David Rivkin

David passed away November 14th 2016 at the age of 82

I first became aware of Alfa's while competing against them in SCCA races during the 60's and early 70's. There was something about those cars, they were so much more refined than the Austin-Healey and the MGB I drove. So it was in the late 70's I found myself working for Alfa Romeo Inc., longing for the days of racing. By this time I had become an SCCA race official, but I missed the rush of competition. It was then that I decided to begin my search for that "special" car that would return me to my racing roots. What could be more special than an Alfa. So I hit the books, well one book, the Fusi book. "Alfa Romeo, Tutti Le Vetture Dal 1910", the Alfisti bible. Over and over I found myself marking the pages concerning the Giulia Sprint series, more specifically the Giulia Sprint GTA. The story of the GTA is well known among Alfa fans. First introduced in 1965 at the Amsterdam and Geneva car shows it dominated the European Touring Car Championships throughout the early 70's. My search was long, days turned to weeks, weeks to months, finally one day someone told me about a man who might be interested in selling a GTA. It turned out that he had both the Alfa and a Ferrari Dino. His plans were to restore one and sell the other, I was hoping he would sell the Alfa. And so it came to be over a month later the decision to sell the Alfa was made. Behind the Belmont Race Track, tucked in a garage, under some old quilts sat my Alfa Giulia Sprint GTA. The long search was over. The car only ran on two cylinders, needless to say a complete restoration was necessary. Searching for parts became almost as hard as finding the car. I wanted the car to look exactly as it did in 1966, and any old parts just wouldn't do. It was during this time of extensive research that I coined the phrase "archeological engineering". Today if you look under the hood you will see an original GTA radiator, oil cooler, air box, oil recuperator tank, and if conditions allow, you'll see the Sebring side outlet exhaust. In addition to all that it has an 8-plug cylinder head and tubular exhaust headers. For the real enthusiasts, like me, you can get down and look up under the rear end and see the "Sliding Block" rear axle locating system, devised by Ingegnere Carlo Chiti of Autodelta. Remarkably, the odometer reads only 37,272 kms (23,109 miles) after 38 years.

Dan Goldman

It started with a simple question. Che cosa si può fare per parlare veramente bene?

I was in Italian class in 1995 when I asked my teacher. What can one do to speak much better? I had just  completed Italian 3 in adult education. My teacher responded that Mr. Goldman , though you will never be Italian you need to expose yourself to all things Italian. From food to music to Italian T.V. Ce sono molti così de vedere e sentire. There are many things to see and feel. She asked me what did I do and what do I like to do? 

Che cosa fare, e che cosa le fa piacere? At the time, I sold Italian dry-cleaning machines and my hobby was the rolling restoration of my 1958 Volvo PV444. My teacher told me that her husband hurt his back and could no longer drive his Alfa Romeo. A day later I came home with a rusty 1976 Alfetta GT which was rusting away faster than I could enjoy it. A 1967 GTV arrived a few month later followed by my current car a 1979 Spider. 

I sold the two old Alfas and the old Volvo and switched jobs after 18 years. Today I sell Swedish washing machines but much as I have tried the Scandinavian languages are way too sterile for me. By the way, fellow club member Enzo Rella did a beautiful restoration on my old 1967 GTV but it pains me to see the car today. Like a old girl friend who suddenly looks more desirable after you break up. So I have steadily been updating
my Spider. Adeso, mi sembra che il mio lavoro non paga e abbastanza per la mia machina. 

Forse mia moglie può risolvere mia problema e lavora più. Spero ti si. ( Now, it seems to me that my job doesn't pay enough for my car. Perhaps, my wife can resolve the problem and work more. I hope so.)

Robert Cess

1959 Giulietta Sprint, 1960 Giulietta Berlina,
1962 Giulietta Spider, 1969 1750 Spider

I purchased my first Alfa, a new Spider Veloce, in 1986, and at the same time joined AROC. Then two years later I purchased an ’88 Milano Platinum. Over the previous two decades I had restored three vintage wooden cabin cruisers, and now I started to get the itch to restore a Roundtail. But instead of looking for a car, the car found me at the 1989 AROC Convention in Waterbury, CT. My wife and I had been to a cocktail party, and while we were walking across the hotel parking lot to go to dinner a young man parked a ’69 1750 Spider in front of us and placed a for-sale sign on the windshield. Twenty minutes later I owned the Spider, a car purchased between cocktails and dinner. The restoration of the ’69 Spider was completed in 1992 and again I got the restoration itch. I went searching for a Giulietta Sprint and found a ’59 Euro-spec Sprint in Rhode Island. This restoration was completed in 1996, and I managed to hold the restoration itch at bay until 1999 when I decided I absolutely had to have a Giulietta Spider to go with my Giulietta Sprint. The car I found, a ’62 Giulietta Spider which is a Giulietta/Giulia transition car (a Giulietta with a Giulia body shell) was the ultimate challenge. The car had been off the road since 1980 when it had been in an accident (smashed nose), and then it had passed from one “intended restorer” to another, and what I bought was a disassembled car with unlabeled boxes containing unlabeled parts. I finally got all the parts sorted out, and the crumpled nose was replaced by an NOS front nose panel that had been sitting for 40 years on a dealer’s shelf in Seattle (God is indeed an Italian). An additional Alfa adventure is that I have been fortunate to have visited the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese a total of seven times, and on one visit, in 1991, I had lunch with Luigi Fusi. It can’t get any better than that!

