
Thy Ghost 'O Automobili Future
Seems pretty funny that Sir Stirling, aka
Stirling Moss NO less was the driver behind the wheel of an electric car... As
the revered Petrolhead, pilot of all things gasoline, i.e.; Formula 1, Sports
Cars, Land Speed Record mobiles would have just taken delivery of a Renault
Twizy! And even funnier yet was hearing that the octogenarian requested the
folks at Blistein Dampers, what us 'Yanks call shocks, to make the automobile's
ride softer, instead of the current bone rattling "Skateboard" it
was...
Thy Ghost 'O Automobili Past
Once again, the
story's opening lines gnawed at Mwah,
like Hey! I read that story! Can I-T already have been two years ago that I
remember reading that great 'lil piece titled;
As it sounds like a rough life for this
automotive 'Hack, eh? As now he's not only had to return to Italy, but drive an
'Uber rare Alfa Romeo gem, loaned out from the Museo Alfa Romeo
which it pains Mwah to realize it was just
over 15yrs ago now that I visited said museum in person; Basta! As that most
excellante Grand Prix Tours trip partially shepparded by Phil Hill is just a
faint spec in thy memory banks; Aye Karumba!
The car in Questione was an 'Uber rare
1-of-30 p handmade Giulietta
Sprint Zagato's, estimated value = $650,000; SHEISA! As the author of said
story was making his return to Italy upon previously purchasing one of its
ancestor's, an Alfa Romeo Giulia saloon, while the purpose of this occasion was
to mark the 60th birthday of the Giulietta, which as typical, was done with
true Italiano panache, as some sixty examples of these Alfetti's took part in
the festivities...
And
whilst I'm pretty sketchy upon Alfa Romeo history; Hmm? Another No Fenders
story for a rainy day? I do know that Alfa Romeo won the inaugural Under 2.0
(liter) Trans Am championship in 1966 and again in 1970. As the GTA which won
these titles was the successor to the Giulietta, although apparently the GTA
utilized portions of the Giulia's chassis instead.
As Karmically, how fitting that the GTA's
first major victory came at the long defunct "Refrigerator Bowl," get
it? Hya!
