From: Mark Bradakis
>Another point, the Alpine usually has three drivers at each event, Roger, Fritz
>and Roger's wife Jill. That car seems to be indestructable!
Let me just add a few words to the last above sentence. An old friend
of mine bought his Alpine new in '63 (in fact I drove his TD home from
the dealer for him when he picked it up). Let me just say that this guy
had a well deserved reputation as a wrecker of automobiles. He rolled
three cars that I have personally knowledge of plus he's had many other
"normal" accidents too numerous to mention (included two times I was in
the car with him). It was a rare occasion when he didn't exceed the
redline in every gear up to whatever speed he decided to drive (usually
well above the speed limit). The same was true while decelerating. He
didn't believe in brakes. When he sold this car a couple of years later
the only major problem I recall it having was some badly pranged sheet
metal. I don't recall of him ever having to have any major mechanical
work done to the car. In contrast, his next car was an E-Type Jag which
he pretty much destroyed in about the same period of time. Once we had
a race between his Jag and my Cobra over Topanga Canyon Blvd between the
San Fernando Valley and Malibu. I think the only reason I was able to
beat him was because he had his wife with him. When it came to cars he
was (and still is) completely nuts. Any car that could stand up to the
abuse this guy heaped on it had to be one tough sucker and that
old Alpine pretty much stood up to the test in my opinion.
About the only thing I didn't like about the car was the finned rear
fenders but that particular feature was improved on the following
year. I do recall that his car had a much nicer ride than my Healey and
had more comfortable seats. We used to alternate driving to the
different SCCA events up and down the California coast and the ride in
his car was always much more pleasant than in mine. So pleasant in fact
that my friend fell asleep at the wheel once. That incident and the
time we came near getting flattened by a truck when he tried to pass on
a blind curve were about as close as I've come to getting zapped
(including the deer on the road episode). BTW, these were in addition
to the two accidents mentioned above.
Roland
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