Any info on this Merak?

http://www.parkplaceltd.com/collectibles-cars/detail/1980-Maserati-Merak-SS/282/AM122AUS2632/~/Year_~Make_~Model_~ModelActual_/1

A friend is thinking of buying this car. Any info about it?

 

Original equipment sunroof? Let's see what Walter and Bob have to say about that.

 

Definitely non-origina!

 

Yeah the sunroof and large tridents on the side. But I'm no Merak guru.

The top of the dash? On Boras it's mouse hide but on Meraks I've been told they did some different things later on.

The plug wires are wrong but so what.

Best have a Merak guru explain what's be changed in the engine compartment.

It kind looks like they took a good example and painted the engine compartment a bit.

They painted the entire car over, either they re-trimmed the seats or a very nice looking dye job was done.

Too bad about the sun roof. It's expensive to fix that.


I think it's a very nice looking car but then I don't mind the rubber bumpers on these cars.

In summary, it's a Walter parts car .

 

by engine stamp # does 601 tell if 3.0 motor or just maybe or no

 

My former Merak SS #2646 did have dull mouse hair dash. The asking price for this yellow Merak is certainly aggressive. I figure the realistic market value of this is If the Sunroof was not installed to be $24,000-25,000 if the sodium filled exhaust valves have been changed for solid ones and the Gas tanks and adjacent areas have been resealed. With the sunroof........... that's a different story as it certainly devalues it to most people.
Regards
Charles

 

I thought mousehair was compulsary too!

Theres three Meraks on Ebay currently to consider if you're still unsure


Julian

 

Looks like a nicely maintained car, but there are many non original parts on that car.

Here is what I see at a quick glance.

Silver locks on the doors (the ones you press or pull to unlock/lock the doors from the inside), entire interior leather not original, wrong dashboard top (original is not leather), wrong carpets, side tridents, sun roof, red button in console between seats (sun roof control?), stereo system, never seen an antenna button like that (maybe original on US cars?), ignition key not original (should be black at the top not silver), side speakers at the bottom below the doors, design by.. sign on the passengers side not original (never seen a Merak with two signs, maybe part of US cars or optional extra?), wipers not original, etc

If you don't care about originality and you don't mind the ugly US bumpers, then it looks like a fine car. The price is rather high...

 

Looks very nice , despite the various issues regarding originality deviations. Pity about that sun roof, which will be difficult to rectify. Otherwise, nothing major really.

 

Why is the sun roof bad? It really looks good to me and matches the lines of the car. I would have kept it

Since this is not a 500,000 priced car, why bother to remove the sun roof? It is not likely to go up to those prices, with or without the sun roof.

 

Other than the top of the dash where is there leather where there should not be?

The carpet in the trunk looks exactly like some of them I've seen over here.
The interior carpet ??? I can't really see well enough so that's a possible change as it usually goes bad.

Ignition switch? Looks like the one on my Bora?

 

well, if the carpet has been changed, it not original, so that is why I mentioned it. I also mentioned the key not the ignition itself.

 

Generally, if you put the same exact type of material back in the car people won't cry that it's not original but yes it's not the actual piece of carpet that came with the car. The terms original and authentic get mixed and confused usage in such discussions.

I guess I missed the key. Isn't that nitpicking?

The headliner is black and I can't tell what it's made from. Is that the correct style though? All of this may have originally been changed when the sun roof went in.

A nice looking car. I wonder how the mechanicals are? Not too much about that ...