Something that puzzles many non-car people is why we are so attached to these chunks of steel built to take us from Point A to Point B. Today we have a perfect example of this supposedly 'unfathomable' devotion: an elegant Italian Hot Hatch whose short list of owners simply refused to let it die. Let us dive into the story of 9 SRI 6898! This car is what is known as a Series 1 Alfasud L (Lusso). Lusso stands for Luxury or Premium in Italian. Like all Alfasuds, it has the Overhead-cam Flat-four engine and disc brakes on all four wheels (front discs are mounted in-board) and unlike the Ti; has four doors.
THE 'SUD' STORY
Italians
like doing things differently. Beauty and performance were the name of the
game; everything else came later (or occasionally not at all). The President of
Alfa Romeo at the time was Giuseppe Luraghi, who was both an engineer and a
poet - a duality that perfectly encapsulates the cars they made. The unique rumble
of the Sud's 1200cc Boxer Engine is your first hint that something special is
coming long before you see the flash of red Paint-work and iconic triangular
chrome grille.
Even apart from its Boxer engine, the engineering on the Sud is far from ordinary. These engines are preferred for their low center of gravity; a theme that continues into the braking system and suspension. The car features inboard front disc brakes, making the already intriguing Front-Wheel-Drive setup even more interesting. Other performance-focused engineering features include inverted MacPherson strut suspension for stability and passive rear-steering for cornering.
9 SRI 6898 didn't start life with this registration. It was delivered new in Hong Kong in 1975. When it was around a year old, its first owner sold it to its primary 'devotees' - Mr. W.D. Dharmakirti (a Sri Lankan diplomat), his wife Nalini, and their three children: Janaka, Siddath, and Thushari. Thus began a three-decade-long love affair between the family and the Sud. They used it daily in Hong Kong, and when the time came to return home to Sri Lanka, leaving their little Italian Stallion behind was simply not an option. Tucked safely away in a ship's hold, the Sud set sail for Colombo. Storing it below deck was something the owner paid extra for; to protect it from sea spray - a wise investment given that some Alfasuds were known to rust while still on the factory floor!
Once in Sri Lanka, it settled into life as a family runabout based in Nattandiya. It took them on trips to the Hill Country and was enjoyed by all members of the family, including Nalini, who was known to drive the Sud with considerable spirit. All good things must evolve, however, and in 2005, when migrating to Australia, the family sought a new custodian.
History will soon convince you that the family could not have found a better person to take over their beloved Alfa than Romesh Bastians. However, if you think 2005 was the end of the Sud's adventures, you would be wrong. By this point, three decades of wear and tear had taken a toll; the front suspension had completely collapsed alongside a host of mechanical issues. Romesh immediately dove into a two-year restoration, overhauling the car mechanically. By 2007, it was back on the road.
Tragedy struck in 2009 when Romesh's mother fell ill. With mounting medical bills, he reluctantly sold his beloved Sud to Fonny de Fonseka, hoping that under sunnier skies he might one day be reunited with it. Sometime later, that hope turned into reality. Armed with a bank loan, Romesh succeeded in buying his Sud back.
THE CRASH
This
wasn't the final hurdle for 'Alfistiroma' (as Romesh is known on Instagram). In
2017, while on Baseline Road in Colombo, a Nissan Bluebird taxi slammed into
the rear of the Sud at (about) 100 km/h! The impact could have been fatal, but
by sheer luck and divine intervention, Romesh walked out of the wreck.
Heartbreakingly, the damage was severe enough that the insurance company wanted
to write the car off. The force of the impact twisted the driver's seat in two,
rippled the floor-board, and snapped the front wishbone and engine mounts. Walking
away alive was a miracle, and as Romesh recovered, he vowed to save the car no matter
the cost. What followed was a thorough nut-and-bolt restoration, sourcing rare
parts from across the globe - including importing an entire rear section of a
donor car from the UK. His dedication paid off… getting the Alfa back on the
road in time for his wedding in 2019. One of many fun memories from that day
was getting pulled over by traffic police - while fully dressed in his wedding
suit - for some of the Sud's signature brand of spirited driving.
TODAY
Fast
forward to today, and 9 SRI 6898 lives an active yet quiet life in the suburbs
of Colombo. Romesh describes the car as his 'happy place,' driving away the
stress of daily work.
An Alfasud was never built to sit idly in a collection; it was designed to be on the open road, putting a smile on the face of anyone lucky enough to drive it. It is safe to say this particular Sud has lived up to that calling and will continue to do so for many miles to come.
