Tag Archives: maserati

Mystery Special – Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special

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Today’s featured car is a Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special.

Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special, Goodwood Revival,

It is registered as being built in 1964.

Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special, Goodwood Revival,

The motor is a 4136 cc / 252 cui straight 6.

Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special, Goodwood Revival,

The origin of the motor could be either from 1964 Mistral or 1964 Quattroporte saloon.

Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special, Goodwood Revival,

The origin of the special bodywork is completely unknown despite the car having appeared at numerous shows and the occasional sprint since at least 2007.

Maserati 4000 Monza MB Special, Goodwood Revival,

If you know anything else about this mystery Maserati, who built the body and when for example, please do not hesitate to chime in below.

Thanks for joining me on this “Mystery Special” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Beast Of Surbiton – Cooper Monaco T61P

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In 1962 Bruce McLaren raced the rear 4 cylinder Coventry Climax engined Cooper Monaco T61 for the first time. It is not clear if the first appearance was in Canada where there was an entry but no known result or in the USA where Bruce finished 4th in the Riverside Grand Prix.

Cooper Monaco T61P, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

The following year an improved Cooper Monaco ‘T61M’ was raced by 1959 Le Mans winner Roy Salvadori driving for CT Atkins to at least five wins in 1963.

Cooper Monaco T61P, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Roger “The Captain” Penske and Skip Hudson had Chevrolet V8’s fitted to their 61M’s and each won at least one race towards the end of of ’63 and early ’64 respectively, while the real T61M success story was Carrol Shelby who bought two T61M’s and fitted them with Cobra 289 V8’s and called them King Cobra’s one of which Dave McDonald drove to win the 1963 USRRC Pro Sports Car Championship.

Cooper Monaco T61P, Micheal O'Shea, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

For 1964 CT Atkins and Roy Salvadori hatched a plan to build a T61 and fit a Maserati Tipo 151 5 litre 302 cui V8. This car became the unique T61P Cooper Maserati featured today.

Cooper Monaco T61P, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

Too cope with the expected 430hp the teams mechanic Harry Pearce strengthened the chassis by welding and riveting a 20 guage steel sheet to the underside of the chassis frame.

Cooper Monaco T61P, Silverstone

Just as with the original Cooper Monaco T61 the debut of the T61P is unclear some sources show the car started at Oulton Park in 1964 but the result is unknown others show Roy drove the car to a second place finish at the 16th International Trophy meeting run at Silverstone.

Cooper Monaco T61P, Goodwood Festival of Speed,

The Roy drove the T61P to victory in the 1964 Whitsun trophy at Goodwood and his only other result was a third place finish in the 1964 British Grand Prix meeting at Brands Hatch. After two further retirements CT Atkins closed his team down.

Contemporary accounts all describe the handling of the T61P as wild, possibly due to the weight of the 20 guage steel under tray and absence of any suspension geometry adjustments to compensate.

The car has since had it’s handling sorted and is seen above at this years Goodwood Festival of Speed with owner Micheal O’Shea at the wheel.

Thanks for joining me on this “Beast Of Surbiton” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Maserati Classics – Classic Motor Show NEC Birmingham

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This weeks Maserati Monday looks at some of the Maserati’s that appeared at the Classic Motor Show last week.

Maserati 300S, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

Registered on the road as a 1960 Maserati 300S the chassis number motor number showing was “750” which I have not been able to identify as any of the original 27 examples of the 300S built by the factory. If you know the story behind this car please chime in below.

Maserati 5000GT, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

The headlights on this 1964 Maserati 5000GT remind me of the infinitely less glamorous Citroén Ami for some reason, may be it was a portent of things to come as Citroén took over Maserati in 1968.

Maserati Mexico, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

Think of Maserati’s and something racy usually springs to mind, quite a contrast to this 1968 Maserati Mexico.

Maserati Indy, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

The Mexico was replaced Maserati Indy in 1968, above a stylish door handle conceived by Giovanni Michelotti who working for Vignale on the Indy body.

