has anybody done a restomod on a ghibli?

i love the ghibli. but if i came upon one in a deplorable state, i would be very tempted to restore it with a modern ride in mind - stiffer suspension, wide wheels with modern rubber, etc.

has anybody done anything like that before?

 

ross,

I have never seen one but I would say it is getting taboo as they are finally being seen as important gt cars. in ss form they are lovely. pictures do not do them justice.

stay with stock coachwork and make sure any work is easily reversible. make a hot rod motor though!!!

 

probably right. i understand what you are saying, and normally i agree with this thinking. but in some circumstances it might be worthwhile.

my dad and i have gone thru a light restomod on an e-type, and its turned out quite well.

 

at the end of it...it is your car and your vision. you have never been chided for your good taste on this chat!!!

 

Not restomod since that implies much more than an engine swap. I saw a Ghibli coupe in the mid 80's in SA, Tx with a SBC transplant. Someone posted a photo on this forum of one with a GM LSx engine swap.

 

Why do one when everytime one comes up for sale it sells for so very little by comparison.

Find one already "resto modded" and add your touches.

Way cheaper as the first guy who decides to go down that road make the biggest mistake from a resale perspective. So why not take advantage of that?

 

do it, if it's a basket case car, with blown or missing drivetrain, make it into something you like and own for your pleasure, not others

I've seen somewhere that 17" OEM style wheels being made for that car, which allows some more modern tires and styling

a modern SBC engine and manual or auto trans is possible, given you use from the camaro version

for more money, it's entirely possible to find a modern wrecked maser coupe or sedan, and use that Ferrari based V8 engine

brakes are not difficult to update, given the combination parts for rotors, custom offset hats and calipers + custom mounts, that are available

get a decent shop to redo the interior, an aftermarket or newer car donor steering column could be used, along with a more modern steering rack ...a new steering wheel reupholstered to match, and some modern seats reupholstered to coordinate

sounds like a fun project idea!

 

At Schloss Dyk in Germany there were 4 or 5 Ghibli's and Indy's parked in a row of which NONE had their original wheel sizes fitted. One Ghibli was running a 17" lookalike of the original wheel, one Indy had different rims welded onto the original steelie hearts.

What surprised me is that while serious thought had obviously gone into wheel fabrication, the tires fitted to were quite mismatched in some cases. One Ghibli was wearing an SUV M&S profile in the rear with an Eco tire up front.

Might have some pics somewhere, I liked the 16" steelies on the Indy but the 17" looked overdone to me, especialy with 255s on the rear of a Ghibli spyder. Might have some pics somewhere.

 

Well for what it's worth Jay Leno purchased a '62 3500GTi and changed the injection to Kinsler, updated to custom gas shocks, custom rad, modern air, modern AC, modern radials, and maybe more I missed


[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ_6qk1aFnQ]1962 Maserati 3500 GTi - Jay Leno's Garage - YouTube[/ame]


also one of his friends (Doug) took a 75 Khamsin and changed the US bumpers over to Euro specs & taillights+ Exhaust tips, modern oversize radials

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en0vS29sUF8]1975 Maserati Khamsin - Jay Leno's Garage - YouTube[/ame]

 

Those changes on the Khamsin are hardly resto-mod stuff. That's what almost every Khamsin owner does with a USA-spec Khamsin.

Doug has become a very large Maserati collector and also has the Riverside museum.

I think he'd be pretty amused to hear one of his Maserati's referred to as a resto-mod.

It's my understanding that Jay Leno has all the original stuff for the 3500 and this is not like some of monster resto-mod cars like that mega HP Toronado he has. Many 3500 FI cars either have their systems swapped out for DCOEs or there are a number of FI modification schemes that have been used. Including just making the original system work properly with a few key tweaks. Also people do put different radiators, AC compressors and shocks on cars all the time. They probably won't be invited to Pebble beach but they won't be sportin' a Chip Foose signature either ...

 

It is still Lucas MFI. He had Kinsler work on it. They are one of the very few who work on the old mechanical stuff like Lucas, Hillborn, etc. Lucas - Kinsler Fuel Injection

 

that is odd, to be sure ...I believe the ones in this photo (on Indy) are possibly either machined from billet? or new casting? but look 17" in size, I think they look great!
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Sorry for further hijack:
I find any of Leno's mods hard to argue on the 3500. It keeps the spirit of the car but safer and more drivable (radiator/ac/battery kill). Agree, its no longer Pebble Beach worthy but I would not kick it out of my garage

As others have said, your money, your car, do what you like. I'd rather see an original Maserati resto-modded than scrapped.

-dsd

 

Hi Ross and Jeremy,

Jeremy: BTW the car I photographed with the wider wheels is a Ghibli, not an Indy.
The rims were turned using a massive billet(!) on a CNC machine, quite a job and costed a fortune! First instance I thought they looked great altough a bit "Corvettised", beautifully made: 17" 255/55, see pic below.

