Thanks Bob for the help. Jack the manuals are readily available as repproductions and with a little patience you will find original ones on Ebay or elsewhere. The US car is a little heavier due to the US exhaust headers, US bumpers and shocks. It is also set up for torque more than power and a bit softer suspension wise. the differential ratio is lower on the US version, again for torque as the US speed limits were and are still so very low (plus Americans are more disciplined than us misbehaving Europeans;-) and we have about ten times less police presence on the roads. Top speed and acceleration are thus higher for a Euro spec car compared to a factory spec US car i.e. still with the equipment mentioned above. A US automatic due to the short gearing is no less than 30mph i.e. 50kmh slower in top speed than a Euro 5 speed. But even a well set up US 5 speed is a seriously fast car: I took Tom Shaughnessy for a ride in my Khamsin in Fort lauderdale (Florida) in 2005 and even though he has been in hundreds of Ferraris was truly amazed at how fast it was. As Bob says the hydraulics are not at all as complicated as those who don't understand these cars pretend, but the car more than any other classic will be much happier if you drive it regularly: it will then stay perfectly reliable: for the year I had my car in Florida (I was in Europe after that) I did 4000 miles, using it 2 or 3 times a week and never had a problem: all I did was change the key ignition lock because there was a bad contact in it. best regards, Marc
Hello all: I just wanted to write that I was very happy we have reached this milestone in a positive forum devoted to a very special yet very forgotten car. Hopefully this thread (and my Registry) help make it more appreciated. I was saving a couple of special notices for this occasion. Firstly while on atrip to the south of France late June to do a test drive article and chapter for my book of the Bora Group 4 #3000 of Jean Guikas I visited two gentlemen for the book: one was Dominique Drieux who was head of accounting and personnel at Maserati during the Citroen years and who despite very serious health problems enjoyed sharing his memories of the era that spawned the Khamsin and came up with lots of new information. the next day I went to see the nephew of Jacques Né who was the father of the SM at Citroen and who was in extended communication with Maserati chief engineer Giulio Alfieri. When Né retired (he has since passed away) he left all his archives (documents he should really have left at Citroen, which is why this is an exceptional find) with his nephew. We spent three hours going through them and one page had me fall off my seat. You will pardon me if I keep it for the book I am sure you understand. Né and Alfieri were in communication and while Maserati did its own thing Citroen did not impose its ideas, that is very clear, Citroen did of course get reports and copies of ongoing work documents. One of these is an amazing page with 4 photos of a 1/5th scale clay model of a Khamsin 90cms long (almost three feet) and weighing 12 kilos (about 24 pounds). It has the dstinctly longer tail like a Ghibli but nonetheless with the rear vertical glass, seen on the first real Khamsin protoype, AM120002 white in color, later destroyed in a crash test. The document is titled vehicule Maserati M120. The amazing thing is that it is dated much earlier than one would have thought: February 1971. This means that this model was decided in 1970 and done in the winter of 1970-1971. Even Ermanno Cozza was amazed at the early date when I told him about it recently. As Guy Malleret and Marcello Gandini confirmed to me the definitive Khamsin shape was agreed upon by a meeting at maserati which included Gandini, Malleret, Giulio Alfieri and Omar Orsi who was still there (which amazed even Adolfo Orsi jr who was not aware of his dad's presence in that meeting). I am not sure yet if Nuccio bertone was there as well. The fact that it was the last Maserati approved by an Orsi even if only in an honorary position which he was soon to leave truly marks that as a very special moment and model in Maserati history. The first Khamsin to be seen by the public would then be AM12004 shown in gold (photo) at the Turin show in 1972 and the long gestation period to adapt the hydraulcs, combined with delays due to the energy crisis kicking in in 1973 meant that the first production Khamsins did not come out before 1974. The fact that the Khamsin replacement was already being actively conceptualized in late 1970 makes its technological advances even more remarkable when you compare it to the competition of that year: if all had gone without the oil crisis and development delays it would have come out 18 months earlier and been even more ahead of its time, a model that one magazine called the best highway car ever. The nephew of Mr Né also had various 1/5th scale models such as short chassis SM's with truncated tails and gave me the contact information of another ex Citroen R & D man who has somehow kept lots of those 1/5th scale models. now I know one Khamsin clay or plasticine model is at Maserati somewhere but if this man has a second one, which is conceivable, I will do everything to buy it of course! best regards, Marc Image Unavailable, Please Login
I love to read about the early design details of cars and the KHAMSIN especially not biased of course. It is a shame that copies of these scale models arent available as I like you would love one. 1:43 is fine if you want to collect lots of cars but I refer to then as Peer at scale as they loose to much in the detail. The F1 McLaren was available in a 1:5 scale and so is the Pagani Zonda but these models are priced at the same levels as the real thing. Good luck with the hunt for the model and can we have a picture if you find it.
