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From: tron@fluke.UUCP (Peter Barbee)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: An Empirical Observation
Message-ID: <954@vax1.fluke.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 8-Apr-85 16:18:28 EST
Article-I.D.: vax1.954
Posted: Mon Apr  8 16:18:28 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 10-Apr-85 05:28:36 EST
References: <173@ucbcad.UUCP>
Organization: John Fluke Mfg. Co., Inc., Everett, WA
Lines: 40

> Only Germans and Italians can make real sports cars.
> -- 

And real men don't eat quiche.




This could begin an interesting discussion - do the various European
countries produce enthusiast's cars which can be typecast by country?
What are the typical features?  Good and bad, please.

Personally I've always liked the English roadsters, I wish they had continued
to improve them and keep them current.  I liked the feeling of freedom
I got from having the top down in this itty-bitty car that was barely big
enough to fit around me.  I liked the simpleness of the drivetrain components,
is there a carburator simpler than an SU?, a clener gearbox design than that on
Sprites and Midgets?  While not fantastically reliable they were always easy to
fix - I guess at that time I didn't mind fixing something before I could drive
home from work.

Now I drive an Italian car - it is gorgeous, one of the prettiest cars around.
I get the feeling that the Alfa engineers don't consider anything that doesn't
directly affect performance to be worthy of their time.  Maybe I wasn't as
critical of cars that I paid one fifth as much for, but I'd like the visors to
stay put, the windows to roll up properly, and the seat belts to be easy to 
buckle-up.  Aside from the niggling complaints the car is great - they do care
about performance and looks (I realize it is vain to take pride in my fancy
ride - I don't care).


Aack, back to work
Peter Barbee

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