In anticipation of our second visit to Kalahari Speedweek 2015, I bought an Alfa Giulietta. It’s a rust bucket and I feel morally obliged to save it! However I always wanted a 105 gtv…
Odd things happen for good reason, even if it doesn’t appear so at the time.
While preparing for a race, amageza.com, on a recent shakedown ride, a client and good friend of mine had a disastrous weekend. After drowning his bike in a river crossing, he found himself isolated cold, wet, in the middle of nowhere with no reception and no means of transport. A comedy of errors ensued and eventually ended up in Calvinia staying with a lovely Alfa hording Portuguese family.
I was not planning on traveling to Amageza, but as fate would have it, I needed to to take Spare Motor (for “Superman” training for Dakar.com 2016) and an extra mechanic to cope with the workload. We would meet at Hakskeenpan (1350km from Cape Town) and I would travel through Calvinia. The perfect chance to check out the Alfas.
Not, one for smelling “the roses”, I call ahead and make arrangements to meet as time is of the essence. We arrive to typical small town hospitality and I realise this will not be the two minute whistle stop I anticipated.
Nuno opens the garage and there she is, a 1971 Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV “race” car. The car of my dreams. I don’t want a concourse car, I want a car I can make mine…something I now know is commonly referred to as fast road/track.
Immediately enquire if the Car is for sale, to which Nuno nonchalantly replies everything is for sale at the right price, the correct answer. We quickly concluded a deal, check out the remainder of the collection and excitedly leave for Hakskeenpan..
We would return the following Friday to collect Junior and tow her back to Cape Town.
Anxiety sets in, buyers remorse? In my over anxious imagination, despite Andreas woes, things are going too smoothly and this deal appears too good to be true…something must be amiss and i start doubting, looking for things to go wrong.
I never checked under the car for rust and oil leaks, I never opened the boot, I never took photos of the interior, omg I never even opened the bonnet… Did the car even have a motor… that we didn’t take the time start and hear run!
Everyday I send Nuno text messages requesting additional information, testing the strength of his promise that the car is good! Like clockwork everyday I receive text messages corroborating his story?
I eventually crack and text Nuno asking straight out if the car is good and if there are any hidden lurkers I should know about! Immediately Nuno phones and puts my mind at ease…
Ray and I travel to Calvinia to collect Junior. Ray, a petrolhead and good friend, would ensure sanity prevailed..
After a long week of texting Nuno and contacting every car enthusiast I know, turns out they all know Ray, this is a good thing!
At breakfast in Klawer, I sms Nuno our eta and arrive 5 minutes late after being stopped for speeding outside Niewoudtville, but being let off with a warning by very gracious traffic officers.
Upon arrival at Nuno, it was clear he had sensed my trepidation as the car was parked in the driveway ready for my test drive. Before we could utter a word, Nuno had bundled Ray and I into the car and sent us on our way.
As we turned out the driveway the first car stops us to ask if my new baby is for sale…. Turns out this was Nunos neighbour , who did not know Nuno was an Alfa hoarder, but who’s uncle in Pretoria is looking for a 1750 GTV for his collection. Happy hunting…
