"Alfa Romeo is not merely a maker of automobiles: it truly is something more than a conventionally built car. It is a kind of affliction, an enthusiasm for a means of transport. It is a way of living, a very special way of perceiving the motor vehicle. What it is resists definition. Its elements are like those irrational character traits of the human spirit, which cannot be explained, in logical terms. They are sensations, passions, things that have much more to do with man's heart than with his brain".

Orazio Satta
(1910-1974)
Alfa Romeo Chief Engineer

Satta's description of Alfa Romeo would be hard to improve and probably sums up the feelings of anybody who has ever driven one. I had an unknown latent Alfa gene that manifested itself unexpectedly in my mid forties, and I realized I bought my first Alfa at just about the same age my father bought his Sprint circa 1958. My starter Alfa was a 1985 Spider Veloce. It was purchased with a blown engine that was rebuilt by one of the talented Alfa mechanics in San Francisco. After a few other minor improvements, the restoration was complete.
1985 Spider Veloce

I watched the odometer roll over past 100,000 miles and decided I needed something slightly older, and found a suitable candidate, a 1967 Giulia Sprint GT Veloce. Restoration of this car is taking slightly longer but it's proving to be a highly reliable and terrifically fun car. I have big plans to watch the odometer roll over at least a couple more times. Alfas have always been made to please drivers and this one is no exception.

They achieve their great performance with small, well-designed engines and this is something I admire tremendously. Alfas have usually been small, light, nimble and able to do far more with far less than their competitors. This small, alloy twin cam engine was way ahead of its time when it was first developed in the 50s and has been tweaked to perfection until the mid 90's when they came up with an even better engine.
1967 Giulia Sprint GT Veloce