Maserati Khamsin, Classic Motor Show, NEC, Birmingham

Powered by the same 4.9 litre 300 cui motor as the last of the Maserati Indys was the 1974 Maserati Khamsin styled by Marcello Gandini at Bertone.

Thanks for joining me for this “Maserati Classics” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at some French classics. Ne pas oublier de revenir maintenant !

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Coquettish Tease – Maserati Mistral Spyder

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Despite using many different motor configurations by 1963 when today’s featured Maserati Mistral model was launched it was the six cylinder sports and racing cars for which the marque had best become known.

Maserati Mistral Spyder, Goodwood Festival of Speed

The Mistral was designed in Coupé form by Pietro Frua with additional input on the spyder from Giovanni Michelotti as a replacement for the 3500GT which had been in production since 1957.

Maserati Mistral Spyder, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Bodies for both the 828 Coupés and 125 Spyders that would be built were supplied by Maggiora of Turin up until 1970 when the last straight six DOHC Maserati was phased out.

Maserati Mistral Spyder, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Mistrals were built with three engine sizes 3.5, 3.7 and 4.0 litres / 244 cui all of which were fitted with Lucas fuel injection.

Maserati Mistral Spyder, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Today’s featured 1964 vehicle is fitted with the smaller 3.5 litre / 212 cui motor which produced 235 hp which was transmitted to the rear wheels by a 5 speed ZF manual gearbox.

Maserati Mistral Spyder, Goodwood Festival of Speed

Coquettish tease Olimpia Segura, played by Brit Ekland, manages to secure a Maserati Mistral Spyder from a would be suitor in the 1967 film The Bobo set in Barcelona and staring Peter Sellers.

Thanks for joining me on this “Coquettish Tease” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a 1963 NASCAR race car. Don’t forget to come back now !

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’55 Gold Cup Winner – Maserati 250F #2515

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Today’s featured Maserati 250F chassis #2515 made it’s debut for the works team in the 1955 Argentinian GP where it retired with engine failure after Sergio Mantovani, Jean Behra and Luigi Musso had completed 54 of the scheduled 96 laps.

Roberto Mieres, Peter Collins, Stirling Moss and Carroll Shelby all drove #2515 in 1955 with Stirling Moss recording the best result with a win in the non Championship Gold Cup at Oulton Park.

Maserati 250F, Donington Grand Prix Collection

Francisco Landi and Gerino Gerini shared the car in the 1956 Argentine Grand Prix to score a season high 4th. After Francisco finished 7th in the Brazilian Grand Prix ownership of #2515 appears to have been passed over to Scuderia Guastalla in Italy.

Gerino and Umberto Maglioli drove the car on two occasions each over the remainder of the 1956 season with Gerino’s 5th place finish in Syracusse being the best result.

Ottorino Volonterio acquired the car after it had been rebodied for the 1957 season and it was entered in three events with the best, only, finish being 11th in the Italian Grand Prix where Ottorino shared the driving with André Simon.

André Testut failed to qualify the car for the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix, as he would his own 250F #2521 in the same event the following season.

From June to September 1958 #2515 was entered in four events by Scuderia Centro Sud with Maurice Trintignant finishing seventh in the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa.

Gerino drove in the remaining three recording a best 6th place finish at Caen. Hans Hermann drove #2515, now entered by Joakim Bonnier, in the 1958 Italian Grand Prix from which he retired with a valve issue.

In 1959 Fritz d’Orey retired #2515, now entered by Scuderia Centro Sud again, from the British Grand Prix. The final known appearance of #2515 was in the 1959 Italian Grand Prix where Giulio Cabianca driving for Ottorino Volonterio finished 15th.

Tom Wheatcroft bought #2515 in 1965 and it is seen in this picture in the Donington Grand Prix Collection which he founded.

