"And to keep this Alfa-esque, my 164S is limping from a minor but spectacular misadventure in a cemetery. While I try to decide what to do, how often should I drive it to keep things from gluing shut? And how much driving each time?
What I'd give to be able to go out and buy it, mildly used, all over again! Cheers, Joan Seattle, WA" Historically, the often-provided advice is to drive the ever-loving-p**s out of these cars -- I4 or V6, 105 series through 166. It's what they're made to do and I've got years of Alfa Digests advising this very thing. All of the now-departed experts repeatedly stated this. But we're all (all = cars and drivers) getting older now. With age comes a certain level of restraint and caution largely based on experience. "Don't be too hard on the car, she's old. And remember what the mechanic [or AD or AlfaBB poster] said about the potential failure of XYZ." All true, I'm sure. These cars need to see action, though. When run, they need to be pushed hard. Once up to temp, you need to find a place to open the throttle, let them see red-line and allow them to breath like they were meant to. If they break, then fix them or have them fixed. If you don't want to fix them (or pay to fix them) then pass them along to someone who will. In the mid-90s I lived in the Dallas, TX area. I had been out of the Alfa scene for number of years but I stumbled upon a "for parts" Milano Gold for sale in Ft. Worth and bought it. (I might add that I've not been without an Alfa since.) In the course of working on this car I paid a visit to Gary Valant's shop to pick up some parts. Gary had passed on by that point but the shop was still going and I received a bit of a tour. One thing which caught my eye was a rare bird indeed: a Montreal (possibly my favorite production Alfa.) It was in bad shape...body damage and more. I asked about it and was told that the owner was "sort of a collector" who "almost never drove it" and "it was due to have it's fuel tank replaced for the second time due to rust." It was explained to me that the car made regular appearances to fix engine faults caused by fuel sitting too long in the system. The body damage? Well it seems that the most recent fuel-tank rust-out necessitated a towing. The flat-bed tow truck (rare in the mid 90's) driver failed to secure the car correctly and it fell off! *poof* goes one of 7000 cars...the shop wasn't sure if the car could be made right again. It is unlikely that our 164s will ever be 'collectable'. If, in 20 years, there is some interest, it will be for those perfect 164Q specimens with less than 20,000 original miles found in nitrogen-filled barns in Arizona. For now, wake them up, drive them hard, change the timing belts regularly, cross your fingers, fix what breaks and smile. - Eric H., Marietta, GA Current stable: 1994 164LS - 1992 164L (barn find in rehab) - 1976 Spider - 2014 Ford Focus ST -- to be removed from alfa, see http://www.digest.net/bin/digest-subs.cgi or email "unsubscribe alfa" to [email protected]
