Maserati Khamsin

modern seats won't match the character of the car. Maybe if you found seats from another K and used them as a base for your modifications, so you can keep your own seats in their original state?

But it all depends, do you really drive "spirited", so often that you would go in such extreme measures to modify some seats? If not, then I think you should keep the car in its original state.

I had a discussion about the Merak with my mechanic, I told him how it is possible to get 300hp out of the SS engine... so he just looked at me and told me that if I want
more power then I should go drive my GranSport and leave the Merak original, and I
think he is right. Keep things simple.

 

Hi Graeme,

Marc tells me that you are in NYC. Perhaps we can meet for a coffee or a drink? Check you private messages.

Carmine

 

Thanks Marc,

that's the Khamsin. Would be cool to figure out the original body colour.
From pics it looks metalic.
The black dash trim looks very clean - as everything else.
On the other hand no clue about the frame/chassis condition and history.
And for serious money the seller quotes, you don't want to find signs of massive hits.

cheers,

cinque

 

Hi Camine

I wouldnt say I'm angry but it does highlight the plight exotics before they became sort after due to there valve and some maserati's fall into this category at present.
Cars like this 250 GTE would make the basis of a GTO rebody but getting a single cam 12 would be difficult.

This Ferrari based Gotto is a good example of a sows ear into a silk purse.
Efforts like this and another car I personally know are spectacular one off's
Both started out so modified that unless the end result was done correctly. they would be worth nothing.

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/12/monterey-2010-moal-coachbuilders-debuts-ferrari-powered-gatto/

Graeme

 

Hi Marc,

I own 404, a car that has never been restored, had covered 14000 km when I bought her last year and is completely original. When I see the 406 pictures of a car
built shortly after my car it means, that Maserati changed the steering hub to a former model, painted valve covers all black, moved the ignition box to the right inner fender and the mousefur- dashtop on 406 looks defiinteley out of the original grey. Do you have an explanation?

Best

Rolf

 

Hi all:

Cinque valvole:

Sorry I was unable to get in touch with the factory will do so tomorrow monring first thing. You might want to ask the advice of the Austrian club about who might be able to do a technical inspection of 038 if you are ready to purchase pending satisfactory results.

Maserati Blue: Sorry for the late reply: yes you are right only if two spare seats from a dead car could be bought, yes then I would have them modified with more sidesupport, keeping the main seats original. It depends where you live, in south Florida there was no need for that but in any hilly countryside region of Europe you definitely can benefit from better seat support because in a K you cannot hang on to the steering wheel in the corners due to the steeering being so light and direct. So yes you need more side support for that type of driving.

Rolf: Same answer I am afraid: I am not going to invent if I don't know. I can push hard right through an open door by saying that as you already know sometimes things changed due to suppliers changing, parts or components becoing unavailaible there was often no rhyme or reason, what was on the shelf was used...but you knew that So let me ask and I will let you know what is answered.

One of the last Khamsins was built for a Swiss owner whose order de Tomaso was eager to cancel as he wanted to make room for Biturbo final assembly (they were pre assembled elsewhere). The customer got his lawfirm to intervene and the car had to be built. Mr Cozza told me this years ago. Now I would like to know which of the K's it was. Who knows it could be yours! It is not 406 as was made clear to me in the last few days by an occasional but very savvy poster who owns a very late car too.

Today I was buried in the Merak chapter and one of the questions I am asking the factory is whether there were any unusual gearboxes among late cars;-)...but that is off topic here!

On another note those coming to Khamsin Quaranta -and anyone else- can catch a glimpse of the concours field in this video I did last June with the kind help of a true Khamsin enthusiast:

See post number ten in this thread:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=141138102#post141138102

Lastly I had a very nice exchange of emails with Pierre Castinel the famous designer who now works for Peugeot in Shanghai. He sent some photos of his AM120148 which are below. That car used to be light green with a very light tan interior (which the previous owner adorned with green seat centers) and you can see the colors it has now with full repaint and interior redo (done in about 2009) quite spectacular!

He keeps the car near Paris and will be back in Europe in time for le Mans Classic where he plans to bring it. it was there in 2010 but I never met him that weekend.

best regards,

Marc
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I feel vindicated that Mr. Castinel is also affected by the rare psychological ailment of gear lever gaiter drooping phobia hence the reason he seems to have affixed a leather band around it to keep it nice and straight!

Thank you...

 

From My understanding the Nardi Wheel was an Option?

The big boss wheel is fitted to all of the R/H Drive cars I have seen in Australia, including Meraks which have the Bora Dash

Graeme

 

# 435 (RHD car) has the large steering wheel centre pad. Pics as soon as I can get to my new baby

 

Hey Jack,

So you bought 435, nice to know she finally sold. I remember the Ebay auction from a few years back, car was a lovely colour combo.

Bal

 

Hi Rolf,

I like that modification. I did the same on my #US1044. I thought it was my original idea so now my ego is a bit down. :-(

I am a machine designer by training and occupation. I think that I can pretty well distinguish between design and build decisions that were thought out and made for good reasons versus those that were done to just finish the job. Mounting the ignition control box upside down immediately behind the grill strikes me as the later. It might work in the dry Mediterranean climate, but around here it gets cold and wet for much of the year.

