december 2005 nwarc fall tour: three mountains and a …
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Doc at Overlook - Sunday
Harry Reed and I decided we wanted the club to have a Fall Tour, and so we got together with our calendars. Turned out the only weekend that worked for both of us also worked for SOVREN. Initially, we had chosen to go north and explore the area north and east of Winthrop around Republic. Good experience for my interest in putting together a Lap of WA. Then we got to thinking: neither of us had been to the SOVREN hill climb at Maryhill. That thought led to asking Alfa SOVREN members for info. Well, Doc Doolittle took the bait hard and Harry and I wiggled off the hook.
Saturday morning, Doc gathered us at his favorite casino in Renton: one Spider, two GTVs, one Milano, one GTV6, one 164, one TR6, one Lotus Esprit, one Healy 3000, and one BMW 7 series – unfortunately minus Harry, who had to nurse
Event Overview
SaturdayTour kicks off in Renton
Visit to the Porsche Club in Eaton-ville
Stop off in Randall for fuel
Continued on to Mt. St. Helens
Visit to Windy Ridge Overlook
Lunch at The Logs restaurant
Headed back to Glenwood, down the Klickitat to Lyle and the Columbia
Dinner at Casa El Mirador
SundaySleep in!
Overlook at the Gorge
Continue on to the Maryhill Hill Climb
On to home before nightfall
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In This IssueNWARC Fall TourA travel log from the road at the NWARC Fall Tour
Alfafredly’s RamblingLooking forward to the year ahead
Christmas Party and Silent AuctionReservation deadline is December 10th. Make your reservations now!Details on page 5
Member ProfileMeet Jane Emerson
Dashboard RestorationLearn this simple method for salvaging that cracked dashboard
Calendar of Events2005 Events Calendar
Newsletter SubmissionsInterested in contributing to the Iniezione? Details on page 3
NWARC Fall Tour:Three Mountains and a HillclimbStory and photos by Dave Emerson
Continued on page 6
December 2005
Dashboard Restoration 101By Daron Walker
After several experiments in my workshop I finally found a virtually flawless way to recondition vinyl dashboards. The unit in the picture below has lots of cracks -- many more then the photo shows. It has a total of eleven different cracks ranging from minor to severe. Read the full story on page 10
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Board MembersPresidentFred Wright312 211th Place SESammamish, WA [email protected]
Vice-PresidentJohn van Rensburg17917 Bothell-Everett Hwy #102Bothell, WA [email protected]
SecretaryPatrick Hood5927 41st Avenue SWSeattle, WA [email protected]
TreasurerRon CalkinsPO Box 33512Seattle Wa [email protected]
Committee DirectorsActivitiesDave Kingstone14614 72nd Place NEKenmore, WA [email protected]
CompetitionHerb Sanborn900 South 10th St.Mt. Vernon, WA [email protected]
MembershipHarry Reed8111 184th St SWEdmonds, WA [email protected]
WebmasterKim [email protected]
Iniezione StaffEditor/DesignerCyndi Walker3917 S. 326th Pl.Federal Way, WA [email protected] Copy EditorAmy [email protected] Technical EditorWes Ingram309 S. Cloverdale St #D-5Seattle Wa [email protected]
Production EditorFred [email protected]
Continued on Page 3
December 2005As the Potlatch moves toward the long-term memory bank, we still have one more success to celebrate – the check presentation to the Adam and Julie Edwards Foundation at Children’s Hospital. At the Holiday Gala on December 17th, we will announce the final amount raised through the Spider giveaway. It is a big number!
Speaking of the holiday party – do you have your reservations yet? You need to be there. Now is the time to send in those checks for the final Alfa event of 2005. We have so much to celebrate as a club, and this semi-formal event will allow us to share the stories and experiences of this fantastic year one more time. Kathy and I will be fresh off the plane from our vacation to Mexico, so we will be rested and ready to party. Looking forward to seeing each of you and a big crowd at this year’s Holiday Gala.
