"BlythBros." (blythbros)
08/10/2016 at 13:00 • Filed to: None
43
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"BlythBros." (blythbros)
08/10/2016 at 13:00 • Filed to: None | 43
| 20 |
It’s been a year since the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! garage burned down (repost!)
My older brother outbid me on a 190E 2.3-16 three years ago. I’d sent him the link on the last day of bidding. Shared my reservations about taking in another needy West German export. At the time, my !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! had no problem converting my free time into bruised hands. I faltered; my brother won.
Our dad owned a 2.3-16 for a brief half year 4 years prior to the bidding. But for reasons unknown, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ’s heart shrank the fall of my freshman year of college, and he sold both the 2.3-16 and his !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .
Having lost out on this one at least, I hoped that my memories of the 2.3-16 were overly romantic. That my e30 would deflate the inflated nostalgia I felt for the Cossie. After all, according to every Craigslist ad in the history of the 318is, I had the poor man’s M3.
Who was I kidding? The 2.3-16 captured me in a way that the e30 could not. The !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! was just as addicting as I remembered it. The hood ornament as enjoyable to rest my eyes on while waiting at stoplights. The low seating position lending itself to the same sense of occasion. Not particularly quick, not necessarily the sharpest car on a back road, but never short on enjoyment. I would need to dig deeper than the e30 if I wanted to match it.
Enter my Milano Verde. I remember calling my dad, a few beers in, on the night that I bought it. I explained to him how such an unremarkable car had me weak in the knees. Firm seats. Quick steering. The haste at the top of the tach. And the noise. I could hardly wait to meet my brother at our parents’ house to compare the cars during Labor Day weekend.
Serial mechanical failures kept me from ever driving that car alongside my brother’s 2.3-16. First due to the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . And then the axle that !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Then there was the first set of bent valves. And the second set. Then a torsion bar snapped mid-corner. And finally, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .
Unexpectedly, the fire brought light to my darkest year ever. It led me away from Ford, where I was my manager’s punching bag for a year. To a weekend spent with distant friends as we cleared the rubble. To the best week I’ve ever spent with my brother, rebuilding my garage. To time spent at the beach with my dear high school friend. To a revitalizing !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! with my girlfriend and my dog, logging 14k drama-free miles and a track day on !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . To a role at a company where I am treated with respect.
I’ve worried less and less about my brother ever since he bought the 2.3-16. I suspect that our thoughts run wild more often than most. Less so, when our fragile 80s sedans consume our thoughts. With time and effort, we can !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . The certainty is comforting.
Finally, after two years of delays, my brother and I went for a drive. We have another planned in May. Right now, his car is sitting in a pile of its own fluids in my parents’ garage, its steering box on the floor. It’ll work out.
bob and john
> BlythBros.
04/21/2016 at 20:52 |
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fucking beautiful photos, and one hell of a story to go with them
flyingmetalbird
> BlythBros.
04/21/2016 at 21:03 |
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That was an awesome write up. I absolutely love finding a beautiful story with beautiful photography on here. It’s a rarity. Thanks for sharing!
Captain of the Enterprise
> BlythBros.
04/21/2016 at 21:07 |
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Gorgeous photos and a good tale
Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap
> BlythBros.
04/21/2016 at 21:15 |
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Those pics look amazing.
gmctavish needs more space
> BlythBros.
04/21/2016 at 21:59 |
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Man I’m happy to see another post from you guys. beautiful write-up, beautiful cars, and beautiful pictures.
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BlythBros.
> BlythBros.
04/21/2016 at 22:28 |
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Geez, thanks for the comments on the photos. The cars in them are cool but I think the photos themselves could use work!
Flavien Vidal
> BlythBros.
04/22/2016 at 08:30 |
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Man (Men...), I LOVE all your stories on those Alfas (and now on that 190 2.3 16v), followed you after the garage burnt down and everything. You’re definitely a great inspiration and can only wish you good luck for the future! Be certain I’ll be reading your posts again! If you can, please post them early morning like now, with the different time zone, I regulary miss tons of good stuff on Oppo ;)
AuthiCooper1300
> BlythBros.
04/22/2016 at 08:39 |
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Nice story and even nicer photos. And a tasty selection of cars too. Would love to read your thoughts comparing the handling of your 318iS, your Milano and the 2.3 16 at some stage...
