An Alfa Sud in Nairobi

Sir,

Most cars in Nairobi don’t rust because of the climate and 5,500 ft. altitude unfortunately my 1974 Alfa Sud does, along with a great number of others which I frequently see around town.

The only other problem that I have had in 18 months, and 20,000 miles, is the upholstery, which is becoming very threadbare, caused, I presume, by a combination of the heat and sliding entries/departures perhaps?

Now that I have my two grouses out of the way there is nothing else to say about my Sud except praise.

The car has been taken half way up Mount Kenya, over the top of the Aberdares (12,000 ft.) in the wet, through dried up, sand-filled, beds of Rift valley rivers and the only mechanical attention required, other than services, was replacement of the drive belt tensioner bearingsl Additionally, one particularly rough piece of “road” caused an enormous dent in the sumpguard which merely scratched the sump itself, much to my surprise.

Suds are even popular with lions, particularly green Suds, as mine is, since recently on a visit to the local game park, two lionesses attempted to gnaw through the bodywork but apparently it wasn’t to their taste as they soon gave up and returned to scratching themselves up against a nearby tree.

I wonder if anyone else has damaged the sides of their front seats by adjusting them backwards when the rear seat centre pillar ashtrays have been left open? Thank you for a delightful journal, even if I do read it one month after your homeland readers!

Nairobi BRIAN DEEHAN