Believe it is #103, given the little front signal lights, elimination of trafficators and strange antenna mounting on the windshield divider. Plate number should be Roma K 30215. Photo was taken along the lido in Catania, I think. Don
Hi Don, Did you record the tire pressures and what they had for lunch as well... Are you sure you are happy with your day job? I could use someone that detail oriented just to motivate me to answer the phone or respond to an email now and then! Cheers, Bill
Re the A6 1500 displayed at Padova by Bluccino of Ravenna - is this #084 ? The monochromatic interior creates a strange effect, as if it was made in Detroit in the 1960s. Didn't get the tire pressures on this one, Bill. Thanks, Don Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here is #078 while in Massachusetts, and during restoration at Bluccino. Nik, can you show us any photos of the engine compartment, please ? Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
First of all, congratulations to all for the great effort made to throw some light into this very first road car from Maserati. I'm an industrial design who have always loved car design and, with some retrospective, I just wonder if the well-known Cisitalia 202 really was the first 'integrated design' to touch the tarmac. I read it was show later than the Maserati (Villa d'Este Golden Cup, September 27, 1947) and I don't know if they started selling it inmediately... any idea?
For sure the Cisitalia was a fantastic design and it truly deserves to be exhibited with the MOMO in NYC. But the Maserati came first and was -after some not so pretty hachback cars- developed into a wonderful car with well balanced overal lines. Unfortunately this is forgotton today by most historians. Ciao! Walter
Not sure what might properly be called 'the first integrated design', but the A6 1500 prototype was first shown in March 1947 at the Geneva show. Factory records state that the first delivery to a client occurred in January 1948, #053 to the Swiss dealer Basadonna. The definitive A6 1500 shape which resembles a Cisitalia 202 GT did not appear until #056, which was delivered in October 1948. I doubt that anyone has delivery records for Cisitalia. The A6 1500 is a considerably larger and much more fully resolved car than the 202 GT.
Commonly, "integrated design" is referred to a car shape that unify in a single volume both rear and front wings with the doors (all three more or less in the same plane). this was achieved by several competition specimens back in the late 30s. (just to name one, '38 Alfa 8C 2900B LeMans) But what makes a design a true modern sports car was a low front bonnet (compared to the wings, which grow in height and enphasizes the wheels and stance of the car). This feature is unique to Pinin Farina designs for Maserati and Cisitalia (although i have to say it's more clear in A6 first examples than in production ones) Said this, I agree that Cisitalia should, at least, make room for the A6 in MOMA.
By the way, did we talk of this car? I tried to make any connections with early A6 chassis.. I don't know if this is a good source of information.. http://www.maserati.org.au/gallery/MASERATI/RACE_Cars/A6_1500_6CSport_spec.html (In the web page, use the rows below to surf through other cars that could be interesenting to talk about. Some have already shown up in this thread) Image Unavailable, Please Login
The infos about this car are quite confusing: some state that it was based on a prewar chassis of a 6C-34 other sources claim that it was build on an A6G-1500 chassis but fitted with an 6CM-engine. The whereabouts of the car is unknown but I much doubt that it still exists.... Ciao! Walter
The engine is known within the last twenty years. I've seen the gearbox and rear axle assembly near Ferrara maybe ten to fifteen years ago.
#1555 was a Tipo 4CM, later updated to 4CL-specs! According to Sidney Sheldon who related this chassis with driver Armand Hug in 1938. In 1939 it was entered sometimes by "Ecurie Helvetia". I have copies of the ACI-papers of #1555, dated from 1947 on. But a 4CM/4CL had quite a narrow short wheel base design. This barchetta clearly was longer than this single-seater(s). What makes you so sure that it was #1555 unter the skin of the open car? Ciao! Walter