Marc, In an attempt to show my appreciation for your fantastic work here are some new pictures of AM120.090. It has been repainted and refurbished in the original colors (celeste chiaro, senape leather, dark blue carpeting) by specialist companies in 2007/2008. Also after the pictures were taken a new exhaust was installed. The airco also works. It really drives so easy now, you could use it for the drive to work without problems. I do not however, I only use it for pleasure. I can never drive it unnoticed, everyone seems to like this car, wants to know what it is, and loves the sound. Kind regards, AMLC from Holland Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
-Graeme: thanks: you bet I will post 17 trillion photos if I find the thing, whether I buy it or not -AMLC welcome and thank you very much for the photos: looking very good! I just make sure this forum gets a big BUMP! if it stays inactive too long... I remember when we once communicated you were telling the tale of this policeman who stopped you started asking all sorts of questions about the car saying he really liked it...but still gave you the ticket in the end argh! This car 090 by the way is one of very few Khamsins that Adolfo Orsi jr has been asked to inspect professionally: of course for him Maserati stopped in 68 but one day I will have to get him (drag him is more like it!) in a Khamsin and properly impress him with their potential (meaning scare the beard off him). As I said just a couple of posts ago, being able to tell him that his father was involved in the final Khamsin design made his eyes go wide! Jack: was that Afrikaans or Dutch and to what extent are they the same thing or slightly different: thanks for adding lingual variety here;-) best regards, Marc
Marc, That was Dutch, seen that AMLC posted from the Netherlands, and me being Dutch as well. The languages are quite similar, yet vastly different. The Dutch came to Sout Africa several hundred years ago, at which point they introduced their language here. Over that period of time, the language developed differently in the Netherlands from what it did in South Africa, and although either speaker can understand a lot from the other language, Dutch versus Afrikaans, they are truly separate languages by now. The Khamsin, however, blows in North Africa (obligatory content!)
True I was straying off topic: shame on me Here are two photos I dredged from the internet: in recent years a Citroen SM gathering in Japan hosted this white Khamsin, no details known. White always was a popular color there, something holistic or to do with purity... Wish I had a contact in Japan who could dredge out the remainder of the 31 sold there: I once contacted the club there, with an introduction but nothing came back except that there were none in the club at the time, this was about 2004, 2005.... Japanese Khamsins were mostly automatic, two thirds of them (can't blame them with the traffic they have and already had back then) they are Euro spec left hand drive cars because they wanted them like in Europe, but with these sidelights which are not the same as on US cars. they also sometimes but not always I think, carried tiny additional round reflector lights at rear. best regards, Marc Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
@f308jack: nee, hij staat niet naast een Lagonda! Ah yes the story with the policeman. He kept on saying what a nice car it was, but still handed me the speeding ticket. What a guy! When you were as involved with the factory as Adolfo Orsi was, I can imagine him thinking Maserati stopped in 1968. But in the press the Khamsin is, in my opinion, getting more and more positive reviews. The last test I read about the Khamsin was in Classic and Sports Car from January 2009, and they were very positive about the Khamsin, especially (or should I say even) in comparison with the Ghibli and Indy.
@AMLC: It fitted so nicely though with your username! Striking car you have there, I love the colour combo. General question: I read that the additional 'grille' above the bumper was inconsistent with the serial numbers. Given the fact that the serial numbers were somewhat inconsitent as well regarding coming off the production line, can it be attributed to that, is it market-related or is there another answer? Somehow the grille/slats look very Citroen-ish and don't fit in all that well with the rest of the car, I like it a lot better with the closed panel, but suspect that cooling would suffer more than desirable in a hot climate?
...eh...what???? The Dottore was a young boy of about 10 years old (or so) when the car was on its peak in the mid to end 50ies. He was never part of the management in the 60ies, so, he wasn`t "involved" at all! Ciao! Walter
When your father owns a company like Maserati (just imagine!), and you are interested in cars yourself, there must be some feeling of involvement, I think, even though you are just a boy? Anyhow I found it interesting to read that "for him Maserati stopped in 68". I really like reading about the thoughts and the decisions of the people who were there at the time the Khamsin was developed. A book solely dedicated to the Khamsin would be great! @f308jack, thanks for the compliment!
