Congratulations Achim, You have come a long way from the very challenged project I found in Illinois a dozen years ago and which Ivan then bought and sold you: here are some before photos: it was not born yellow but white. I first heard about this car in about 2003 when a chap called Matthew F. bought it in great part dismantled in rural Illinois for ...US$6000! Yes six thousand and the circumstances under which the car became available were quite unusual to say the least! Then he said he would start the restoration in 2005. Not likely I thought considering his finances and lack of knowledge about these cars...but in such cases you just have to wait... . . . . . . finally when I contacted him once again, in 2010, he was ready, he had understood it was not going to happen unfortunately so I mentioned it to Ivan who bought it and soon sold it to Achim, I am glad and I am sure Ivan is as well that it found a good home! Achim All the best in completing the job, dark blue is a very good color choice I think Best regards, Marc Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Love seeing cars being restored and especially with attention to detail. Big hint make sure you seal under the rear valance to the rear floor. Do a search on the this thread for more details. Nothing worse than finishing the car to find it has exhaust fumes in the cabin. Best whishes with the project Graeme
talking about exhaust fumes - the designers "forgot" on the Khamsin to install a proper way to get the air out of the cabin, like they did in the Ghibli with the little vents in the rear of the cabin. So there is a rather small airflow available. Has anybody thought of a way to add a way to extract the air from the cabin, for example by openening up a connection between the interior and some slits to make in the fake vents on the left side? Maybe now is the time in your great project to try out some improvement in this area. Best wishes, Rolf
New pictures on this website of this car (already sold): Maserati Khamsin, 1974 - Welcome to ClassiCarGarage According to these pictures it is chassis #186. They say is it manufactured in december 1974. This sentence seems a bit strange: "These early versions can be distinguished by the Plexiglas mounted rear lights and the absence of a grille in front of the hood." as (correct me if I'm wrong) all EURO cars have the same rear lights (only the US cars didn't).
Good morning Rolf, AMLC, The air circulation in the back of the cockpit is a delicate matter due to the design of the back eliciting swirls of exhaust fumes up and forward so not sure whether that would be a good idea. AMLC that is a plain error from someone not too familiar with K's you are right all Euro K's have the same rear lights. What is interesting with 186 is that the automatic geabox lever is like on an older Maser model not like those on the mostly -but not all- US market automatic K's. As discussed previously there are a few Euro spec automatics too and they almost all have levers like on a US car but there is this exception with 186 and perhaps a handful of other cars, it could be that the factory decided the earlier lever setup looked too old fashioned...or simply that the levers and their frames (the part that is attached to the center console) were discontinued by the parts manufacturer,not sure. Best regards, Marc
My old car #218 is one of only 4 produced Euro spec automatic cars. All others were US or RHD cars. 95 in total if I'm not mistaking? This was confirmed by Fabio Collina when I met him at the Padova exhibition two years ago. If the car in the ad is one of the 4, I dont't know. But "my" car had a different lever for the gearchange.
Hi Marc, I am more worried about all the mods done to the hydraulics of this particular car. The pressure switch for the headlights is missing there against I see a whole lot of different hydraulic relay blocks and a heavily modified LHM container, also the (hydraulic return) hose on the right side inner wing is confusing me. Normally this (return) hose runs accross the engine bay and ends on the top of the reservoir... Somebody may have to sort this out. Ciao, Bart
Hello Fredric and Bart, Yes your ex automatic has the normal automatic gearlever like 99% of the automatic K's so it makes 186 quite special perhaps unique. Bart 186 had a lot of work done to it, a Spanish garage contacted me in September 2010 with some questions. The car has had quite a life: new to Japan then UK, Italy and Spain! Best regards, Marc
Hello from Geneva where we just had two incredible days like summer, Today we were having a great time fooling around with my "Khamsin in Louboutins" here are a couple of photos which show the scale of her importance over the one on Michelins right now As many of you have mentioned in messages enough with head gasket and suspension photos so a nice change Khamsins are for Gentlemen so ONLY polite comments please. By the way this week since I could not at all afford to buy it back now and did not have time to rob a bank I resold my ex Khamsin AM120US1242, my baby, my Monsterati from the very nice couple in Laguna Beach California who bought it from me with the help of Doug Magnon in October 2007 to...a European dealer. They were happy to sell it far above what they paid then and not worried about getting the last cent of today's crazy market: they have class, understand that money is only toilet paper. I tried to have it bought by someone in the US but no luck so there goes another of the 100 US 5 speed Khamsins built across the pond... Best regards, Marc Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Fila di ragno with red accent on the heels, very nice! If too much tech-stuff, complainants are as always totally at liberty to contribute with whatever they deem appropriate to balance things. Best, Jack.
