|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
On the second Tuesday we met in Kernersville for our monthly renddezvous. We had approximately 25 folks and some interesting cars. Dave Hidalgo brought his video of VIR Historics. The film has in car footage, scenes in the paddock and pits as well as interviews with the owners of VIR and the owners and drivers of the cars competing at VIR. Dave is selling his VIR video for $15 and for more information call him at 336 882 2997 or at windsongvid@prodigy.net
Frank Eaton and David Grantham brought their film Rally 2000 which is a great cinematic documentary of the 20th British Car Days South TSD Rally and Show. Frank, David and their staff at AdMaverick are shooting a film on Corsa Rossa’s European Festival and the Childrens’ Art Program. Frank and David will meet us with our Italian Cars at Ollies Bakery at the corner of Marshall and Brookstown in Winston Salem at 8:30am Saturday August 26th. Please be there with your Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Ferrari, Lancia, Lamborghini for a nice outing and some filming.
Lee Davis spoke on the BMW and Susan G.Komen Breast Cancer Foundation rive August 22,2000 from 10am to 6pm. Lee invited us to the BMW dealership for the event and to participate by driving the Z3 2.3 and 2.8 roadsters, the M Coupe, the 3 series convertibles and coupes, the 7 series sedans, the 5 series coupes and wagons and the x5. For each mile we drive on their 8 mile little Nurburgring circuit BMW contributes $1 to the Breast Cancer Foundation. In the last 3 years BMW has raised over $3 million for breast cancer education and research and screening. To reserve a particular car for a certain time call 336 788 3333. Otherwise show up and drive the models available at that time. Lee says several trailer loads of new cars are being brought in just for this event.
Steve Barney of Foreign Cars invited us to watch the Hungarian GranPrix at Foreign Cars Italia on Sunday August 14th. Vic and Amy Beavers extended the invitation. We had a most excellent time last year.
We are excited that our Mid Atlantic Alfa Romeo Brethren are holding the Alfa Romeo Extravaganza in conjunction with Corsa Rossa’s European Festival October 14th. This will certainly add a tremendous level of fellowship and
fun. The Alfa Romeo concours judging will be held separately but the awards announced at the same time as the general European Festival class awards. There will be a tech session at the event hosted in the Alfa Romeo Club on ”when your car will not start” at approximately 11:30am. Dan and Terri Emi are
working out the details on the Party Saturday night and we are working on a spectacular drive from the Festival to their home in nearby Lewisville. We are thinking the Alfa romeo Club and The Ferrari Clubs are interested in a rally from Winston Salem to VIR on Sunday morning and the Emis being members of both clubs are looking into this. This works well for the Washington area Ferraris and the Raleigh and Virginia Mid Atlantic Alfa Romeo members who would to drive home in this direction anyway. This will be major fun in the ride home. Make your hotel reservations now because of Furniture market...
Ciao, John Hauser
On the morning of Saturday the 26th Corsa Rossa gathered at 7:30 outside Ollie's Bakery in central Winston-Salem. The purpose for this early morning gathering was to shoot the upcoming Corsa Rossa movie. John and Thor were the first to arrive bringing with them three roadsters in the Italian colors: A red MG , a white MG and a green Healey. (John's Healey and the Thor's white MG were to act as camera cars during the actual shooting, whereas designer and sometime actress Carol Wooley was featured driving the red MG with panache.)
Before long the cars started to roll in: Steve Jones arrived in his Ferrari 328 closely folowed by Piers Clarkson in a red Porsche 928. Piers' friend Jeff drove Jim Clarkson's Alfa Romeo 164, as Jim was overseas to watch Formula One. Larry Jarvis drove up in an original 1957 Jaguar XK 140, followed by the Snows in a Ferrari 348. The Emmis brought two Ferraris, a 328 and a Testarossa, and everybody sipped coffee and munched on Ollie's pastries while waiting for Steve Karapetian to arrive. Soon the song of a wide open flat-crank V-8 announced his arrival, long before Steve's beautifully preserved 308 pulled up.
AdMaverick's David Grantham and Frank Eaton manned the cameras as we drove through Old Salem. We managed to capture a lot of footage, both stationary and in-car, before the Salem College Campus Police reacted. You see, this was the Saturday when the new students moved in, and Old salem was quite busy. I don't think anybody had counted on us being there.
Anyway, we managed to get out of there without any of the cars seriously overheating, and moved on to the village of Bethania, for more filming. After filming the Bethania segment the Snows headed homeward, and the rest of us continued to the historic settlement of Bethabara.
