Where It All Began

Sixty-eight years ago, a small group of Alfa Romeo owners in Chicago got together to form a club whose purpose was to ensure their Alfas remained on the road.  There was not a lot of help in 1958 for Alfisti whose cars developed problems, so the group decided to share information about their cars so that they could all continue to enjoy their fine Italian vehicles.  Those nine Alfa owners created the Alfa Romeo Owners Club whose purpose remains the same in 2026 as it did in 1958.  It was decided that the club would have an annual meeting when national officers would be selected and plans for the next year finalized.  That first annual meeting was held in Chicago in 1959.  That annual meeting grew into an annual convention, and Alfisti have continued to meet annually ever since.  Through 1969, the conventions continued to be held in the Chicago area.  Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, was the first convention held outside that area in 1970, although not too far away.  After that, the annual AROC conventions have been held all over the country, organized by chapters of the club that had grown from the original group in Chicago.  In September 2025, the convention was in Crystal Lake, Illinois, just west of Chicago, which is why it was called “Where It All Began.”

AROC conventions are filled with fun events, including tours, track days, cocktail parties, and banquets.  They also include tech sessions.  As the variety of Alfa Romeos has grown, so have the topics for the tech sessions.  These sessions are focused more on Alfas that are still being driven regularly, but these cars can often be more than 50 years old and as old as 75 years   .  Typical topics include fuel injection, carburation, handling modifications, electrical gremlins, interior repairs, and more.  Specialists are sought who are willing to impart their knowledge to the assembled owners.  As in 1958, the purpose is to keep these beautiful cars on the road.