Iniezione The newsletter of the NorthWest Alfa Romeo Club December, 2020 Miniature Madness A world of opportunity to collect the cars of your dreams... f you’ve ever won- his full-size Spider, and dered if your attrac- began with miniatures I tion to Alfa Romeos of beer trucks! Howev- might have caused you er, his main focus to take the Always Look- quickly became pre-war ing For Another tag a Alfas in 1/43 scale. He little too far in buying a also has several exam- third or fourth car, the ples in the larger 1/18 Club Meeting on Novem- scale, as well as a col- ber 10th served as reas- lection of the wide surance that you have range of other cars he absolutely nothing on the has owned. addicts in the world of Inevitably, many other miniature car collecting! cars have been added, Fred started off the Fred Russell evening with a brief for- mal meeting, including welcoming new members Phil McNamee and Adam Chovanak. Phil recently imported an immaculate white Super from Italy, while Adam runs Sodo Moto, a vintage/interesting car storage and import operation in Seattle. After covering the Club status and upcoming events, Fred Bill Gehring then introduced the other two presenters for the evening, Bill including post-war Alfas and models that in general piqued Gehring and Doug Breithaupt. Along with Fred himself, they his interest such as Nicola Romeo’s limousine, a Swiss Post provided a fascinating overview of the world of miniature car Office Alfa and a Giulia complete with Romeo and Juliet figu- collecting, along with some sage advice and hard-earned rines! He has a particular interest in the 8C2900; of the 42 warnings. original cars made, he has models of 25 of them. Other Bill started by giving us a video walkthrough of his impres- themes include Alfa race cars, and the three BAT prototypes. sive collection. He started collecting in 1985 when he bought Mostly Bill buys on eBay, and is careful to research items thoroughly. The spreadsheet he uses to track all In this issue… his acquisitions includes about 150 different manu- facturers! He recommends keeping the boxes, if * Collecting Miniatures ..… pp 1, 4 * Classified Ads .................... p 11 they came with the models, as they can add quite a * President’s Column .............. p 2 * VSCCA All-Alfa Race .…… p 12 lot to the value. * Neal Bascomb ……....…....... p 3 * Membership Update ……… p 13 In contrast Doug Breithaupt has concentrated on * Importing Cars …......….….... p 3 * Calendar ……….......……... p 16 the smaller models typified by the Matchbox and * Brothers Collection ………… p 5 Hot Wheels ranges. These are nominally 1/64 * Festa degli Amici …………… p 6 Next club events… scale but in reality vary from 1/55 to 1/76, usually * New Year’s Day Drive ……... p 6 * Neal Bascomb …...……... Dec 8 measuring about three inches long. Like Bill, * Office Elections …………….. p 7 * Festa degli Amici ……… Dec 20 though, he has several larger models up to 1/18 * Buying a Giulia from Italy …. p 8 * New Year’s Day Drive ….. Jan 1 scale, of cars that are especially interesting. * Alfa-Powered Boats …...…. p 10 He started collecting in 1980 and doesn’t really (continued on page 4) President’s Column By Fred Russell President’s Year End Rambling… sidered.) Info is on page 3 of espite the Covid-19 Pandemic, tumultuous elections the Iniezione; you’ll want to be and struggling economy, great events are being held on this ZOOM call. D with NWARC. Sadly, not everyone has been able to, Festa degli Amici is coming or is comfortable with, enjoying these events. Being safe is up and we’re doing it ZOOM important and your diligence has paid off. With drives, car style. It will be very different collection tours, online meetings, our social distancing and without being in the same masking up efforts, we have no known members coming room, but we can still have down with Covid-19. food in front of us (homemade, A meeting so nice we did it twice! Our November meeting, Uber eats, take-out, etc.) and set up by David James, was well attended and tons of fun. In we can still enjoy the same happy faces, just this time it’s fact, the topic and presentation of how to sanely collect min- online. We’ll still have the Year-In-Review with a few laughs iature cars was so popular, the National club asked us to do at this crazy year. We’ll have socializing, Alfa stories, per- it again two weeks later for the whole USA membership. Bill