Bob, My car is Khamsin #435, built 1982. That in itself doesn't mean anything, I just don't see the point of fitting the pump and plumbing in the furst place. No plate with an altitude warning: the car ran most of its' life above 6.000ft anyway, so if that caused a problem, it would have shown up by now The tubes are definitely in the headers, not the heads. There is certainly not a big check-val;ve in there, but maybe something compact, as in approxinately the same diameter as the tube. Could it be that they were worried about exhaust gas temperatures, and found this an easy way to bring them down to acceptable levels? No car manufacturer fits something that costs money but serves no purpose. The pump costs, and fabricating the headers with the associated piping welded to it must have cost a pretty penny too. It's also not an isolated car: 433 and 439 are the same. I'll let you know what I find, but I need to build the regulator and accumulators back in before I can drive her to an exhaust place!
Aussie Insight Of the three cars I know quite well the Austrlian Design Rule 27A had a requirement for certain Emmissions at a certain RPM. All the Cars as far as I am aware delivered to Australia were fitted with air pumps after 1976. As for the thermal exhaust one car has them and it had a smog pump and that car was delivered to the Canberra dealer in the ACT. My car had a smog pump but all the the plumbing has been welded up and the pump removed years ago. As we all know they were a tack on fix to reduce the exhaust emissions. Mine also had slightly leaner Jetting 125 mains against 130 Graeme
Thanks Graeme, How very strange! In any case, off it comes then, and the holes in the headers welded up. Are these stainless or mild steel?
hi Bal, MIE only have right hand side bezels. i was offered a complete NOS left hand mechanism from california but in the meantime found a used unit here in the UK through the Alfa Montreal crowd. if i find a used right hand one i'll put it away, these are typically items which will get very rare indeed and the plastic bezels get brittle with age. my car is a euro spec nr 445 and does not have airpump,pipes or anything.never had them either. P.
The altitude thing is about running too rich and thereby turning your thermal reactors into near nuclear reactors! I experienced that one one night on Betha Pass in Colorado. The headers lit up like a blast furnace until I cut the belt to the air pump. OK so your car is a late one so maybe wherever it was first sold had by then required a bit of emissions? There must be a check valve somewhere so that backfires don't get into the rubber hose. The air is to help burn off any excess hydrocarbons. Even on the earlier cars with no thermal reactors that was the idea but Maserati never knew what they were doing in the emissions equipment department until 1989 by which time the cars were all FI. Your instincts are correct, remove it all. As long as the pump was electrically disconnected it wasn't doing any harm at 6000ft. Check the Weber jetting too. Keep having too much fun!
Marc This car has appeared in Melbourne for sale. A fellow Khamsin owner enquired and it has a MPH speedo. However it has clear Glass and is an Auto. I have know of this car for some time but have no details other than I believe its one owner. I will try to get the Chassis Number. http://www.drive.com.au/used/search/detail.aspx?id=36263468&lid=36263468&#tab-details If this has been mentioned before then Im slack and didnt see it but in case not in the UK for Auction Bonhams at Hendon RAF Museum, 30 April 2012: http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/magazine/3500.asp?id=15945 Graeme
Hi all: Crazy busy but finished my book text! Now numerous weeks of layout ahead! I see the forum is very busy, running at 6500rpm in fifth, excellent! Yes AMLC, Graeme Pascal thanks for the mention of AM120335 the Bonhams car, I was discussing it a few months ago with Andy Heywood, and he confirmed the owner had passed, what I did not know is the one owner history and how nice a car it seems so for "wrong hand drive" seekers it certainly is worth a close look, seems to be an excellent car. Wonder what that is instead of the ashtray, some stereo component probably. Another one I did not know about showed up for sale in L.A. AM120US1186 http://www.beverlyhillscarclub.com/1977-maserati-khamsin--c-876.htm Its bumper conversion appears to have been stopped half way after the most difficult parts of the job were completed, odd. I spoke to the salesman and it was with an elederly owner who hardly used it in recent years. It is an automatic but it is cheap and the bumper job is easy to finish (no Euro bumpers come with the car). Graeme thanks for the Oz car ad, silly text, interesting seats, the car has the brake scoops under the nose, wonder why there are no front photos, it looks tidy though. Thanks in advance for anything you can find out best regards, Marc
Graeme, The Bonhams car was mentioned, but I didn't see any comments. Low miles is nice, but I think I read it stood since 1993. A little re-commissioning will be required in that case. Can't remember if the text states wether it is running or not. Nice looking car, and probably a great basis, but also a potential money-pit. The Aussie car is interesting: I didn't see a K with cloth seat-fascia's before. Love the exterior colour. Forgive me for saying so, but the description appears somewhat infantile. If all the !!!! translate to Dollars, he'll do well
Does anyone have a material code for the dark brown Alcantara? So far I have e-mailed 2 official importers (Germany and South Africa) but heard nothing. I suppose they are not interested in someone who needs a metre of the stuff.
