Well done Jordan! Thanks for your email of this morning and also for posting these very nice photos. Best regards, Marc
Yes and I notice how effect it is in this case with that tall luggage... ;>) Didn't the Indy come with this? Bob S.
1979 i was at Foitek in Zurich a Lamborghini sale then. The Khamsin is in Monte Carlo at a new location. I was going pass the old one ,now its a Opel dealership. Magnus
Hello Magnus: Yes Foitek has had at least three locations: one in Zurich itself, which became too small decades ago, one in a suburb and one a few hundred feet from that which was fnished in early 2007: I visited him last year in September and it was a very impressive building. He is a very very interesting man.... Best regards, Marc
Can anyone give me their thoughts on this Khamsin. Estimate on buying price? Cost to repair? Sorry, don't have much information on it, or what faults it has, only two pictures I have taken by another member. http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s131/DylanK890/DSC_0029.jpg http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s131/DylanK890/DSC_0028-3.jpg
Hello: I saw photos of this car on www.flickr.com just a few days ago. Not famailiar with this particular one, could be a good car but appearance not very inspiring. It coud simply mean that it neds a good wash and detail, don't want to conclude too much from photos. What I would suggest is to get the car to MIE in Seattle it is relatively speaking quite close to Vancouver and would allow you a precise opinion. I would also point out to the owner that even if you don't buy it to have a PPI available from MIE, one of te places in the world that knows Khamsins best would allow the seller to have specific information about his car for potential buyers. The most inmportant question is has it been regulalry driven until recently or has it spent months or years sitting? The hydraulics are perfectly reliable if the car is driven regulalrly. If it is not then like any car left unused for months problems can start. The two things you need to establish, supposing it was driven regularly is whether hydraulic pressure is good and the compressions which should be strong and even. Make sure the clutch is in good order as replacing one is expensive. As always a proper maintenance file would be important. Please let me know on the above and I can help you further depending on condition and I am sure others will join in with advice. What is the price? Do you have the chassis number? It would be good to have for the registry: it always begins with AM120US followed by four numbers in the case of US models like this one: an other number is not the chassis number. You can read it in the driver's side door jamb, in a plate on the dash top at the base of the windshield readable from outside the car (this on US cars only) and in the engine bay. Best regards, Marc Sonnery www.maseratikhamsinregistry.com
Goddag Magnus! Here is what I have from Roger Pearce, November 16, 2006: it is in South Africa: "Hi, The Khamsin in our shop is a Type AM120 obviously and the # is 012. Colour is red at present and the box is manual. The car came to us in various pieces but it is in fair condition. Our current dilemma is missing rear subframe mountings and I am in a quandary over the rear suspension check straps which at present are steel chains. Is that correct? A parts book and a workshop manual would be a lifesaver. Trust we could be of some help. Regards, Roger Pearce. Emgee Workshops. Hi, The car is LHD,the interior is a light beige with grey/blue carpet. I will try and get you some history. Roger" That is what I have Magnus: any news you can give us? This is the second oldest casr I konw of: 010 is is Canada. 004 was sold by someone in Italy a few years ago and I intend to contact the seller to track it down. Best regards, Marc
We have a Khamsin in Sweden with an odd VIN 50012 i thought it could be AM120012 but i dont no now.The car is only pre-registerd in Sweden so the chassiesnumber is not controlled. Magnus
Hello Magnus: No that sounds like a carrozzeria number, a body number. As far as I know all cars have proper chassis numbers. I would suggest you take a good look at the car or ask someone to look for the proper chassis number which as you know always begins with AM120, followed by 3 numbers, even for Euro left hand drive cars (between 004 and 504), odd for right hand drive cars (between 301 and 445). US spec Khamsins originally meant for the US market, though some were sold in Canada and a handful were actually sold in Europe have a chassis number that begins with AM120US followed by four numbers (between 1000 and 1330) many many US K's are outside the US now, such as 1000 the first one which is in Norway and 1302, the highest number US K I know which is in Lebanon. Yesterday for example I heard of AM120US1240 (one chassis number before my former car!) which is in Bavaria, Germany. Best regards, Marc
