The Enthusiasts' Page

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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 maserati123@btopenworld.com


Grille trident on a Maserati Biturbo S
 
You can click on some pictures for a better view!!
 
 
 
From Chris in the UK

 

In praise of the 3200GT

"Hi Enrico.

Before I purchased my 3200GT last year I had mentally prepared myself never to expect more than 18MPG from the thirsty V8. I thought your readers may be interested to know that on a recent trip to Scotland, a total of 650 miles I managed to get 26 MPG.

I was not trying to be frugal, of course I stuck to the speed limit (yeah!!!). The car was a joy to take on a long run, no driver fatigue at all!

I was also led to believe that the throttle/clutch control around town was a nightmare. It is not the case if you are gentle. Sensitive footwork is all that is required. A lot of the complaints about the car's driveability seem a little unfounded provided you don't try to drive like a nutter.

Chris."

 

Chris' gorgeous 3200GT
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
From The New Zealand Herald

 

New Zealand Herald Motorsport: Moss and Maserati meet again

By Edward Rowe - 5th April 2006

Sir Stirling Moss and the 250F - ©New Zealand HeraldTwo motorsport legends were reunited at the Melbourne Grand Prix when Sir Stirling Moss and the Maserati 250F in which he won the 1956 Melbourne Grand Prix were brought together to open the city's new Ferrari and Maserati dealership.

The driver and the car came together in 1956 in Albert Park for one of the greatest Formula One races.

Although total production of the Maserati 250F was just 26 cars, it was the backbone of the Formula One championship from 1954 to 1960, when it made its last appearance in a Formula One event.

That's a long life for a racing car. Cars raced today usually have just a 12-month life.

Powered by a 2.5-litre straight-six cylinder engine, power output rose from 180kW (240bhp) to 210kW (280bhp) during its lifetime, sufficient to provide the 630kg car with a top speed of over 290km/h (180bhp). Later versions were powered by 2.5-litre V12 with 230kW (310bhp).

Aside from the race in Melbourne, perhaps the most famous race for the Maserati 250F was in the 1957 German Grand Prix at Nurburgring. In the middle of the race, Juan Fangio was trailing the Ferraris of Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins. After a pitstop he set off in pursuit and over the following 22 laps of what is probably the most difficult Grand Prix track in the world, Fangio reeled in the Ferraris broke the lap record 10 times.

The place of the Maserati 250F in racing history has been secured not just by its success or its performance, but also by the fact that during the 1950s it was the epitome of a Formula One car, especially when it was bright red.

Sir Stirling is recognised as the greatest driver never to win the world championship.

He began his racing career hill-climbing in a Cooper 500 in 1948 at the age of 18. In 1955 he was signed by Mercedes-Benz to partner world champion Fangio. That year Sir Stirling shadowed the great Argentinian in most Grands Prix, and beat him to win the British GP.

Also that year he won sports car races the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio and the Tourist Trophy.

In the late 50s and early 60s he led the changeover to rear-engined Formula One cars, achieving the first victory for such a car at the 1958 Argentine GP.

A near-fatal accident ended it all in 1962.

One of the original jet-setters, Sir Stirling still dashes round the world fulfilling engagements and competing in historic racing.

 
 
 
 
From The Biturbo Club Italia

 

Trofeo Maserati Club , Modena-Fiorano 1-2 Aprile 2006

Si è svolta nel modenese l’apertura della stagione del Maserati Club ufficiale, che quest’anno consisteva in un trofeo di regolarità. Le vetture erano più di 40 ed erano di ogni epoca, dalla Tipo 26 fino alla Gransport, con alcuni pezzi d’eccezione come 200S, Birdcage, A6G2000 ed una vettura artigianale degli anni ’30 dotata di un poderoso propulsore Maserati 16 cilindri, e si sono ritrovate nel primo pomeriggio al parco Novi Sad di Modena, dove nell’ “anello” si stavano svolgendo le gare del Modena Historic Challenge.