haps some recognition, and the Alfisti of the Year award. It Gehring had support from his family as he shared his pas- will be different, but the fun requires your help. Get the info sion, our guest Doug Breithaupt did the same and I closed from page 6 of the Iniezione. out the meeting with talk of sources and some helpful tips. The annual New Year’s Drive will happen… though tricky, The recorded version is viewable on the AROC-YouTube and a bit different, it will happen. Weather hasn’t found a way channel accessed easily via the NWAlfaClub web site link to to ever wreck our plans, and since I blame all bad things AROC-USA. simply on 2020, we should be fine on January 1st, 2021. I Though short notice, we enjoyed an amazing tour of The outline details of the starting point and some differences on Brothers Collection in Salem, Oregon with a total of 100 page 6 for all to plan around. We’ll keep you safe and easy… people attending. With plenty of space and careful practices, unless the weather finds a way to shoot us down. everyone had a great time and nobody came away with Covid Club officer elections. The Covid-19 version of the elec- -19. We shared the event with the Avants club and the Alfa tion nominations opened for all positions at the start of No- Romeo Owners of Oregon (AROO). (FYI… nobody in Avants vember. It takes a lot of work from a few people to make this or AROO contracted the virus.) Also, thanks to everyone’s club as cool as it is. If we get a few more volunteers to help participation this event raised over $3,000 for United Way. In assist the officers we have, it suddenly changes to easy work fact, the money went directly to a woman’s shelter in Oregon. all around. It’s basic math… same amount of work divided by Very cool to be part of this and you can read more about the a bigger number = easier. It also results in a broader brain event on page 5 of the Iniezione. pool which is a good thing for car clubs (and zombie conven- Sadly, with the cases of this deadly pandemic increasing in tions). our State, tightened guidelines meant we had to cancel our The one position that we really need to fill is our Club scheduled track day and November drive to comply with Treasurer. It’s been done admirably by Ken Case and he’ll the rules. I’m sorry if you had planned to go and we ruined stay on to assist you in the task. If you’re not sure if you can your plans, but it’s probably for the best and besides, our per- do this role, ask yourself… if I have 2 Alfas, and plan to buy fect pandemic track record is proof that being careful is worth another Alfa and my spouse says, “only if you sell one”, how it. We plan to have track events, hopefully even schools, next many do have after you buy another Alfa? If you got 3, that is year. If the vaccine developers do their part, and people in exactly right and you are 100% qualified. See… that’s basic general are careful, we’ll do our part as a club to have a good Alfa club math. See more details about the Club Treasurer coming season of fun with our Alfas. role on page 7 of this issue. Between now and the next newsletter in January, we have Lastly, another update on the status of the AROC Culinary more very good events. If the rest of the world has you down, Collection cookbook. I am still working on recreating the these are all the better to attend. We have a rare and special whole book after the theft of my laptop. I am taking a couple December club meeting with special guest and highly ac- days off work to focus on completing it. Again, sorry for the claimed author, Neal Bascomb. This is a real treat as his delay to the couple members who asked for a copy. It will be work focuses on capturing history and his books are well re- done and if I need to deliver them on Christmas Eve, I’ll do it. spected and very popular. At his last event people paid $40 Keep staying safe, and we’ll see you at the Meeting, the or more to listen, and now you get him for free. (A special Festa, and the New Year’s Drive! Have a great, and perhaps deal, and better than those other Black Friday deals you con- a bit unique, Christmas as well. I’d better start working on my Christmas card list. - Fred Russell Iniezione page 2 December 2020 Next Club Meetings Board Members President Fred Russell December 8 Neal Bascomb, author (425) 308-6621 [email protected] e are truly fortunate to have New the Grand Prix.