Our next Monthly Meeting will be March 22nd, at Arrivederci, at the corner of Scottsdale and Thunderbird roads. 6:30 p.m. The only way to get The Alfa Rumor is by email. Send your name and email address to rgbotkin@yahoo.com Phoenix, Arizona THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ARIZONA ALFA ROMEO OWNER S CLUB March 2017
The ALFA RUMOR 2015 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President/ Rick Mahrle 602 256-4433 rmahrle@gblaw.com Vice President/ Alan Headley 480-813-2874 2nd42@cox.net Informazioni The Alfa Rumor is published monthly as the official newsletter of the Arizona Alfa Romeo Owner's Club (AAROC). AAROC is a local chapter of the national Alfa Romeo Owner's Club and is dedicated to the enjoyment of Alfa Romeo Automobiles and the advancement of the Alfa Romeo marque. Subscription to this newsletter is included with membership to the national Alfa Romeo Owner's Club and expressed affiliation with the Arizona Chapter. Classifieds, contributions, and criticisms are welcome and should be addressed to the editor by mail, phone, or email. Technical information, data, or suggestions in this publication are the opinions of the contributing authors, and, as such, their accuracy or correctness cannot be warranted by AAROC or the national organization. All owners should determine the suitability of any modifications: the club will not assume liability for any consequences. Meetings General meetings are held the fourth Wednesday of each month at 6:30 PM. The meetings are held at an appropriate Italian restaurant (see the latest newsletter or club website for details). Board meetings, open to all members at the discretion of the board, are held two weeks prior to the general meeting. Website The Arizona chapter now has a website located at: http://clubs.hemmings.com/azalfa/ Treasurer/Secretary: Terry Greenslade 602-765-0061 tgreenslade@cox.net Newsletter Editor: Dick Botkin 602 618-8230 rgbotkin@yahoo.com Trustees: Arno Leskinen aleskinen@cox.net The website contains general information about the club and a copy of the yearly events calendar. 2017 EVENTS CALENDAR http://www.huntcal.com/cal/view/aaroc/aaroc Mar Ma Apr 18 22 15 Annual Invitational Cook-Off General Dinner Meeting. Note change of Venue Kit Peak Observatory (Tucson Overnight) On the Cover. The Giulia Launch Party: Photo by Christopher Boles Below: Classic welcomes New. Bill and Terry s Giulia Super: Photo by Christopher Boles Fred Firschein alfaoro@yahoo.com Russ Staub 480-357-0818 bbb11489@azboss.net Mark Kirchner 602 248-8451 mlkrandom@cox.net Ken Felthouse danafelthouse@cox.net Bill Greenslade 602 765-0061 bgreenslade@cox.net Webmaster: Joyce Himes joyaz711@yahoo.com Phoenix, Arizona THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ARIZONA ALFA ROMEO OWNER S CLUB March 2017
Presidential Bondo (All the Filler Fit to Print) Active Rumors Notes from the Editor It's Spring, or at least the Arizona version of it. Those of us with allergies are suffering, but top down driving is now greater than ever. We have lots of events coming up. The big cook off is March 18. See the website for details. Remember that our monthly meetings are now at Arrivederci, at least for a trial run through April. The next meeting will be March 22. As a reminder, it is the fourth Wednesday of the month, not the last Wednesday. Please give board members your feedback on whether you like this change. As far as I am concerned, the next big event is the Copperstate 1000. The launch day is April 2. More than 80 great vintage cars, think Ferrari, Porsche, Lancia, Aston Martin, Jaguars and Alfas, will depart from Tempe Diablo Stadium at 10:30 a.m. Gates open at 8 and admission is free. Want to bring your Alfa out? Even better. In the front parking lot at the stadium, there will be the Roadrunner Car Show. Entry is also free. So, come out to see the Copperstate cars and park your great car at the Roadrunner Car Show. There will be food trucks, a raffle, and lots of great cars not going on the Copperstate rally for you to see. So, two great events for one great price--free. Your absentee President will be getting back into the swing of things soon. Trials and travels have taken their toll, but things will get back to normal soon, or at least I hope. Ciao Rick Our first meeting at Arrivederci was held last month. I think this could very well be the new home of the AAROC. Cost wise, we spent about the same amount of money as we usually do at the Macaroni Grill, however the quality of the food was way, way better. The service was excellent and the staff had no problems providing us with separate checks. We did share the room with other guests but I don t think they were put off by our large group of rowdy Alfisti. Our table was configured in a U shape, probably to accommodate the other tables in the room. I felt that this hampered our freedom to mingle and visit with one another somewhat. Most of the fun at our general meetings is social, so a private room, with a linear table would be preferred. Come to the next meeting on the 22 nd March, and let us know what you think. Speaking of food, you must attend Fred and Tina s cookoff on March 18 th. Even if you don t bring a dish, come and enjoy the culinary offerings of your fellow Alfisti. It will be a Saturday in the Park to remember. Details are on our Calendar. Thanks to Christopher Boles for sending us pictures of the Giulia Launch Party. Looks like Sharon and I missed a good time. The Arizona Italian American Club celebrates 60 years on April 8 th. Special parking for your Italian car. Come out and enjoy the afternoon. Arrivederci, Dick