It always seems to me that the Dottore today is absolutly not interested in anything Maserati from 1961 on. And: Maserati had three "stopps": 1. in 1937 when the brothers sold it to the Orsi family. 2. in 1947 when the brothers left the factory to settle OSCA 3. in 1968 when the Orsi sold their company to the producers of French green soup..... Ciao! Walter
Walter, At least he has the good sense to own a QP1 1a (The one originaly own by Mastroianni) Regards Ian.
...which he never ever has time to use. I visited his garage in the center of Modena where he keeps two QPI's and we started them up in the spring of 2006. He has a small handful of other cars but while he used to use one or two of them as daily drivers he is now just buried in his research and there are only so many hours in the day. -Jack: of course I have fantasized about a book on the Khamsin only and now have info on about 300 of them and over 1500 photos however the book which I should finish end of October, Maserati the Citroen years 1968-1975 will have a huge chapter on the Khamsin, far beyond anything ever published, with a lot of information and interviews never before carried out or published. The book will be 80% about Maserati in that period, 15% about the SM and the interaction with Citroen and 5% about the Ligier Maseratis. This book certainly won't provide me much income but it has been in my stomach since about 2005-2006 and I have been working on it full time since December, of course I started accumulationg material since I was about 11 when my father brought Indys, meraks and Khamsins home! best regards, Marc PS: The president of the French Maserati club has asked me to create a booklet on the Khamsin exclusively for club members, which I will do in the fall.
Here's a curious one. An automatic with the wrong shift lever or did they make a Khamsin with a lever like that. http://cgi.ebay.com/maserati-khamsin_W0QQitemZ180387183309QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAU_Cars?hash=item29ffe9facd&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A10%7C66%3A4%7C39%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A200 It does say that the engine and trans can be located, must be a catch. And look closely, willing to trade for a Biturbo, BMW or 944. Lots of work to bring this one back.
Thanks for that Bob: Yes saw this advertised for sale on the internet in new Zealand once about 4 years ago and then it disappeared. Will contact him for chassis number and history. it is the only Khamsin I know of that has had a "heart transplant"....with a non Khamsin non Italian engine, even though many many Italian sports cars ended up with hybrid specs like this specially in the 50's, 60's in the US. More info if and when I get it. -Walter I think Adolfo also has a very special 3500 Touring yes Touring spyder...and he has a very nice silver Mistral, I followed him for 20kms in it before he warehoused it...anyway we are off topic: these are dinosaurs lacking LHM you know....;-) best regards, Marc
The back bench is meant strictly for tiny kids, legless dwarves being punished or for the playboy who carries two leggy blondes to put one sideways in the back. It normally does not move and is in one piece however I have come across a couple of cars where it was not attached (simply because it had been removed and not been remounted properly) so you could just push it down. it is however not articulated: just bolted or screwed in place. If you carry passengers like that and have the speakers under the leather at the side of the bench at elbow lelve over the wheelarch protrusion with those little pin holes in the leather do tell the passengers not to exert pressure there as it will rip the leather which happened twice in my (ex) car -not my blonde on any of the two occasions unfortunately but those of friends of mine who were in the passenger seat!-. the solution if that happens is to screw speaker covers atop that. Many have said that the rear bench should be replaced by a luggage shelf which I find a great idea as long as it gets done in a period correct appearance. best regards, Marc
The rear seats are not for humans; I`ve heard a story about an official Maserati manual (Mistral? Ghibli?) that describes the rear seats of the car as "perfect seating for two indoor cats". Joke or not, it`s quite accurate... Marc: I´m looking forward to your book. Put my name on the pre-order list Helge
Sounds great, I am looking forward to your book too. I found this on the Internet, http://www.iwebhosting.ca/ontariomaseraticlub/pdfs/il%20Nettuno-fall_Winter2007.pdf, and liked the story about "driving a Khamsin properly" very much.
I, for one, am happy the little rear seats were included. I take my 3 and 6yr old sons for very safe drives around the neighborhood in the backseat. As I personally remember driving in my dad's Austin Healey when I was about 5 or 6, I have high hopes for creating an equally "cool" experience for my kids.
