Maserati Enthusiasts' Page

The Enthusiasts' Page
	All things 'Maserati'. News of forthcoming models, owner's cars, tips, 'Marque' reunions and the odd touch of humour! In fact anything of interest to the 'Maseratista'. So if you have any news about Maseratis or have anything owners and enthusiasts should know, send details to enricomaserati@btinternet.com	Trident on the vintage sign in the Giuseppe Candini workshop

You can click on some pictures for a better view!!

QUICK BROWSE - YOU ARE NOW ON PAGE 147






From Newspress in the UK

MASERATI AT SALON PRIVÉ LADIES DAY

Maserati GB hosted a very special day for their lady clients last week at London’s most exclusive Club: the Hurlingham. Maserati lady clients were joined by supermodel and Maserati ambassador Jodie Kidd and TV presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson (the first woman to ever win a race in a Maserati) as they attended Salon Privé Ladies’ Day at the Hurlingham Club. The day started at Maria Grachvogel’s store on Sloane Street, London, where the designer herself hosted a private preview of her stunning AW08 collection, then a fleet of Maserati Quattroportes and GranTurismos were on hand to chauffeur the über elegant ladies to the Hurlingham Club. There the organisers of Salon Privé had put together an amazing selection of modern and classic vehicles: the Maserati GranTurismo S and the new Maserati Quattroporte S took pride of place in the centre of the Supercar Lawn. Several thousand pounds were raised from the raffle and evening auctions in aid of the Prince’s Trust.

Maserati Ladies at Salon Privé

Maserati GranTurismo outside Maria Grachvogel’s store in Sloane Street		Maserati GranTurismo arrives at Salon Privé

Supermodel Jodie Kidd, clad in a Maria Grachvogel’s creation, strikes a pose with the Maserati GranTurismo S		5th Gear presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson at Salon Privé with a Maserati GranTurismo

Photos and text courtesy of Maserati GB






From Simon in the UK

"Hi Enrico, Unfortunatly I'm having to part with my beloved Maseratis, a 1958 Maserati 3500GT #AM101512, with matching engine number and a 1972 4.7-litre Maserati Bora #AM117158 - they are being auctioned next Friday at the 'Sports, Competition and Collectors’ Motor Cars, F1 Memorabilia, Automobilia and Models' sale by Bonhams. The Bonhams sale is taking place during the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Chichester, Sussex on the 11th July 2008, starting at 2:00pm. My 3500GT is Lot No 541 and my Bora is Lot No 563. I purchased my 3500GT from a gentleman in Chicago, USA, who had spent a fortune on it in the early nineties. The car is 99% perfect, with just a couple of tiny stone chips and a few scuffs on the leather. This left-hand drive Maserati 3500GT was originally ordered in 1958 by an Italian businessman who died before taking delivery. The car didn't leave the factory until 1961, at which time it was upgraded to have the front disc brakes which by then were standard on the series II cars. Having benefitted from a complete "nut and bolt" restoration in the early 90's, the car has only done show mileage since. Included with the car is a comprehensive history file including invoices exceeding US $120,000. Even if I say so myself, this 3500GT has to be one of the best in the world! I bought my Bora some 18 months ago and it once belonged to the President of the Maserati Club in the U.S. It's in great driving condition! Thank you, Simon."













"Well I know where I'll be going if my lottery numbers come up this week!!" - Enrico






From Yachting Development in New Zealand

The latest construction from Yachting Development in New Zealand has just been launched. Bristolian II, a Philippe Briand design, was built for a very experienced owner and, as can be seen from the images, this is shown in her lines and style. Philippe Briand explained: "The most difficult stage was designing the deck lines. Owner specifications were for “out of the box” lines, based on a voluminous and panoramic coach roof. Both pods were particularly important to him, as they have to protect two watch areas, but they have to suggest the profile of the Maserati on the 1950’s circuit."

Yachting Development's beautiful Bristolian II		Both pods suggest the profile of the 1950's racing Maserati

Photos courtesy of Yachting Development






From Coys in the UK

Fine Motor Cars at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire on Saturday 5th July 2008.

Here in the UK, Coys will be hosting a sale of Fine Motor Cars at Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1PX on Saturday the 5th July 2008 at 2:30 pm. Three interesting and highly desirable right-hand drive Maserati GTs will be offered up for sale; a 1964 Mistral Coupe, a 1972 Maserati Ghibli 4.7 Coupe and a 1964 Maserati 3500 GTi Sebring.



Lot 420: A 1964 Maserati Mistral by Frua Chassis no: AM109158 Estimate GB £18,000 - £24,000.

