My Giullietta

The car was a beige 1970 Alfa Romeo Giullietta.  1600cc engine, 5-speed manual that to this day is one of the best, most delicate and sweet gearboxes I have ever used.  Room inside for five, and a usable trunk.  I replaced the seats with those from a later model as I wished to have headrests for the long journey ahead.  There had been two modifications from stock:  A silver button engine starter and the headlight high beam switch was under the dash to the left of the steering column.  So this Alfa is simply a beautiful design, a wonderful product of the 60s, perhaps the best decade, in many ways, of the 20th century.  At least as far as cars I think it was.      There are four round headlights, the outer ones shrouded by the bodywork in the subtlest of ways.. The extension of the roof out past the rear window makes the most visual impact.  But the car's handling, so well executed make this nimble car a true joy to drive on any curved road.  The engine, the 1600cc version of the same Vittorio Jano designed four cylinder from years earlier, revs freely and pulls strongly, even in the high altitude.      It is a jewel of an engine as pleasing to look at as it is to touch.  I have some pistons at home and the bolt on the ends of the connecting rods are machined so well that the simple act of tightening them or loosening them brings a tangible joy to my fingers, and a subconscious smile to my face.  I hope the engineers responsible would be happy knowing to what ends I and others like me enjoy their creations.  It makes me happy to know that these men had so much passion and love for the creation of their automobiles.  And remember this car was a basic family sedan.  I'm proud of those engineers and designers and even the accountants, who found a way to imbue an affordable car for the masses with such characteristics and emotions heretofore only found on ultra expensive and low volume Bentleys, Maseratis and Ferraris.  It is one of the reasons I love Alfa Romeo so much.