Presenti per il BCI vari soci, tra cui presidente e segretario; da segnalare anche la presenza dei soci Foroni su Ghibli Open Cup, e Ravasi che ha portato una scintillante Ghibli CUP color arancio, più molti altri amici conosciuti ai vari raduni.

Nell’anello del Novi Sad si è svolta nel pomeriggio la prima gara del Trofeo Maserati, vinta dal nostro amico Antonello Mele su Coupè cambiocorsa che ha preceduto Marcello Candini ed il nostro presidente Claudio Ivaldi, entrambi su 3500 Spyder Vignale. La cena si è svolta presso il celebre ristorante Montano di Fiorano, caratterizzato dall’arredamento in tema F1.

L’intera giornata di domenica si è svolta nella pista di prova Ferrari di Fiorano, dove al mattino si sono svolti giri liberi ed al pomeriggio le gare. Piacevole anche la permanenza nelle strutture del circuito, con la visita alla casa di Enzo Ferrari ed il pranzo (ottimo) nella sala vicina ai paddock, con tanto di vettura F1 appesa ad una parete. Nel complesso, un evento molto ben riuscito.

We all assembled in Modena for the season opener of the Official Maserati Club, which this year was centred around a 'trofeo di regolarità' competition (a regularity trophy).

More than 40 Maseratis of all ages were present, from a Tipo 26 to today's Gransport, along with some exceptional models like the 200S, Birdcage, A6G 2000 and a 'recreation' of the legendary Maserati V4 from the Thirties equipped with a powerful Maserati 16 cylinder engine.

We met up again in the early afternoon at the Parco Novi Sad in Modena, where in the "ring" (the old horse race course in the centre of the park), another event, the Modena Historic Challenge was being staged.

Representing the Biturbo Club Italia were several members, including our President and Secretary; also present were Foroni with his Ghibli Open Cup, and Felice Ravasi who brought along his dazzlingly bright orange Ghibli Cup, plus many other members often seen at our other meetings.

In the ring of the Parco Novi Sad the first contest for the Maserati Trophy was staged in the afternoon. In this 'regularity test', participants were asked to drive for five laps of the track in an average time of 2 min 56 secs per lap, followed by another five laps at 2 min 40 secs per lap. This event was won by our friend Antonello Mele in his Coupè Cambiocorsa, followed by Marcello Candini and our president Claudio Ivaldi, both in 3500 Spyder Vignales. Dinner was held at the celebrated restaurant 'Montano di Fiorano', well known for its Formula One, predominantly Ferrari, theme.

On Sunday, the entire day was spent at Ferrari test track at Fiorano, where in the morning drivers were given free access, the afternoon being reserved for the challenge events. It was pleasant visiting some of the permanent structures around the circuit, with a visit to Enzo Ferrari's house and the excellent lunch served in a building close to the paddock, with a full size model of a F1 Ferrari mounted on one wall. On the whole, it was a very successful and well received event.

"Maseratisti,

Unfortunately I was unable to attend this exciting event, so if any one out there has any photographs that they would like to share with us, please send them to me.

Thank you, Enrico."

 
 
 
 
From Boecking Ltd in Germany

 

"Hi Enrico,

Thought you might be interested in this Maserati.

Olaf."

 

Quattroporte Fire Tender
 
 
 
 
From Rossano of Repartocorse in Italy

 

"Ieri ed oggi sono andato al 1° trofeo Maserati Club a Modena e Fiorano con Claudio ed Antonio,le foto le puoi vedere sul forum,ti invio comunque quelle in alta qualità di una vettura che non capita spesso di vedere alle manifestazioni.

Yesterday and today I attended the Ist Trofeo Maserati Club held at Modena and Fiorano with Claudio Ivaldi and Antonio Scarpetta. You can see the photos on my Forum. However, I am sending you these high definition photographs of a car that you don't often see at these events.

Rossano."

