Cars: 2013 Alameda All-Italian Car and Motorcycle Show (October 13, 2013)

I showed my car, a 1978 Chocolate Brown Alfa Romeo Spider, in the 2013 Alameda All-Italian Car and Motorcycle Show on Sunday, October 13. The weather was perfect and there was a big turn-out this year. There were well over 100 cars and motorcycles on display at the usual venue, the playing fields at Lincoln Middle School on Fernside Blvd., in Alameda.

About half the cars are usually Alfa Romeos, but there were Fiats, Lancias, Maseratis, Ferraris, De Tomasos, Abarths, and more. There was a 1934 Alfa among the older cars. I love the details of styling on these and Italian cars in general. Some of the older motorcycles were beautiful, too. For more information about the show (for next year), go to this link. Proceeds from the show go to support the Alameda Special Olympics.

Miscellaneous: Covering All the Bases--1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air Hood Ornament

A bright orange-red 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air was parked not far from me in a Santa Rosa, California parking lot the other day. I walked over to take a look at it. A classic from the period when American automakers were trying to equate driving with flight (and later more specifically with rocketry), this one covers all the bases; the sleek ornament is half airplane, half bird--some kind of raptor seems to be intended.

Cars: The 2012 Alameda All-Italian Car and Motorcycle Show

On Sunday I drove my 1978 Alfa Romeo Spider down to Alameda to participate in the 2012 Alameda All-Italian Car and Motorcycle Show, which takes place every year at Lincoln Middle School, on Fernside Blvd. in Alameda. There were about 70 cars in the show and I'd guess about 500 people showed up to look at them. There's always quite a selection--anything goes, as long as it's Italian--but usually about half the cars are Alfa Romeos. What I like about this show is that it's very low-key. The exhibitors are not at all snooty. People show everything from well-used Fiat wagons to brand new cars.  There were Fiats, Lamborghinis, Lancias, de Tomasos, Maseratis, Ferraris, and more. The car next to mine was an old Fiat X1/9 converted to electric power--a car that got a lot of attention. Fun, as usual.

Cars: 1961 Studebaker Hawk (May 22, 2012)

This car parked a few slots down from me yesterday at the grocery store. It's a 1961 Studebaker Hawk. 1961 was the last year of production, according to the man driving the car. He seemed pleased I noticed it and said something about it. I thought it was pretty, so I photographed it.

On the Road: (Pacific Northwest, 2011) Portland, Seattle

I spent most of the day yesterday in a drab hotel room, working. Today, with rain in the forecast, I decided on some indoor entertainment. I headed for the Portland Art Museum to see the current shows "The Allure of the Automobile"--18 fabulous cars--and "Auto Magic," the latter an arresting collection of photographs by Ray K. Metzker, many with automotive themes to go with the cars, but some of the prints were so beautiful--with highlights like polished silver glowing out from deep, light-absorbent blacks--that the subject matter seemed irrelevant. This is a photographer I knew nothing about, but I'm very glad to have been able to see these very seductive images.

Outside the museum, a group of enthusiasts were showing off their cars (a weekly event, it seems, not connected directly with the exhibit). Miss Oregon was present (both in the museum and outside), for no discernible reason--and no one had an explanation for her presence (I enquired). She just dropped in--tiara, "Miss Oregon" sash, pert bottom and all? Who knows?

The cars in the museum were breathtaking examples--in the true sense of the word "breathtaking." The love and care in their design and construction were palpable. Spoked wheels, ostrich leather interiors, ribbed chrome grills designed to gulp air in huge draughts, hand-tooled gas caps, door handles that seemed designed to throw sinuous, sexy shadows on silver doors. Every detail perfect. Names like Alfa Romeo, Bugatti, Ferrari, Hispano-Suiza. Why are cars so boringly designed today?

Afterwards I went to the 3D Center of Art and Photography (1928 NW Lovejoy St.)--a small, unassuming space, but a fascinating one with a staff that will show you around in person with great enthusiasm for the subject matter--which is just about every aspect of 3D photography. There are the familiar images with red and blue ghosts that come to life when you wear those paper glasses with one red lens, one blue lens, but also images that rely on a number of other phenomena to create 3D images, both still and moving. A small theatre at the back shows short 3D films and slide shows. I saw a moving (in the emotional sense) slide show about the 3D photographs of one Ben Bathurst, lovingly narrated with wit and enthusiasm by his grandson, Otto Bathurst--black and white 3D slides made in the 1920s, mostly of mountain-climbing scenes. Fascinating stuff. Well worth the visit here.

Grabbed a quick lunch at a sandwich shop called Emanon down the street, recommended by the people at the 3D Center (excellent sandwich--I can second the recommendation), and then headed north to Seattle for a 6:00PM appointment at the Zig Zag Café with Louis, my first college roommate, near the Pike Place Market. Had an excellent dinner at Lecosho over conversation about theater, writing, and art--mussels followed by a squid pasta. Yum.

Cars: The Alameda All-Italian Car and Motorcycle Show (2010)

I just got back from the Alameda All-Italian Car and Motorcycle show, held around this time every year at Lincoln Middle School, in Alameda. There were more than 150 cars on display this year, including my 1978 Alfa Romeo Spider--more than I've ever seen before. There were cars from Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Fiat, Ferrari, Maserati, De Tomaso, Bertone, and Abarth Fiat. A big crowd turned out to see the cars as well. Proceeds from the event go to the Alameda Special Olympics.

