Hi Mike, The Khamsin is looking good. Sounds like a good time was had. BTW I know that garage. Caio, George
...early (EU-)Khamsin in pristine condition is for sale here in Europe!!!! Anybody? Please contact me offline for more infos/photos etc.! Ciao! Walter
Just got back from 4 sessions on the Thunderbolt Course at New Jersey Motor Sports. My buddy brought down his '86 Testerossa. The Khamsin (1234) held up well. Of course the 700 hp Porsche Turbo ran away from it. Nonetheless, the Khamsin did especially well on the straight aways. The brakes worked fine and the steering through turns was silky smooth. The Khamsin's weight and 1977 suspension forced slower entry into turns, but exits from turns were alot of fun. The engine roared and ran nice & cool. The course provided a great instructor, along with 3 driving classes and plenty of good food.
Early Saturday morning my friend René knocked on the door. It was 5:35 AM and we had a flight to catch. For the second time in three weeks we went to the Norwegian west coast to see the Khamsin 008. Only 004 is older, and as Marc has pointed out it 004 is a prototype. That makes 008 the oldest production Khamsin, since it's no record of 006 in the Maserati archive. With help of René 008 is now mine and located in Oslo, and will be in the Dijon area next June. The 500 km. trip over the Norwegian mountains was a real thrill. First we tough we had to drive the coast line, witch is 200 km. longer, but the luck was with us and it was plus 8 degrees in the mountains yesterday. Two week ago it was a lot of snow up there, and impossible to drive on summer tires. Except a damage to my left shoe, cased by a leaking LHM light switch, the trip went just fine. This is the kind of roads they invented for Khamsins, so it's too bad it's only four of those machines in Norway. The other Khamsin at the picture is US1000, the first Khamsin in the US. Like 008 it's built in -74, and it's fully converted to Euro specifications. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here is a few more from the trip. Imposible not to smile when driving the Khamsin. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Congratulations Marius!!! Excellent news, you will be a very fine custodian for the oldest production Khamsin in the world and it will be very special to have 004, 008 and 016 (first car sold to France, now being fully restored) all at Khamsin Quaranta. Will answer your email in next 24 hours, crazy busy right now. best regards, Marc
Thanks Graeme! It's a really special feeling to drive a car like the Khamsin i scenery like this. I had a very nice trip in my black Merak on the Norwegian west coast in the spring. Better weather, but the same kind of roads. I think VCM prints an article from that trip in the next issue. Best regards Marius Sorteberg
Hi Marius I think you have hit on something. I will throw the challenge out there, for people to take pictures of khamsin's in great locations. I will continue with a picture of my car Graeme Image Unavailable, Please Login
Very nice Graeme! In the Ghibli section I have seen some beautifully pictures with great scenery. We need more of that with Khamsins. I have one from Haugesund airport, where we inspected #008. It's too much "noise" in the background, but still nice. I was thinking something like the picture of my Merak (too bad with the Volvo). Picture taken this summer on the Norwegian west coast. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here is my entry of K AM120US1120 taken in 2003 during a TMC event in North Carolina - Biltmore House in the background... Image Unavailable, Please Login
The first picture is for Marc... I hope it hasn't been posted here before... The second is from Florida a few years back... The gorgeous 3500gt is owned by a very nice gentleman from Florida... Enjoy... Mike Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
And some more from the time I was on my Khamsin hunt.... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Mike! Thanks for posting that: a Sunday morning in Fort Lauderdale, Florida April 2005 6.5 years ago zee time eet flies! My first ever Khamsin reunion: 3 cars then we had 7 at Goodwood 2009 (though of course it wasn't my event just a quick photo call during the International Maserati club meeting) 8 near Zurich, Switzerland August 22 last year...and who knows how many next year during Khamsin Quaranta. Your car 1120 (silver) is still in Florida or Tennessee wherever you keep it but my (ex) baby 1242 (gold) is since October 2007 in Laguna Beach California while 1054 the blue ex René H. is now in the Zurich Switzerland area, I exchanged emails with the current owner last summer: need to get back in touch. best regards, Marc
Mike: not the prettiest pictures but two more shots of the same day after the three car shoot as I followed you on the way to that little concours in Hollywood (Florida not Ca.). I can attest that you did not break the speed limit and that I almost fell asleep on I95 LOL;-) do you know that it is illegal for a Frenchman to obey the speed limit on a US highway in a Maserati?! Really! Yup you learn something every day To finish in the spirit of this sequence of pretty background shots is one that some of you may have seen in my bumper conversion guide and perhaps earlier on here but it is special to me because this spot; Tarpon Bend a dead end in a nice, beautiful and quiet neighborhood of Fort Lauderdale, truly was a favorite of mine to go with the car and just look at it in peace and quiet in beautiful surroundings... I need to find some wonderful shots I did with peacocks not far from there...their reaction to the car was amazing... Marc Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
This was a professional picture taken for a magazine that didnt happen. Graeme Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here' #766 at the Montaluce Winery in the North Georgia Mountains. Rick . . . . Image Unavailable, Please Login
That was something! I also have to admit that I'm found of the US steering wheel. Most people like the Euro steering wheel best, but I think the padding on the US version fits the car. #385 has it, but this car was sold new in UK in -78. Did all cars in UK get that version? It's fall here in Oslo, yellow leaves still on the trees, and if it's not raining, good opportunities to take great photos. Maybe we can arrange something for #008 and #US1000 during the weekend....
Well sort of. This is #1024 at the first Columbus, Ohio Italian Concours 2009 put on by Wendy's and Evan's Auto. Shortly after taking this photo somehow my rearview mirror got busted. Haven't found another the same. It was already partially cracked so it didn't take much of a bump. Oh well. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Doug Does this help, it's from a Bora ... bit exy price wise http://www.ebay.com/itm/Maserati-Bora-Merak-Mirror-Oronado-OEM-/160624021765?hash=item2565f01105&item=160624021765&pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr Graeme
