I was strolling through the Saturday Market in downtown Portland’s South Park Blocks last weekend, trying to chose between Fuji and Braeburn apples, when a gentleman walked up to me. “I’m a long-time subscriber to SCM,” he said. “I’ve never owned a collector car, I can do some work myself and […]
Without question, cars today are extraordinary. The Audi A6 I drove this weekend is surprisingly quiet inside, accelerates nicely, handles superbly and has copious interior room. It is also safer, by an exponential amount, than any of the cars in our fleet from the ’50s and ’60s. (Here at SCM, […]
2014 marks the 60th anniversary of the Giulietta. We at SCM are considering organizing a three- to five-day tour through the remote areas of Oregon and Washington to celebrate this milestone. I’ve driven my Alfas thousands of miles over the scenic two-lane backroads of the Pacific Northwest. I think these roads […]
Only one member of the SCM Fleet is truly excited about the onset of Oregon winter, with its cold days, rain and occasional snowfall. Yes, it’s the 1984 Land Rover D90 200 Tdi. It has started to act like an automotive bully in the garage, accusing the Alfas of being […]
I was flipping through a boating magazine last year, looking for new ways to squander my wealth. I came across a small article noting that the only functioning PT boat in the world was based in Portland, and that its supporters were offering rides on the boat in exchange for […]
Sometimes You Just Need a Break From Sports Cars I arrived back in Portland from a quick two days in Maranello on Sunday, October 6. The next morning at 6 a.m., I was throwing recovery gear into the back of our trusty RHD 1984 Defender 90 200 Tdi. Snatch blocks, […]
We just put 1,611 delightful miles on our 1965 Giulia Spider Veloce. It was our first real road trip in years, and it brought home the reasons we fool around with these old cars.
The occasion was the Alfa Romeo National Convention, held in Rohnert Park, CA, south of Santa Rosa. Good friend Doug Hartman was my co-pilot on the way down, and Wendie flew down to ride with me on the way back.
We’ve owned the Spider nearly 30 years, selling it once and buying it back during that period. Conrad Stevenson in Berkeley did the engine and transmission several years ago, Bill Gillham oversaw the redo of the interior using original materials sourced by Matt Jones, and Tom Black put the finishing touches on preserving the aged paint. In short, it has never run nor looked better.
The trip down was uneventful. Our convoy of Northwest Alfas drove Interstate 5 to Eugene, Highway 126 across to Florence, then 101 to Santa Rosa with an overnight in Eureka. All the Alfas performed well except for a 750 Giulietta Spider that lost its water pump in Eureka; it was towed to the convention, repaired and driven home.
I’ve known most of these club guys for decades, and we remarked on how much better prepared our cars were than in the 1980s. As they have evolved into collectible artifacts, we have started lavishing unprecedented amounts of care and money on their maintenance.
Just a week ago we were rolling along on the Colorado Grand, surrounded by millions of dollars of exquisite machinery. The past weekend was a little different. Roger Dilts, the president of the Alfa Romeo Owners of Oregon, hosted the annual “President’s Tour,” a half-day event that sends those who […]
I’m just back from four days and 1,000 miles of spectacular vintage motoring. The next issue of SCM will feature my full story on the Colorado Grand — along with Colin Comer’s thoughts on driving Chuck Wegner’s 250 GT TdF (a car he once owned) — but in the meantime, here are […]
We’re beginning the Colorado Grand today, a four-day, 1000-mile romp through some of the most breathtaking mountains and plains in the U.S. This will be my fifth time on the Grand, and I’m looking forward to it as an escape from the ordinary, and a chance to see old friends. […]
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