You may have heard by now that Kathy and I have sold a couple of our Alfas. It was time to thin the herd a bit, although it was a tough decision to sell them, especially the GTV-6. The reason I mention selling these cars is to point out your Alfa’s value. I proved to myself (and several others) that our beloved mark is, in general, being undervalued by our own beliefs. When I started the selling process, I asked many knowledgeable Alfisti what they thought these cars were worth. In almost all cases, people had quite low expectations of what I could sell my cars for. After all, I was selling a Milano Platinum and a GTV-6. Fellow Alfisti, I encourage you to raise your belief system. These cars are wonderful and there aren’t going to be any more of them. We were able to find very happy buyers for our cars, and fetched a price higher than most people would have believed we could. Alfa Romeos are special, and are worth more than we believe. As we head into 2006, let’s make a resolution to shift our value beliefs upward! Hey, why not?
Speaking of 2006, what can you expect from your club next year? We look forward to a more relaxed year for NWARC. Your board is trying to find better ways to communicate with the members. For instance, we hope you will find this publication to be a better tool in the coming months. Do you like the new format? Please let us know. We have many other things planned in the communications arena. Stay tuned.
The leadership of the club needs to be spread among more members, and we need to attract more new members. So we will be working on ways to make that happen in the days ahead.
We also want to provide more ways for the club membership to get together and enjoy our cars. Dave Emerson has got some great things planned for us next year. It will be a fun year! See you at the Gala.
Always enjoy the drive!
Ciao!Fred
Alfafredly’s Rambling
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Club Liaisons Italian Car Club of British Columbia Fritz Duernberger 604.988.7904
Society of Vintage RacingEnthusiasts (SOVREN) Steve Scheaffer 206.6789.9317
Alfa Romeo Owners Club of OregonDan Sommers 503.649.6735
www.nwalfaclub.comThe Iniezione is the monthly newsletterof the Northwest Alfa Romeo Club, a non-profit organization of Alfa Romeo enthusiasts. NWARC is a regional chapter of the national Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC). Chapter meetings are held the second Tuesday of every month except December.
Membership dues are $63 per year, which includes subscriptions to the Iniezione and the national publication, Alfa Owner. For information about joining the club, contact the membership director, whose name appears on this page.
Deadline for the submission of articles or classified ads is the second Saturday of the month prior to the issue month.
Opinions expressed in the Iniezione are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the club.
Publication of articles describing techni-cal procedures does not constitute an endorsement by the club, its officers, or AROC. It is the responsibility of the person performing any procedure to accept all consequences of his or her actions.
Interested in contributingto the Iniezione?Share your love of Alfa Romeos with your fellow NWARC membersWe are currently accepting articles, photo essays, how-to articles, travel stories and other pieces on Alfa Romeo related topics. Be a part of the club and spread the joy of Alfa Romeo ownership!
Submission GuidelinesPlease submit all articles and other content in Word format and send to: [email protected]. Photo submissions should be in either JPG or EPS format saved as high resolution (300 dpi). Remember to include your name, article title, and contact information with all submissions.
DeadlinesDeadline for the submission of articles or classified ads is the second Saturday of the month prior to the issue month.
