Homage to a 50's Maserati

My brother is building his own 'homage to 1950's Maserati racers', it is based on a Mistral chassis and engine, with a twist it has a flip front and back. These pictures are a coupe of months old, the engine is being rebuilt with racing pistons etc... all hand built..will send some more up to date pictures if anyone is interested..
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...an "hommage"? OK, lets stay like that! But NO Maserati ever had 2 headrests like the Mercedes 300 SLR! Or is this Mistral a Masermerc? Good luck for the project!
Btw., what VIN has the Mistral-chassis?

Ciao!
Walter

 

No Maserati in the 50's had flip front or flip back (although I think they would of found it handy) or modern suspension....it is not a replica..it is a Maserati which has been influenced in design by the 50's racers.

Being a hand made car this allows my brother to put his spin on it, this is a fine line if the cars proportions are not right. If you are compareing it to an original, there no point, it is not supposed to be.

However we always thought how good a 300S would look with two speed humps and wouldn't access to the engine be easier with a flip front. Its not a replica, so if works why not?

The car is in final stages and will be ready for paint soon, my brother has built Race car replicas for the last 20 years (its his business) to exact spec (currently finishing a 1920's Miller, Joe Gemsa race Car with Offy engine) and the proportion has to be exact, with this Maserati the proportion looks right for the car, not to be compared against an original.

 

Looks like an ambitious project. Interesting to see how the pieces come together. Has your brother worked on any other cars? I suppose it is a bit like doing your own D-type type car.

 

Mainly MG K3's, real and replica's (he restored the original No 1 car), although he has a 30's Lagonda in for a body, the Miller race car (very rare), a model A hot rod (full Alloy body & design), Kirkham Cobra (body to be finished, they come with a very rough finish), 2 MG K3's, 1 real, 1 replica.

In the past he has worked on Mussolini's Lancia parade car (special open back), Porsche Rothmans Paris Dakar car, many single seat racers from the 50's, 60's, his last personal car (although sold and up for sale now) was his 'homage to the Cobra', he originally had the body and chassis (Dax Supertube, which was very tatty). He managed to get an original Ford Works side-oiler (Block) and rebuilt it along with the body modifications, alloy roof etc. He sold this a number of years ago for a lot less than it is priced now.

Link to Cobra: http://www.sovereigncarsales.co.uk/Cobra_gridpos3.aspx

On another thread it is suggested the Maserati is not in the spirit of the 50's Maserati's....don't agree, Cobra's are a fine example, they generally do not use the original technology of the 60's, they look the same with better suspension and breaks. The spirit of the 'homage' car is that it is a Maserati DOHC 6 cyclinder, alloy body, 'hand made' body, hinges, frames. If like suggested elsewhere you have to have exactly the same parts to build a 'homage', it is a replica not a 'homage'
Homage: something done or given in acknowledgment or consideration of the worth of another
It is all in the execution, are the proportions right, these pictures are at funny angles I and a few months old, it looks very different, if you look at the Cobra, the proportions are right (awsome drive aswell). When this car is finished, a few people will be trying to work out what car it is, however although we have a 50's badge to put on the front, people who know Maserati will know it is a Maserati and if they don't get the spirit of its creation, they don't understand what Maserati is about. Enzo/MC12 comes to mind.

I will get some up to date pictures soon...watch this space.
Regards

 

Mainly MG K3's, real and replica's (he restored the original No 1 car), although he has a 30's Lagonda in for a body, the Miller race car (very rare), a model A hot rod (full Alloy body & design), Kirkham Cobra (body to be finished, they come with a very rough finish), 2 MG K3's, 1 real, 1 replica.

In the past he has worked on Mussolini's Lancia parade car (special open back), Porsche Rothmans Paris Dakar car, many single seat racers from the 50's, 60's, his last personal car (although sold and up for sale now) was his 'homage to the Cobra', he originally had the body and chassis (Dax Supertube, which was very tatty). He managed to get an original Ford Works side-oiler (Block) and rebuilt it along with the body modifications, alloy roof etc. He sold this a number of years ago for a lot less than it is priced now.

Link to Cobra: http://www.sovereigncarsales.co.uk/Cobra_gridpos3.aspx

On another thread it is suggested the Maserati is not in the spirit of the 50's Maserati's....don't agree, Cobra's are a fine example, they generally do not use the original technology of the 60's, they look the same with better suspension and breaks. The spirit of the 'homage' car is that it is a Maserati DOHC 6 cyclinder, alloy body, 'hand made' body, hinges, frames. If like suggested elsewhere you have to have exactly the same parts to build a 'homage', it is a replica not a 'homage'
Homage: something done or given in acknowledgment or consideration of the worth of another
It is all in the execution, are the proportions right, these pictures are at funny angles I and a few months old, it looks very different, if you look at the Cobra, the proportions are right (awsome drive aswell). When this car is finished, a few people will be trying to work out what car it is, however although we have a 50's badge to put on the front, people who know Maserati will know it is a Maserati and if they don't get the spirit of its creation, they don't understand what Maserati is about. Enzo/MC12 comes to mind.

I will get some up to date pictures soon...watch this space.
Regards

 

Lets keep this thread about Maseratis in the movies. Sorry for contributing to the detour.

 

Agreed. I will post pictures under the Maserat Vintage.

 

This is totally nuts!!! Whatever you do - its will ALWAYS be a butchered Mistral (poor Mistral!). To claim this out-of-poportion-"something" having anything to do with a Maserati race car from the 50ies means that you guys missed it totally! I have nothing against replicas as long as they are matching the real thing. So many details on this thing are wrong and its totally GaGa to claim the difference (this silly panels inside both doors with holes in it tells it all!)!

