Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Thanks, the complete experience of reading the first book 'king of small cars' , finding a phone number in the back of the book and calling Al when I was about 15 and asking about abarth cam shafts for fiat 500s. He said about 210 dollars and I said ok ill come back to you. ( sorry no speach marks). So i used to call him now and again just to talk Abarths. Then my mate, who worked for an air line said - lets do a road trip- to Cali.. I had to say yes. So for 100 quid we fly upper class to san fran and slowly drive down to LA. via Laguna seca, then to Thousand Oaks, where Al lived. Al insisted we met him at an industrial area- where he kept stock. The rest is pretty much what can be seen here on this other guys trip to see Al, we didnt get to go in his 037 though.
http://www.flickriver.com/photos/seat850/sets/72157606620357642/

You can see the tea trolly in the room!

His books were like scrap books, all full of letters, rambeling and protests, art work and amazing stories about racing. I used to get the books from Chaters at Brands Hatch. I lent about 5 to an Italian guy when I went over seas. On my return he denied that he had ever had them! Al wrote a letter for me to pass on to the guy, i never did so i still have it somewhere.