Blast from the past

[colcol]

Recently i was looking up in my car owners books supplied with the 33, and under 'Service', it was quite interesting to see how the landscape had changed, the books were printed in 1984, the biggest selling Alfa Romeo of all time had just been introduced that is the Alfa 33 sedans 989,324 units sold, not including wagons or Sprints, this had replaced the second biggest selling Alfa Romeo the Alfasud, 972,713 sold, see if you reconise some of the old dealers from 84.
1. Talbot Motors in Abbotsford, - know of this place, its where i purchased my 33 in 1986!, was a club sponsor.
2. Rugolo Motor Body Works in Ascot Vale, - Alfa Romeo Panel Beaters, used to be a club sponsor.
3. Cambro Motors in Clayton, - Alfa Romeo Panel Beaters in Clayton, also used to sponsor the club.
4. Straighway Motors in Cheltenham, Alfa Romeo Dealer, - I think they started selling Peugeots, also used to be a club sponsor.
5. Kellow Falkiner in Glen Waverley, - They were a British Leyland Dealer in the 70's, so they would have been used to warranty claims!
6. Henly Motors in Hawthorn - Alfa Romeo Dealer, went broke about 1990?, i used to buy my spare parts there, old bloke in a dust coat knew more about Alfa parts than the computer, missed very much, was a club sponsor.
7. Alfa City in North Melbourne - Alfa Romeo Dealer owned by Frank Porter, later on shifted a few blocks down the road and around the corner, was a club sponsor.
8. Clemens Sporting Cars in Oakleigh - were an Alfa Romeo dealer early on in the 70's.
9. Peter Greenough Motors in Preston - was a service provider and i heard he used to fix automatics in 164's, still going i beleive.
10. Bennica Motors in Surrey Hills, Sold new Alfa Romeo's early on, mostly known as a service provider, still going today with Joe, Patrick and Peter, the place used by the Alfa club for their Dyno days, has had a collection of fast Alfa Romeo sports sedans, still going and servicing Alfa's' was a club sponsor.
11. Peter Stapleton in Ballarat - Sold new Alfa Romeo's between 1972-1992, still sevices and sells
spare parts, also wrecks Alfa Romeo's as well, still going.
12. Gil Gordon in Geelong - don't know anything about Gil Gordon, anyone from Geelong know?
13. Ross Lamont in Geelong - imagine having 2 dealers in Geelong for Alfa Romeo's, don't know at all about Ross Lamont.
14. P&R Eurocars in Moe, - once again don't know, anyone from Moe know?
15. F&M Dondio in Myrtleford, - didn't think that there was a big demand for Alfa Romeo's in Myrtleford, most likely a service provider.
16. Bill Clayton Motors in Shepparton - anyone from Shep know?
And here are some that are not mentioned in 1984, but came after the book was printed,
17. Max Kirwin Alfa Romeo in Greensborough, yes Max Kirwin sold Alfa Romeo's briefly in Plenty road, but made his name with Mazda's.
18. Berwick Alfa Romeo in Berwick - Berwick had a Alfa Dealer in Berwick in the 80's also selling Nissans, not to be confused with ARNA's, but thats another story.
19. Henly's in Heidleburg, just up the road from me, sold Volvo's and Alfa Romeo's, shifted about the time i purchased my 33, meaning i couldn't walk there anymore.
With all the new dealers coming on to sell Alfa Romeo's, i wonder how many will fall by the wayside or figure out its not the goldmine they thought it would be, selling and servicing cars is a tough game, look at the list and see who isn't doing it now, Colin.

[Craig C]

4. The Straightway Motors buildings are still there, it is now a tile shop.  Fond memories of ogling the various Alfas they used to have on their forecourt.

[GTV-074]

Great Memories Col !

Correct about the guy in the dustcoat at Henly .... what he didn't know about Alfa spares would fit on the back of postage stamp. Clemens were in Neerim Road... when they were getting out of Alfa stuff.... the parts guy let me jump the counter and pick what I needed....filled a box....he then couldn't be bothered to look up all the part numbers so he pulled out a figure from thin air and asked if I was happy with that (I was!) and away I went. Alfa City had Frank's son Derrim working in the spares section for a number of years. Benninca's.... got my first Alfa from them ($900 for my 66' Super! ..one owner).

Also, Straightaway Alfa in Cheltenham were known by another name before that..I remember going there to buy some used bits for my Super....
Anyone remember the name?

Cheers,

Paul.

[Victor Lee]

  1.  Ah, Talbot Motors!  Bought my first Alfa (Alfa 33 Gold Cloverleaf single carb) from them in 1985.  The Service Manager (Ray?) also wore a dust coat everyday as well.  Unfortunately, got to know him very well.   
  2.  Rugulo.  Had some rust fixed on the 33 after 8 months under warranty.
10.  Beninca's.  First intro to them in 1985/86 looking to put twin carbs on the 33 after finding out that ALL 33 Gold Cloverleaf were now coming out with twin carbs. 

