Canadian delivery 1989 Zagato Spyder

My 1989 Zagato Spyder is a lot like me. It's DNA is Italian, it was delivered and grew up in Toronto, then moved to Atlanta for a few years, and has since relocated to a quaint little village near Toledo. We were also both born in September!

I'd like to think that it's extra special, being a 5-speed Canadian car, since there are probably only a handful like her. First, there were only about 600 Spyders built with the 2.8L engine, and about half came to North America. No one seems to have good numbers but automatics seem to be more common. What makes this car really rare, though, is it's Canadian heritage since it appears to have been delivered in European spec. Without cats, the FI 2.8L engine is said to make a range topping 250 hp (pushing only ~2400 lbs).

I bet you could count US-located cars in this spec on one hand. I wonder how many nice examples are still in Canada? Cool cars!

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This was a well cared for car, but there are a few things I'm working on that I could use some help with to get right. Right now, I'm trying to get the shocks replaced but MIE is out of stock and will be for some time. Anyone know another source for the Bilstein shocks?

 

If you can get a copy of the eprom for a Karif you've see 285 HP! AutoItalia in Santa Rosa I think. He's on eBay as well. AW Autoparts in Eatontown NJ has or can get some stuff.
Or come over to BiturboZentrum and ask and you'll probably find someone who's done exactly what you've done. I think that's where Ivan got suspension replacement info for his.
People have had adjustable top strut mounts/springs/adjustable shocks made as an entire package by a Japanese company.

 

There was a red 89 spyder in Dawsonville, Georgia not far from where I live. I think he might have bought the car in Canada. Check your records and see if it is the same car. I recall it was pretty nice.

Ivan

 

My ex-Biturbo (also a 89 spyder) came with these Japanese coil overs which the previous owner never installed. I purchased the springs after communicating with the company in Japan, and installed them. I recall looking at the invoice and these coil over were rather pricey.

Ivan

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I'd like a set of those top plates for my aging 84. Hell, they're far better than the 96 GOC EVO setup the factory got done by an Alfa race shop. That's a very klugey set up that requires dropping the strut after un bolting and then rotating it. Limited adjustment at best.

 

Sorry for not responding...life intervenes sometimes. But thank you both, Bob and Ivan, for your suggestions. I really appreciated it.

I went with AutoItalia (in good ole Windsor, CA....and I don't mean Canada!) and it worked out great. Well, except for the fact that the guy who replaced them flipped the spacer upside down so that the rear of the car stood 2-3 inches too high. He knew it was wrong, but couldn't figure out why. It was a bit embarrassing driving home that evening. One quick call to Lenny and he straightened it/us out, and the shop corrected it. If I can figure out how to post pictures from my phone, I'll show you what he did.

I've done a few other things on the car in the mean time: new plug wires (those were a PITA), painted rear of mufflers, replaced incorrect air intakes, alignment, fluids, air filter, tidied up the alcantara, fixed the speedometer, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something (probably less than half done by me). Next, I'm trying to schedule a time to get the timing belt, water pump, and power steering pump all replaced at the same time (none done by me!). Lots of stuff to take apart, so while we're in there....

I'll try to post pictures if I cure my Bluetooth ache.

 

This is the strut spacer problem I mentioned above. I got the Bilstein shocks from Lenny and had a local shop install them, but they installed the spacer upside down. Beware, since it turns out this is a common mistake. On the OEM shocks, that piece is welded on in the same orientation as the spacer in the photo, which is deceiving. For the Bilstein part, the spacer in the photo should have been installed in the opposite orientation (needs to be inverted) in order to get the total length of the Bilstein struts and therefore the ride height correct.

Measure twice, install once.
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There was some significant pilling of the alcantara on the seat bolsters, especially on the drivers seat, as you might expect from 28,000 miles and 34 years of use. Sandpaper is commonly used for milder cases, but I found that a first pass with a set of shears worked best in this case. Wasn't like new, but a huge improvement. No longer a sore thumb.
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I looked into this and all indications are that it is a different car (did the one you referred to belong to Rick R./sunburn?). I got this one in early 2018 from Dave R. in Marietta (AbarthDave1), who also happens to be Canadian, IIRC. I guess it must be a thing...

 

I studied some pictures and did not find a tell-tale "fingerprint" pattern of scuffs or wrinkles to verify that it is the same car, but it sure does look the same. Dave, are you on here? Did you buy the car from Rick R. in Dawsonville? Inquiring minds want to know!

 

I tried to contact Rick directly last fall when this was first suggested, by PM, but no response.

For reference: https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/1989-maserati-zagato.531950/

 

Rick lives less than 5 miles from my house. I sent you a PM with his phone number.

