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corsachili

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Happy New Year y'all!

I hope you're all doing well and having fun with your E9s. I do miss our old CSL, even more so due to the unfortunate incident which befell the Alfa Romeo I'm restoring, to which a large chunk of the funds from the CSL were allocated. Following one of our other Alfas being essentially totalled at Alfa California 2013, (it's being restored, but at great cost, both psychic and monetary) my other Alfa ended up getting abused by a restorer who took my money and returned a car in worse shape than when delivered. I won't mention any names but if you happen upon a supposed old world artist from Japan who specializes in cutaway drawings, I'd consider it a friendly gesture if you either kick him in the shins.

Back to my CSL, I need to state for the record that the wheels, engine, and AC were not crimes committed by yours truly. When I sold it, it was in a state fairly close to original, 5spd gearbox notwithstanding.

I sold my M635CSI a year or so ago as well, and my daily driver is a Cayman S, so the only vehicle in the collection with a Roundel on the nose is my wife's 135i.

I hope to see you all this summer in Monterey. Maybe I'll even have an Alfa Romeo in attendance.

Ciao!
-tj in los gatos
 
tj,

Nice to hear from you, I was wondering how the Alfa was coming along, sorry to hear about its bad fortune so far, hope it can be revived. I do the Targa as well, what a great event.

Chris
 
Chris,

Good to hear from you. I don't want to upset people by talking too much about non-E9s, but here's a photo of the second go around on my 1900. This shows the fixture the guys are using to build the buck, to build the body, to replace the body....so it goes.

Ciao!
-tj in los gatos
 

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tj ... i know the cayman s well ... and the 987 is my favorite car of this era for a daily driver.

good luck with the alfas
 
TJ, sorry to hear about your problems with SY - I grew up staring at his drawings in magazines. In fact, his CSL drawing is hanging in my garage.
I was also sad to see your website die, it was helpful back when I first found this forum.
Good luck with the resto!
 
Thanks for the kind words guys. The Cayman S is a phenomenal car, but a bit sterile. It's like a video game on the street, and I'm too wrapped up in other endeavors to track her.

Regarding my CSL, mine did not come with a front air dam as it was a "city pack" car. I have forgotten much of what little I knew about E9s, that happens as we move to other interests, but if memory serves, most CSLs did not come with air dams.

I do miss it. I've always said that E9s are one of the most usable classic cars available. In the end, I had to make a choice about my priorities, and my 1900C SS is a car which will be a very rewarding experience from both an ownership experience perspective, as well as a monetary one when the time comes to part with her. Of course in a perfect world, the CSL would never have left, but as we all know, the world is not perfect.

-tj
 
Hello TJ -- I like your taste in cars. I have long admired the Giulia Sprint Veloce, but know little about them (other than the fact that they are beautiful). How do they compare to our beloved e9s?
 
Too much Alfa content; makes me miss my interim 101 Spider normale that I sold one year ago. That Touring 1900 is an amazing car. E9 guys want to know, how is the air up there?
 
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TJ,
You have my sympathies on the crook who worked on your 1900. Many of us have had similar experiences with renown restorers, and these guys keep on ripping people off because nobody can publicly disgrace them without fear of litigation or being treated as an A-H by other club members.

The shop that maintains my race Giulietta is doing a 1900CSS. Incredibly beautiful cars. The Italian's made every little detail of these cars works of art. Comparing parts from your 1900 to a 1950's sports car from the UK and German is like comparing an arc welded bike frame from Schwinn to a silver brazed Cinelli with investment cast lugs. They both get the job done, but the Italian design shows a true love of design which makes every part a work of art.

John
 
Thx for update TJ and nice to hear from ya. I was curious how your project was going. Very sorry to hear of your drama. Demons be gone! Fond memories of E9 floggin on the Monte ;)

"... is like comparing an arc welded bike frame from Schwinn to a silver brazed Cinelli with investment cast lugs. They both get the job done, but the Italian design shows a true love of design which makes every part a work of art" -John

+1, I miss my '89 Colnago Master!! But it was a scosch to small. Lovely machine.
 
Thank you!

I don't mean to use the term in the pejorative sense but E9s are Grand Tourers. They are fast, quiet, comfortable machines, capable of relatively rapid transportation, and they're damn beautiful. I'd call them "performance cars" but not sports cars. I can tell you that while we all love the CSL, it was not really a great track car unless highly modified. I'd say the same thing about an E-Type Jag. They're luxurious and have more creature comforts than a car like the Giulia.

Despite having the name GT in it's designation, the Giulia Sprint GT Veloce is much lighter and smaller, and more spartan than the luxurious E9. Wind up windows, vinyl upholstery, no AC ever, and less sophisticated creature comforts. That said, the engine and chassis are more track tuned than the E9, and despite having a live rear axle, they are more fun to drive on a race track (and yes, I've driven both, on a race track, nearly back to back).

For most usage in modern traffic the E9 is a safer, less frenetic choice. The Alfa demands to be driven like a race car, which is fun sometimes, but not always relaxing.

Ciao!
-tj in los gatos

Ohmess said:
Hello TJ -- I like your taste in cars. I have long admired the Giulia Sprint Veloce, but know little about them (other than the fact that they are beautiful). How do they compare to our beloved e9s?
Click to expand...
 
Strato-well, hopefully I'll be able to let you know some day. Candidly, the 1900 has very little utility compared to an E9. We have a Giulietta Spider Veloce (the 750 model), and it's fun, but at times TERRIFYING to drive in modern traffic.

The 1900 and E9 are so different that they almost don't seem to be members of the same definition of "automobile." The 1900 engine is certainly sophisticated for its era, but overall the driving experience will likely be more more "vintage," and not always in a good way.

Of course I've never driven my 1900 because it was in boxes when I got it, and I've never even had a ride in one. I was also lucky enough to find her when values had yet to climb as they have as of late.

Strato102 said:
Too much Alfa content; makes me miss my interim 101 Spider normale that I sold one year ago. That Touring 1900 is an amazing car. E9 guys want to know, how is the air up there?
Click to expand...

Ciao!
-tj in los gatos
 
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