Jim Kartalamakis, 52, was born in Salonica, Greece. After finishing high school in Athens he went to Toronto, Canada, to study Electrical Engineering. At age 23, after a few Detroit musclecars, he bought his first Alfa and that ? s where it all started. Thirty years later, Jim still vaguely, but fondly, remembers the life and times of the ARCC (Alfa Romeo Club of Canada). He returned to Greece in 1979 and, ever since, has had one job (Aerospace Industry) and one make of car, although different models from a 1750GT, through Alfetta GTV, 75 3. 0 to, currently, another 75 3. 0 and a 1. 8Turbo. The all-encompassing Alfa hobby has led to many engines being built, mostly for friends, and frequent trackdays to seriously test and enjoy the resulting performance. For many years Jim was a technical writer for many car magazines, and the official Alfa Romeo technical manual translator in Greece. All this car-related life (racing, parts-buying trips and other disappearing acts) has sometimes taxed the family ? s patience, but an understanding wife is always a gift from heaven. The author ? s only regret is that he still hasn ? t convinced her to sit in the car for one flying lap to see, and feel, what it ? s all about, just one . . .