Rick use to own Khamsin #1266, which he sold to a doctor near Toronto. 10 years later that car is offer to me via Marc Sonnery. What are the odds that a Khamsin in Dawsonville, GA goes to Canada and returns to Dawsonville, GA 10 years later. Dawsonville is small and mostly rural; known for moonshine and Nascar, not Italian exotics.

Ivan

 

Wow, what are the odds indeed. Although it is sounding more and more like Dawsonville is getting known for its Maseratisti! (at least in our little world)

Thanks for the number, Ivan. I'll contact Rick and see if he can connect the dots.

 

Cool to read this story!

I also have a Spyder. A Dark Aquamarine metallic 1987 2,5 injection car from Maine. Now here with me in Oslo Norway.

You say it is a Euro spec car, but it does have the USA headlights. Mine also have that (of course), but I will install the European headlights. They make the car look so much nicer. In my opinion, the US lights makes the car look like a VW Golf/Rabbit with an aftermarket grill with rectangular headlights like what was "cool" back in the 80-ies. Yours looks to be in real good shape. Mine is not too bad, but needs quite a bit of work and Norwegian registration. Not much rust but more replacement of parts. Engine runs perfect though. Keep this thread living with more stories and pics. These are such nice small exotics and fun to drive. Have you noticed how much storage there is in the "back seat" when taking the cushions out? It is quite huge. I can almost sleep there if I have to when the car breaks down a warm summer night in rural area

 

Hi Erik, I would love to see a picture of the Dark Aquamarine Spyder. My car is a 85 QPIII European delivery car in Dark Aquamarine!

 

I guess I'm using the term Euro spec loosely. I was basing that primarily off of the fact that it has no cats, for all of the bhp, and is also in km. It is interesting that cats came in about 1978 in the US, not sure about Canada, but apparently 1990 or later? I guess it is an open question if the Canadian spec is closer to Euro or US.

Good point about the headlights, I didn't consider that, although the differences seem subtle to me (and I like the looks). Bumpers too. Take Alberto's car for example:

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/the-biturbo-spyder-zagato.549551/

But it's sometimes hard to know if it is really 1989 or 1990, so the origin of the differences isn't always clear. Series III Spyders look quite different, though, and were Euro only as I understand it. I guess it should be no surprise that there are variations that seem to be difficult to pin down. It is a Maserati, after all.

 

Yes, my car is in remarkably good shape. It has been well looked after. And I have taken my kids to school with one in the back seat, so it definitely can serve as a good amount of storage space. Although I don't know about sleeping back there!

As for stories, I hate to say it but there might not be many more. I might have to part with it, after 5 years. I have one too many cars and something needs to go. I'm afraid that this Spyder might be the one that sells first. My wife loves this car, which makes it even tougher. It is also easy to live with and doesn't tie up a lot of $. I'm surprised that more people haven't caught on!

 

The Euro head lights have a black cover over the bulb itself, so the light looks a bit like a pupil of a humen eye. So when I look at the front of the car, it is like the car is staring at me with a sinister look.... Not so with the US lights.
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Great explanation and examples. Subtle. I had not noticed that. Thanks!

...and looks much better to my eye than later evolutions, like the Spyder III.

 

I spoke to someone today that suggested that there was a Zagato version of the Biturbo Spyder and a "regular" version sold at the same time. Does anyone know anything about that? They said that the way to identify the Zagato version was vents in the hood. Rear spoiler too, apparently. This is news to me, but maybe someone has some thoughts on this?

 

No. They just had two versions here in the USA and several others with the styling changes over the years. They're all considered Zagato.

 

Yes, that makes sense. But what do you mean by two versions?

 

1986-87, 1989-90 Body style and suspension/braking changes. Then they made lots of small changes with new front & rear body treatments but those never made it to USA at the time.
I don't know if the 24V 4cam motors were ever put in the car by the factory? The 2.8L 18V 2 cam motor was certainly robust enough @ 280HP in the Kariff and it's much easier to maintain.

When they made the big changes during 85-87 for FI there were lots of leftover parts from the old design and I remember later finding out that they had used them on RHD cars which were sold to the UK and other RHD markets. I'm also uncertain or if the Ferrari derived ZF LSD which appeared on the QPIV and late Ghibli II cars ever made it to the Spyder along with a much updated rear suspension originally from the Shamal and also utilized on the 3200. I imagine that the 6-speed Getrag eventually did? Though so many Biturbos got the 2.8L 3V with the 4SPD automatic. That was a very popular (with the factory anyway) production combination.

 

I see, thanks Bob. Sounds typical of Italian-style production, having a spectrum of configurations (especially over time as parts supplies change). The notion of some Zagato and some non-Zagato cars didn't sound right to me, so thanks for the clarification. There seems to be less written and documented about this era than others, so I appreciate the shared wisdom and knowledge.