Notizie Alfisti
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Notizie Alfisti News from the Alfa Romeo Owners’ Club of Australia (Victoria Division) Inc. November 2020 Not an Alfa Romeo! Photo: Clyde Hay Model of the Riva Aquarama powered by twin Lamborghini V12s Read Clyde’s account of building this model of the original. AROCA Victoria web: https://alfaclubvic.org.au/ email Alfisti news to: [email protected] Notizie Alfisti News from the Alfa Romeo Owners’ Club of Australia (Victoria Division) Inc. President’s Page David Wright on AROCA Club benefits: At the October Club Night, which was held on-line, we attempted to show a video featuring our patron, David Wright, championing the Alfa Romeo club. For those that missed it, here is a link to the gearshifter video – enjoy! https://gearshifter.com.au/community/car-bike-clubs/ Log Book Covers - $20 plus postage: AROCA members are offered custom made Australian leather log book covers bearing the Club’s logo. If you have a concessionally registered Alfa, you will know how easily the log book can get damaged – so why not protect your log book in one of these hand made covers? Contact the President ([email protected]) to order your log book cover. Stop press! The “Ring of Steel” has lifted!!! So we have several drive events, west and east, scheduled over the next couple of weeks. See the calendar section for details, but don’t forget to BOOK your spot on the drive(s) of your choice. Mandy Thompson President, AROCA Victoria AROCA Victoria web: https://alfaclubvic.org.au/ email Alfisti news to: [email protected] Notizie Alfisti News from the Alfa Romeo Owners’ Club of Australia (Victoria Division) Inc. Buongiorno Alfisti November 2020 This month Notizie Alfisti includes a Register Update from John Hanslow, the Register Coordinator, on some proposed club drives and on-line meetings – which hopefully, might be able to happen soon. John also provides us with an update on Spettacolo, which has, as have so many things this year, been postponed until March next year. From the CoViD Projects arena, Clyde Hay has provided an account of building a timber, radio controlled, scale model of the Riva Aquarama Lamborghini, an Italian luxury runabout built in 1968. The original boat was made of mahogany and was apparently powered by twin Lamborghini 350 GT V12 motors. Sometime later they were replaced with the more usual twin V8s! A recent refurb by a new and fastidious owner, has reinstated it with twin Espada V12 motors. Clyde’s model is also made from mahogany and it too uses twin motors, but these ones are electric. The newsletter features several other articles, also with an electric vehicle (EV) theme. AROCA SA member Mark Newton, details the range of Alfa Romeo bikes available in Oz, both human and battery powered and AROCA WA member, Greg Smith, provides an addendum to Mark’s piece, describing four about-to-be-released electric bikes emblazoned with Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Abarth branding. Following up on the EV theme is an overview of member, Damon Earwaker’s, conversion of a Fiat 500 to EV - and the story behind the only Right-hand drive Fiat 500e known to exist in the world ... To wrap up the theme, is a report on a test by an Australian company, COHDA Wireless, of Connected Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) in an Urban Canyon in Adelaide earlier this year. We still don’t have a winner for Glen Phillips’ Alfa-bet Quiz that appeared in both the August and September editions of Notizie Alfisti. Surely there are a few Alfisti out there in lockdown-land that know their Alfas? Why not give it a go and claim the prize? Last month you were promised Part 2 of Glen Phillips’ Quiz. It is different, but still engaging. You will find it near the end of the Newsletter. When you have exhausted your knowledge of Italian automotive marques, send your entry to [email protected]. The Coronavirus restrictions across Victoria have started to ease, so AROCA’s events are back on! See the calendar section below and watch the AROCA Victoria web site for the latest advice. Do you have an Alfa for sale, or maybe you Are Looking For Another? Tell us! Member’s Alfa ads can be included in the newsletter at no charge. If you are selling, be sure to provide photos and VIN/Rego details. AROCA Victoria’s magazine Cross + Serpent and the newsletter Notizie Alfisti are archived on the Club’s website under the “Publications” tab. https://www.alfaclubvic.org.au/publications/ AROCA Victoria web: https://alfaclubvic.org.au/ email Alfisti news to: [email protected] Notizie Alfisti News from the Alfa Romeo Owners’ Club of Australia (Victoria Division) Inc. News from around the traps Register