In the 1950s Maserati had been one of the keenest exponents of sports car racing, often producing beautiful and successful cars capable of competing on even terms against Jaguar, Aston Martin and local rival Ferrari. More often than not a straight six cylinder, double overhead camshaft engine was employed, a derivative of which found its way into Maserati's range of road cars, production of which began in 1958 with the glamorous 3500GT, a Touring bodied coupé powered by a detuned version of Maserati's famed 350S competition engine of 1956. The 3500 proved to be a great success and represented the pinnacle of Grand Touring cars until it was superseded by the Mistral of 1963. Romantically named after the wind which blows over the French Mediterranean coastline, conjuring up images of speed and beautiful scenery, the Mistral employed a short, 2,400mm, square-section tubular chassis with independent coil spring suspension at the front, a live, semi-elliptically sprung rear axle and all round telescopic shock absorbers. Power for the twin camshaft, six cylinder, 3.7 litre engine, breathing via Lucas fuel injection, was quoted as 245bhp at 5,500rpm (a 4.0 litre engine was later available as an option) delivered to the wheels via a five speed manual ZF gearbox; automatic transmission was optional. With extensive use of aluminium in its construction, particularly the opening panels, weight was reduced considerably in comparison to the Mistral's earlier stable mates, making this car the swiftest of the line and capable of 152mph. And with no concessions to rear seat passengers, it was designed from the outset to be a more overtly sporting car than had been offered in the recent past, and Frua's pretty and elegant coachwork quickly found favour. Its opening rear glass panel was one of the earliest manifestations of the now common hatchback, and this innovative approach was typical of Frua. The Mistral enjoyed a relatively long production life from 1963 until 1970 with a total of 948 cars built, of which a mere 120 were spyders. In the same ownership for the past 20 years, this 1964 right-hand drive example was taken off the road in 1992 to undergo a comprehensive restoration. This included replacement of the sills and floor-pans prior to a bare metal re-spray in the original and factory-matched Metallic Azure by an experienced Maserati specialist, full servicing of the engine, manual gearbox and rear axle, the fuel injection system rebuilt by Lucas, replacement of all fuel lines, and refurbishment/replacement of other mechanical and interior items as necessary using only original parts throughout. Presented in excellent condition, and with fewer than 50,000 miles recorded, this attractive and rapid Maserati comes with numerous receipts for the restoration, amounting to many thousands of pounds, a copy of the original factory build sheet, V5 registration document, and a MoT test certificate valid until June 2009.




Lot 425: A 1972 Maserati Ghibli 4.7 Coupe Chassis no: AM115/472474 Estimate GB £40,000 - £45,000.

Maserati needs no introduction. Already a legendary racing marque before the war, the company turned to the limited production of sports cars for the road in the 1950s. These proved to be highly successful, and manufacture continued throughout the '60s with the company taking credit for some of the most potent and luxurious cars of the era. None upheld this great tradition better than the magnificent Ghibli. Introduced to an enthusiastic public at the Turin Show of 1966, the Ghibli broke with the recent Maserati tradition for conservative designs, instead displaying dramatic, purposeful lines, drawn by none other than Giorgietto Giugiaro whilst still at Ghia's design studio. Under the bonnet was Maserati's magnificent all alloy 4.7 litre, four camshaft V8 engine, derived from the company's sports racing car power plants and mated to a five speed gearbox. Claimed top speed was a not inconsiderable 174mph! At the car's launch in 1966 its competitors were Ferrari's also new 275 GTB and Lamborghini's 400GT. The Ghibli was highly acclaimed, enjoying glowing praise from motoring journalists of the time, a fact not lost on collectors today, with whom the model has become one of Maseratis most sought-after road cars, combining stunning looks and towering performance. Chassis AM115/472474 is finished in yellow with black leather interior and is a fine example of this popular Italian GT car. The vendor advises us that only 11 right-hand drive examples were built with the 4.7 litre engine and this particular example is also fitted with the desirable manual gearbox. There are recent invoices for £15,000 in 2000 detailing a full engine rebuild and other remedial work with renowned Maserati specialist Bill McGrath, while the recorded mileage of 31,000 miles is believed to be correct. This splendid Ghibli is supplied with a V5 registration document and a MoT test certificate valid for 12 months.



Lot 466: 1964 Maserati 3500 GTi Sebring Chassis no: AM10102011 Estimate GB £22,000 - £26,000.

