Maserati Khamsin

Hi John,

Please post some more pics of your engine (and trans), it looks fabulous!

Thanks,

Jack.

 

I've not done a V8 install by tilting it manually as you're proposing.
I have done several V6 installs that way using nylon slings wrapped around the headers and that has worked fine for me without the tilting attachment.

But in this situation I think you better use the tilting attachment as it will make for much better control and prevent any possible damage.

Assume something is going to bump and plan accordingly.

TWO PEOPLE.

I've only done the V8 on a Bora which is obviously a whole other kettle of fish.

 

John,

I have only done the job by having the engine separate from the gearbox and that was already a job! Mind you there is very little space around and you need to do it right first time. Watch out with the LHM pump and bracket, easy to damage these with all that weight and little room.
I guess you need to lift the car quite a bit to allow for the angle in which the whole assembly needs to get in before you can level the gearbox horizontal and get that gear lever in the hole...

I did put mine in separate and from the side because mu crane did not have enough reach...

Lots of success!

Ciao,

Bart
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i know, i know, i'm a bit bloody late to the party (when am i not?) now, the problem is to find a nice one....anyone have any hints?

(other than the gullwing car!)

 

A few years ago there were two or so coming up for sale each year in the USA. I don't see that many now. Keep looking on Hemmings particularly.

I think all of us will advise you to buy the nicest car you can afford. One that has been neglected will require a lot of work and money to bring back to life and will give you many "learning experiences".

Right now Motorcar Gallery in Florida has one. I might have thought it a bit high priced, but from the photos it seems to be in excellent condition, has very low mileage and is a five speed. The only obvious negatives are the USA bumpers and tail lights.

 

thanks for the advice...i saw the one on motorcar gallery and i was wondering about the tail lights-they seem very odd-are they from another car, or something?

 

Browse through this forum for photos and you will see the car the way it was originally designed -- with the graceful European style bumpers and taillights floating in the rear glass.

The ugly duckling big bumpers and taillights relocated to the steel panel below the glass were for USA delivery only. For "safety".

Fellow F-Chatter and Maserati conoscenza Ivan has it all sorted out:
The Car Nut - Maserati Khamsin Brief History

Somebody out there makes a bumper and glass panel kit to restore the car to its as-designed look.

 

Somebody out there makes a bumper and glass panel kit to restore the car to its as-designed look.[/QUOTE]

MIE do

Graeme

 

Hello Phil and welcome.

Here is my A to Z on how to convert a US market K back to the way it was meant to look:

Maserati Khamsin Registry - Bumper conversion kit

Even though I am not the tinkerer type at all (I like to DRIVE) I have converted three K's with my hands and somehow still have ten fingers I was in a body shop though and the owner, a friend and expert was obviously very helpful.

My how to guide starts with the historical context that led to that disastrous look imposed by the Washington bureaucracy and then goes on to the nitty gritty of executing the transformation.
There are many pages just click on the link at the bottom of each.

The contact information for the various bumper kit suppliers is on the last page.

Best of luck in your search, act quickly if you see one appear on the market as they tend to be bought by Europeans and to be vacuumed across the Atlantic right away.

The one at Motorcar Gallery is priced ambitiously and unusually high for the US but considering the low mileage it is somewhat justified...but time will tell if that particular car will sell at that price.

You may also find my book of interest since it has 82 pages on the Khamsin.

best regards,

Marc

 

thanks very much marc

what woud you say a nice khamsin should go for, that has for than 12 miles on the clock ?

 

Phil,

The more important question would be what you are looking for.

Do you look at cars in need of some work, and if yes, how much work is acceptable to you?
Is an automatic trans acceptable or not?

The bumper conversion was discussed already, it has become somewhat of a moot point. There are, however, a few other differences between the Euro and US spec cars, and they are somewhat more costly to rectify/amend. Exhaust including headers, final drive ratio, emission stuff (depending where you are, you may need to leave that intact), side markers.

Once you have answered the above, you know what to look out for.

Keep in mind, that Khamsins are enjoying a little spotlight only recently, and very, very few have enjoyed the lavish attention that their counterparts with little horses have enjoyed. They are also much rarer than say a Daytona or a C/4, so finding the right car, depending on the above, may become a difficult task.

I also think that you need to be quick. Some cars in Europe may linger on the sales floor, but others get sold for much more money. Khamsins are rapidly becoming an expensive asset if they have the right specification, and restoration (proper) of a wanting example is becoming a real option. That is good for the breed, but a pressure-factor for the prospective buyer.

Define what you are looking for and keep at it!

Good luck in your search,

Jack.

 

Phil,

Marc and Jack are making good points.

The Motorcar Gallery cars strikes me as priced very high for a USA spec car. Their web site says USD 96 K, their advert on Hemmings says 89.5 K. On the other hand, if they get near that it will be great for current Khamsin owners.

But I think that it's reasonable to say that a very nice car will cost pretty good money. Whether you buy a car in need of work and pay someone to do the work; or you buy a good, low mileage, well-maintained car; or you buy a completely restored car. But regardless of how you get there, in finished condition the car should be near excellent on all maters: engine internals, suspension, Citroen hydraulics, paint, interior. For that I suspect you will wind up in the neighborhood of USD 75,000 now. More or less depending upon the particular example. More or less depending upon how much work you do yourself or pay someone else to do.

