A mysterious dispute between an American Biscione dealer and the municipality of Michigan has led to around twenty vintage cars including the 164, Duetto, Alfetta and Giulia TI in a landfill
The Drive, one of the most followed automotive portals in the States, was quite merciless in reporting a strange story, discovered in Michigan, linked to Biscione cars. « Despite their reputation for unreliability, classic Alfa Romeos They’re not the cars you expect to find in American junkyards. The long absence of the Italian brand from our market means that Alfas with technical problems often end up as a basis for finding spare parts that end up with those who still own one. But right now, a landfill near the heart of the American auto industry is full of them and we don’t understand why.” Having said that full means around twenty cars, The Drive went to the site to investigate and (partially) managed to unravel the mystery. The Alfa Romeos in question are stored on the US Auto Supply lot in Sterling Heights, a suburban neighborhood of Detroit.
The court order
Photos recently uploaded by the company — which has served the Detroit metro area with quality used and aftermarket auto parts for 35 years — show a couple dozen classic models lined up in various stages of disrepair, with some appearing to work and others showing accident damage. We see some Spiders (the Duetto, much loved in America), some 164s and at least one Alfetta. Then also a Giulia TI, identified by the person who knows these cars best of all: their former caretaker, Dean Russell, who The Drive managed to intercept. Mister Russell runs a small shop in Dearborn Heights – which calls itself «Factory Authorized for Alfa Romeo Service» where these cars were stored until a recent dispute with the city of Detroit. When asked about the mystery he said the cars were seized after a court order following a town planning dispute but he still has the titles to the cars and intends to get them back. One way or another.
Clash on social media
“Then he refused to elaborate on the topic, saying he was already receiving too many calls about the cars,” we read on The Drive. An online debate was born where Russell’s supporters blamed the city for having abandoned cars in good condition in a landfill due to a bureaucratic dispute while quite a few are certain that the dealer had violated urban planning regulations or is with tax problems. In the State of Michigan, on social media, people await with curiosity how the story will end. “One way or another, though, it’s turning into a fight over one of the country’s greatest Alfa Romeo parts treasures. It doesn’t matter who takes possession, the fundamental thing is that the pieces reach the people who need them. God knows Alfa Romeo won’t be reproducing many of these parts any time soon” is The Drive’s final, sarcastic but concerned comment.