I respect the designers and builders for what they did well, but I see no reason to suffer with what they did not-so-well. Of course, I would keep any modifications within the bounds of capable of being restored-to-original by the next owner if he wants to do so.

Marc, I hope that I don't get a demerit for this!

Carmine

 

An appointment with the Maser shrink has been made for you Pascal;-)

Graeme: Nardi steering wheel option or not question added to the book khamsin question list for the factory which I will send them at the middle/end of the coming week. If anybody has questions, within reason, let me know by Tuesday.

Carmine that mod you mention has been discussed already by Bart and makes a lot of sense that is fine and I don't have a problem with it, not that I claim to have a say: I don't lecture people and think it is wrong to do so.

What is wrong is when people remove thermostats or for example substantially modify an engine trying to reengineer it in cases when there was no flaw. IF there was a true flaw then I am not against it because these cars are meant to be driven and if that helps the purpose then fine but this is not needed with Khamsins.

best regards,

Marc

 

Hi all,

here is the article in Traumewagen which translates into either dreamventures or dreamofcars

enjoy

Rolf
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Strange color! Non original hubcaps!

Ciao!
Walter

 

Otto:

The article looks great, the text is very positive, any publicity on K's is good publicity!

The text says that at high speed the car is nervous, perhaps he was confused or...is your steering hardener working? At high speed the steering is supposed to become harder, but if the belt is not there the steering will be as light at high speed ans in citiy traffic: this can happen and must be remedied. Other than that he is very positive.

The car looks great and I look forward to seeing it in June! I actually saw it at the Oldtimer GP 2009 at the Nurburgring.

Walter:

That's your old car don't you recognize it? AM120058. The hubcap tridents are just stickers which an Austrian Maserati enthusiast made and was selling, they are harmless I don't find them bad looking, Rolf's 404 has them too.

best regards,

Marc

 

Rolf: Thank you for posting the article.

Marc: Yes, the steering tensioner is not working properly. Quite funny on the Autobahn when you do not have the steady hands of a brain surgeon. My mechanic is trying to fix it but it seems not to be straightforward since he failed once already. Any advice?

Walter: It is blu spaziale, a Maserati colour used in the nineties on QP IV and Ghibli II. It was put on the car by the gentleman you sold it to. Certainly the filter used by the photographer and the newspaper-print do alter it quite a bit. And the interior is also completely new, so do not start to doubt your judgement for not recognizing your car... The VIN hasn't changed though

The wheels are in fact Hein Brand alloy remakes, the original ones could not be saved. So I think the stickers do not ruin originality here. La polizia di originale would find enough evidence on this car for bringing you, Walter, the gentleman you sold it to and myself right on the guillotine, I am afraid.

But it still looks very much like a Khamsin, doesn't it. And it drives nicely.

Kind regards, Otto

 

Marc,
yes, I recognised the car! But the former owner repainted it in a totally wrong color and overpainted the rubber sealing of front and rear screen. I inspected the car with a customer in 2010 and we found out that the paint was not nice. Also some issues underneath the car that did not please my customer and myself. So my man bought a different K.
When I had it I sorted the suspension and its perhaps the best handling K as it doesn`t roll so much in corners as with standard set-up.

Ciao!
Walter

 

Yes, I did, and she'll be coming home very soon!

There are many good colour-combo's for the K, and I agree, this is one of them. Maybe I would have chosen a biscuit interior, but this is how she was born, so she'll stay this way.

More news in 2 weeks, she'll be in the garage here.

 

I like the colour as it appears on here, There is a Dark Blue Khamsin in Sydney with what looks like yellowy beige leather.
and while we are having fun spotting the incorrect bits the sticker/decal on the lower rear window! Tyres !

Cheers
Graeme

 

HI Marc

Not sure if we have covered this, the Bertone emblem and script on the front guardes.
Any Idea when the factory stopped putting them on?

Cheers
Graeme

 

Otto:

In Germany Ask Schiemenz or Bergman, there is also he who goes by the nickname of QPdrei here who is very good and helps Caroline with her K.

Otherwise ask BillMcGraths or MIE, of course Graeme, Ivan and other tech experts may have advice for you, not my specialty!

Grame: will ask as mentioned I am preparing the list of questions for E.Cozza, sending it mid week.

Walter: can you tell us what you did to the suspension of 058? We would like to know, Otto included!

best regards,

Marc

 

Yes, please share your knowledge Walter. I like to know this as well.

Best regards
Marius

 

I had my car with both German names you mentioned here - and went away with dissapointment as many (!!) others did!

Ciao!
Walter

 

I commissioned a stiffer anti-roll bar (from EIBACH: http://industrial-springs.eibach.de/cms?selected_language=en) and stiffer shocks.

EIBACH is one of the best supplier in Germany for the automotive industry and has a great knowledge of race set-ups etc. THey also worked for the F1).

After the mods my Khamsin handled much better and was more precise in corners.

Ciao!
Walter

 

Thanks Walter,

A stiffer ARB sounds like a good idea, as the Khamsin rolls a lot in sharp corners.

Last year John, René and I ordered three sets of adjustable shocks from GAZ in UK. They also make competition shocks of high quality. René have this on his car now, and it works fine, but need some more adjustment before we are satisfied. It was also one issue regarding the lower bushings at the rear shocks, and John is working on a solution for his car now. The car may be inspected in Dijon this summer.

Best regards
Marius