That looks like a very clean Alfetta GTV there, congratulations. Are those genuine Ronal A1 wheels or replicas? In Europe at least the original ones have developed a reputation for fatigue cracking (and collapsing) along the ventilation holes, but maybe that only happens if driving rather aggresively (track days etc).
vondon302
> BlythBros.
04/22/2016 at 08:50 |
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Nice post. Better than most crap on the FP. I really need to organize my garage after seeing your pics.
BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
> BlythBros.
04/22/2016 at 09:02 |
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Great to hear that you guys have landed on your feet :)
I’m jealous of your garage btw. Mine’s not quite big enough for all of the junk that I’ve accumulated so until the big one we’re building is finished I’ve got to step over gearboxes and compressors to get from one side to the other...
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BlythBros.
> BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/22/2016 at 11:08 |
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http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthre…
Store your junk higher! My walls are 9.5', which doesn’t sound like much but really gives me the ability to stack big stuff on the top shelves. I’d really recommend building or buying shelving to store stuff above your workbench and any other items like blast cabinets, drill presses, parts washers, or even cabinets. It adds up. Here's my garage journal thread:
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BlythBros.
> AuthiCooper1300
04/22/2016 at 11:12 |
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The Milano is easily my favorite handling of the bunch. I'd imagine the e30 is the best track car, but I'm not the best driver. Mercedes has a nice multilink rear suspension but with a steering box it doesn't feel super sporty. Nicer for a long trip. The Milano has very heavy controls vs. an e30.
Yeah, I believe they are genuine Ronal A1s. They have Alfa Romeo on the casting as well since I believe they were a dealer option. And in the US the 79 Alfetta GTV was actually called a “Sprint Veloce”. Cooler name, same car.
PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
> BlythBros.
04/22/2016 at 11:58 |
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hi, yeah, can you guys adopt me please? :)
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AuthiCooper1300
> BlythBros.
04/22/2016 at 12:12 |
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Thanks!
Great to read that. I have a 75 TwinSpark and it is immensely pleasurable to drive. I understand the 3.0 V6s are completely different animals but the chassis balance of the 4-cylinders is hard to beat (my partner has a GTV6 and it certainly feels a little less agile). I’ve thought about buying an E30 318is but I have too much junk around already.
I knew in the US they were called Sprint Veloces for a while... so were they never called Alfetta GTVs then?
Thanks again and lots of luck. I still remember reading about the fire a while ago and how you saved your dog. Top decision, I’d have done exactly the same. First things first.
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BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
> BlythBros.
04/22/2016 at 13:11 |
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I already do! The garage I use was built by the previous owners to house a big RV so it’s really tall. I’ve got a 1/3 length storage shelf that holds tons of my crap (you can see it in the back of this old picture).
The issue is simply too much junk (but useful junk). This other picture does quite well at demonstrating, although a couple of things have sold and been replaced with other things by now.
However, shelving units up in the storage area would be a great idea. Definitely going to look into that :)
Having read through your garage journal I’m definitely jealous! very nice setup you have there
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BlythBros.
> BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/22/2016 at 13:21 |
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Definitely a nice junk collection, but nothing some pallet racks can't solve! Nice space too. I'm hauling home an entire car minus the body tomorrow and plan on stacking it on one set of shelves. We'll see how that goes...
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BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
> BlythBros.
04/22/2016 at 14:04 |
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Sweet :) which car are you getting (minus shell)?
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BlythBros.
> BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
04/22/2016 at 14:47 |
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A milano verde!
Big Bubba Ray
> BlythBros.
04/22/2016 at 20:48 |
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Wow, can’t believe it’s been a year already. Glad to see you guys landed on your feet and hit the ground running. Killer write up and pictures as always!
DutchieDC2R
> BlythBros.
08/10/2016 at 13:32 |
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I remember your story and your cars. Wasnt a story of yours posted on Jalop FP with a red Volvo (262?) with some black wheels and that red Alfa? The Volvo really made me look at a Volvo coupe to buy.
Anyways, great read. Really glad to hear you got back on your feet. Funny how we, humans, are capable of fixing everything mechanically, but are rarely capable of fixing ourselves.