It's been a while since we last talked... I believe that would be Italy in 2006! I am new to this forum as a contributor, but have been reading and keeping up with it over the last several weeks... You may already have my info on my Khamsin AM120US1120 but let me know if you would like some of the history I have on it... Someone else (Frank M aka Major Chili(?)) may also be able to shed some light on it as I believe he and Janet owned the car at one time... I have attached a picture of it as well.. There is another yellow Khamsin that I know of...The car number is AM120US1046, a 1975 5-speed... Currently, the car is in the Doug Magnon collection... I surveyed this car for Doug back in 2005, when I found the car here in Tennessee... It was a very nice car at one time owned by a fellow TMC:SE member in the Oak Ridge, TN area... If interested, I may have some of the photos I took from the survey session... The car was also seen on the cover of Hemmings:Sports and Exotic Car some months ago... I look forward to reading more on one of my favorite Maserati cars!!! Mike D. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Attached are some pictures of what I believe to be 1046...I took them when I surveyed the car... As previously mentioned, the car is now with Doug Magnon.... Mike D. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I saw the yellow Khamsin owned by Doug Magnon last March. Seems like they changed the bumpers. That is an unrestored Mexico next to it as well. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Yes, I remember 1120 very well and know a lot about it. Bought it in Oakland from Nino Epafani seems it had a nasty metalic noise coming from the engine. I can't remember if Janet and I drove it back to Seattle or had it shipped in any case it was a real bargain given the "noise" As it turned out a little wd40 sprayed onto the drive belts and shazam noise is gone. (can you spell belt alignment noise) As I learned later from Jacques Laude the West Coast Maserati tech rep at the time ( God rest his sole) If the pulleys are not properly aligned the gates plastic flex belts tend to climb up the side of the pully and then snap back making a horrible sound like a chain banging away at the block. More later FGM
Hello Mike! You might remember that we actually met very briefly at Cavallino this year, at that litle Sunday concours at the airport Hilton. As you may recall we did photos of your 1120, René Herzog's 1054 and my ex 1242 in April 2005 in Fort Lauderdale before heading to that little event in a park in Hollywood (Florida not Ca.). I think I know what you wanted to ask me that day for the Maserati Club in future as you told me that you were leaving Florida for the midwest but I also told you that morning I was leaving Florida to go back to Europe (at least temporarily) which did not help the club but hopefully that can all be unified though it is another topic not for this thread. Yes I have been in touch with Doug a lot who a year ago, helped me sell my Khamsin as it left Monterey, (after the Christies auction fiasco: good job they were shut down) in a semi with his MC12. My ex car now lives in Laguna Beach south of L.A. I hope you and your wife are well. By the way Doug did the bumper conversion on his Khamsin and if you recall the three events in early 2005 I noted, even though I am NOT a concours person that a certain gold Khamsin with Euro bumpers, always came ahead in points and more importantly spectator appreciation, of a certain silver Khamsin with its US market garbage trucks bumpers still fitted! I do think 1120 is one of only a handful left with them. I remember you used to say oh it left the factory like that and it will stay like that.... Allow me as humble Khamsin registrar to make a few points: I interviewed Marcello Gandini, designer of the Khamsin for Bertone, in November near Turin and he clearly stated that he was neither he in particular nor Bertone in general were consulted for the American version and was horrified when he first saw one, many years later. I interviewed Guy Malleret for the second time in June 2007 for my book Maserati the Citroen years, 1968-1975 promise interrupted. As you may recall from my first interview of him in Il Tridente 5 years or so ago he was the president of Maserati during the Citroen era and no one else had interviewed him since 75. He stated to me very clearly that firstly things were so dire at the factory (which was put on the verge of bankruptcy by the fuel crisis and sales collapse before Peugeot bought Citroen and actually closed Maseratis doors before de Tomaso came in through the back door) and secondly that the US government was so hostile to small volume European manufacturers that these god awful Khamsin US version bumpers happened but never would have happened under NORMAL circumstances. Thirdly not only are at least half the 155 US Khamsin (100 5 speed and 55 automatic were made as per Mister Cozza when I interviewed him) now in Europe but a majority of