Old Italian Machines........3 images..

[jberth1]

I went to an All Italian Day recently here in Sydney, and wanted to capture some of the slightly less well known Italians.

This is my first image post, but I have a thick skin, so let me know where I can improve.







Cheers

Justin

[Aussie Dave]

Great 1st post Justin. I see you have a preference to red cars

As a suggestion, not a critisism, perhaps you can try taking some pics from different angles rather than the stock standard view ?

There must be a few $'s worth of cars there !

Keep up the good work

[gstark]

I went to an All Italian Day recently here in Sydney, and wanted to capture some of the slightly less well known Italians.

Actually, that would have been the AROCA Concorso.

Nice images, but where are the Alfas and Lancias?

You do know that without Alfas, there would never have been any Ferraris, don't you?

[MHD]

Nice images,
What PP did you do, I think an adjustment of the (R+G+B) curve to increase the contrast will make them more punchy and really bring out the red that looks slightly washed out...

[jberth1]

Great 1st post Justin. I see you have a preference to red cars

As a suggestion, not a critisism, perhaps you can try taking some pics from different angles rather than the stock standard view ?

There must be a few $'s worth of cars there !

Keep up the good work

Dave,

What, me like red cars.....If you knew my last 3 cars had all been red, well......... I actually shot some non-red cars, but it's such an emotive, passionate, 'Italian' colour, and my shots of yellow cars just didn't work out....the light was pretty crook, due to the time of day, and the heavy shadows from the trees in a lot of places were difficult to get around - not that I'm making excuses....

Yeah - I understand the point about shooting angle. I'd really like to get a 12-24 to get some really wide angle action happening - I experimented quite a bit on the day but just wasn't happy with the outcome. I guess the only solution is to experiment a bit more hey ..? !

Cheers

Justin

[jberth1]

I went to an All Italian Day recently here in Sydney, and wanted to capture some of the slightly less well known Italians.

Actually, that would have been the AROCA Concorso.

Nice images, but where are the Alfas and Lancias?

You do know that without Alfas, there would never have been any Ferraris, don't you?

Gary,

Sorry, but I'm an, heh hmmm, Fiat man at heart. I'd never get another argument out of my wife for the rest of her life if I bought her a Fulvia HF though, but that's another story....

Here are a few other images from the day.





Cheers

Justin

[jberth1]

Nice images,
What PP did you do, I think an adjustment of the (R+G+B) curve to increase the contrast will make them more punchy and really bring out the red that looks slightly washed out...

MHD,

Thanks for the tip. My PP was pretty basic - I'm still just learning this digital craft. I've basically just adjusted levels and a little bit of contrast. I'm using a custom curve but it was so long ago that I installed it I can't actually remember which one it was ....

I'd like to push you for an example though, as I'm not sure where I would head with the curves adjustments. Are you suggesting more 'bump' in the red curve, to bring out the red tones ?

I appreciate any suggestions.

Cheers

Justin

[gstark]

Sorry, but I'm an, heh hmmm, Fiat man at heart.

I feel sorry for you.

The Fiats that I've driven (in Italy) have largely been totally unispiring, and as poorly finished as I find Pontiacs to be in the USofA.

To my mind, they're cars that will get you from point A to point B, whereas Alfas (and Lancias) will do so in style, comfort, and in the case of Alfas, with a very high level of primary and secondary safety, which only adds to the available fun quotient.

I'd never get another argument out of my wife for the rest of her life if I bought her a Fulvia HF though, but that's another story....

Do it.


The Giulietta spider image is interestign for a number of reasons. The car, of course, is an absolute gem. Pretty in any colour, the red is outstanding, as is this example.

But I see it's on the older style historic plates, which I believe were outdated by the NSW RTA about 2 years ago. Curious.

But I'm alos intersted in the grey 2600 coupe that we can only see the tail of in that same image ... it's the car on the RH side of the image.

The body is a Bertone coupe, very similar in styling to my 72 2000 GTV (still for sale if anybody is interested) but instead of running the classic alfa 2 litre four, it has an in-line 2600 6C engine under the hood, and is a very underrated performer.

Do you have any images of that vehicle? Bertone's (Giugario's really) work from the 60's is simply some of the best, and the prettiest, work in terms of car design ever made, Pinin Farina's work for Ferrari notwithstanding.

[jberth1]

Sorry, but I'm an, heh hmmm, Fiat man at heart.

I feel sorry for you.

The Fiats that I've driven (in Italy) have largely been totally unispiring, and as poorly finished as I find Pontiacs to be in the USofA.

To my mind, they're cars that will get you from point A to point B, whereas Alfas (and Lancias) will do so in style, comfort, and in the case of Alfas, with a very high level of primary and secondary safety, which only adds to the available fun quotient.

I'd never get another argument out of my wife for the rest of her life if I bought her a Fulvia HF though, but that's another story....

Do it.


The Giulietta spider image is interestign for a number of reasons. The car, of course, is an absolute gem. Pretty in any colour, the red is outstanding, as is this example.

But I see it's on the older style historic plates, which I believe were outdated by the NSW RTA about 2 years ago. Curious.

But I'm alos intersted in the grey 2600 coupe that we can only see the tail of in that same image ... it's the car on the RH side of the image.

