These car clubs prefer to go Italian

By Jim Bohen, St. Paul freelance writer

Last update: October 30, 2009 - 10:35 AM

One make - Ferrari - is famous for racing. It's rare and very expensive, with the base price for a decent 1970s model priced at about $40,000 and most models costing much, much more. Another make - Alfa Romeo - costs much less, but there aren't many Alfas around because American sales were small before it stopped being imported about 15 years ago. But, scarce or not, expensive or not, these Italian marques have their area fans - and clubs.

The local clubs are small. The Ferrari Club of America-Minnesota Chapter and the Stella del Nord Alfa Romeo Owners Club (also a national club chapter) each has about 35 members, with 20 or so relatively active.

For the 15-year-old Ferrari club, large membership is mostly impossible, considering Ferraris' often stratospheric price tags. Dan Schafer says the area Ferrari group is more of a social club, though some members race their cars, including one member who races a million dollar-plus model around the country. Club members and other Ferrari owners showcase about 50 models at every Wheels of Italy show in August and the club puts on occasional drives and get-togethers.

The Alfa Romeo club, founded in 1988, is more into rallies. While the club no longer does the Great River Road Rally it hosted for years, it sponsors about four rallies annually that are open to all cars. These "easy does it" time-speed-distance events typically occur in western Wisconsin because, says longtime club president Ed Solstad, "it has the best nearby paved roads for rallies."

Solstad, who bought his first Alfa 30 years ago, also has a 1952 Jaguar and some Fiats and Renaults. But the big fan of Alfas owns many Alfa models, with at least six in working condition. His main drivers are a 1984 GTV6, a '63 Giulia Spider convertible and a '61 Giulietta Sprint Speciale that he compares to a Porsche 356. Solstad finds Alfas appealing because they're fun to drive - they share a 50/50 weight distribution with the Miata - and because "you can get a lot of car for the money."

Despite growing up in a "muscle car neighborhood," club secretary Tom Schram got hooked on Alfas as a kid after reading a book about the cars. His current ride is a 1982 GTV6 2+2 coupe. He likes its handling and says he's always admired Alfas because they get good performance from smaller displacement engines.

The area Ferrari club contact information is 612-385-3111 and www.fcamn.blogspot.com. For more on the Alfa Romeo group, e-mail esolstad@pressenter.com.

Recent Cars stories

Weekend Garage - October 30, 2009

Weekend Garage - Q: My daughter is turning 16 this year and I plan to buy her a used car. I would like to keep the cost to $10,000 to $11,000. My wife and I would like her to use this car through college. Are any particular models best for a young driver? - Jeff O., Minneapolis More

What if you drove somewhere for Halloween? - October 30, 2009

What if you drove somewhere for Halloween? - [Editor's Note: This week Kris Palmer answers his own question as an entree to write about his recent cross-country journey in his 40-year-old MGB GT.] More