Vic Cerami

I come from an automotive family, cars are in my blood. At A young age I was exposed to almost everything on wheels. Although I owned, drove or raced many fine machines, in the mid 1960’s a short drive in an Alfa GTA floored me.

I previously knew something about Alfas, but never had driven one before. After some research I became convinced that these light sports cars could not be beat. I bought my GTV and almost 40 years later have gone through about 25 Alfa’s including a 2600 Spider.

As a kid I was affected by the sight of Alfas being scrapped at junkyards such as Stuckers or Sil’s. I never forgot the sight of those still beautiful Guiletta’s being parted out and piled up to be melted for scrap iron. Over the years I managed to save a few Alfas. I'm currently restoring a 1967 GTV.

I currently own 6 Alfa's as follows: 1966 Duetto, 1967 GTV (three), 1971 GTV, and a 2016 4C Spider. And I'm on the list for a new Giulia.

I’ve been a member of AROC for 40 years and an original Charter member of our chapter LIAROC, now NYAROC. I currently serve on our Board as a Director, have previously served in every position except Treasurer, and also on the National Board as a Director. My wife, Gail and daughters, Lorraine, Michelle, and Victoria have enjoyed participating in club events over the years, especially our conventions. We are all Alfisti and happy to be involved with the Alfa Romeo Owners Club. I believe that our club is the best because of our fellow members and also, of course, our collection of fine automobiles.

John P. Catera

My love affair with sports cars began in the early ‘60’s when I went to my first SCCA races at Montgomery, Bridgehampton & Lime Rock Park. I was fortunate to have seen Phil Hill (Ferrari), Carol Shelby (Maserati) and Walt Hangsen (D Type Jags) compete against each other in SCCA’s modified classes. The SCCA TransAm races were dominated by the red Alfa GTA’s of Horst Kweck and a host of other Alfa drivers.

I loved the red Italian cars with the great sounding engines. My first Alfa was a brand new red ‘65 Spider Veloce 1600. The car was great fun to drive and the twin cam, dual weber engine had a terrific sound. I was instantly hooked on the marque!! Ienjoyed the car for about 5 years, but having just gotten married, we sold it for a downpayment on a house. Talk about sacrifices!!. I never lost my passion for Alfa’s and have owned several over the past 20 years. As a member of the Alfa club since the mid ‘80’s, I’ve had the opportunity to learn more about the cars , the history of the marque and to share my enthusiasm with a great group of Alfisti.

My current collection includes an ’86 GTV-6, ’90 Spider Quad and a ’95 164LS. Each one is unique and great fun to drive. My wish is to see Alfa back in the US market with the current breed of Alfa GTA’s competing in professional race series like the Grand Am Cup. Alfa , I hope you’re listening???

Stuart M. Light

Stuart Light passed away August 18th 2018

1963 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider  -  1986 Alfa Romeo GTVG

My love for Italian automobiles goes back to my years as an undergraduate college student. One of my professors was a team manager of the Ferrari North American Race Team (NART), allowing me a unique opportunity to spend time in the pit area at various races including the Daytona 24 Hour and Sebring 12 Hour races. From that time on I was hooked on the speed and handling of Italian sports cars. A few years later I was working as a Production Intern at Car & Driver Magazine, where I spent many lunch hours talking to legendary writers such as Brock Yates, Don Sherman and Jim Williams. When Car & Driver publisher Marty Toohey found out that I was $aving to buy a sports car he convinced me to buy an Alfa Romeo.
Marty picked up the phone and called the President of Alfa Romeo USA, Aldo Bozzi and ordered a red 1750 Spider for me. Three months later the shipment arrived with NO red Alfas. Rather than wait another six months, I chose one in a light “Fly Yellow” instead. 

I was so excited when I got the call that my Alfa Spider was to be picked up. I checked the Spider out from top to bottom. Then came the hard part learning to drive a manual transmission. It only took about 20 minutes in a local parking lot until I got the hang of it, then I drove my new Alfa home without incident.

Three years later at the same dealership, I traded in the Spider for a LeMans Blue 2000 GTV, which I owned for 5years. After a 7 year hiatus from Alfas, I purchased a new GTV-6 in December of 1986 (color:AR369 Bleu Posilippo). I am proud to say that I still own it today. In 1998 after a long search I purchased a 1963 Giulia Spider(color AR514 Firenza Red).

Now I am the proud owner of two Alfas, and I couldn’t be happier. Each time the engine starts on one of my Alfas I feel the ghosts of Nuvolari, Campari, and Ascari come alive. The emotions I feel every time I drive an Alfa are ones not just based upon speed and handling, but also the romance between an Alfisti and an automobile