The body is a Bertone coupe, very similar in styling to my 72 2000 GTV (still for sale if anybody is interested) but instead of running the classic alfa 2 litre four, it has an in-line 2600 6C engine under the hood, and is a very underrated performer.

Do you have any images of that vehicle? Bertone's (Giugario's really) work from the 60's is simply some of the best, and the prettiest, work in terms of car design ever made, Pinin Farina's work for Ferrari notwithstanding.

Gary,

I have to say, my preference for Fiats dates back to something like what appears to be your preference for Alfas - the late 60's and early 70's.

I've no desire for any late model Fiat (except maybe a 20V Turbo Coupe ) and my main experience as a Fiat owner has been with 5, yes 5, 124 coupes. First released in 1967, they came out with 5 speed all syncro gearboxes, twin cam engines (with gilmer belts - not those nasty, rattly chain drives like some other Italian brands... ) and four wheel power assisted disk brakes. I've set some fairly competative times around tracks such as Amaroo, and Oran Park against some nice 105 series Alfas though...

I have to say though, that Alfa has fallen from a once mighty high, and that the banging, crashing suspension they put on some models now just doesn't stand up against what the French have been doing - hence my switch to French cars a few years back. Mind you, if a blue 147GTA comes along at the right price I'd be prepared to put up with the dodgy suspension....

Yes, I know the 2600 coupe you're talking about, but I didn't have time to take shots of everything there on the day - there must have been at least a hundred cars, so unfortunately the 2600 was passed over. It's a beautiful machine, but maybe grey wasn't such a good choice of colour though.

I've been in the Fiat club for over 20 years, so these events are a regular thing for me. It's nice to share a common interest.

Cheers

Justin

[gstark]

I've no desire for any late model Fiat (except maybe a 20V Turbo Coupe ) and my main experience as a Fiat owner has been with 5, yes 5, 124 coupes.

Ah yes ... bitten!

In terms of 105 coupes, I have the 72 (which is a beautiful daily driver) and a 69 1750 GTV basket case (complete with the flying buttress seats). The 69 1750 is widely regarded as being the best of the 105 series - beautiful styling interior and exterior, well balanced, and, as you correctly point out, all of those new fangled features that the Japanese brought into their production line-ups in the early 90's ... like 4 wheel disc brakes, 5 speed gearboxes, DOHC engines.

But beign an owner of engines with both cam chains and belts, I must say that I am a sucker for the chains, and I note that some of the newer GM engies (IIRC) as well as a couple of other manufacturers, are heading down a cam chain path, because they're virtually maintenance free.


[/quote]I've set some fairly competative times around tracks such as Amaroo, and Oran Park against some nice 105 series Alfas though...[/quote]

My competetive days go back well beyond when I owned Alfas ... back to the days when I drove a Moke or a 180B while in the Mini Club.

But I have spent quite a bit of time at both of those circuits, even to being the chief timekeeper for AROCA's 6-hour at OP during the late 80's.

I have to say though, that Alfa has fallen from a once mighty high, and that the banging, crashing suspension they put on some models now just doesn't stand up against what the French have been doing - hence my switch to French cars a few years back. Mind you, if a blue 147GTA comes along at the right price I'd be prepared to put up with the dodgy suspension....

Well, what the French do with their suspensions is nothing new; they've always been known for long travel with very effective dampening. But I don't think that there are any Gallic cars at the moment that will match, in terms of performance, what either of the GTAs will do, and it's a matter of the engine output that Alfas have, which the French do not have, that means that as supple as the French cars are, they will still be left standing by the Alfas when it comes to a journey from x to y.

That said, earlier this year we had a very close look at a new Pug 307cc but opted to buy an ultra-low mileage 7 year old 230SLK instead, and I must say that while I knew the handling of the Benz would be impeccable, its off the line performance is simply amazing. It's bloody quick, but so fuss-free, in a manner that only Mercedes can do.

Yes, I know the 2600 coupe you're talking about, but I didn't have time to take shots of everything there on the day - there must have been at least a hundred cars, so unfortunately the 2600 was passed over. It's a beautiful machine, but maybe grey wasn't such a good choice of colour though.

Can't disagree about the colour. IIRC, the 2600s' colour range wasn't as nice as that for the 105s.

I've been in the Fiat club for over 20 years, so these events are a regular thing for me. It's nice to share a common interest.

Speaking as an over 20 years member of AROCA, I can only agree.

[Glen]

Gary, you drove a 180B?

[gstark]

And not even a SSS.

And a Moke.

MkI Cortina.

MkIII ditto.

Nissan Patrol (Indian Army variety)

Mini 850!

Plus quite a bit of other mundanery.

[ozimax]

And not even a SSS.

And a Moke.

MkI Cortina.

MkIII ditto.

Nissan Patrol (Indian Army variety)

Mini 850!

Plus quite a bit of other mundanery.

Let me add my drivings to this discussion:

Dato 120Y
Dato 200B (LP gas only model)
Ford TC Cortina
Ford TD Cortina (with Capri V6 gearbox)
Mini 1275

and let's not forget my Grandpa's immortal Dato 1600

AND my very first car - a hand painted 1966 Corona

Now I wish I had owned one of these:

Hemi Pacer 245
1973 Monaro (Green with racing stripes)
E type Jag
Jensen Interceptor (saw one for sale a few months back here in Coffs)

That is all.

Max