First Pictures

I stumbled across these pictures, taken in March of 1981, and they brought back some memories, and the last shot of my parents returning from some trip reminded me of the strange and goofy way I bought this car.

Remember, I had bought my first Berlina from Ven Fonte, the greatest racing car driver ever to have walked the face of the earth. At the time, he owned this Spider, which happened to also be the fastest Alfa on the planet (which very well may have been true, with him behind the wheel). Now, my fantasies notwithstanding, Ven was truly a superb driver, and this Spider was also very fast and very well set up. In a time where not many street cars were modified, this one had about as much done to it as you could do to a street car. In fact, Ven had even gotten into the infamous Spica mechanical fuel injection system, before it was fashionable, and made some tweaks to it.

So, when he let me know he was thinking of selling it, well, it didn't matter that it was completely out of my reach, I just had to have it. You know?

Now, my parents were on vacation somewhere, and I didn't have a pot to pi$$ in, but I also knew that they had kept a savings account for me, somewhere. Or maybe some stocks and bonds. Sure, it was intended for me to use as a down payment on a house someday, but you can get a house any time, chances like this only come across once in a life time. You know?

I ransacked the house, looking for stocks, bonds, bank books, anything! I finally stumbled across what seemed to be the key to the family safety deposit box, and set off first thing the next morning to go fetch some doubloons and make my purchase. The bank manager politely turned me away (I found out later that the key I brought with me was for the church Coke machine), but I begged and pleaded with a friend and I got a loan for more money than I ever had any idea how to pay back..

I bought the Spider, and the rest, as they say, is history. If I was hooked by the Berlina, then this Spider would firmly glue me in place forever. Parts of it still live on in the Ebony Snake (engine, rear end, steering wheel).

Oh, and the picture of my parents? Well, somehow I thought a Candid Camera moment would be appropriate, so I went to the airport when they returned home, and had my camera ready as I told them I'd just paid $6,000 for a car.

I don't think they were amused..

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