For me, the dream car was the GTA. With the Montreal a close second. I suppose I may never have another opportunity to own a GTA, but looking back I came
across this one almost by accident. Not sure if i told you the story or not. Here it is anyway.

I'd recently totaled my 74 GTV. After pouring thousands of dollars, countless hours, etc. I was still sitting on the insurance check. Hadn't decided what I wanted
to buy next, I'd heard from a buddy in the Monterey area of a GTA in the local newspaper for $4500. He thought it was a misprint or hoax, but hadn't checked it
out, wasn't that interested anyway(!) It sounded crazy to me also, I just filed it away.

I'd been checking the ads in the San Jose Mercury News, when one morning, this ad appeared. It was about 8:30 in the morning, I figured every Alfisti in the
Bay area new about it by now, but I called about it anyway. No one there. I left a message. I was at work, but didn't seem to be able to stay focused so I paced
all around telling my buddies what a GTA was all about. Being a bunch of Chevy motor heads, none of them were particularly interested. Eventually I was left
muttering to myself.

To my surprise, when she called back at 9:30 I had been the first one to call. She didn't know very much about the car, but confirmed that it was a real GTA, an
old race car, w/ all the goodies. Her soon to be ex, was a collector, and this was part of the "settlement". My heart immediately went out to her ex, as I further
queried about the car. "Yes, it runs" she said.

I told her I'd buy it, and arranged be down on Saturday to pick it up. This was Monday morning. Man, I'm thinkin divorce SUCKS! I just made a deal w/ the
devil incarnate, come out a winner, and was going down to meet her Saturday, to buy some poor guys soul, for $4500 US.

Nevertheless, for me the next week was like a dream. Like a 6 year old waiting for Christmas. Alas, even the wife was unimpressed. Not surprisingly, we were
on the verge of break-up anyway. I was just grateful we were able to split on more amicable terms. I wasn't going to lose the GTA to some silly divorce.

It was the most beautiful day Saturday. Not a cloud in the sky. With my buddy Dave as co-pilot, we arrived somewhat early. They were just rolling the car out.

My face paled as I viewed the ugliest Alfa I'd ever seen. The car was black and orange , where it shoulda been red and white. The big fender flares, fat
tires........ ...minimum ground clearance, there were those funny little door handles. AND The car had the 8 - 9 x13 campys! Probably worth the price of the car
right there. I felt better. We popped the hood. There was a motor w/ lots big wires on the top. Big ol' 45ís on the side.......Things are getting even better. Even
had plates! But it was still ugly. AND the brakes used the later style "hanging pedal" w/ booster (shoehorned in somehow), the clutch was floor mount. Bummer.

We fired it up. Definitely not the soothing purr of of my street machines. A snarling Wench (in a bad mood after waking). My kinda gal.

But it was a bit rough. Nevertheless, the car ran and was all she promised me and more. I handed her the check, and prepared for the drive home.

Car stalls in the driveway before I get to the street. Yes, I know how to drive, thank you Dave. Give it considerably more gas this time, and we're off. Cruising
back to San Jose, I decided this is more gutless race car than I could have imagined. Struggling w/ 55 mph. I was in no hurry. (hard to be subtle w/ big numbers
on the side).

Finally the loop onto 101, no other cars around...............MAN! What woulda been almost scary in the GTV, didn't squeal the tires on this car. This was
gonna be FUN!

Finally we got the car home, angled carefully up the driveway, and into the garage. There was much rejoicing. (Dave shook my hand and slapped me on the back
a couple times, I grumbled thank you, scratched an itch and got us each a beer). We exchanged the ceremonial peace pipe several times.

Suitably inspired, I began to theorize about the engines lack of vigor. Whip off the cam cover.........flat lobes here and there, followers bad. But HEY, those are
the gun-drilled autodelta cams! COOOL!

Further exploration revealed weird (but good) distributor, points, rotor and cap.

We can't have that. Lets destroy the rotor trying to set the dwell w/ the distributor on the car. (the rotor is a pain to get off). Oh well, as it turns out, for a measly
200.00 I can get a cap AND rotor. (this was ë84?)

Well the only obvious thing I hadn't broken or checked were the carbs.

Next. 2 45 DCOEs each w/ different jets and venturies. That explains a bit. This thing needs a rebuild.

And so over the next few months I took more and more apart. The cams went off for a regrind and heat treat. New bits and pieces on order.

My own divorce was proceding and by then the wife was no longer open to my living w/ her. tho she was only hostile if she could SEE the car, it was time to
move on.

I needed someplace to live. California's luster had faded and the parents were living high back home in Oregon. Back I went. I just had to arrange storage for all
my stuff. Which I did, save one item. The GTA.

"You're not going to store that old junk car in our driveway." Mom wasn't fond of cars either. Cared not about how many were made, ignored my speculation of
its worth. I was free to live elsewhere if I brought "that car" home w/ me.

Actually I was already free to live elsewhere, I just didn't have the means. It was free living there, and I could afford that. Being unemployed, living w/ the folks,
goofing off much of the time, my word didn't have the needed credibility.

The wife stored it till she sold the house. Then it was time to close my business in San Jose. The wife had been contacted by a local Alfas regarding the car and
we made arrangements to meet. I made the journey w/ a heavy heart, as I was not just selling the GTA but, this was my last chance to work things out w/ the
wife. They were both painful losses. In a last ditch effort, (only 2 days of looking) I landed a job in San Jose. After surprising the wife w/ the job and my desire
to work thing out............it was too late. Divorce Sucks.

The only thread of hope I've carried all these years, was the casual promise of its new owner for "first right to buy back". I contacted him last week. He'd lost
interest in the project and sold it 5 months ago.

Mom passed away quite suddenly a couple years ago, poor Dad finally went in April. After years of saving and careful investment, all the money goes to us
kids. I know, I should be a 'dult. Be responsible and all, but I'm gonna blow it on a car.

Women will leave ya, family will disappoint ya, and promises will be broken. So what else is new. I shoulda pissed off mom and brought it home.

So this is my story, every word true as the day is long. But, if i were you, I wouldn't believe it either.

Any basket case GTAs out there?