Questions? E-mail [email protected]
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Sat, 1st Jan Tour to Anacortes to visit Autostrada Restoration Shop – Fred Schueddkopp
Tue, 11th Jan General Meeting, Team Seattle – Don Kitch
Sat, 29th Jan Ferrari Challenge Karting, Champs Karting, Seattle – Will Diefenbach
Sat, 5th Feb NWARC hosted telecast of Rolex 24 Hours, Daytona
Sat, 12th Feb Drivers School, Bremerton
Sat, 26th Feb Performance School, Bremerton
Sat, 5th Mar AROO Track Day, Portland International Raceway
Sat, 12th Mar G2 Motorsports Tech Session & visit to the Ken McBride Collection – Joe English
Fri, 18th Mar Lapping Day, Bremerton
Sat, 19th Mar St. Paddy’s Party with the Faherty’s, Fox Island – Joe Faherty
Fri & Sat, 15th-16th Apr SOVREN Defrost Kickoff, Pacific Raceway
Sun, 17th Apr Lapping Day, Pacific Raceway
Sat, 23rd Apr 23rd LaConner Tulip Rallye Tour, Mount Vernon – Ken Bottini MGCC
Sat & Sun, 14th-15th May SOVREN Spring Sprints, Pacific Raceway
Sun, 15th May Lapping Day, Bremerton
Wed, 15th Jun Lapping Day, Pacific Raceway
Sun, 19th Jun Champ Car Grand Prix of Portland at Portland International Raceway
Fri-Sun, 1st-3rd Jul SOVREN Pacific Northwest Historics & Car Corral, Pacific Raceway – Dave Kingstone
Sun, 24th Jul Ferrari & Maserati’s on 12th with car run to Marymoor Park – Roberto Perrina
Wed-Sun, 27th-31st, Jul AROC National Convention, “Potlatch, Seattle, 2005”
Fri, 29th Jul Time Trials (National Convention), Pacific Raceway
Thur, 18th Aug Lapping Day, Pacific Raceway
Fri-Sun, 3rd-5th Sep SOVREN Columbia River Classic, Portland International Raceway
Sun, 4th Sep Italian Concours d’Elegance, South Lake Union Park – Brian Jones
Sun, 11th Sep Potlatch Thank you Lunch, Seward Park - Gordy Hyde
Thur, 15th Sep Lapping Day, Pacific Raceway
Sat & Sun, 24th-25th Sep SOVREN Fall Finale, Pacific Raceway
Sat & Sun,14th- 25th Sep Festa Italiana, Seattle Center
Sat & Sun, 8th-9th Oct NWARC Fall Tour “3 Mountains & a Hillclimb” Emmo & Doc
Sun, 9th Oct SOVREN Maryhill Loops Hillclimb
Sat, 15th Oct Lapping Day, Pacific Raceway
Sun, 13th Nov Drivers School, Bremerton
Sat, 17th Dec Christmas Gala & Silent Auction, Museum of Flight – Jane Emerson
Items in bold are NWARC events
2005 NWARC Calendar of Events
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Event DetailsWhen: December 17th, 2005
Where: Museum of Flight
Tickets:$38.50 per person
Deadline for reservations is December 10th
NW ALFA Holiday Gala 2005 and Silent AuctionSaturday, December 17th at the Museum of FlightPLEASE NOTE THE EARLIER START TIME5pm for hors d’oeuvres, a no-host bar, and silent auction.7pm for dinnerProgram includes announcing the ALFISTI of the YearPlease help out again this year with your silent auction donations. Contact Rita Ingram if you want to donate an item (phone: 360-707-0154, email: [email protected]).
If you have questions or comments, contact me (Jane Emerson) at 206-634-2983, or email: [email protected]
Remember that Gala attendees can visit the Museum of Flight from 10am until 6pm for free (a $14 value) on the day of the event.
Join In The Fun, Make Your Reservations NowDeadline for reservations is December 10thName: ___________________________________________________ Phone: __________________________________________
E-mail address: ____________________________________________
$38.50 per person - Please choose an entrée for each person.
____-____-____ Roasted Salmon with Lemon Chive Cream
____-____-____ Herb Roasted Prime Rib of Beef with Apple Horseradish
____-____-____ Portobella, Shiitake & Domestic Mushrooms with Spinach & Tomatoes baked in a Puff Pastry Shell
Dinner also includes a salad, Toasted Orzo & Wild Rice Blend with Toasted Hazelnuts, seasonal vegetable and dessert.
Please make checks payable to NWARC, mail to:Ron Calkins, NWARC TreasurerPO Box 33512Seattle, WA 98133
Or use VISA/MC Card # ______________________________________ Exp: ___________________________________________
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a sick cat. Doc took us past the Porsche club in Eatonville, where everyone seemed more into brunch than driving. After a fuel stop in Randall where all but one of us took care of business, we took off behind Mt. St. Helens. After some misadventures, we ended up at the Windy Ridge Overlook and sent the Esprit back for gas. Even a hybrid would have to go back with just a little over one gallon before setting off through the woods to Grandma’s at BZ Corner.