those (of course) and a majority of those remaining in the US, have now been converted to Euro bumpers many of which in the last 3 years. When people see a US K with the garbage truck bumpers they are horrified, think they have seen a Bricklin with a bad case of acne and it greatly damages the image of Maserati and the Khamsin. When they see a Khamsin as it was meant to be it is night and day. They have discovered something beautiful and you may well save another Khamsin that is sitting somewhere by inadvertently encouraging someone to save it. So again I appeal to you to undisfigure your car. As Doug, myself and many others can tell you it is like removing dental braces from a pretty young girl! Oh and I hasten to add that I have never and will never earn a dime from Euro bumper kits! I only want to see as many Khamsins as possible undisfigured. Voila, thats my two cents Mike! Let me know if you come to Europe, I am in Burgundy right now working on the books for the next year or so, will be in Florida for the winter again. Best regards, Marc Sonnery www.maseratikhamsinregistry.com Here are a couple of photos of pretty Euro K backsides Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Francis: I guess this is your cue to come with Khamsin memories: not just technical please but also about some tales of serious driving best regards, Marc
The car shown in the photos 2 posts up are: top left blue, no tag: unknown, probably K 160 owned by L.G. of Zurich Switzerland, the other partially visible blue car is K 066 owned by Zouhair Benbrahim, Bordeaux, France and the light green car in the background was owned by mister Gauchenot of the Paris area but is now sold. Will identify the two asap. The red car, AM120US1238, was owned by dealer Mario Bernardi in Germany and is now with an owner in Saarbrucken. Note that on that car the bumpers are incorrectly painted, not Mario's doing. He bought this red car at auction after seeing mine in Florida. Here are two photos of Doug Magnon's warehouse last September-October: the first shows my ex K (gold) next to his MC12, with his K 1046 in yellow visible in the background. The second photo shows the moment when he delivered my car and keys to John (and Tiffany not there that day) from Laguna Beach. Tiffany actually drives it even more than John! Best regads, Marc Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Of course I remember our arguments (uhhh...discussions) regarding the Khamsin bumpers... I consent that the US bumpers were not what the designer had in mind...However, this is how it left the factory! Reality must triumph over fantasy here!!! And just because everybody is doing it, doesn't mean that I should...Kind of like, if everyone jumps off a bridge, does that mean I should do so as well? At least that's what my parents (may they rest in peace) used to tell me, or something like that... You know, if everyone converts their Khamsin's, pretty soon I may be the only one with a really unique set of bumpers!!! Could increase the value, don't you think? Maybe I'll keep them on as a rememberance of the tough times Maserati faced in the 70's!!! You know the old saying, "to know where you're going, you have to know where you've been!" Perhaps this is so for Maserati! (obviously, the above is meant in jest...However, I still have not heard a compelling argument to change! - Perhaps a letter from the designer to me person- ally MIGHT do the trick!) Yes, your car always was more of a crowd pleaser than mine!!! The gold (Oro Kelso?) on the Khamsin, along with the interior color was quite fetching...Much more so than the Silver on black configuration...I suspect it was somewhat cooler living in sunny, hot Florida at the time as well... Everything is well here in TN... We are still in the process of restoring the old historic home we purchased... This was supposed to be a project for my wife, but somehow I seem to get stuck doing most of it!!! Funny, how that happens... But the new garage is 95% complete...At least all the cars are in it... The Ghibli SS is in Crossville, TN getting the much needed bodywork done! I suspect it will be a while until it is ready.. The Mexico is doing fine, the QPIII bodywork and paint was completed and is now waiting on me for re-assembly... The Mistral and QP I are waiting in the wings, and of course the old faithful Biturbo is OK (still a great car to drive - IMHO!)