 

A6G 2000 Spyder by Pietro Frua

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

Maserati 2000cc Gran Sport
 
 
 
 
From Roger in the UK

 

"Hi Henry,

I went down to the Goodwood Breakfast Club meet this morning, where the theme was Italian Sports Cars. Probably pushing my luck a bit with trying to pass off a 222 4v as a sports car, but no problem I was waved through to the parking, already full at 9.30am in the main area, mainly with those other red cars, but I found a spot in a side car park which was soon full of other Italian metal and a 3200GT in due course.

In spite of a cold wind and threatening rain there was a large turnout, perhaps 150 Italian cars in total, plus other folk visiting in other wheels. Maseratis were represented by: two Biturbo Spyders, one French, and one belonging to newish owner Ray MacCarroll (hope I've spelt that right Ray! and welcome to Maserati), probably 6 or so each of 3200GTs and 4200 Coupes, and, apparently although I didn't see it, an Indy, and my own 222 4v. Loads of Ferraris of course, including some nice old classics, a good show of Lambos including a lovely Miura, and a nice looking Espada, De Tomaso Panteras and a lone Mangusta, only a sprinkling of Alfas, but some nice Spyders, some 60s Lancias, plus Integrales, the Fiat X/19 club turn out, and probably some other cars I missed. Overall not bad for a turn up for free, kick some tyres and eat some breakfast kind of do! Oh yes, and his Lordship's bacon rolls went down a treat!

Best regards,

Roger."

 

Roger's Maserati 222 4v

Un Misto Italiano!
 

Maserati 3200GT and a Ferrari 360 Modena

Another Maserati 3200GT in amongst the Ferraris
 

Half a FIAT and four Ferraris!

FIAT Barchetta and an Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA
 

Two Lancia Integrales and a Fulvia Coupe

Maserati 3200GT and a Biturbo Spyder from France!
 

A speck of grey ...

... amongst the red mist!!!
 

Maserati 3200Gt

Maserati Biturbo Spyder
 

"Down there over to the right !"

"Oi you, not there! I said down there on the left!
 

Lancia Fulvia Zagato Coupe

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spyder
 

DeTomaso Mangusta
 
 
 
 
From Jacques in France

 

"Bonjour,

Comme "Poisson d'Avril", je vous épargne les photos de ma Ghibli transformée en dépanneuse...

Par contre, comme spyder, le travail avance: les renforts de carrosserie supérieurs (tout ce qui est peint en gris clair) sont terminés, les ailes AR sont soudées et le "master" de la malle est terminé. La serrure de malle fonctionne déjà !

Prochaine étape: retournement de la carrosserie pour installation des renforts inférieurs, capot masquant la capote et après quelque paires de dizaines d'autres heures de travail.....: première couche d'apprêt !

En attendant:"

Jacques."

"Hello,

For "April Fool's Day", I've saved you some photographs of my Ghibli transformed into a 'breakdown truck'...

On the other hand, as for the Spyder, the work goes on: the higher reinforcements of body (all that was once paint is now clear grey) are finished, the rear wings are welded in place and boot is finished. The boot lock already works!

The next stage: back to the bodywork for the fitting of the lower reinforcements, cap masking the hood and after several tens of hours of work.....: the first coat of primer!

We're waiting:"

Jacques."

 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 

 

Jacques and his Ghibli Spyder
 

"Prochaine visite: dans trois semaines ! Ca va être long.....

Une belle journée en Italie, le printemps arrive et on va pouvoir (bientôt ?) rouler en cabriolet:

@mitiés à tous

Jacques."

Next visit: in three weeks time! It's going to be a long ....

A lovely day in Italy, Springtime is coming and I'll (soon?) be able to drive around in a Spyder:

Best wishes to you all

Jacques."

