Ciao amici,
Some weekend leisure reading for all youse' Italian car enthusiasts
It's sectioned into specifics so you can skip whatever and go on to your particular interest:-
*-------- EDITORIAL
Focus today again is Supercar Saturday and we have now ONLY 2 WEEKS before we notify final numbers to the organisers for them to allocate space.
Recent personal recruitment efforts have included:
*Dunsfold - Spoke to 2 Alfisti from one of our remaining Overseas Colonies (the I.O.W) and encouraged them to ferry across and display their immaculate silver Brera at 'Combe.
*Goodwood - I had a chat with a cool dude chilling in the Members car park in a pale leather trimmed immaculate 4porte, lent for the day by Masser UK and took the opportunity to suggest that he let them know about this event when he returned the car to base - he took details of the thread so it is now in the capable hands of the gods.
*Alfaholics - I've also given Jim S a nudge but obviously it's a busy time for their racing team, and the event is on a trading Saturday, but let's hope that they can encourage some of their 105 series owners to bring along their classic Alfas, a Montreal or TZ even maybe?
*Dentist - I invited him whilst undergoing treatment recently as he owns some sports car thingyjig called, I think, a 'Ferrera Californicator? which I have personally paid for over the years and it does look Italian. Unfortunately s()ds law ensured he was far far away on his holiday in late October. So sad that the poor blighters have to take their hol's in Blackpool at such unsocial times, still it's cheap B&B offpeak!
*Lotus - On Sunday I met a Lotus manager friend from the 70's who has a Brera and I'm still hoping I persuaded him to drive down from t' Grim Fruzzen North, maybe trailering the 'Works' Parilla motorcycle he rode yonks ago. He'd been trying to track me down for over 20 years, as have some in Club Lotus I gather!!
That's why I wasn't at the brekkie meet at the farm on Sunday Nick.
Chit-chat over so now on to:
@-------- FIRSTLY, Drivers Ontrack:
To date I read that we have 3 members who have applied for this and it looks online like the list is still open but probably no-one has heard back yet from Richard, please post when you do - meanwhile, Good Luck y'all!:
A. MrMickS in a Maserati Ghibli S - Research online' reveals the truth that "Ghiblis can last for days"
B. Contigo in his 'whispering' Maserati 4.7 GTS - MC Shift with ASBO H-pipe.
C. LuckesGTV6 in a Nero Alfa GTV 6 3.0 to Japanese spec.. - Ah So! Rucass Petah.
D. ...................................................?
FYI. The successful entrants last year were given a free gate pass and allowed a max of 3 'setup laps', strictly without a passenger.
The cars were marshalled in class groups for the morning shift - but later sessions were mixed in with Radicals and Atoms and the like, hopefully you will have an enthusiastic passenger onboard!
@-------- SECONDLY, the SportItalia static display.
Some fine 'Bellas', listed here in the order you volunteered.
We have:
1. AndyG in a Maserati Quattroporte Executive GT
2. Lisknik in an Alfa 33 1.7 Cloverleaf - No, not the 'tipo 33' sports racer
3, Kazzer in either a Maserati or an Alfa. Choices,choices!
4. AlfaMuppet in, hopefully, his Alfa 164 Q4,? - Is your Sud buddy coming along again this year?
5. ....................................................?
6. ....................................................?
7. ....................................................?
A couple of blanks there but er, I make that four.
@-------- THIRDLY, Autoslalom. An interesting challenge where it's not just horsepower, sorry, Kw, that counts. Drive your own car against the clock and crush the roadcones and my time (best 2 of 3 runs) in the GTV 2 years ago - 2 mins 30.4s. or an Alfa 159 Ti at 2mins 10.5.
@-------- FOURTHLY, Monetary Matters.
Now guys, although exhibiting we still have to pay for our display area and it worked out at a fiver per head last year to cover the fee which goes direct to the charity.
Our DisplayArea.
Good thinking Contigo on the Banners etc. Are these branded as 'SportItalia' or SportMaserati?
Does anyone know if there are any SportAlfa gizmos available for the event?
Regarding a gazebo. There is a charge for such structures on the club display areas so I've found out from the organisers that they are charging 2 car spaces (£10) this year.
I've also arranged for us to settle up 'on the day', selfishly, because I foolishly paid upfront at last years event from my own resources.
We have been promised a good place for our display with only one small stand between us and the Strawford centre (so we're roughly in the same location as last year
)
@-------- FINAL ENCOURAGEMENT a final final - for the undecided.
Well there's only 2 weeks left to get involved so don't end up disappointed 'cos we do need to present our total numbers to the organisers by then!
Fact - There are/were about 124 Italian car manufacturers.
So even if you don't own and can't borrow or hire a 20/21st century Italian classic why not check in your garage just in case you have forgotten that amazing Abarth or a chilled Cisitalia, a feisty Fiat, Isotta Fraschini, Lamborghini, Lancia, Pagani, or Zust languishing under a dusty dust cover.
Now then - - Hey you butty's in that mysterious, far distant land of Wales, YOU also are invited:-
Why not challenge our willingness to cwtsh with our neighbours, eh? Well, there's nice now, isn't it.
I lived there a while, you hide away your 'Splendida automobile' so cunningly in those green wooded Varleys.
Why not you guys boldly drive across the Severn in a mighty phalanx for this event.
Why be in fear, and tremble when crossing the repairs on the M48 bridge when the nice new M4 bridge is possibly not pinging its' cables quite so rapidly? Hah!, those Frenchies, I spitta de floor!
Why pass by an excellent reason to roar through those fine Brynglas tunnels in second gear to get a free check on whether your engine is mis-firing, if you're from far-side Newport that is!!
Why not?
And how about it y'all enthusiastic guys I chatted to at the Fox AROC meeting recently?
Tempus Fugit friends.
@-------- Now on a Serious note, WHAT THIS EVENT IS ALL IN AID OF :
STROKE VICTIMS
There are about 152,000 cases each year in the UK. Last years event at 'Combe raised about £10K.
Funding is used for the awareness, prevention and treatment of strokes and the aftercare of victims.
I know a midland lass who, 1 week before a holiday abroad, was brushing her teeth late evening and collapsed and was taken to The Radcliff in Oxford then, via helicopter, she became conscious in Bristol Frenchay Hospital 2 days later. An event 12 days ago & still in intensive care and serious concerns remain.
Strokes can happen in a flash as above and it's good if you are able to recognise the symptoms (F,A,S,T.) and how to help the victim survive and also minimise the inevitable damage.
Although people usually associate a stroke as a challenge for the elderly - sadly it can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime and that does include the youngsters, even children, even babies.
Coincidentally, the WSO WORLD STROKE DAY is also on October 29th but in Hyderabad.
'Face the Facts: Stroke is Treatable' is the theme.
*--------
Only 4 weeks left guys!