PEBBLE BEACH -- Like a Pig in Slop

[twoliterlover]

Ah, What a day. I doubt ever again in my lifetime that there will be a gathering of such wonderful cars as there were at Pebble Beach. Even at the Alfa museum (which provided some of the cars) there is no such diversity and multitude. Besides the Disco Volanti coupe and spyder, besides the Sportiva, and the 159, etc, etc there were the seven (7) 8c2900's and the dozen or so 8c2300's in various bodies, and the 6c2500 Competitione Coupe, and the 6c2300 Pescara etc. etc. etc. Oh, yes, and the three BAT cars. And because of them we have the little recollection for Ken Schaff of happy memory who once used Bat 7 as a daily driver (only one of three with right hand drive, by the way).
But greatest event of the day for me was the fortuitous time in the Alfa tent taking pictures of what is rumored to be the car coming in 2007. For some reason Alfa locked up on Saturday and no one could get it. However, look and enjoy. And celebrate the old guys 70th birthday too. All things pass, but I suspect this is the last time I will ever do Concorso Itialiano, Monterey Historics (Saturday and late Sunday) as well as the Pebble Beach bit. How could anyone ever expect to see more or better Alfa Cars. As for the rest? Well, Alfa has to have some cars to compete against and beat don't they? Concorso Italiano had absolutely stunning Nardi Darnese racer as well as a 1900 Zagato Sprint and a 2600 spyder with wire wheels and webers. Historics included a racing 3.5 liter coupe that Henry Wessels (of Philadelphia and 1900 fame) used to race, and its spyder counterpart (which he at one time owned too) was on lawn at Pebble (and he was at both too). So many wonderful people and ever more wonderful cars. Never have I, as the psalmist said, striven for great things nor for things too wonderful for me, but for me in my simple way, it was like being a "pig in slop". I can't believe I saw so many cars or met again so many wonderful people. So, if I could just get my "manage attachments" to work I would have allowed you too to feast your eyes on the "hidden" car at the Pebble Beach Concours. This is NOT the car out on the lawn with the prototypes.

[nicke]

These are the pictures Jay's talking about... Looks to me like a Brea Spider...

[johnei]

Finally some positive news about the New Alfas from Pebble Beach!

[Craig LNU]

OMG...any more pics/info available?

[alfa_chan]

WOW! Why don't they show that on the grass? Were there 159s at the show too??

I think I am in love... I don't really quite like the shape of the Brera's greenhouse. It looks so much nicer without it!!

[twoliterlover]

Thank you, Nick, for being able to post the photos. I was not sufficiently computer capable to get them reduced to within the permitted volume of bits or bytes or whatever. I tried Jpg but they started in Winzip. Enjoy!!! How did I get them? Well, on Sunday about 2:30 I had seen every car and every item there was to see on the lawn and had even overdosed a bit. I wanted to get back to Monterey Historics and had walked back up the hill to where I had to catch the shuttle bus to leave. There I met a fellow who asked me if I had been to the Alfa tent if I was such an Alfa freak. I said I had not even seen the tent although I had seen a sign supposedly directing people to what was called a combined Alfa, Maserati, Ferrari exhibit, and asked him where it was. The sign had been close to where one picked up tickets and brochures just at the edge of the clubhouse. Instead of looking for a tent off to the side somewhere I had hurried from there down onto the greens to see the cars. They were almost intoxicating, and I just plain forgot to bother about looking for any exhibit. I fear that happened to lots of people, and maybe
caused some friction between the Alfa Romeo executives and the concours
bunch. Even though the fellow told me it was a good five minute walk up
that road past the "Spa" I retraced my steps all the way back determined to see it. I had come for that one purpose especially -- to see what kind of Alfa was proposed as the one to be sold in US. I had already seen the prototype out on the putting green above the club house and realized that was not the one intended. Quite a hike later I got to the exhibit -- three tents sitting side by side. The Alfa tent was closed with chains on the door and locked. By talking to the right people at the Maserati tent I was able to feel a bit safe about slipping under the side at the back of the Alfa tent where no one would notice me entereing. After I had carefully examined the machine all alone and realized I had no one to take a picture of me there, or I of it. Then I heard a noise like someone else scratching on the back side. I wondered if it might be a security guard and so I lifted the side for him, ready to explain my presence. But it was a fellow from New Mexico who was with a friend from South California (LA area). They were just getting there because they had burned off the serpentine belt on the LA guy's 164 S on the way up. The idler pulley had siezed. So I held the side up and helped them in. Among the three of us then we examined everything carefully. But I had no camera, and they did. They took photos of each other and of the car and of me. They emailed these to me yesterday. The thing that really bothered me about the Alfa tent being closed was that the Maserati tent was open right next door, and the Ferrari tent was sporadically open and closed. What especially bothered me even more was that the Alfa tent had been closed since Saturday noon. As far as I know we three guys were the only ones who ever got into the tent to see the exhibit on Sunday. However, I met later, at San Jose airport while waiting for the flight to Seattle, an airline pilot from Horizon Air who had been at Pebble Beach since Thursday who had been invited to see that specific exhibit on Friday. That guy even had a beatutiful brochure (I couldn't find any in the tent anywhere) about the car. Don't know why that guy was invited. As far as I could tell he is not associated with marque even to point of owning one of the cars. But Alfa has never been sane in its business or promotion efforts anyway. Maybe he looked like he had lots of money because I suspect getting one of these will take lots. Hope the Alfa People did not get mad and change their "?Minds?" about coming back into selling cars in US because of some picque about where the exhibit got placed. I do believe the Brea coupe was basis for the car -- but a spider. You should look at the official alfa web about that car. I am not sure if it is rear wheel drive, etc. It was definitely interesting, and incorporates many things from the prototype on the putting green which is front engine and rear wheel drive. I gained the impression it was six speed, but I did not dare go sit in it and try it out. I felt like a trespasser and was quite careful. I went back to the guy who had "looked the other way" and thanked him for letting me "find my car keys" as he suggested I needed to do as the reason for being in to see the car. Actually I had told him of my passion and my quest, and he had suggested that as the reason for having to get into the tent. We both felt good about it. The other two guys in there with me came out at the same time with me. I don't think they had any more photos. We tried just to feast on it ourselves and speculate on the price and desireability. We each have a photo of us separately with it and a good shot from front. I am not providing any photos of them. We were not trying to call too much attention to ourselves, and still are trying to stay under the radar. Jay.