The 3500GT can lay claim to being the first true production Maserati, and was first shown at the 1957 Geneva Show. Beneath aluminium coupé coachwork by Allemano (later by Touring), the Maserati featured a tubular frame chassis. Suspension comprised independent coil springs and wishbones at the front and a leaf-sprung rear axle while brakes were alloy-finned drums all round. Power came from a 3,485cc twin-cam straight six engine; via triple Weber carburettors and twin spark plugs it produced 230bhp at 5,500rpm and 232lb/ft at 4,000rpm which, allied to an all-synchromesh five-speed ZF gearbox, allowed a 144mph top speed and 0-60mph in around eight seconds. Early in 1960 front servo-assisted disc brakes became standard, rear discs being added for 1962; later that year, power rose by 5bhp when Lucas fuel injection replaced the carburettors, the model being renamed the 3500GTi - it made Maserati the first Italian manufacturer to offer such an induction system and the first worldwide to use the 'GTi' suffix. In 1963 the car was fully revised with elegant new Vignale coachwork, a shorter wheelbase, twin headlights and optional Borrani wire wheels; it was also renamed the Sebring. The final model, the Sebring Series II, appeared in 1965; it featured various minor improvements, most notably an updated interior that included air-conditioning as standard, revised head and side lights, and a less obtrusive bonnet air scoop. Originally delivered to Cheshire in February 1964, this fine right-hand drive example was purchased by the vendor in 1997, after which it underwent a comprehensive restoration with de Tomaso, Lamborghini and Ferrari specialist Autorapido. Finished in red with dove grey leather interior, this Italian thoroughbred is supplied with a comprehensive history file which includes receipts for the restoration work, assorted correspondence, the original 1964 registration book, the Maserati warranty certificate booklet and a current V5 registration document. A very handsome and desirable gran turismo, it is offered in excellent condition.






From CarDomain Blog in the UK

It is generally accepted that "Maserati" and "Burberry" are two names traditionally associated with "class", "quality" and "design". But in this wonderful world of varied tastes, every now and then, someone drops a clanger of monumental proportions. The someone in this case, appears to be a wealthy gentleman in Saudi Arabia, who thought it would be a good idea to cover his Quattroporte with what appears to be the Burberry distinctive plaid. You may click on the 'censored' images if you really must see it! WARNING: Maseratisti, and enthusiasts of a nervous disposition, may find the following images as deeply offensive as I do!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!! Photos courtesy of Ben Schaffer, Rob Einaudi and CarDomain Blog.

Mama Mia che disgrazia!!!



Rumours of a covert Enrico-led operation to impound the vehicle are completely unfounded!






From Jorrit in The Netherlands

"Dear Mr. Enrico, I have purchased a white Mexico (#AM112504) with blue leather interior that looks very original. Could you help me to find out when this car was actually built ('68 or '69) and what the original color scheme was when the car left the factory? Any additional info on this car would of course be very welcome. Regards, Jorrit."






From Helmar in Germany

"Hi Enrico, 25 years of dreaming, one year of applying "The Master Key System" by Charles Haanel (that's the book I'm holding - the German translation I did with a partner - www.masterkeysystem.de, and presto!, there's the baby! 2007 model, 'Blu Oceano' with Cuoio Sella leather, 28,000km. Love it to pieces! Drives exceptionally well, and with a sensible right foot it consumes around 10l/100km on the open road, obviously a "bit more" in town or when you floor it. Love the quietness of the cabin - the double glass is making a difference. Here's to many years and much fun and laughter with the new baby! I only wish they had given her a bigger boot, because that one is a bit of a joke. For one person it's fine, but for two it's already too small. I wonder what they were thinking... Otherwise I love it! Let's see how our relationship continues, but if someone could invent an "instant car cleaner the moment you shut down the engine," that would be awesome, because the car doesn't deserve to look dirty. Cheers and hope to see you some time at a meeting, Helmar."






From Frédéric in France

"Bonjour, voici la Maserati Mistral que mon Père ma laissé, c'est un modele 4000 Superleggera, la carrosserie est toute en aluminium, je possède aussi une Maserati INDY que je veux transformer en tipo 60. Mon Père m'a laissé beaucoup de voiture et malheureusement je dois en vendre !! If you know of any bexperts, I wish to speak to them. Bien à vous cordialement, Frédéric."

"Hi, Here is the Mistral that my late father left me, it is a 4000 Superleggera model, the bodywork in all in aluminium. I also own a Maserati Indy that I want to convert to a Tipo 60. My father left me many cars and sadly I must sell them !! If you know of any experts, I wish to speak to them. Yours sincerely, Frédéric."