Thanks for joining me on this “Gold Cup Winner” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres” I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I’ll be looking at a Delahaye. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Side Saddle With Romy – Maserati 250F #2521

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Today’s featured Maserati 250F was a new factory racer for the start of the 1956 season when Jean Behra drove it to a second place finish on it’s debut in the 1956 Argetinian Grand Prix behind the Ferrari shared by Luigi Musso and Juan Manuel Fangio.

Maserati 250F, Silverstone Classic,

Jean drove the car, identified by the #2518 chassis tag on it’s forst two appearances, at least in six further races which included 3rd place finishes in the Grand Prix run at Monaco, Reims in France, Silverstone in Britain and the Nurburgring in Germany.

Maserati 250F, Silverstone Classic,

In 1957 Scuderia Centro Sud entered the car in possibly as many as three events in September 1957 for Bruce Halford who finished 7th in the non Championship International Trophy at Silverstone and Modena Grand Prix races.

Maserati 250F, Silverstone Classic,

In October ’57 Jean Lucas drove #2521 for American entrant John du Puy to an eight place finish in the Moroccan Grand Prix.

Maserati 250F, Silverstone Classic,

In 1958 Monegasque André Testut bought #2521 he failed to finish the 1958 Syracusse Grand Prix after which he had the car rebodied before appearing at the 1959 Monaco Grand Prix where André failed to qualify for the second consecutive year.

Maserati 250F, Romy Schneider, Monaco

However cinematic feté appears to have smiled kindly on #2521 as at the time of the 1959 Monaco Grand Prix Hungarian film director Géza von Radványi was making a German Romantic Commedy called Ein Engel auf Erden, An Angel on Earth, staring Frenchman Henri Vidal as a suicidal racing driver and Romy Schneider as an air hostess and angel sent to save him.

Maserati 250F, Romy Schneider, Henri Vidal, Nice Airport

In the film Henri is depicted driving #2521, with André Testut acting as his double in the racing scenes, to victory in the Monaco Grand Prix with a little devine intervention from above, at the end of the race he stops to pick up Romy and is seen driving to Nice Airport with Romy riding sidesaddle on the back of #2521.

If you speak German you can see the film on this link, or there is a version of the film called Mademoiselle Ange in French on this link.

Tragically soon after the making of this film Henri Vidal was to die of heart attack in December 1959. Coincidentally Romy Schneider also died of a heart attack in May 1982.

My thanks to Alan Cox at The Nostalgia Forum for confirming the identity of today’s featured car.

Thanks for joining me on this “Side Saddle With Romy” edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I shall be looking at the last in the current series of Bugatti’s. Don’t forget to come back now !

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Not So Felice Carlo – Maserati 4CL #1564

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Today’s featured 1939 Maserati 4CL chassis #1564 is one of 14 4CL siblings of chassis #1566 that I looked at a couple of weeks ago.

Maserati 4CL, Sonoma Historics

Like chassis #1566 today’s car appears to have taken part in the greatest ever race for 1.5 litre Voiturettes the 1939 Tripoli Grand Prix.

Maserati 4CL, Niello Concours at Serrano

It appears most likely that Carlo Felice Trossi qualified #1564 10th on the grid over two seconds slower than Giovanni Rocco in the 8th placed #1566.

Maserati 4CL, Niello Concours at Serrano

The only results that I can find for the 1939 Tripoli Grand Prix show that Carlo retired with an engine problem without completing a lap.

Maserati 4CL, Sonoma Historics

The rest of the #1564’s period history is not known within the confines of the internet, although it is believed to have been driven by Maserati team mates Franco Cortese and Luigi Villoresi.

In the 1960’s #1564 was resident in the UK and in 1992 it fetched nearly $300,000 at auction in Monaco. If you know any further details about #1564 please do not hesitate to chip in below.

My thanks to Geoffrey Horton who took these photographs at Sonoma Historics and Niello Concours at Serrano.

Thanks for joining me on this “Not So Felice Carlo” Edition of “Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres”, I hope you will join me again tomorrow when I be looking at a Bugatti. Don’t for get to come back now !

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