There goes my Alpine dream

[Deschodt]

I'm stuffed now...

Alpine celebrating 60th anniversary at Goodwood

The last 6 people on the planet who never heard of Alpine will now know...
My favorite car - the A110 berlinette (yes evenmore than a 911, that's saying something) - has skyrocketed like early 911s. After Goodwood, I'll need a lottery win to even touch one ;-(

Any other Berlinette lovers here ? Could someone convince Mr Beck to do a replica ?

[Captain Ahab Jr]

Great stuff!

My 11yr old son and I are going to Goodwood this year and his favourite car is an A110

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by Captain Ahab Jr

Great stuff!

My 11yr old son and I are going to Goodwood this year and his favourite car is an A110

Good taste ;-) and he might fit in one, me not so much... that's my excuse...

[Z-man]

The Alpine A110 is a stunning car for certain. Wouldn't mind one of those and a Lancia Stratos in my garage...

-Z

[Heel n Toe]

A few years ago, I parked about a block away from where I was going to see a band perform outdoors. As I was walking there, I did a double take as I came upon an A110 that was sitting in a diagonal space along the median.

The thing that struck me was how tiny it is... about the size of a 356, if not smaller. From photos I'd seen over the years in books and magazines, I had imagined it to be at least 20% larger overall.

[oldE]

Always had a soft spot in my head for them.
I was quick enough to get a shot of this one.



Small town in France east of Bordeaux.
Best
Les

[petrolhead611]

A110'S have reached high prices, but its ultimate descendent ,the A610 is also a stunning car, comparable to a 90's 911, and affordable.

[Deschodt]

Yes, the 610 is interesting, but it has little pedigree... Kinda like a basic 90s 964 is worth less than a long hood S or S/T.
For that matter the 310 is cool too... But it's not the car whose picture I'd frame, that's the A110 Berlinette sideways at the Monte (or anywhere the rally ran in those days).

Oh well, woulda coulda shoulda... It's pretty much game over across the range of cool classics nowadays anyways... unless you hit the startup IPO jackpot or are an expert welder who needs a hobby and can resurrect piles of crap ;-(

For me it's not necessarily just the $, but also the justification. I could kinda justify a toy car up to $40K - better yet 2 x 20K ones. Now most desirable 50-60-70s cars we all lust after are $100K on average and *I* just feel that kind of scratch should be used for another home down payment, the kids, retirement, or all 3... It kinda sucks to be priced out of your hobby but that's definitely a new experience ;-) I wonder if we'll see another late 80s-like crash, but somehow I think this is a new reality.

At least I scored a few cheap ones in my time but I'm kicking myself that I sold my 356A - could have traded that for an alpine right about now ;-(

[Don Ro]

Here's my Renault Alpine Berlinetta, A108.
This was back in the late '70s.
It was built in Brazil by the Willys Overland company...so it was called the "Willys Interlagos."
On the nose was the letters, "Interlagos".
.
No spectacular performance other than what a light weight fiberglass body would render.
Engine was the simple pushrod 3 main bearing Renault engine with a cross flow head.
And it had Gordini headers and his "offset" rocker arms...inexpensive way to get higher lift while retaining stock cam.
All four gears were synchro.
The back plastic window was shot and I had a retiring company owner fab a new plexiglass window for $100.
A few tiny stress cracks in the body, but she was a solid rig.
.
I bought it from the Renault dealer in Oakland, CA...going out of business...for $1,800.
I liked driving it - it got tons of eyeball - but sold it due to some financial issues which I don't recall.
Advertised it nationally and the first day of the ad a fellow from LA immediately came to the Bay Area and hauled it for $3,000.
Two days later a collector from Michigan called and his first words were:
"I want your Alpine and money is no object."
Holy Crap, eh?
.
~~~~~~~~~~
This might be of interest...
.
Italian coachbuilders reboot the Willys Interlagos
.
~~~~~~~~~

[ForBell]

aside from your selling price, do you regret selling your alpine, don - as you've said about so many of your other "toys"?

i'd love to have that little sweetie! even though it's the old '60s model.

[Don Ro]

Not really, I suppose.
Only when I read a post such as this one.
I try to not think of my regrets for selling my "stuff"...too burdensome.
.
I had such little money in those past days...unlike after I started my business.
A conflict, really...an attraction to cars and bikes and little money to keep and store them.
Oh well, eh?
Better to have loved and lost, ...etc.

[Paul_Heery]

I posted this in the Another d'bag needs two parking spaces. thread

Originally Posted by Paul_Heery

This weekend, we headed down to the H-Mart in Hartsdale to pick up some supplies. For those of you not familiar with this store, it is an Asian supermarket that gets very, very busy especially on weekends. Parking spots near the store are at a premium.

Now, I did drive down in my 30-year-old, well setup 944. But, I parked in a far corner of the parking lot away from the heavy turnover of spaces. When I got closer to the front door, I saw this d'bag parked nearby the store entrance. Yep, that is an Alpine Renault.

[Deschodt]

Dunno where to fall on this... Clearly such a small car does not need 2 spaces... But how can you have the good taste of owning an Alpine and be D-bag ? ;-) does not compute...

[Don Ro]

I park my cars way the hell out in the "North 40" in parking lots.
I don't trust other drivers.
I need the exercise, anyway.

[yellowperil]

[71scgc]

Originally Posted by Don Ro

I park my cars way the hell out in the "North 40" in parking lots.
I don't trust other drivers.
I need the exercise, anyway.

Me too.

Close up spots are for the women.

Carter