Maserati Mistral 4000



		ANSA exhaust system

Borrani chromed wire wheels

4-litre engine of the Maserati Mistral		V8 engine of the Maserati Indy

Maserati Indy		Maserati Indy

Lancia Fulvia Zagato Sport		Lancia Fulvia Zagato Sport

FIAT 124 Spider






From Jacques in France

"Hi folks, Thank you very much for your help. I don't feel alone....(less). I hope I found a solution for the steering part missing with my Italian caochbuilder I saw last Saturday. He will make another one, also, I have an address near to my store... Awaiting for the next surprise..... meanwhile, you can see my car in this picture and you can hear the V8 engine (not mine): at fr.youtube.com/. Best regards, Jacques."

Jacques Ghibli Spyder nears completion!






From Antonio in Spain

"Hi again Enrico, Some time ago I wrote to you as my Quattroporte V8 Evoluzione (registered 04/2000) failed to start. After almost three weeks in the Ferrari/Maserati service in Vigo (Spain) at last the problem was discovered: the fuel pump. It was then changed and until now the car goes pretty well. But not all were good news. The car continues with its traditional problem: when I drive it with the climate in 'Auto' mode, and I come to a red traffic light or even slowing down at a road junction, the engine idles very roughly and misfires. The most strange is that when I turn the key again the engine starts (with the climate in 'Auto' mode) and it does not drop again even in idle mode, at least till next red traffic light or junction when the idle becomes erratic again till the engine stops, unless I accelerate a little. Perhaps related with that problem, I have also noticed that the car is too weak at low revs, specially in reverse. At the Ferrari/Maserati dealer in Vigo they had told me than V8 engines are too weak at less than 1500 revs ¡¡¿¿??!! I took the car to another mechanic (not Maserati dealer at all) and they told me that there must be a low revs sensor malfunction (as there are no idle control valves in the V8, just small electric engines ¿?) but the diagnostic unit can´t detect the failure as the car never malfunctions when it´s not moving. No problem at all when the engine is cold. I´ve read in your web in the Assistenza Diretta section about the Ghibli II: 3. If you have no ‘Check Engine’ light coming on during the rough running period, try renewing the five relays on the bulkhead in the engine bay that supply the fuel injection and ECUs with power. and also I own a 1993 Ghibli 2.0 with 30,000km. I have 3 questions: 1/ REV variation - When I start the car, the rev is idle at 1000 rpm, and while the car is cold, it keeps going down to 500 and then to 1000 again. It keeps doing that until the car is a bit warm (a couple of minutes). Also, sometimes when engine is warm and the car is idle with air conditioning and lights on, it does that again. At the same time, the battery indicator varies between 11 and just under 14 volts. Note that I have bought the car 2 years ago and the battery was changed then. How can I fix this? Is it normal for the idle to be at 1000rpm? This sounds like a water or air temperature sensor fault (the blue and brown sensors on the engine for fuel injection). Try removing the plugs in turn and see if the idle improves/deteriorates/stays the same. Normal idle is 1000rpm. Can you tell me where are they in the V8? Another thing that got me astonished is that the buttons of the climate control panel only make a noise (like a “piii”) when they want, not always. At the Ferrari/Maserati dealer in Vigo they told me that the factory in Modena answered them to an email with this question that they have no information about sounding climate control panel in Quattroporte IV´s ¡¡¿¿??!!: I can affirm that it does sound... sometimes. Any ideas? Thanks again, Antonio." "Dear Enrico, Yes, Andy sent me this detailed reply early this afternoon. I hope his advise will work. “On a car like the Evo, if there is any kind of problem with the engine management or the mixture goes out of its normal range, the check engine warning light will come on. Unlike the Ghibli and early QP system, on a Evo it is more like 3200 (by which I mean that the light sometimes must be cancelled by a diagnostic machine even when the fault has been cured), however you do not mention this light at all and therefore I assume it is not lit. This means that there can be no serious fault with any of the fuel injection sensors. This being the case, and taking into account the fact that you talk about the climate control system being on (does it not do this with it switched off?) leads me to suggest that you have a bad earth between the battery and the body of the car which is upsetting the fuel injection when hot, and the extra current required to run the climate control just makes it worse. I would start by checking the quality of the various earthing bands between battery, body and engine. I have to say that this is not a usual fault for this model. It is more normally associated with the earlier Biturbo cars. Regarding the ‘pii’, they should make that noise – they did when they were new, but they don’t much anymore. No idea why!!!! Andy.“ Anyway, once my mechanic have tried Andy´s solution I will inform Andy and you. Many thanks. Best regards, Antonio. P.D.: I send you some photos of my two Italian beauties."

Antonio's Maserati Quattroporte V8 'Evoluzione' and Alfa Romeo GTV 6





BACK TO TOP OF THIS PAGE

MORE FOR THE ENTHUSIAST