Ross: I have restored my Ghibli SS ground up and have run it some 35.000km since. I use it regularly for commuting. Great fun, but as soon as the temp goes to freezing I store my cars, cannot protect the chrome for the salt on the streets. Must admit I put an electronic ignition in the original distributor housing and did put polyurethene layers between the leaf springs (as Maserati did originally!) new Koni shocks and the car drives like a charm! Aircon, electric windows, pwr steering, super gear box, all funtioning properly. The car has never let me down! What would you like to change that increases the performance and decreases the originallity and value?!?The engine has enough torque and horse power to annoy many modern sportscars.

I live close toGermany and frequently go out on the Autobahn. One can seldomly get over 200kmh anyhow due to the density of traffic! I do not want to stress the old lady too much, she is 40 years old!

My advise as you may guess: restore to original spec, certainly since the Ghibli's finally start getting recognized! I have already had crazy offers that I do not want to part with the car or quote the sum here simply because I enjoy driving the car that much!

See pictures below, nothing wrong with that, right? My car sits on the re-made 15"rims by Hein Brand. The lowest pic is the 17" wheel.

Ciao,
Bart
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That's a Ghibli. But sorry, the big wheels mess up the proportions for me. I liked the look while the car was stationary but once the car moves it doesn't work for me. Each to his own I guess.

 

It's the paucity of tire selection if you really want to drive the cars that's the issue for me.
I don't mind 17" rims at all but give today's trends you have to wonder when those too will become extinct?

 

One 'resto-mod' springs to mind, if one could call it that: The Ghibli that was turned into a 'race-car'.
Most didn't like it (I actually did), and IIRC it sold for a fraction of the build cost.

Otherwise: If you find a Ghibli that's beyond repair, do something wild and outrageous with it. If repairable, restore to original.

Best,

Jack.

 

I don't think it ever sold. Its still for sale today.

A few years ago I called to inquire about it, I was given some phone number in X country, while the guy answering it was in Y country, with the car located in Z country, too many strange things, too many red flags, so I stopped asking questions.

Not to mention that the price I was quoted was laughably-ridiculously too high.

 

That makes me wonder what kind of driving you'd like to do that an Avon CR6ZZ historic racing tire can't handle?

CR6ZZ | Avon Motorsport

 

Hi Bart
These wheels look absolutely spot on... I wonder if Compomotive would make them in 17" instead of the 15" replacements. I approached IMAGE wheels about some another wheel design in 15" they said they would do it but it was 8,000.00UKP for the patterns. food for though if there was enough interest.

Graeme

 

Well over here Sasco does claim to sell them. Same price as my racing slicks. It's a competition compound but for most of us that's only a plus with such low mileage being put on these cars. Probably a no no for the concours crowd though. But at least they're not XWX's! I think it's the wallet that can't handle these without some squealing ...

OK so we're up to 4 tire selections now The vintage Pirelli's, Michelins, Vredesteins in original sizes and these with some nice size options as well!

I could run 225s F and 245s rear on my Bora almost like I did in the 1980s => 2000.

 

Hi Graeme,

The build quality, machining, of those 17"rims was just great but I tend to agree with Stevie, stationary the wheels look great o the car. When rolling the look overdone to me and what I nicknamed: Corvettised or Hot Rod if you like. Then again, what does it bring?
For the cost of those billet rims one can buy an awful lot of 15" 215 tires!

Ciao,

Bart

 

I'm 100% for it.

I'd use a Dodge 2004-2009 Dodge Hemi for the engine.

Tremec 5 or 6-speed transmission, they bolt right up to the Hemi engine.

Willwood brakes front and rear, with coil over shocks up front, full poly suspension busing up front.

Dana 60 Chry. Co. 8-3/4" rear, or a Ford 9" would fit very easily.

And top it off with a 4 link rear, with coil overs in back.

Roll the lip on the wheel wells and fit some fat rubber and GO!!!!!!!

It could be done very for a very reasonable cost.

Let me know if you are interested.

Ciao and best.

~Trev

 

those 17"s look great on your Ghilbi, bravo! stationary or moving, I think with tire sizing available now, it would be more difficult to get a decent performance tire sized as you'd like in only 16"

 

Dodge setup would be interesting & different from the norm ...maybe not as many hot rod swap accessories available for as SBF or SBC

I saw photos of a Viper V10 swap in a XJS, very cool!

I'm not sure about the Maser, but other Italian and British car in that time frame often used GM parts (some Ford), like air conditioning components, power steering or brake components, etc.

As example, the SBC swap in an XJS is made relatively easy by their use of so many GM components under the skin

Worth investigating before planning which to use for swap

the advantage of the LS SBC is they are so compact and lightweight, more than either the current ford or mopar V8s, and would perhaps fit under the low hood line too
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