Grandma, as it turns out, runs The Logs restaurant. We were starving by the time we pulled in, and stuffed when we left. I had originally intended to scout Lap o’ WA routes, and we ended up doing it anyway. Lots of grins per mile, no boys in blue, little traffic, and only two very short unpaved sections. From BZ, we headed back up to Glenwood then down the Klickitat to Lyle and the Columbia. Great golden fall scenery along the way, quite different from early in the day. At Lyle we turned east along the Columbia to the crossing at The Dalles. By then we’d lost our mountain barrier and finally picked up the rain that had threatened all day. But by then who cared. Freshen up, then a big group feed at Casa El Mirador. By then I had figured out I had no running lights – what, again? Well then, my GTV is named Miles for Miles Davis, the Prince of Darkness, who only drove Alfas.
On Sunday, Doc let us sleep in a bit, and then we did a short loop, including a fabulous overlook of the gorge, and ending up back in town so folks could pick up lunch for later. From there we headed over to the Maryhill Hill Climb. Jane and I broke away around 2:00 for the drive home and made it before dark. All and all, a great fall weekend. Thanks, Doc! Now start thinking about a three-day 1400 mile Lap o’WA, as yet unplanned for sometime in September 2006.
Emmo
NWARC Fall Tour (Continued from Cover)
Lunch at The Logs - Saturday Joe Faherty at The Logs - Saturday
John Gates at Maryhill - Sunday
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INGRAM ENTERPRISES INC.309 South Cloverdale Street #D-5Seattle, Wa 98108 206.762.3931 Ingram Enterprises, world rebuilders of Spica fuel
injection systems for 1969 through 1981 Alfas
W W W. W E S I N G R A M . C O M
• Spica Book• Vintage Alfa service• Mechanical fuel injection • Complete 4cyl engine rebuilding• Cylinder heads and cams• Performance connecting rods• Engine dyno service• 101,105 and 115 transmission rebuilding
Dave Emerson Photo
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Jane EmersonWhat is your occupation? Sometimes cook, helper for a 90 year-old friend, weaver, gardener, tourist… but basically nothing.
What Alfas have you owned? None myself. David has two now, a ’58 Giulietta and a ’72 GTV. His first Alfa was a ’76 Spider.
Other Italian vehicles? Also, David had a ’79 Fiat Spyder before the ’76 Alfa Spider.
How long have you been a member of the NWARC or other Alfa clubs? Joined NWARC in the fall of 1992.
What has been your most memorable Alfa Romeo moment? David and I went to the “Giulietta Golden Jubliee” in 2004. Outside of Milan, we met up with the Giulietta Register folks from Great Britain. Alfa Romeo hosted a great party, including an escorted drive into Milan from the Alfa Romeo Museo Storico in Arese, an awards dinner at the Palazzo Reale, and the next day at Balocco. Even though we did not have the ’58 Giulietta there, we were able to ride with others. I rode the whole weekend and at Balocco in a Giulietta Sprint Veloce Zagato driven by an ex-racer, Tim Blackburn. Tim’s SVZ was built by Alfa as a Sprint Veloce in ’56, then rebuilt in ’58 by Zagato.
Anything else you would like to share about yourself? As most of you know, I am not into cars. I like the club members and the social activities of the club.
NWARC Club Member Profile
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Jane Emerson (left) with their ‘72 GTV during the October Fall Tour Event Photo: Dave Emerson
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Attn: All Alfa GuysWes Ingram is moving. The bad news is that Wes Ingram, the best SPICA pump man in the business and all-around supplier of Alfa services, is moving from his familiar southwest Seattle location. The good news is that he is just moving to Burlington, a 60-minute drive from Seattle. Wes’ services have been very important to many Alfa drivers. Side note: Wes’ Seattle shop is availalbe for any small racing team. You can reach Wes at (206) 762-3931, or (206) 501-7655. Email at [email protected]. For more information you can also visit Wes’ website: www.wesingram.com
For Sale:Two Sava studded snow tires (185/70-14) mounted on Milano steel rims. Used very little. Free. Located in Issauqah, [email protected]. 425-644-9660 x323. (9/05)
Interested in placing a classified ad? Send and email to [email protected] for more information
Classified Ads
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Dashboard Restoration 101A simple do-it-yourself process for restoring cracked dashboardsBy Daron Walker
After several experiments in my workshop, I finally found a virtually flawless way to recondition vinyl dashboards. The unit in the picture below has lots of cracks -- many more than the photo shows. It has a total of eleven different cracks, ranging from minor to severe.