... I do hope to hear more from Frank on 1120...I have some of the history, but not any of the good stories... I bought the car from a gentleman in South FL who in turn purchased it from somebody in NJ.. I have some paperwork showing who originally bought it, and it is possible that Frank and Janet bought it from him... What happened after Frank's owner- ship until it wound up in NJ is a mystery... If you or Walter are interested in previous owners names, let me know. I can let you have what I know.. Also, I invite all of you to visit our new TMC:SE Website located at http:\\tmcsoutheast.com This is a new work in progress, but there might be something of interest to some! I have designed it for all Maserati owners, not just TMC (although there is a link to join us)... I am hoping Joe C (Italiacars ??) will contact me, as I would like to get more info on the Daytona event and the tentative dates for the June/July event... I would like to add them to the events page.. A computer crash some time ago caused me to lose all my e-mail addresses I had! We all know how tough it is to get owners to come to events... Working together, I'm hopeful we can get some more! I am attaching an additional photo from that photo-shoot behind Motorcar Gallery we did in 2005... Look forward to your reply... Mike D. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Dear Mike: Thank you for your elaborate reply and by the way, speaking of garbage truck bumpers I apologize for tackling the subject matter with the subtlety of a garabge truck! When next I meet Marcello Gandini (when he books are out) I will explain to him that there is this stubborn Americano who said it would take a personal letter LOL! If you look at post 300 in this thread the photo he is holding is NOT one of a US Khamsin: is that good enough? Anyway it is good to remember that time in Florida, 3 years almost 3 centuries ago: yes the senape (light tan) interior did not get too warm even in the Florida Keys in June. Good luck with your restorations, since you are a "Nucular engineer" I know you can do it masterfully, and also good luck with your website, it lokks great and Ivan's article which I have started reading is excellent: as always he really knows his stuff and even points out, what too many fail to do in the US, perhaps due to the massive police presence: these cars NEED to be driven or they deteriorate. There is a Khamsin in your general area, in Menphis I think, I will put you in touch with the man, if, if the contact info is still good. Best regards, Marc PS: You'll be happy to know that last I knew his Khamsin like yours still had its walrus tusks front and rear;-)
For those of you who are not familiar with the subject and wonder what on earth Mike and I are going on about here is a photographic explanation: the silver car is AM120276 which lives in Poland where it just changed hands earlier this year. That is the normal back end as designed by the immensely talented Marcello Gandini and as approved by the Maserati factory and Omar Orsi who was actually still there as advisor, as Gandini himself confirmed to me: a timelss design that is aging really well. In comparison the brown car, AM120US1224 owned by Maserati connoissuer Sam Dibitonto in Reno Nevada is a US version , as disfigured by Ralf Nader and the US governments zealous presure on small manufacturers in the late 60's early 70's, a US version in all its god awfulness. There is no doubt that of all the US versions of any European car of that sad era this was by far the worst. As mentioned the fuel crisis brought a complete sales collapse of Maseratis and Maserati engined Citroen SM's (the engines of which were built at the factory in Modena) those were not serene times in which to deal with such harsh regulations and the result was that horrible back end, which ruined sales in the US as Bob Grossman, then the importer, confirmed to me. Thankfully many many US Khamsins have now been retrofitted with Euro bumpers, it is quite a job but not rocket science: I did my own and two oters for friends and still have 10 fingers! The front end bumper is also bigger on the US car but not as bad. The big rectangular sidelights of US versions however are unsigthly: I call them Ralf Nader pimples! I removed them from my car, which has been done on a few other US Khamsins during bumper conversions. I will look at my database and try to make a census of US Khamsins: which side of the Atlantic they are on and how many have been converted, which should be interesting: will post the numbers as soon as I am done. Best regards, Marc Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
PS: I did not see on the tiny version of the photo before uploading that 276 has the rear glass maksed off: a normal Euro Khamsin has transparent glass panel. See navy blue car a few posts up for example. Best regards, Marc
Hi Bob: That car came out of Germany where a number of customers, but not all, did not like the rear glass as they felt it gave no luggage privacy and perhaps considered it unsafe in case of a rear end crash and either replaced it with a metal panel or covered the glass. I thought it was a TUV (German DOT) thing but Walter and Wolf Zweifler who owns AM120150 in Germany both told ne that no it was done individually. Here is another one that has it: it is for sale in Austria from a museum (the ad is in classicdriver.com) , it looks really nice and appears to have had it done as well: the photos, see below, are tiny though. Best regards, Marc Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