Update Thankfully, the lockdown has started to ease, and we can now recommence the planning of our Club events – though all events will still remain subject to the COVID-19 Reopening Roadmap. Club drives: Photo by Walter Pagano We will still have two main issues to contend with: the number of people allowed to gather together as a group; and how far from home we are allowed to travel. But as soon as the window of opportunity opens, a number of Sunday Drives, including lunch where possible, will be back on. Some of the proposed drive venues include: Daylesford; Warburton; Lilydale and Noojee with various Register Groups – but note: for all of these events, pre-booking your attendance will be mandatory. “Zoom” meetings: Following the recent successful on-line Club Meeting in October, we are planning to hold a series of on- line information sessions via the Club’s “Zoom” account. The first will be focussing on “Detailing” and will hopefully be held in mid-November – subject to technical support being available. Spettacolo: The Club’s Committee is looking at various options for the next Spettacolo. As it is very unlikely that we would be permitted to hold a Spettacolo event this year (2020), it will not be held this year, but we are endeavouring to reschedule for early in 2021. Dates, venues and pandemics permitting! Otherwise, Spettacolo may have to be postponed until November 2021. Hopefully, by then though, we will all be able to return for another successful event at Wesley College, Glen Waverley. Special thanks to all our Club Register Captains, who all appreciate and welcome your support. Watch the Calendar on the Club’s website for updates on the above and breaking news of Club events. John Hanslow, Register Coordinator E: [email protected] AROCA Victoria web: https://alfaclubvic.org.au/ email Alfisti news to: [email protected] Notizie Alfisti News from the Alfa Romeo Owners’ Club of Australia (Victoria Division) Inc. Building a model of the Riva Aquarama Lamborghini Words & photos by Clyde Hay While we’ve all been doing lots of different activities during this extended lock down, for me, it’s been assembling a remote control scale model of a 1960s RIVA Aquarama, an Italian mahogany runabout – popular among the rich and famous. The model is made by AMATI who were founded in 1879. It is very true in all facets to the original, except for the motor. The real Aquarama had twin Lamborghini V12 engines for power, whereas I’ve used twin battery powered electric ones - not quite the same. The original is a double planked hull, so with the model you start by attaching ribs to a centre board and then plank the hull with strips of Birch. These strips are 7 mm wide and 1 mm thick and glued directly on to the ribs. During construction the planking is held in place with 12 mm long pins, which have to be removed once the glue has dried. Ribs attached to centreboard Start of first layer of planking Once the hull has had its first layer of planking applied, a second layer of planking made of Mahogany is applied. It’s the same process but is done with the aid of a plank bending tool which scores one side of the Mahogany so as to allow it to bend freely and fit snuggly around the curve of the bow. First layer of planking nearly done, Second layer of planking - . just needing a tidy up. this is the Mahogany layer. Once the hull is completed it’s time to cut off any excess Mahogany and then sand it all smooth. AROCA Victoria web: https://alfaclubvic.org.au/ email Alfisti news to: [email protected] Notizie Alfisti News from the Alfa Romeo Owners’ Club of Australia (Victoria Division) Inc. The Deck was up next and once the outer shaped Mahogany pieces were glued down it was onto the 1mm Limewood and 3mm Mahogany wide strips on the front deck and stern slipway. Decking at the bow Decking at the stern There are 50 pieces of each timber type used and as you get closer to the sides each piece has to be chamfered to fit the outer pieces, quite detailed. Over the project I used more than 1300 pins. Once the deck is completed it’s time for more sanding and then onto the marine grade gloss varnish, applied five coats with a light sand in between. Then onto upholstering the seat bases, front and rear carpet with a leather look alike textured vinyl. Painted the seats and sun lounge with Auto spray paint. Cabin upholstery Deck upholstery Next up was attaching all the decorative metal pieces to the deck, stern, sides and dashboard and the windscreen complete with search light and rear vision mirror. AROCA Victoria web: https://alfaclubvic.org.au/ email Alfisti news to: [email protected] Notizie Alfisti News from the Alfa Romeo Owners’ Club of Australia (Victoria Division) Inc.