Merak Targa

Has anybody more infos about the modified Merak in the US.

Photo was taken in the late 70s by Joe Alphabeth who sold his entire archive to me some years ago.
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Hello Monsieur Walter,

Incredible coincidence, just this morning I was editing one of the last interviews for my book: that of Fort Lauderdale's Maserati dealer in that era, Tom Clark Senior and I am happy to give you a free extract:

Tom Clark: "We only made one Targa. We sold the car to Mr. Joe Alves who was Steven Spielberg’s production designer on many famous movies."

I hope it helps you, now don't forget your Prozac pills;-)

best regards,

Marc

 

Actually I like this targa Merak. Generally, I don't go for these removable hardtop things, but I think that this works very well with the car's lines.

 

I agree totally! Another Mistake by Maserati not to produce a "Spyder"-Merak.

 

I wonder what a Bora version of this would look like?

I dunno, that hatch????

A job for a Photoshop expert! Any takers?

 

Was that at The Steering Wheel dealer? Or Tropix?

 

years ago, 10? one was for sale in california. they had used chevy camero targa top. nice but a little rough finish

 

Seems that the car got later a modification to improve stiffness.
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Viagra for a Merak!

 

There's a good reason for Maserati not building anything like that: the hoop is too high, makes it look like a 20-ies Rolls Sedanca de Ville. The T-top certainly didn't improve things. Beautiful car ruined.

 

Interesting! I usually hate targas, but I think on the Merak it is actually an improvement. The fly buttress/sail bar arrangement never sat right with me and I alway preferred the Bora. Somehow the roof removed lightens the centers of the car (visually) which works really nicely with the previous too light rear. Funny how such a small change can make such a big difference.

I bet if they had been factory made they would go at a significant premium to the coupe.

 

In 1990 or 1991, I saw a Targa Merak in Marina Del Rey Los Angeles. The dealer said it was made to order for Tony Roma (American Rib Rest. Bus.) I recall it was a targa and not a T-top but that was a long time ago.....

 

Yes. That might have been nice.

I'm not so sure how I feel about the T-top aesthetically. I think I like the wide open version better.

Agreed.

 

I also agree that the Targa Merak has very smooth lines that match the style of the car. I really like it!

I don't know how realistic is a production model at that era. They would make it a lot more heavier in order to make it more stiff and with an under-performing engine things would be really bad for performance.

 

Hello John,

It was the Steering Wheel the dealership founded by Tom Clark senior.

best regards,

Marc

 

I have an original Steering Wheel shirt. Old of course. but very classic. I'll post a pic

 

Well it's a lot more appealing without the "Firebird T-top option".

I wonder what the story is on that? Is it verified that the T-Top was later? That does seem logical except that they would have to add metal back in which is a lot harder than cutting the ugly T-Top out?

Ferrari was able to manage it without a T-Top so why not Maserati?

I'm not familiar with the Merak's unibody but the Bora's is very stout. It has those side beam stiffeners under the rocker panels and I suppose you could always weld even more metal on there?

 

Bob,

Ferrari used a heavier tubular frame to build the 308 GTS (targa), and though it is plenty stiff enough, there is a notable difference between that and the GTB (berlinetta) The Merak is constructed rather differently and much harder to convert. Also, the Merak's passenger compartment is much longer than that of the Bora, which has added stiffness because of the firewall being more forward, and the 308 GTB/GTS are also all strictly 2-seaters.

 

The Bora's "firewall" consists of two layers of fiberglass about an inch apart with fiberglass insulation inside. I can't see that as contributing any stiffness but there is additional structure above that along the sides so maybe that helps? Certainly the hatch isn't of much help. But the rest of the rear frame is decidedly different. I think from the leading edge of the doors forward the two models are probably identical no?

 

Bob,

Imagine a shoe-box: By itself it is quite rigid. Now cut one of the short sides open: The rigidity is completely gone, even though the material you cut away is in no way very strong. It is the structure that makes the strength.
I certainly don't want to start a discussion about torsional dynamics of the Bora and Merak bodies, as I know way too little about the subject, but the basic principle is clear.
Yes, I believe you're right when you say that part of Merak and Bora are identical. Then they put the stiffening tube in the Bora sill.

 

that Merak looks really sharp in targa, very nice!

 

Bob,

I am very slow. I just got your joke. You are a funny SOB.

Carmine

 

this raises and interesting question... power withstanding, how does the lighter merak compared in handling over the higher horsepower, heavier and presumably stiffer chassis bora? would the couple hundred pounds makes make up for the lack chassis strength lost in the 2+2 and cost cutting transformation ?

i havent notice any difference in the sills sturcture or added tubes in the bora forward of the door jams. i would imagine the closer fire was should help a great deal for strength.

 

The latest Merak droves circles around any Bora in corners but when it comes on straight the V8 powers its endless torque and leaves any Merak behind.

The Merak is more precise than the Bora and you can place it more easily at the beginning of a curve.

Big minus with both cars is the understeering which is worse with the Bora as its heavier.

 

In actuality I wonder if the Merak is all that much lighter? The Norbye book has quite a few errors in it so I guess we'd have to weigh two cars both with the same bumper configurations.

The Merak seems a bit more nimble feeling to me but I never pushed a STOCK Merak to the limits like a have the Bora.

As for the so called firewall any stiffness in that region on a Bora is due to the hoop structure and certainly not anything in the wall itself. In the Bora the only structural component besides the hoop formed by the roof-sides-sills-floorpan is a 1/2" piece of square tube used to support the window and mount the fiberglass wall. Aft of that the Bora is very rigidly constructed. But I don't know that the Merak suffers any in the same region. It's different though.

http://www.eurospares.co.uk/partTable.asp?M=3&Mo=551&A=2&B=30328&S=
http://www.eurospares.co.uk/partTable.asp?M=3&Mo=551&A=2&B=30312&S=

http://www.eurospares.co.uk/partTable.asp?M=3&Mo=526&A=2&B=29504&S=
http://www.eurospares.co.uk/partTable.asp?M=3&Mo=526&A=1&B=29486&S=

Then there's the subframe. It's not terribly heavy but it doesn't weigh nothing either.