[HenryKrinkle]

Great Great story, man Im totally shocked by these photos! a Brera Spider indeed!! great great determination..

Let the speculation begin why Alfa wouldnt present this great car more openly, perhaps they were a little off'ed by the location and said screw it lets lock it down, but I doubt that would influence a multi billion dollar affair if Alfa was to come back.
But then again you know how "we" are :P haha jk.

Honestly I think its a cooler story that you found this thing under wraps!

another thought I just had? Perhaps the 8c Spider was a tight deadline to get finished.. Alfa brought this car "just in case" the 8c was a no show, then Alfa would say Ta-Daaa the convertible concept we promised.. i know thats far fetched but I know when people are thinking they always have a backup plan..

[johnei]

I think they chose to show this to a few people (no idea why the pilot) for a few reasons:
First, they were already showing the 8C convertible for the first time and didn't want to take away from that. I think I've read that car is 2 years old just never before seen in public.
Second the Brera spider is supposed to be shown at Frankfurt in a month.
Third it seems like the ideal opportunity to show the car to potential Alfa dealers here in the US - the timing was just a bit off - see my second point.
From what I understand this happens all the time at Pebble Beach - a car company will bring a special model to the weekend and show it to a select few. Did anyone get pictures of the Ferrari FXX? That was also supposed to be there for a select few... they probably know how to keep a car secret after years of F1 experience.
That weekend is probably the best opportunity in the US or the world to get the wealthiest car enthusiasts to see your new product. In this case I suspect they were showing it to dealers instead of just buyers like the FXX.

[HenryKrinkle]

Yea your theory is a lot better then mine.. haha well in all fairness i didnt know the politics of PB..

[twoliterlover]

Interesting comment Johnei. It was strange how sometimes the Ferrari tent would be open and sometimes not. And I heard a very heated argument between officials and someone who wanted to get a car directly and faster than waiting for it to come through dealership. The guy was told that nobody could get one any faster, no matter how much extra money he wanted to pay. So, If there was a special new FXX Ferrari I suspect it was the big "hush hush" in the tent and what they were all running round talking about. I repeat "Neither do I strive for great things, nor for things too wonderful for me" (to use the words of the psalmist). Besides, I would not have gone across the street to see even the newest Ferrari. There were already far too many of them all over that weekend. Jay

[italcarguy]

There was 1 Ferrari FXX aka: Super Enzo up there. I got a chance to see it Saturday night, but was not allowed to take a picture of it (probably because I wasn't supposed to be where the car was). I think some managed to get leaked onto the web somewhere.

[tubut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by twoliterlover And celebrate the old guys 70th birthday too.

[wmcatee]

I know for a fact "they " had a Ferrari FXX in Silver Gray out Sat at the pre historic event yes I have (had) photos no I cant show them "they" have the CF card I used as part of the deal. I cant give out any more info. Did any one get a look at the FXX on display and was it silver/Gray? or a red one

[twoliterlover]

Doggone. There is a way to get some information as to the Alfa Brera spyder and what the car might be like. Didn't know there had been no phtos taken. I do faintly recall the fellow first telling me about the Alfa exhibit mentioning that they had not been allowing cameras there, but since I had no camera I didn't even think about it. It just happened. I hope this doesn't creat an international flap. It is strange to see your own picture flashed around the whole world. But, if you want to know more about the car look at the mention on internet. Carter Hendricks just noticed it and sent me the connect. Jay

http://www.italiaspeed.com/

[HenryKrinkle]

Um.. yea Jay I think you stumbled upon a pretty rare moment there, that's why I was shocked when I first read your thread... Up to this point I had only seen spy shots and a couple "interpretations"..

I posted a link to this thread over at the forum alfaowner.com but of course Sakiss just took your pics and reposted without your story.. haha. Well at least nobody has photoshopp'ed you outta of the rear end pic yet! hah. Good stuff, hell I think Alfa should give you a metal for revealing a beautiful car