Re: multiple-Alfa owners

[James Montebello <jamesm@domain.elided>]

On Tue, 24 Sep 2002, Watry, Andrew (LNG-MBC) wrote:
> I was pondering my own four Alfas, and the two of the guy I got some tires
> from last night, and wondered if Alfas are unusual in being owned in packs.
> That is, people often own more than one Alfa.  I can think of several people
> within a mile radius of me who have two or more.  We alI know Alfa stands
> for Always Looking for Another, but are Alfas (or Alfa owners) unusual in
> this regard? Do MG, Triumph, or Porsche folks, for instance, tend to own
> several of them at a time?  Any theories?

IMHO, people who gravitate towards "old cars" tend to have multiples for
one or more of many reasons:

1) the need to ensure at least one is in running condition at any given
   time, mostly to avoid having to drive something "uninteresting", like
   the wife's Ford Explorer.

2) the need for reference while reassembling, since manuals are either
   scarce or for wussies.

3) parts

4) the need to preserve

5) once you have two, they seem to multiply on their own.  Someone
   you know who's decided "old cars" aren't for them ends up selling it
   to you for a song because they know you like them, and are probably
   certifiable, since you have more than one, whereas they couldn't
   tolerate the one they had.

My best friend has five (5) 124 Spiders in various states of decay, along
with enough parts to build two more.  (This same person has a older 911 w/
no engine, a 914 with no engine, an RX-7 [w/ engine, but it doesn't run],
and a handful of cars and trucks that actually work).

A guy down the street from my old house has three Porsches (a 911SC and
two 914s, one for track only, one in perpetual restoration).

I've owned a handful of bikes at any given time, and simply couldn't
imagine having only one.  Some people, however, seem to like having only
one, and lavishing much attention on it (and as much money as I lavish
on my whole set).  Either you like having just one, or you have as many
as you can get away with.

james montebello
'84 gtv6
'78 alfetta sprint veloce
['73 berlina]
['73 911-powered 914]
['78 124 spider]
['78 mgb]
[plus a few japanese coupes]
[and a handful of vws]
[once upon a time]
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