32
before
it is my understanding that the 101 series was never even announced to the public
it
just started showing up on the docks). Sometimes cars would be built in one year and, if sales
were slow, sit on the docks and be sold, and titled, in the next.
There has also been at least one reported occurrence of something I call
”
back-production
„
, a
practice I had previously only heard associated with much lower-volume marques such as Ferrari
and Lamborgini.
Everyone knows emissions and safety regulations got tougher and tougher in the US in the late
…
60s and early
…
70s. It would appear that 1969 was the last year that car companies could easily
pass these inspections with very minimal adjustments to their designs. 1969 cars are also
protected from later, more restrictive regulations.
It would seem that some of the more devious people at places like Ferrari and Lamborgini got a
really great idea.
”
Since cars produced before 1970 don
“
t have to bother with all those fiddly
emissions laws,
„
you can almost hear them say in the board rooms,
”
let
“
s just stamp
…
Made in
1969
“
plates on all our new cars!
„
Apparently they did exactly that, and it took the customs people about a year and a half to catch
on. To this day, apparently, people trying to bring in certain makes
“
1969 models have the serial
number of the car cross-checked by customs. If the number is below a certain threshold, in you
go. Above, and you have to conform to later, more stringent rules.
It is unknown exactly how many Alfa Romeo automobiles slipped by customs in this fashion.
Most were probably brought in through Canada. An easy way to find out is if you have a Series 2
car titled as a 1969 model. Alfa didn
“
t MAKE any 1969 Series 2 cars (I don
“
t think they did,
anyway), so, if you are one of these people, try and cross-check your serial number. You may just
own a 1970 after all! (Special thanks to David Mericle for bringing his
”
1969
„
Series 2, and its
story, to my attention.)
For these reasons it is not always possible to rely on parts catalogues for accurate dates of
transition. For the most part, mechanics and specialist auto parts stores are aware of the really
troublesome model years, and will advise you if you need to go out and check the number on a
part you want replaced. But there is always the possibility that Luigi just happened to run out of
one part that day, and substituted another instead when your car was built.
This does add a certain maddening charm to the cars. In comparison with the cookie cutter cars
of today, you can legitimately claim that your Spider is unique in all the world
because it came
from the factory that way!
Again, with the exception of the SPICA system, most mechanics familiar with other European
makes should be able to work on an Alfa. The electrical and suspension systems especially are
generic enough to be worked on by just about any competent mechanic. However, the cars do
have their quirks, so if there is a shop in your area that specializes in Alfas (or Italian cars in