 
 
 
 
From Gert in Belgium

 

MASERATI BELGIO SPRING MEETING - MANNES STORICO III

On the 26th of March we went to a nice event for Maseratis, Aston Martins and classic Lancias in Brussels. About 18 Maseratis turned up including: 222E, 3200GT, Biturbo Spyder, Bora, Coupé, Ghibli SS Coupé, Ghibli Cup, Ghibli GT, Indy, Mexico and a Mistral Coupé and Spyder. There was even a rare Maserati motorcycle, a restoration project but still very nice!

The first part of the day took place at Mannes Auto Storico, the former Maserati importer for Belgium. We had a nice welcoming, made some new friends and luckily the weather was OK. The second part was at Ecurie Francorchamps, with a delicious Italian dinner, prize giving and a visit to the 'Jacques Swaters' museum. This museum displays some rare Ferraris and an impressive collection of scale models of the same marque, but unfortunately no Maseratis! It was a nice day we would love to repeat this ...

Op 26 maart hebben we dit evenement voor Maseratis, Aston Martins en klassiek Lancia's bezocht in Brussel. Ongeveer 18 Maseratis namen deel waaronder: 222E, 3200GT, Biturbo Spyder, Bora, Coupé, Ghibli Coupé SS, Ghibli Cup, Ghibli GT, Indy, Mexico and a Mistral Coupé en Spyder. Er stond ook een zeldzame Maserati motor, een restauratieproject maar toch héél mooi! Het eerste deel van de dag vond plaats bij Mannes Auto Storico, de vroegere Maserati importeur van België. We kregen een warm welkom en maakten nieuwe vrienden en gelukkig viel het weer ook mee.

Het tweede gedeelte was bij Ecurie Francorchamps. Daar konden we meteen aanschuiven aan een heerlijk Italiaans buffet. Daarna werden er certificaten uitgereikt en was er gelegenheid om het 'Jacques Swaters' museum te bezoeken. Dit museum is weliswaar in Ferrari gespecialiseerd en heeft een grote collectie miniatuur auto's, jammer genoeg geen Maseratis te bespeuren. Het was een fijne dag die zeker voor herhaling vatbaar is ...

Le 26 mars nous avons participé à un événement pour des Maseratis, des Aston Martins et des Lancia's classiques à Bruxelles. Environs 18 Maseratis était là: 222E, 3200GT, Biturbo Spyder, Bora, Coupé, Ghibli Coupé SS, Ghibli Cup, Ghibli GT, Indy, Mexico and a Mistral Coupé et Spyder. Il y avait aussi un ancien motocyclette Maserati très rare, un projet de restauration mais quand-même très beau.

La première partie du jour avait lieu à chez Mannes Auto Storico, l'ancien importeur de Maserati à Belgique. Nous étions accueuilli avec hospitalité et nous avons rencontré des nouveaux amis et heureusement le temps faisait beau. La deuxième partie était chez Ecurie Francorchamps. Là il y avait un buffet italien et après le diner on a présenté des certificats et on avait l'opportunité de visiter le musée 'Jaques Swaters'. Ce musée a une collection de Ferrari surtout des voitures miniatures, malheureusement pas des Maseratis. C'était un jour très agréable que nous voudrions certainement répeter ...

 

3200GT

3200GT
 

3200GT

3200GT
 

3200GT

3200GT
 

3200GT

Coupe
 

222 E

Biturbo Spyder
 

Ghibli Cup

Ghibli GT
 

Mistral Coupe

Mistral Spyder
 

Ghibli SS Coupe

Indy
 

Mexico

Bora
 

Maserati motorcycle
 
 
 
 
From Andrew in the UK
Maserati Indy
"... the restoration of AM116/47*????*."

Hi Enrico and all Maserati fans everywhere!

I thought I would like to share with you the restoration of my 1971 4.7 litre Maserati Indy, a right-hand drive UK car.

Last September I was browsing as I do Ebay motors. Looking for parts for a Capri I was going to restore. I spotted this Red very shiny smart looking stunner of a car in one of the ads. ‘What’s that all about I asked myself’. Maserati Indy.. hnmn.. £12,000 was the price. I did a bit of research on the car and was hooked.. I plunged in with both feet, and eyes wide shut! Lot of emails and wiring of loads of dosh later I had acquired the car.