Then disaster struck! While crossing the narrow one-lane bridge Steve's clutch gave up, leaving him unable to shift gears. He managed to bring the car to safety on the other side, but was still unable to switch gears. Those who know Steve also know that something as trivial as a non-functional clutch will not discourage him. It usually takes something along the lines of a small nuclear charge to stop him, and sure enough, to the amazement of everybody Steve pulled out his toolbox and started diagnosing the car on the spot. Maybe it's something simple after all? Anybody has duck tape, baling wire or some gum? Turns out a busted clutch diaphragm was the culprit. Since nobody happened to carry a spare Ferrari clutch, the question then became whether to nurse the 308 back to Clemmons in second gear (only somebody like Steve would even consider that!) or to flatbed the Ferrari home. After some deliberation the second alternative was chosen, and Dan and Steve took off in the Testarossa to find an open garage with a flatbed. Which is easier said than done on a Saturday morning in Wisnton-Salem.
The past few months Steve's been grumbling about not having a major car project to work on, since he's fixed everything one could possibly conceive fixing (and that's a lot on any Italian car!) and brought the classic Ferrari to as-new condition. Careful what you ask for - the Ferrari 308 GT/4 is now on jack-stands ready to have the transmission pulled. How's that for a project?
So at the time of this writing Corsa Rossa members have no less than three Ferraris out of commission. Steve Karpetian's 308 with a bum clutch, Thor Mirchandani's 365 with miscellaneous rear suspension ailments, and of course Bob Snow's 250 GTE. Will any of the three cars make it to the European car show in October? Will any of the three gentlemen say "To heck with Italian cars!" and buy Corvettes? Stay tuned to this web site for updates!
Ciao, Thor
Every month CorsaRossa receives dozens of emails from people who have questions about their Italian cars. The questions are things like parts inquiries, questions about local mechanics, directions to events, and even tips on hot roads and spirited driving in the area. Thor Mirchandani and John Hauser usually end up passing the questions to somebody knowledgable in any given field, but in order to serve Italian car enthusiasts better, we now have a contact list by marque, so a bewildered sports car enthusiast can direct a question straight to the person who has the answer. Check it out and keep those questions coming!
For Specific Marque activities and repairs:
Alfa Romeo
Our festival consists of cars from all over Europe including Ferraris, Maseratis and Lancias from Italy to BMW, Porsche and Mercedes of Germany, to Aston Martin, MG and Lotus from Britain to Saab and Volvo from Sweeden as well as many other marques. There will be both competition and road cars on display. Registration will begin at 10am and end at 12 noon.
All European cars are invited to participate and will be parked according to their country of manufacture. There are twenty manufacturer classes and those cars not fitting into one of these twenty classes will be placed in the special interest or competition classes. Additional classes may be added prior to the show depending on preregistration.
Click here to print out a registration form!
Registration is $10 per car. A dash plaque will be given to each registered car. Awards will be presented to a car in each marque. Admission to Reynolda House will be free to registrants and children under 12 . Admission will be half price to all thers.
This is a unique setting for the festival in that it offers beautiful and historic Reynolda House, the Art Museum, Reynolda Gardens and Reynolda Village. Live music will be performed in Reynolda Village. The Village is the former support buildings and Dairy for the Reynolds Estate. It is set up in the traditional layout of an English country village. The village offers restaurants such as the Blackhorse Cafe, Reynolda Village Soda Shop, the Village Tavern and the Vineyards, all with outdoor seating. The shops contain everything from clothes, sportswear, antiques, books, music, toys, gourmet cookware and fine foods to jewelry and much more. The village has something for everyone.
At this point we have the following to Report: Import Auto Parts is going to be present at the show through Jennifer Johnston who will present special Cloisone Key Chains to each class winner.
The Emmis are hosting the Saturday night party after the show and are working on the 30 minute tour from Reynolda to their home.
There will be a drive to VIR on Sunday and Lee Davis has offered Coffee Juice Bagels etc at the start and 1/2 price addmission to VIR at the end. We need to discuss whether this will be a tour or TSD rally.
The Ferrari folks in Washington, DC and I believe Raleigh are interested in a rally. MAARC as we know traditionally has its rally on Sunday during the Extravaganza weekend. Jack and I are working on this with imput from Lee Davis who travels these backroads frequently to VIR.
We have a block of rooms at a special rate at the Brookstown Inn across from Ollies in Salem for the out of town Alfa and Ferrari Clubs. Speak to Steve Margolis who has the information from Carol at the Inn. Carol's son has been to each event since 1996.
Music will be provided live and gratis at the show by professional musicians...
Mid Atlantic Alfa Romeo will hold its Extravaganza and in light of the 90th birthday of Alfa Romeo at the event and will host its tech session there. IAP will have as its awards a very special item shipped in from Italy to commemorate the 90th Anniversary.
The featured class is Porsche and it appears to be ready for a big turnout.
David and Catherine Lefevers are working on the special event print with Reynolda House and the proceeds will be donated to the childrens art fund as are our registration receipts each year.
Ciao! John Hauser