Stuart Light passed away August 18th 2018
1963 Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider - 1986 Alfa Romeo GTVG
My love for Italian automobiles goes back to my years as an undergraduate college student. One of my professors was a team manager of the Ferrari North American Race Team (NART), allowing me a unique opportunity to spend time in the pit area at various races including the Daytona 24 Hour and Sebring 12 Hour races. From that time on I was hooked on the speed and handling of Italian sports cars. A few years later I was working as a Production Intern at Car & Driver Magazine, where I spent many lunch hours talking to legendary writers such as Brock Yates, Don Sherman and Jim Williams. When Car & Driver publisher Marty Toohey found out that I was $aving to buy a sports car he convinced me to buy an Alfa Romeo.
Marty picked up the phone and called the President of Alfa Romeo USA, Aldo Bozzi and ordered a red 1750 Spider for me. Three months later the shipment arrived with NO red Alfas. Rather than wait another six months, I chose one in a light “Fly Yellow” instead.
I was so excited when I got the call that my Alfa Spider was to be picked up. I checked the Spider out from top to bottom. Then came the hard part learning to drive a manual transmission. It only took about 20 minutes in a local parking lot until I got the hang of it, then I drove my new Alfa home without incident.
Three years later at the same dealership, I traded in the Spider for a LeMans Blue 2000 GTV, which I owned for 5years. After a 7 year hiatus from Alfas, I purchased a new GTV-6 in December of 1986 (color:AR369 Bleu Posilippo). I am proud to say that I still own it today. In 1998 after a long search I purchased a 1963 Giulia Spider(color AR514 Firenza Red).
Now I am the proud owner of two Alfas, and I couldn’t be happier. Each time the engine starts on one of my Alfas I feel the ghosts of Nuvolari, Campari, and Ascari come alive. The emotions I feel every time I drive an Alfa are ones not just based upon speed and handling, but also the romance between an Alfisti and an automobile
