Automobiliac Turns 4!

When I started writing this blog 4 years ago, I did it out of a deep frustration. I felt like I had no outlet to share my passion for cars with others. Living in New York City, it wasn't exactly easy to seek out other car-crazy people to be friends with.  I thought by starting a website, it might help me reach an audience of like-minded individuals all over the world. And I was right!  The past 4 years have been incredibly rewarding. Even though the site remains a hobby rather than a vocation, I feel very fortunate that I have made countless new friends in NYC and around the world--some of them now very dear--thanks to starting this site. Over these 4 years, I went from having adventures in one wonderful Italian car to owning three (more on that later), and have brought you my original images from car events across the world and written over 550 posts.

But there have been other changes in my life as well. When I began Automobiliac I was working in a design office, posting articles on coffee break or between meetings to have some fun at my desk. Like many bloggers, I found my site was a welcome distraction from my day job and allowed me to think about cars when I wasn't "supposed to."

But 2 years ago I started my own company and now I get to think about cars ALL THE TIME as part of my job!  If you weren't aware til this point, I started and run the company Autodromo, which makes watches and other accessories inspired by vintage motoring. And just like Automobiliac, this new venture has opened countless doors in the classic car world and ushered in many more new friends.

However the responsibilities of running my company have grown to the point where it is hard for me to post here as often as I'd like. And the fact that I can now think about cars all the time means that Automobiliac as a "release valve" for all my car related thoughts has ceased to be as critical. I have considered closing the site down, but in the end I have decided to continue forward. I won't be posting as often as I used to, but I promise there will be some great stuff to come this summer as I begin my first season of vintage racing with my recently acquired '59 Giulietta Spider Veloce race car (photos to come when we get her sorted out!) So please do keep coming to visit and I hope to have a few posts a month at very least that will be worth your time.

I just want to thank all of you for reading this site and for your comments, your submissions, your friendship and your encouragement over the past 4 years. It has been a great journey.

Lastly, if you want more frequent Automobiliac goodness, do follow my Autodromo instagram @Autodromomedia. There are a ton of great photos of cars and watches, and new ones nearly every day.

Sincerely,

Bradley Price (the automobiliac)

Automobiliac at the ALFA CENTURY Concours!

What a weekend I had, folks.  It was sensory overload of the best kind-- kind of like going to a party at the Playboy mansion the day you got a new glasses prescription! For two days, I pretty much did nothing but look at, talk about, or drive Alfa Romeos, and I loved every second of it.  2010 marks the 100th Anniversary of the Alfa Romeo marque, and to celebrate, the Washington DC chapter of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club put on what can only be described as an unrepeatable Alfista extravaganza - or as I put it Alfapalooza.  Thursday there was a track day at Summit Point raceway, which I sadly missed, then Friday there was the Autocross (which I'll write about in a future post), the TSD rally, and then the swap meet and BBQ. Saturday was the concours held at the Stone Manor country club near Frederick, MD, where literally hundreds of Alfas came together from across the continent in what has to be the largest single gathering of these cars ever in North America.  I was so excited to be a part of it all in my small way. And I am thrilled to share with you the photos I took so that you can get a sense of what it was like. Today's post is Saturday's concours. I hope to post photos from the rally and swap meet later this week.

Click the photos for the gallery. Make sure you don't miss pages 2 and 3 of the gallery. There are over 125 photos!

http://www.automobiliac.com/automobiliac-gallery/alfa-century-concours-gallery/