Alfa Romeos – if you’re into them, you’re really, really into them. For years Luis De Jesus’ hobby has been restoring classic Alfas in a small garage beside his house, and this month we look at a GT Junior that he’s filled with upgrades for regular use.
Even though I’ve never actually owned an Italian sporting car, preferring the peace of mind of the more robust, but undoubtedly less exciting, classic German barge, I do get the attraction. Having spent some time in a few Alfas, Fiats and Lancias over the years, I can identify that there is indeed something very special about them, a strong character that shines through. It’s a cliché, I know, but the good ones literally feel alive in your hands, even going so far as exhibiting different moods depending on the road, situation or outside temperature. Sure, the controls might be laid out in a bizarre fashion, the tachometer needle might be swinging in the “wrong” direction and your legs might be rubbing off the steering wheel, but you can’t deny that there is a real sense of occasion to being in many of these cars, and that’s something I think has become even more valuable today as our modern daily cars become ever-more heavy and complicated. It’s a breath of fresh air to climb into something that was designed and built decades ago by someone more passionate about… [read more]