The car had been stored by the previous owner in a secure dry store in the South. It had been there 12 years! Prior to that it had been a Maserati specialist having loads of work done. I noted that the engine had been fully rebuilt and had done more or less zero miles since the rebuild. It had only run round the compound at the store once a month to keep it free and running. It had loads of work done including a bare metal respray etc etc.

It has not turned a wheel on the road for what must have been 20 years! I had the car shipped to the my home near Sheffield and drove it into the garage.

There it sat for a week or two with me poking and assessing what had to be done (what I could visually see that is!). My first job was a full front suspension rebuild. All new bushes, new top and bottom ball joints, new gaiters on the steering ball joints etc. This took a few weeks as I had to wait for parts to arrive from Italy and the US.

While I was waiting I made some new inner wheel arch liners as these were missing from the car. Cleaned up all the suspension gear and re-painted it all.

When I drove the car into the garage there was curious knocking sound coming from the engine. I traced this to the cable that drives the water pump from the A/C compressor pulley. I took it off (the whole water pump etc.) to find that the cable had not broken but had been cut in half! I looked in all bumf I had acquired with the car and it pointed to the culprits being the person/s who had rebuilt the A/C compressor. Instead of undoing the cable he had just cut it in half… silly sod! That was repaired, quite an easy undertaking apart from the weight of the compressor.. great big industrial unit that it is.. (comes off a truck so I found out!).

I moved on to the tail gate.. great big sheet of glass and metal that needs a team of wild elephants to lift it. This is where I nearly took my finger off! I was assessing the need for something to lift it off the latch as it was impossible to pull the lever and be at the back of the car at the same time in order to lift the tailgate up, unless you are my wife who seems to be able to be in two places at the same time!

I was juggling the weight with one hand and a shrill voice called right from behind my ear.. making me jump as I did I let go of the tail gate and it dropped its full weight onto by index finger. OUCH!! The world went a little bit wild for a few minutes as I hopped about the garage singing the praises of our great creator and blaspheming until the pain subsided. "Do you want this cup of tea then?" she asked. Needless to say I told her where to put it.

I had to leave things for a week until I could actually bend my finger again.

During the forced break, I devised a ‘cunning plan’… I needed to get the tailgate off the latch so I could lift it, its sheer weight would not let it lift up on its own.

I bought two door poppers rated at 40 kilos, I made up some brackets and bonded. Welded these onto the rear panel (see pics). They actually work brilliantly, they lift it off the latch.. I don’t have to try to be in two places at once!!

I turned my attention to making a new cover for the fuel pumps as this was missing, and also a boot floor as this had vanished at some point in the distant past. These were made from aluminium and lots of trimming..

Once done I thought about the interior. It really looked bad. The leather at some point had been painted.. and badly! Looked like they had used Dulux gloss!! Who ever did it could not be bothered to remove any trim pieces. They had painted round the gauges, etc. I think it must have been a witless and blind baboon who they gave a brush to do it. It really was bad. I observed something pretty odd about his time. ‘Why were my 'balls' worn away?’

Not my own 'balls' although they should be judging by the amount of time I had spent scrabbling around under the car! The ‘balls’ I am referring to are the ones on the seat adjusters. They were very definitely worn away.. humn I thought how could that happen. As it happens I found out in a few minutes. Under the seat were the mummified remains of a mouse. Poor little sod, it had gnawed away at the balls looking for food.

The alarm bells started ringing in my head about the same time as the wizened little corpse headed into the bin. ‘What else had it eaten?’ Where indeed had it been living?

I needed to find out how much damage it had done, possibly to the wiring.. I was going to have the interior re-trimmed in leather anyway so I pulled out the seats.. no sign of the mouse nest in them or near them, back seats out, nope, not here either. Centre console out… HA! HA!.. Found it! It had been making a hotel under the rear arm rest under the console. It was in a right old state, because of the mouse wee.. it had rusted the centre transmission tunnel, not through but very pitted. It had been there from June 1995! I can tell you that because it had read a lot of bits of newspapers it had made the nest from.