[alfagtv58]

12. Gil Gordon in Geelong - don't know anything about Gil Gordon, anyone from Geelong know?

Gil Gordon ran a couple of Group C Alfa's at Bathurst.  A 105 (2L) and an Alfetta GTAM, both of which are now owned by The Enforcer (on this forum) and run in original Group C spec.  I believe Gil came out to the Phillip Island historics this year (or last?) to have a look at them in their restored condition complete with Gil Gordon livery from the day.  As a side note,  an impulse buy from eBay, I recently picked up a 1979 Australian Sports Car magazine (sister publication to Wheels) which was an 'Alfa Edition', it has an advertisement from Gil Gordon on the inside cover.

[colcol]

Victor, the Service Manager at Talbot's had to wear a dustcoat, because he had to work.
At Henly Motors in Camberwell, i was waiting to see someone in the service department and there was this young girl about 20 years old bawling her eyes out, it seems her 33 experience wasn't to her liking.
The Henly Motors place in Heidleburg that was a Volvo and Alfa Romeo Dealer is now a Doctor/Dentist/Chemist Medical Centre,.....but according to a bloke from around Bendigo who i got talking to on a Sunday Run, asked me ,"Col where do you live", told him, he said yes, he knows where, near in Burgundy Street, Heidleburg, there used to be a Alfa Dealer there in the 80's, but in the 60's i worked there as a Mechanic, it was a Rootes dealership selling Hillmans!
Alfa 33's had a 6 year corrosion warranty, but it wasn't worth the paper it was printed on, too many ifs and buts, like the car had to be serviced at a Alfa Service Dealer, not at a Licenced Service provider, Alfa didn't want to know about rust problems, left a bad taste in 33 owners mouth, Colin.

[colcol]

Derrim Porter was the owners son of Alfa City, Derrim was one of the most helpfull spare parts interpretors i have ever dealt with, i think he drove a Sud and knew them backwards, i beleive he now works for Repco?, his replacement at Alfa City was not so helpfull.
Does anybody remember Autoricambi round the corner from Alfa City?, i later found out that 'Autoricambi' stood for 'original parts', always thought it meant empty warehouse, in the 5 years or so i used to go there, the only thing i ever purchased was when they were closing down, i purchased a ATE brake and clutch book that i hoped would see me right on getting a Alfasud handbrake to work, i later found out that the fix for having an operating handbrake on an Alfa was to .....purchase a 33 with the big Fiat 131 drum brakes on the back, a bit cheap and unsophisticated,but they sure did work, Colin.

[ItalCarGuy]

I've got a cool set of blue Alfa Romeo work overalls from Talbot Motors. One of the mechs musta been a little guy as I had to get them altered a fair bit to get more length out of them and I'm pretty average height.

[Paul Gulliver]

One of the mechs musta been a little guy as I had to get them altered a fair bit to get more length out of them and I'm pretty average height.

Derek your airbag ( stomach) hasn't gone off  has it

[colcol]

Anyone remember Autosprint Motors in Nicholsen St, in Fitzroy?, i think they shifted down to near the Eastern freeway in Fitzroy, and remember Florio Motors, a wrecker in Thomastown or Lalor?, Colin.

[aggie57]

Yep - remember Autosprint.  Someone I knew bought 2 Alfa's from there; one Alfetta 1.8 sedan and an Alfetta GTV.

[Ray Pignataro]

Colin in the fiftys bob Jane  had auto land in Brunswick  where he sold alfas amongst other things

[Sportscar Nut]

Great thread Colin. My Sud was sold new by Talbots and I purchased from Short Tony at Alfa City in 92.

I do take exception to one comment though '.... i later found out that the fix for having an operating handbrake on an Alfa was to .....purchase a 33....'.  Beninca's modified the Sud calipers 20 years ago and have not had a handbrake problem since (ie going out of adjustment)!

The 105 was sold new by MW Motors in Elzabeth Street and I believe the M stood for Mantons.

Cheers
Paul

[colcol]

POC, the MW i think stood for Murray Wright?, he sold Alfa Romeo's up until about 1972 when Alfa Romeo Australia were formed, a current Alfa Romeo club member purchased his Alfa there and traded his Woolsely in on it!, as Alfa Romeo were appointing new Dealers and he then started selling other cars, one of the brands he sold was Skoda the original Czechosolvakia Car maker who sold rear engined cars with swing axles, a world away from the current Volkswagon clones sold now, Colin.

[Sheldon McIntosh]

Skoda the original Czechosolvakia Car maker who sold rear engined cars with swing axles, a world away from the current Volkswagon clones sold now, Colin.

Rear-engined with swing axles doesn't sound too far away from a Volkswagen to me...