I first started working on this process about a year ago. My motivation was the incredible cost of having a dash restored or replaced ($600.00 - $1200.00). It’s not that I’m cheap, it’s just that I put a lot of cars together over a year’s time, and the expense of a dash restoration is something I’m not going to be able to recover come resale.
Yes, a dash cap is an option, but, when it’s installed, everybody sees it and it tells a negative story. I think it’s important to state: like dash caps, my process is not an option I would pursue for a car that is being restored as a concourse (trailer queen) car. I say this because the final product will look great, but it will not have the same texture that the original dash had. The original goal was to come up with a process that not only looked good but was also cost effective.
The price range was easy to determine: under $70.00. Why $70.00? Simple – that’s what a dash cap, minus shipping, would cost. I had developed many different processes within that budget, and although most were successful, I was not confident about the long-term results. So the development and experimentation continued. Then one day I was told about a product designed for the repair of plastic bumpers on newer cars. I tested the product on a few pieces of PVC, polycarbonate, and polybutilyn. I was amazed by its straight, and its tolerance to flexing and moderate heat. I knew this was the ideal product for the dash repair concept.
Supply List:80,180, 240,320 and 400 grit sandpaperTwo part plastic epoxy (this is made by 3M, Evercoat, Dupont and many others)Wax and grease remover One can Aerosol spray bed linerDash paint (optional)
Step 1: Prep WorkFirst, I used a grease and wax remover. This step is important because years of dash cleaners and material breakdown leave a residue deep in the pores, which, if not removed, could create a reaction called “solvent sensitivity” when we apply our coatings later.
Step 2: SandingThe sanding process begins by sanding all of the high spots to level or below level. A nice added benefit of the epoxy is its self-leveling action, which means you are better off overfilling the cracks and allowing the product to float into the crevasses and above the surface of the dash. This will result in the product drying slightly above the cracks.
Step 3: Epoxy ApplicationThis is GREAT stuff. It’s a two-part plastic epoxy product. This product’s original use is to fuse plastic bumpers back together after they have been in an accident. 3M, Evercoat and Dupont (to name a few) all make this product, which is designed to repair polycarbonate, PVC and other types of plastic bumpers. It fills and spreads great, dries rock hard, and is flexible. Again, allow it to slightly overfill the cracks. In the picture below, you can see the epoxy at work (shiny black areas).
The epoxy I elected to use was one made by Evercoat. The reason
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was that I didn’t need a special applicator, which some of the other manufactures require. Evercoat’s product is applied with a simple caulking gun. When the epoxy dries, it has to be step-sanded. 80, 180, 240, 320 then 400 grit sand paper. Because of how hard it is at this point, aggressive sand paper must be used.
Step 4: Sand AgainNext we spray the first coat of bed liner material. Once the liner is dry, sand it level with 320 grit paper. Use the sand paper to create the desired surface effect. Apply one more coat of bed liner before you move to the next step.
Step 5: PaintAt this point I spray a very light coat of vinyl dash paint to even out the tones. Once it dries, I add one last VERY light coat of bed liner.
Step 6: Apply HeatThis photo was taken at the Dupont training center, where I used the infrared lamps to apply heat to the dash to determine if any problems would surface. I maintained a temp of 120 degrees at surface level for the better part of a couple of hours and no issues arose.
For more details and more pictures visit:http://gtam.silvahalo.com/dashrepair
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NovemberChris Gibbons Vancouver, WA 1969 Berlina
Eduardo Jerzierski Sammamish, Wa
Cal & Jean Krueger Sumner, WA 1986 Spider Veloce
Paul Rutherford Newcastle, Wa
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NW Alfa Romeo Clubc/o Harry Reed8111 184th St SWEdmonds, Wa 98026
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Photo submitted by: Lorem Ipsum
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