I cleaned it all out and removed the dash completely, looking for tell tale bits of wiring insulation, I was lucky it just seemed to have had a taste for the black balls on the seats and not the wiring. I packed everything off to the trimmers for a full workover.

The carpets looked like they had been cast offs from Steptoes so I pulled them all out with care as I was going to use them as templates for the new ones.

At this point I found the RUST!! The dreaded tin worm had been more destructive than my mouse lodger. The full length of the inner sills on both sides was rotten. I had to cut the whole lot out (after bracing the car) and weld in new metal. This took ages, by the time I had done the interior was back from the trimmers and WOW!! What a transformation.. by gawd it smells loverly!

I had to do a bit of trimming myself in the car, as some of the bits would not come out, rear seat surround C pillar padding etc. I made up the new carpets and plonked the new interor in. What a brilliant transformation.

This was the point when I snapped the light and the indicator stalks, big arse in the way wallop.. crack , sounded expensive that I do remember thinking. It was! I tried to located a full set of stalk switches to no avail. I packed them off to Italy, for repair. I replaced all the dash and the dials all the electrics, removed dome seriously stupid wiring from the light switches. Called an auto electrician as I had pulled off something important and the lights would not pop up. By this time I had got the switches back and in the car (700 euros it cost). It took the auto sparks man some 2 hours to fix the lighting problem. In the past someone had jury rigged the lights to bypass the switch as it was not working, they had mixed up the wires to such an extent we had to trace each one back to source to get things back to normal, I think the new light switch as £25.00 was the cheapest thing I had bought for the car.

We had it all back together without the whole lot bursting into flames.

I fitted a keyed isolator to the live battery feed so I can isolate all the electrics when I leave the car. So it cannot be started or moved without the security key to turn on the power.. plus it acts as a master switch in case of fire. well it is an Italian car after all no critisism intended I have had two other Italian cars at one time or another and both had electrical fires. Also I have seen the pictures on Enrico’s pages of the Ghibli on fire, NO WAY IS THAT HAPPENING TO MINDY THE INDY!

The great day arrived when she was ready for a run. Off we went. Although not very far… remember the mention of the cut cable and the air con compressor?

I found out why the cable had been cut. But not by the Air con guy (apologies if you ever read this). I had travelled just 17 miles when there was a massive screeching from under the bonnet. I pulled over, thinking I was about to see a repeat of the infamous J Clarkson’s escapades with the Maserati Bora’s engine he trashed on a recent episode.

I lifted the bonnet.. noting that all the big bits seemed to be where the should be, all the small bits were still in evidence. I started the engine again the massive screeching came with it. I thought in for a penny in for a pound. I poked my head in the engine bay and could see the belts whizzing round but the water pump/air-con pulley wasn't.

I pulled the wire from the air-con clutch and the screeching stopped and all was normal again. I have yet to tackle that little job, seems to be that the compressor has seized.

I returned home and checked for leaks, none. All was well until I pulled the dip stick. If I had some ham and bread I could have used the mayonnaise that coated the dip stick. YUK.

I went inside and tried to forget all about Maseratis. I plucked up the courage to have a look at the problem a few days later. I checked all the compressions, they were fine. I checked the water, fine. I drained off all the oil and replaced it with fresh oil.

I ran the car and thankfully all seems well apart from a bit of a misfire at about 2,000 rpm. I will check that later. Seems that the engine had some condensation in it. I will let you know if it develops into a full head off job. I hope I win the lottery tonight because that’s going to be expensive.

I hope you have enjoyed my little essay on the Indy. Please look at the pictures, she's not show condition but she does look the part.

Andrew.

Andrew would like to hear from other UK or Euro Indy owners so you can share information. So, if you are out there please drop me an email and I will pass it on.


 
 
 
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