[alfa] Re: Tops (NAC)

[Mark Battley <M.Battley@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Correct Will, central heating is uncommon (although not unheard of), and AC
in a residence very unusual (reasonably common in offices though). With
average daily temps of 20C (68F) in summer, average daily lows of 10C (50F)
in winter, highest max in last 20 years of 32C (89F) and lowest low of 0C
(32F), we manage without. Partly the English heritage I guess. Tend to heat
whichever rooms we are using in a house, not all of it. Although I have had
Swedish friends living in Auckland who have complained that it was way too
cold in winter because we don't heat the houses properly.

As an aside - the Swedes find the English logic intriguing - the (Swedish)
story goes that the English (traditionally) put their plumbing on the
OUTSIDE of the walls so that WHEN it freezes it can be repaired. The Swedes
put their plumbing inside the house (often on the walls) so that they DON'T
freeze...

Most common form of "climate control" in an Auckland residence is a
dehumidifier, while not at Florida levels we do have high humidity, and rain
(which can be heavy). Although the rain stops and the sun shines often, the
standard comment re Auckland's weather is that "if you don't like the
weather wait for half an hour...!

Which does mean that it's important for a hood to be easy to open and close
quickly. (Alfa content)

Mark Battley
Auckland, New Zealand

1973 Alfa Romeo 2000 GT Veloce
1998 Alfa Romeo 156 TS (AC)
1999 Fiat Marea Wagon, 2.0 20V (AC)
1989 Fiat Uno Turbo

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Date: Mon, 22 Nov 2004 10:20:48 -0800
From: Will Owen <nashwill912@domain.elided>
Subject: [alfa] Re: Tops (NAC)

Mark Battley sez:

"This has always puzzled me.

"Given the much wetter climate in the UK compared to (most of) Italy, how
come the Italians were the ones who made hoods that worked well, whereas the
English ones were uniformly so bad???

"Doesn't make sense to me.."

Apparently, it has to do with the Englishman being so thoroughly acclimated
to his climate: eighty degrees is blazing hot, sixty is warmish, forty
rather cool, and anything short of a torrential frog-strangler is hardly
worth putting up one's umbrella for, much less the hood on one's roadster.
If one is outdoors on a typically pleasant day - say, fifty degrees and
light rain - one will of course have dressed for it, with the proper mix of
woolens and waterproofing. As for the better quality of Italian tops,
roadsters in Italy are historically playthings for the spoiled rich, who
(presumably) have better ways to demonstrate their manhood than by putting
up with inconvenience and discomfort.

Interesting that this question was posed by a New Zealander; a friend of
ours married a man who has a house in Auckland, and was astounded to find it
had neither central heat nor air conditioning. Although he was perfectly
willing to have these things installed, it took them forever to find anyone
who could or would do the work, as (she told us) central heat is uncommon
there, and AC in a residence almost unheard-of.

Will Owen

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