When you come with that car to Pebble or Laguna they throw you out thru the gates (not to mention what ol`Cozza will say when he would see this what you call "Maserati"....!)!

So, when you do a replica -or call it "hommage" (sic.!)- then do your homework by study old photos (I have about 360 photos of 300S`s in my archive), view the real cars! I saw more 300S`s, 200S`s , A6GCS`s and Birdcages than you propably will ever see in you entire life - not to mention that I drove quite a couple of them!
...and don`t tell me anything about Cobras! There are so many replicas of them running on this planet that ol`Carrol would be pleased if someone burns them up. He is very p****d off by those "hommages"!!

Yep, continue on a different thread. Here is V12-"country"......

Ciao!
Walter

 

Ignore the protestors and naysayers. Please post more pictures. It's a great project. I'm envious of the talent and time it takes to do it. What's he using for suspension, differential, instruments, etc., etc.? I'm assuming the chassis is custom made?

Alberto

 

Exactly! I wanna see how this bad boy turns out!

 

Yes, Adam. Please continue to post the progress. The car has a very 50s/60s Socal hotrodder element to it. I like the drilled/punched panels and framing.

 

great project please post more! in awe at the craftsmanship.

 

Seem's that the craftsman's work is really properly done. But unfortunatelly, this car is nothing more than a replica. The only valuable thing left from a Maserati is the Mistral engine.

 

Change is difficult for people, especially those who are so short-sighted, however I understand that with 'statistic people' people they love to talk about it, but come to build it, its a different story. The Pebble Beach thing says it all mate, your own self importance is laughable, the 'side panels' are there to strengthen the door and then lightened, as said previously this car will be used every week and not kept away and brought out now and again. Everything on this car has a pratical purpose, you just have to know what you are looking at and why it is there.

Lets keep it for the pureist and dare anybody step out of the box. Sorry your attitude is totally wrong, you are right I missed the 50's, it must of been a fantastic time for innovation, hand made parts, changing the car to the conditions, airduct here, scoop there. For us at the sharp end of automobiles, coachbuilders that use traditional methods why acknowledeging the cars from earlier years, do not live in the past. Time does not stop for anyone, although some evolve and some live in the 'bubble'.

You even think what 'ol'Cozza' would think for him, amazing, anyone who has been involved in designing and building cars can appreciate design and application whatever the car make. If you asked any hands on engineers from back in the 50's to look at this car, they know what it is about, the 'writers and stat people' will never get it, its outside of there box. The Mistral by the way was shot, this car was brought back to life by a real builder.

Like the Pebble Beach/Laguna 'thing', the people who make these cars are not there, the owners are soaking up the adulation, we don't think, who owns this? what number is that, this year, that year. We think, that is good, how can we make it better, more practical, safer, faster.

How you can say burn the Cobras... lets stop building cars all together shall we, just sit on the original cars for the elite and just look and not touch. Your attitude stinks, You seem to forget that Maserati along with many other builders, built there cars by hand and were not mass produced. If everyone thought like you we would have nothing new to look at.
Although I think I have put your nose out of joint a bit, because you seem agitated that somebody is doing something different. With ref to the other messages, thanks for your support, you will not be dissapointed, the SoCal thing is definately mixed in there along with the 200, 300, 450. We have hand made every bracket, hinge, handle. The extra headbump is something we thought would look good, also 2 people will be in the car a lot and I think we pulled it of, although we can still have one or none.

Long live the independant coachbuilder standing up to the suits and stat people. "Drove quite a couple of them", which makes you into the 'Maserati Police', can't do that, don't do this. Like I said change is difficult, but we will push these boundries that you put up to stop innovation, passion and spirit.

We have had a six figure offer from a car collector already. UK/Europe and the USA have rich backgrounds in car design and racing, us 'missed out on the 50's people' still want to keep that going and we will.

Best Regards

 

That could be said about the Cobra we built, however it has gone from $40,000 then $80,000 and now it is for sale for $120,000. That is not just for the engine.

 

Great project keep us posted.

 

I'd love to see it coming together. Please keep us posted and keep up the good work.

 

It has independent suspension with adjustable shocks, running gear is Mistral (reconditioned) and the chassis, however it has been lightened and strengthened. Waiting for the clocks at the moment, the guy who makes MG K3 clocks by hand is making one to my brothers spec and look. working on undertray at the moment, lights, made the seat buckets and ordered some leather, we will be doing that the interior in house, The engine will be tweaked shortly (3700) with new racing pistons (sourced from USA), lightened fly wheel etc. I will have up to date pictures by the end of the week. One of my brothers big decisions is what colour to have, the obvious being red, although he is not keen on the 'obvious'. Thinking white/blue along the llines of the MC12....would be different. Thanks for your interest, I know he's my brother, but I can tell you from the cars he has built in the past for customers, this will be stunning.
Best Regards

 

By know means finished, but coming along. Got a bunch more pictures.
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Some more
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More.
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My brother started to make a 1/5 scale MG K3 Model in his spare time, all hand made, working suspension, unfortunately no spare time now.
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My bro will be doing a 1/5 scale model of the Mazza.
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Absolutely beautiful. Thanks for posting the pictures and response. I'm losing something in the translation, what is a clock? (Surely not the kind that tells time, correct?). Also, PLEASE don't paint it red!! Anything but red is my suggestion. White/blue would be stunning.