As usual, the cars ran the gamut from Fiat clunkers to pristine concourse-ready restorations along with some beautiful unrestored cars. The oldest car this year was a 1925 Lancia. There were two "Jollies" (customizations, usually of the Fiat 600, done by the Ghia people, with wicker seats and frilly sunscreens; they were originally designed for use on the yachts of the very wealthy. Each one is unique. Only about 100 are said to exist).

Someone even brought a Yugo, presumably because it's essentially a Fiat. One year someone showed their Karman Ghia, because the body design is Italian. What I like about the Alameda show is just this laid-back attitude. Even the Ferrari owners that come are comparatively friendly. There were also about 40 motorcycles including an interesting 1946 Motto Guzzi. This show is always well worth the time--if you love Italian cars, or just love to look at art on wheels.

Tidbits: Car Insurance Explained

I think I've got it now: I move to Progressive, next switch to Geico, then go to Allstate--and my car insurance is free, right?

Art on Wheels: 2009 Alameda All-Italian Car and Motorcycle Show

I showed my 1978 Alfa Romeo Spider at the 2009 Alameda All-Italian Car and Motorcycle Show today (first picture--just washed and ready for the drive to Alameda). Here are a few pictures of cars at the show--three Alfa Romeos, a Ferrari racing car cockpit, and a little Fiat 600. The turn out was excellent this year and there were more cars than I remember seeing in the past. It was mostly Alfas, which is why I enjoy the show, but there were cars from Fiat, Lancia, Maserati, Lamborghini, and Ferrari among others. Art on wheels.

Miscllaneous: Oakmont Classic Car Show (2009)

I showed my 1978 Alfa Romeo Spider at the Oakmont Classic Car Show (Santa Rosa, CA) on Saturday, hobbling around on my swollen, bee-stung foot. Mine was one of only four foreign cars at the show. Members of the Oakmont crowd are mostly nostalgic for the cars they grew up with, so, in that spirit, I offer the photo posted here--a miniature celebration of American steel. The amount of chromed steel that went into 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s American automobiles is truly staggering. When I get around to it, I'll post a photo of the Spider. The show was fun, but I feel more at home at the annual Alameda All-Italian show in the autumn.

Tidbits: Oakmont Classic Car Show

This Saturday, the 22nd, is the annual Classic Car Show at Oakmont. 

I'll be showing my 1978 Alfa Romeo Spider again this year.

Miscellaneous: Not Wasted, Just Different

At about 10:30 this morning, I zipped off to the Saturday farmers market downtown to buy some honey. I arrived home at nearly 5:00PM. The market closes at noon. What happened to the missing five hours you wonder? Read on.

I had planned to get home quickly. I wanted to finish the blog entry below, and I had other work to do. I picked up a jar of honey and started home. Suddenly, the car died. The engine just stopped. It started up briefly a moment later, allowing me to drive a few hundred feet more, then died completely. The battery light came on and I had to coast to a stop on Sonoma Ave.--in a no parking zone, right in front of the main police station. Santa Rosa's main fire station is right next door. "If the car spontaneously combusts, I'm in good shape," I thought to myself. (Actually, that's a lie, but it sounded good, so I threw it in there.)

When it became apparent that I'd have to wait three hours for a tow, I decided to make the best of things. I walked downtown (a few blocks), got a sandwich and a cup of coffee at the kosher deli on 4th St. (I didn't know Santa Rosa had a kosher deli, but there it was. Great.) Afterwards I walked around town, looked in the bookstores, stopped by the library, and spent a few minutes watching the people that were people-watching from the chairs in front of Peet's Coffee. After leaving the car for repair on Monday, I finally made it home (thanks Mom) with not only a jar of honey but also a book (The Girl with the Pearl Earring) and a couple of musical scores bought cheap at the used bookstore. I even had an interesting conversation with the tow truck driver--comparing notes on the trials associated with restoring and running old cars and motorcycles.

Not a wasted day, just not the day I had planned.

I bought honey today for the first time in eight years. Because I keep bees, I'm not used to paying for honey, but I just hived a new swarm last spring after losing the colony that I had going, and I judged the brand new colony too weak to take honey from this past fall. We just used up the last from the harvest of the year before. Honey has gotten remarkably expensive in the interim. I almost balked, but decided to look at it as support for the local beekeepers at the market that often give me free advice.

Cars I'm Restoring: New Hub Covers

Much of the restoration saga is finished--too late to be chronicled in this newly started blog, but I continue to make small improvements to my 1978 Alfa Romeo Spider. I finally located a set of new hub covers for the car, on Ebay. Technically, hubcaps, I suppose, but these are only about two inches in diameter. They are adorned with the Alfa Romeo logo, which comes in many minor variations of drawing, but all with some sort of humanoid being swallowed by a serpent. The humanoid on these looks more adult than the "baby" the serpent is often eating whole.

The usual sources of Alfa information suggested removing the old caps (and the snap rings that hold them in) might be difficult after 30 years of corrosion and grime build-up (someone suggested I'd have to jack up the car, remove the wheels, and tap them out from behind), but they came off from the front--in a snap, you might say. I had allocated a morning to this project, but did it in about half an hour. No one will notice the improvement--a detail--except me, but I'm grateful for little pleasures.

Old cars can be mysterious. Today's little upgrade offered this mystery: Behind two of the wheel caps (those on the front wheels) there is a ball of metal. Each has a dab of sky-blue paint on it. Behind the covers on the back wheels there was nothing, just a hole. Hmmm...... Sort of makes me want to take apart the wheels on my other little convertible, a blazing yellow Miata. Not really.