Hi Jack! Yes very nice and pricey too, like classic Maserati parts but her happiness is priceless. Louboutins always have red soles. Regarding the content of this thread I think there is a good mix of history and tech matters though some feel there is too much of the latter. It is all valid, no worries Best regards, Marc
Although it's all luxury and beauty, the difference is that Michelins have the advantage that they enable their "wearer" (the Khamsin) to develop high speeds, and Louboutins don't. Or may be I'm wrong, I'm no expert Too bad you couldn't buy #1242 back, because of lack of toilet paper (as you call it ). Just out of curiosity: is #1242 on its way to Brummen, their site says they are expecting a 1977 Khamsin?
Bonsoir AMLC Yes regarding surface speed on planet earth you are right but Nina on her Louboutin's can rev my heart up faster than any car on Michelin's like today enjoying Geneva and I drove home to Burgundy flat out late afternoon with a huge smile;-) She is energizing and motivating me to make a lot of "toilet paper" right now (I need to, she is high maintenance just like a Khamsin!), and by the way I am just teasing some friends when calling money that way, no harm meant. Again please dear all only polite comments here thank you. You guessed right, Nick Aaldering promised he would not sell it to some baboon who would change the color to stupid red or boring grey, it is one of just four known in oro kelso and I would tar and feather the idiot who does, hey it is my ex baby, my Monsterati and -even though he will sell the car with no strings attached to me or anyone else- I WILL tar and feather any color changing owner- I hope to buy it back down the road, time will tell Best regards, Marc
So another Khamsin went across the pond to Europe.... I am starting to feel a little lonely here in the US... Mike
Hi Mike, Unfortunately yes, I tried to sell it to several US contacts but no go. There are still a good number of cars left in the US but the head count is certainly not growing except with 1228 which came back from Canada to the San Francisco bay are and 214 imported and sold last month at auction in Ft Lauderdale. Here are your silver car, my gold one and the blue 1054 exactly 10 years ago this month and perhaps to the day on a sunday morning before we convoyed down to that concours in Hollywood (Florida not California). 1054 was bought by a Swiss at Motorcar Gallery who shipped it to Zurich where I saw it again, the only K I have seen on both sides of the pond though the same will apply when I see mine again in Holland soon. http://www.maseratikhamsinregistry.com/gallery_1.html Best regards, Marc
I remember seeing this car every year at Monterey in the 80s -> 90s before it was restored like this: 1957 Monsterati Special | Conceptcarz.com
Hello Bob, Same nickname but unrelated and that thing has zero Maserati content... Best regards, Marc
Hi Achim, I am interested in the reproduction of the plastic covers of the headrest adjusters. I will send a PM to contact you. Herbert
Oh I know it's just when you used that nickname it reminded me. We saw it every year. Now that it's been reconditioned I bet it's worth plenty though ...
If this helps the covers are alfa gtv and I have seen these replicated in fiber glass cloth and painted in a light coat of crinkle black. The head rest surround can be hand made fron 3mm aluminium and hand finished and painted in crinkle black.
Been thinking about it for a while now, but 3D printing would be an easy way for this too. Best, Jack.
