Maserati Khamsin

Hi Marc,

during my search-tour last year I test-drove that car in red originating from Mr.K
It is in very good condition and still available as far as I know.

Best,

Rolf

 

Hello Rolf:

Thank you for the feedback, much appreciated, hope you are enjoying yours!

best regards,

Marc

PS: Bob: thanks for your kind words, forgot to respond.

 

Today I changed my odometer for kmh.
When my wife entered the garage, she knows my hiding place these days, she asked me if I wasn't overdoing it?!?

Ciao,

Bart
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What an excellent shot of the only working position for under dashboard work. A few weeks ago I did similar work on my Merak, and ended up in the same posture. All the alternatives will kill your back.

 

Bart I think you confused the Khamsin repair manual with the kama Sutra book

Thinking of your wife making that comment...hilarious! she may have a point: she is a very sensible lady!

Marc

 

Good morning all:

I was just editing my interview of Adolfo Orsi for the book and in it there is mention of the proposal by Pininfarina for a Khamsin design: this was in response to Maserati approaching Bertone and Pininfarina concurrently.

Bertone was soon chosen because it was felt Pininfarina was too close to Ferrari.

No Pininfarina design is believed to have been made as this did not go further than that initial proposal.

The date? April 70, yes 1970.

best regards,

Marc

 

Hi Marc
Love the interesting insight your digging up.
It would have been interesting as the closest aged Pininfarina design to the Khamsin is the Ferrari 365 GTC of 72.

Graeme

 

Hi,

Does anybody know what is the pressure used in the two break accumulators?

 

Hello Marc,

Time wise this information matches with the information I received years ago while visiting Maserati when the old crowd was still there (late eighties) and taking them out for dinner in "Il Postillione" and listening to their stories:

When Maserati was considering the successor for the Ghibli they worked on 2 concepts, one front engined GT and a mid engined car. To have an answer to the "local" competition Maserati chose for the mid engined car from the hand of Giugiaro; the Bora.
Consequently the front engined GT development was put to bed
Only after the old clientele complained that the Bora concept was to juvenile to them, the front engined GT concept was taken off the shelf again and became the Khamsin, as we all know designed by Gandini working at that time for and supervised by Bertone.

Ciao,

Bart
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according to a previous post on this thread: 65 bar

Rgds,
Bart

 

Thanks Bart:

I wish I would have visited back then and even earlier of course!

When my father was at Citroen he was supposed to visit the factory in the 68-75 time span when Citroën owned it but did not have time...if only he had gone and taken me along...the closest I got was the Cologne Germany Citroen distributor who had several brand new Maseratis in stock and -I was about 12 it was around 1975, they took the plastic cover off a brand new gold Khamsin and let me sit in it

In the course of editing another interview this morning I was able to ascertain that all khamsins were preassembled at Bertone and not at a Bertone sub contractor. This had previously been in doubt. It was Thierry Lecesne, then head of acquisitions who told me that. He went to bertone to verify each khamsin off the line there (complete except for mechanicals) before signing off the purchase.

best regards,

Marc

 

Hi Bart,

Thank you for the information. If I have understood correctly there are three accumulators, one on the main pressure regulator and two for the breaks. Do all of these accumulators have the same pressure?

Best regards,
Armaz

 

Hello Armaz,

Please see page 122 of this thread: 64 bar against the original Citroën DS system of 46 bar.
To me there is one pressure regulator valve in the system that allows for the max pressure in the different components.
Mind you, the owners and maintenance manual mentions 175bar on page 186! Seems a bit high to me, anybody that can throw some light here?
I never actually measured the pressure, so I cannot tell you more today.

Regards,

Bart

 

Hi All
As the one who mentioned the 64 Bar or (940psi) the info came from a Citroen Guy who worked at a dealership in London when the cars were new.

I also believe the pressure was stamped on the acculator case
Except for a lot mucking around it would be interesting to trial the two pressures to see what difference it makes.

Cheers
Graeme

 

They're talking about the charge level of the nitrogen in the accumulators. That starts out fixed and slowly drops as the nitrogen bleeds out of the bladder. The pump and regulator "push back" against this as the system builds pressure. I remember the Bora as also having somewhat higher pressured accumulators but I have no recollection of any of the specifics. When I lived in the SF Bay area we also had a local Citroen guru who had all of his own servicing equipment and I remember have my spheres recharged their once.

 

I went ahead and made an appointment with my back surgeon again after just looking at this photo. At least you have the T-top or the back seat area for you legs. In a Bora no such luck ... The seat must come out and it's pretzel time for the spine ...

We are all crazy you know.

 

It feels so good to be crazy........

By the way, can anybody enlighten me, why some Khamsin from Australia have two upper air intake grilles in the bonnet.

Is there a paint code for the paint on the grilles in the bonnet?

Does anybody have a nos LHM pressure switch as on the distribution box for the headlamps hydraulics next to oil reservoir , see attached picture

Best always

Rolf
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Hello Rolf...

From what I understand these pressure switches are very difficult
to come by... I have been using a direct fit Ford part since buying
my car in 2002... In fact its the same Ford part since then... The
one thing regarding the substibute part I am using is that it doesn't
turn the lights on... When I need lights, I use the dash lever which
raises the headlight covers, and then use the dash override switch
to get power to the lights... This override switch is the one that
would be used if there was a major failure in the headlight hydraulic
system and the covers were manually raised. It should be on all
Khamsin's right by the radio (I think)...

Here in the US, this part has been extremely cheap to get and i don't
mind using the override switch to get power to the lights...

Let me know if you need more info on this part and I will see what
I can dig up...

Mike

 

Hello Rolf

The RHD K's for warm weather countries have the airduct and fan on the left side, also see the under bonnet picture by Greame on page 128 of this thread.
They are not that crazy down under....

Ciao,

Bart

 

Hi Rolf
a Picture of a RHD drive car less dash.

Regards
Graeme
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Hello Graeme:

I assume that is your car prior to restoration?

On another matter and car, AM120156 the orange car in the photos I recently posted.
In those photos it was automatic and it is now...5 speed!

I knew of a car that was changed from 5 speed to automatic (!) at MIE decades ago but while there has been talk of doing this, obviously quite a complex endeavour, I never saw it done until now.

best regards,

Marc
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Hi Mike,

thank you for the answer. A replacement switch is available from MIE, but this switch does look different and I like the original look. So if you want to enable yours again, get one from MIE.

Still looking for an answer on the colour code for the grill on the bonnet.

Kind regards

Rolf

 

Hi Graeme,

thank you for the explanation. Does that mean the opposite grill is without function and just lets water through or is it a blind one.

Kind regards,

Rolf

 

Hi Rolf
In cluded are some pictures that should help explain the RHD set up.
Effetively its just a cover that directs any water between the engine and the chassis.
Graeme
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Thank you Graeme, that is understood now.
I see your grill looks rather freshly painted. What colour did you use?
Regards
Rolf