Hi Marc One for the record and its cheap. Chassis AM 120*363 RHD Auto ( shame) Dark blue . It has a MPH Speedo and retains all the polution gear!! I think it may have come from HongKong by the current owner Blue Veluor / leather interior. http://www.drive.com.au/used/search/detail.aspx?id=36263468&lid=36263468&#tab-details Graeme
Thanks Graeme. that is the car which you referenced in the past as having been owned by a Dr Dominic de Carlo. It is not mentioned at all in the UK information I have so yes it would seem it went first to HK as you say but it could also have been one of the original Australian delivery cars don't you think? And the advertisers text: to speak your lingo and not meaning any disrespect for his creative skills he is either a wallaby or a rockape Did you notice it say the car has a "5.2 liter" engine!? My oh my! best regards, Marc
Hi Guys, The Melbourne Khamsin for sale is a genuine Right Hand Drive 4.9 L Automatic sold new in 1977 in Melbourne by Talbot Motors, the then Maserati Dealer, it is a one owner car & still in original paint & trim. David Z - Melbourne 20/4/2011.
Hello all: Here is a new video made in southern Germany, not sure who did it perhaps the owner of 182 or 100. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn8vSC8eZ-w[/ame] best regards, Marc
Hi David I thought that was the car I had heard of thanks for the update. Seems very cheap. I am told it has a MPH Speedo. I have some one looking at it latter this coming week Regards Graeme
Hi All Auto Italia Canberra 15 April 2012 A gallery of all the cars, and Yes there are Khamsin Pictures. http://www.marisagangemi.com/gallery3/index.php/Auto-Italia-2012 Regards Graeme
Hi Carmine Good Question, by all accounts yes, soon find out, as I have a friend looking at the car next week. Regards Graeme
Thanks for that Graeme: This is an excellent opportunity to compare just how much in common the Lamborghini Urraco and the Khamsin have. As mentioned before Gandini confirmed to me that he did start the K's design based on the Urraco: these photos of the blue one and your red Khamsin AM120.403 as well as the maroon one AM120.315 of Sid D. really show it particularly well. 315's color is probably rosso rubino metalizzato. best regards, Marc
Hi Marc These pictures are of 120 355? Bob Kimptons Car now fitted with wires. It will be interesting to see what people think. If you are wondering why the cars are parked where they are, its because the area was set aside for the 100 years of Betone and 40 years of the Khamsin unfortunately I could only get three. Regards Graeme Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I had a call this morning from someone you has had an informed look at this car. If anyone is interested in that info please PM me. Regards Graeme
Thanks for that Graeme: I had never seen this car nor did I have a file on it! Nice color, I will reserve my (2 cent) judgment on the rims but other than that it looks good. I thought Kimpton had 361: Here is what I had on 361: The info Walter Baumer gave me 4 years ago states that it was in Australia with Alfredo Emanuele 78-96. Then later on (August 2010, info by you Graeme) with Bob Kimpton, was light green when new then painted dark metallic brown Mercedes color. It has just been retrimmed. Heywood: zero info which tends to confirm the above. So which is it 355 or 361? Thanks as always for your much appreciated help! Marc
Graeme: You had posted some time ago great photos of 315, your own car 403 and the same maroon car of which you just posted the two photos, albeit now with wire wheels: the number plate etc is the same as this car on the right and you had written that it was 361: I get very easily confused with numbers so please rescue me! Thanks in advance! Marc PS: Three is a great effort! Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi, have a look at the engine bay pics of the beverlyhillscarclub Khamsin. Another one w header catch tank, mounted between the fans. Rolf
Hi, there is a check valve, so no gas coming out the tubes. My car is 404, the third last LHD built and it has the pump. Electric clutch and operated only to blow air in the exhaust manifolds w/o thermal reactors for the European cars to dilute the exhaust gases and fake a lower emission. happy driving Rolf