AROC Palm Springs Mid-Year Retreat Arno Leskinen The fourth annual Alfa Romeo Owners Club Mid-Year Retreat and Winter Board of Directors meeting was held January 12 th -15 th in Palm Desert, California. The event initially started as an opportunity for members of the National Board of Directors and other interested members to get together in a relaxed and informal atmosphere to have in-depth discussions about club issues outside of the annual National Convention. Subsequently, the Board of Directors have been conducting our business through monthly videoconferences which has allowed the Palm Springs event to evolve into an event that combines club business with fun activities for all members who want to attend. As in previous years, the informal hub for the weekend was AROC National President Cindy Banzer s lovely winter home just up the street from the famed El Paseo. The weekend s activities started with a Thursday evening gallery reception at an automotive art exhibit curated by Appraiser, Author, TV Personality, and Palm Springs resident Donald Osborne. We personally were not able to attend since we didn t arrive until Friday, but all reports indicate that Donald was his usual eloquent and engaging self and unfortunately he had to skip a planned dinner with AROC members due to time commitments. On Saturday morning, close to 30 cars gathered for the driving tour, including new Arizona AROC member Chris and his wife in their new Giulia Quadrifoglio. The chosen route was close to 200 miles and took in some spectacular scenery on great driving roads. The tour took us from well below sea level up to almost 7000 feet in elevation and across several ecosystems. As someone with only a passing knowledge of Palm Springs and the surrounding area, I was genuinely surprised by the diverse landscapes and especially realizing how close Palm Springs and San Diego actually are if you go over the mountains. We passed the Mount Palomar observatory prior to the lunch stop in Borrego Springs and got within 30 miles of San Diego. The area around Borrego Springs is full of large scale metal sculptures of horses and other animals. There is also a huge serpent sculpture, so being the Alfa Club we stopped for a group photo. Apparently, a photo of the new Giulia by the serpent went viral shortly thereafter. After driving past the rather depressing Salton Sea area, the tour ended with a wonderful reception and dinner at Cindy s home. This was a great opportunity to get to know new Alfisti and get caught up with old friends.
The Board of Directors had our official meeting on Sunday morning. We worked on a lot of the behind the scenes and often seemingly mundane things that keep the Club running. Topics discussed included the role of social media, revisions to the ByLaws and Policies and Procedures Manual, merchandizing, and club finances. Overall, the club is in good shape financially, and we are experiencing membership growth for the first time in many years. On Sunday afternoon, some local Palm Springs AROC members hosted a reception at their really cool mid- Century house. Palm Springs is known for these homes, and adding to the effect was the collection of 60 s Studebakers and the turquoise 64 Thunderbird in the driveway. The weekend ended with yet another informal cookout at Cindy s house. I highly recommend that Arizona AROC members put the event on your radar for 2018. It was really a lot of fun, and it is a comparatively short drive away. It is tentatively planned again for the MLK weekend. Recommended by Joe Carella Over the past few years, the paucity of good Alfa Romeo mechanics in The Valley has been fodder for chatter among local Alfisti. One retired and moved up north, some have apparently scaled back their workloads, and another has a reputation for stratospheric prices. Unless you re a handy gearhead, the options seem to be dwindling. For almost a year, I have been taking my 89 Spider Quad to Alex Traverso, a well-known Ferrari mechanic who has done extensive work on my Testarossa dating back to 2008. Although the Spider s issues were very minor, I was quite pleased and impressed with Alex s knowledge of Alfas. Moreover, he won t charge his Ferrari hourly rate for Alfas. You can also save money by ordering any parts yourself and bringing them to him. I have always found Alex to be very straightforward. He will give you accurate estimates and assessments and there will be no surprises. He's been working on Italian cars for 35 years. Alex s shop is located at 702 West Melinda Lane in Phoenix. That s right off the west side of 7 th Avenue, south of Deer Valley Airport and north of the Loop 101. Telephone: 480-241-8877.
The ALFA RUMOR More from the Giulia Launch Party Classifieds Classified ads for Alfas and Alfa parts are still free for members. Just email your ad and any photos to me at rgbotkin@yahoo.com. For Sale 1987 Spider Veloce, red/tan int. and new tan canvas top, 57,000 miles. Few door dings, rust free, Cal / Az car, original paint looks great. New Master and Clutch Cyl., Fresh Oil, Air and Oil filter, Interior great no rips or tears. Air Conditioner NOT operational. $8,900.00. Fred Firschein 480-773-7541. -----------------------------------------------------------------The Barn Find is for sale. $10,000 firm. Many new parts and much work done. Spare parts included. Call Christopher Boles 928-227-0472 Phoenix, Arizona THE NEWSLETTER OF THE ARIZONA ALFA ROMEO OWNER S CLUB March 2017
If you wish to join the Alfa Romeo Owners Club, please complete and mail the following application. Benefits include close camaraderie with other Alfa enthusiasts, a one-year subscription to the national club magazine (the Alfa Owner) and, as a bonus, a one-year subscription to this newsletter. ARIZONA ALFA OWNERS CLUB Membership Application Name: Address: City State, Zip: Chapter Affiliation-Arizona Do You Own an Alfa Romeo? What Kind(s)? Please enclose a check in the amount of $68 (dues) to: ALFA ROMEO OWNERS CLUB PO Box 92155 Portland, OR 97292