Joining the Berlina ranks

[chasking]

It is with great happiness and pride that I announce that I recently closed a deal to purchase Bernie the Berlina, a car of some storied history:



73 Berlina FS, MD

The last owner, BB denizen P.Webb, moved due to a change of jobs earlier this year and didn't have room to take Bernie with him. Conveniently, Bernie has been at the body shop for some time, awaiting a "when you have a chance" rust repair job. I had always liked Bernie, and got a chance to really see what he could do when Pete drove him on our club's fall tour in '05, with me navigating (and my wife in the back seat, working on her beaded jewelry as we hurtled around the twisty Wisconsin back roads! ) So, for a small sum of cash and an agreement to take over the cost of the body work, I acquired a fun and funky '73 Berlina.



Pete pulled the engine out to use in his race car so while the body work is being done I will be putting a new engine together. I'm torn between building up a nice original-spec SPICA motor and just dropping an L-Jet motor in it. (Note: carbs are not an option; it won't pass emissions here with carbs and while it would qualify for antique plates I want to use it as a daily driver, at least when there's no salt on the roads.)

I'm also debating whether to keep the snow leopard motif when I get the seats reupholstered.



Hopefully, Bernie will be back on the road some time in 2007!

[magista]

Enjoy your new Berlina. They are great cars.

It should be old enough to not require emissions, but who knows what WI mandates and SPICA is a good system anyway.

[Haig]

Well done...great buy...once you have ''Bernie'' restored....you will find out how much fun they are...its the ''Italian Limousine''..with a lot of kick...heres a photo of my 69 motor...that was completely redone..enjoy

[Giorgio68]

Congratulation Chuck!!!

Now you definately have the endless Alfa virus, is that piper yellow color which is hard to tell from the fading. That is my favorite color on a Berlina 2000, I will do that on my car.

Giorgio

[Bill S]

Alright Chuck! As a former owner of Bernie I'm really happy to that he's getting some of the attention (rust repair) that he deserves. I owned the car before Peter and was glad when he decided not to use it as a beater but put it in the shop for bodywork. As you know, the floor was really solid in spite of the outer rocker appearence. I remember the suspension feeling pretty solid too. I still have the original engine in my shed as well as an NOS windshield if you have need of either item. Also have some other Berlina spares. Is the bodywork in the process of being done? Mostly done? Started yet? I'm assuming that the shop is making the panels since I didn't have much luck finding them when I had the car. Please keep us informed. Tell Peter I said hello. Nice Christmas present to yourself!

By the way, I was never sure if Bernie was a Bernard or a Bernice. May have been given an ambiguous name on purpose.

Bill Sinclair
67 Spider, 69 Berlina (project), 67 Super (basket-case project)

[chasking]

Peter delivered the car to a local Alfisti-owned body shop that is not, shall we say, known for its quick turnover, with the intimation that he was in no big hurry to get the work done; consequently, I would be surprised if it has even been started yet. I am going to see if it can get moved up in the queue a bit---or at least put into the queue!

I helped Pete remove the interior before he took it down there and I was impressed by the solidity of the car (especially the floors), notwithstanding a the rust on some of the outer panels. Once the holidays are over I am going to go down to the shop and talk to the body guy about what needs to be done, but he's pretty good and he loves Alfas, so I am optimistic; even if some fabrication is required, by all accounts he's up to the job.

I'm sure I will be way upside-down on the car when the bodywork is done, but I'm looking at it as a long-term proposition: I intend to drive it a lot.

[conedriver]

Will Bernie be ready for the Chicago Chapter 2008 AROC Convention ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by chasking Peter delivered the car to a local Alfisti-owned body shop that is not, shall we say, known for its quick turnover, with the intimation that he was in no big hurry to get the work done; consequently, I would be surprised if it has even been started yet. I am going to see if it can get moved up in the queue a bit---or at least put into the queue! I helped Pete remove the interior before he took it down there and I was impressed by the solidity of the car (especially the floors), notwithstanding a the rust on some of the outer panels. Once the holidays are over I am going to go down to the shop and talk to the body guy about what needs to be done, but he's pretty good and he loves Alfas, so I am optimistic; even if some fabrication is required, by all accounts he's up to the job. I'm sure I will be way upside-down on the car when the bodywork is done, but I'm looking at it as a long-term proposition: I intend to drive it a lot.

[chasking]

Quote:

Originally Posted by conedriver Will Bernie be ready for the Chicago Chapter 2008 AROC Convention ?