The other consideration is that the Maserati market seems to be improving. In the general economy, people are calming down emotionally about the "economic crisis". So these numbers may be changing in the near future.

Regards,
Carmine

 

Gentlemen,

I was asked to post some pictures before I'll install the engine tomorrow - here they come.

Regarding the cost of getting to the point I reached - just direct cost, no labour etc. is € 100K and I will have some more cost before the car will be finalised. I trust every cent spend will be a good investment and the car will last forever. I did most work myself but had help from specialists related to engine, painting, hydraulics etc.

Kind regards
John
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Hello John,

It all looks very good. Good luck with the installation. You have a very neat workshop.

Where did you get your exhaust headers made?

Also, if you can, would you please take a photos with a scale in place? I would like to know the location of the gearshift relative to the back of the engine block and centerline of the crankshaft? Also the same for the location of the clutch actuator. Thanks very much.

So there is a good indication for all of us with current pricing. I assume you've done a complete engine rebuild?

Best regards,
Carmine

 

Hello all,

Carmine: John is doing a 100% no compromise restoration, one of the top 5 best ever on any Khamsin and he is doing it all (almost) himself. He bought a donor car in 2010, #204 (apart of the main car #AM120US1032 which came out of Boca raton Florida via Oldtimer Garage in Bern Switzerland) which I found for him and just seeing him examine every little part for hours after he just drove down from Denmark when we went to see the car showed how obsessive he is about making it perfect.

Then he towed the donor car 1500kms back up to Denmark having hardly slept: he is not lazy

The upcoming issue of Viale Ciro Mentotti has an article about his restoration I was asked to help but since I was rather busy with a certain book at the time I could not but I am sure it is a very interesting article.

It is very encouraging to see the expanding number of restorations in the last two years.

John, superb work, not surprised

best regards,

Marc

 

thank you all for this tsunami of excellent advice!

in answer to a few questions, and having been through a few restorations, i think i'd rather buy something that's ready to drive-manual shift, euro spec, if possible...i'm a mechanical village idiot, so the less there is to fix, the better! i don't care so much about super low mileage, as i do about condition...

 

John,

That was me who asked, thank you for posting them. As I said earlier, the assembly looks absolutely fabulous.

One question:

The engine you are installing has a bracket for a smog-pump. Did the Euro car also have the pump? I see your headers are without the rail and thus assume you're not putting a pump in. Do you have an example of the alternator bracket without the smog-pump attachment cast onto it?

I took my pump off as well and would like to lose the anchoring points.

Best,

Jack.

 

Hi Jack,

As I mentioned in an earlier post John car is a US car, NOT a Euro car, it is AM120US1032.

Nobody in their right mind would refit the crude smog pump (and the Us bumpers, sidelights and the US exhaust headers) after a full restoration unless they live in california and have no choice due to the severe emissions rules there. John is in Denmark.

-In other news AM120US1038 which was at Gullwing Motorcars has been bought by a Dutchman who contacted me a few days ago, apart of the bumpers (he has already bough the kit) he is intent on converting it from automatic to 5 speed. Time will tell. So one more crosses the ocean eastwards: Bob what was that song of yours again?

-Phil68: I wish you luck in finding one but as this sale of 1038 demonstrates realize you don't have the luxury of choice, don't be a fence sitter when the next one becomes available Again one third of US Khamsins 48 out of 155 are known to be in Europe and with cars written off for any reason be it fire, crashes, rust, the number of cars remaining in the US (plus a small handful in Canada) is less than one per US state, which is certainly true concerning 5 speeds and not far off the truth concerning all US K's including automatics.

best regards,

Marc

 

Marc,

Congratulations to the new owner of 1038. I think it is a decent car that can be a driver almost immediately and can be brought back to glory by a knowledgeable, patient and resourceful owner.

About the five speed conversion: I think it can be done without a great deal of trouble if pursued methodically and assuming the owner has the resources to do so. The Khamsin parts manual (from MIE), notes only one engine block. Eureka! It must be the same for either transmission option! (Kick me for not realizing this immediately).

Carmine

 

Gentlemen,

Final the engine is back in place. Not a big deal - made a balance arrangement which worked well.

Some questions was asked during the last days - some was kindly solved by Marc - and I will get back with some more feedback.

Pictures attached - kind regards
John
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John:

I just finished reading your article in VCM #100. WOW! What an accomplishment! Fantastic article and beautiful photos!!! Without a doubt, this has to be the nicest Khamsin in the World!

Mike

 

Very nice work, John. The car looks great.

 

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/142146698-post4299.html

A rip off of Where have all the flowers gone ...

 

I just saw that lift he has. That certainly had to help, A LOT!

I've done this on a 4 post drive on lift and it's miserable as it's hard to maneuver the hoist and get under the car while you're sliding the engine and trans in place.

So ... was it engine & trans or trans put in afterwards?

 

The EU spec. car I brought back from France was to ensure that my car was brought back to an absolute EU specification - that's why I needed car in France. (thanks to Marc)

That EU car 204 had air blower / smog pump as well - and I removed the "manifold" tube and inlets on the headers.

The bracket for the alternator / smog pump - I haven't seen one with just anchoring points for the alternator.

Kind regards
John