Hi Frank et al, Just getting caught up and noticed the hood pad comments. Mine (1317/ body 166) had original upholstery and was smooth. I don't have a photo handy of mine but this is a photo of an original (1323). The trunk did have the diamond pattern on the lid, sides and shock covers. Bill LeMasters Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thank you Bill, I can see a consensus beginning to be formed here. Smooth seems to have been used more often than not, and quilted very little or not at all. FGM
I don't want to be fussy, but not both sides do have the diamond pattern. Only the right side has it. The left side - the cover of the place where the battery is located, does not have diamond pattern. It's the same material (like orange peel) but NO fleece below, and NO diamond pattern. Also the covers of the shock absorbers and the cover of the rear axle (from left to right), these parts are without diamond pattern. This is what I found on a VERY original (unrestored) one-owner car in Italy some years ago as well as on my #871, also completely original, when located in Australia. Wanted to say this just for those who intend to make a "perfect" restoration. Alfred PS: the fotos were made before restoration was completely finished. Now the black carpet is also fixed correctly.
On #504 the trunk material is exactly as Alfred describes it. The trunk on this car has never been restored. It is difficult to see in these photos but when you look at the high resolution version and zoom in you can see that the right hand side has the diamonds but not the battery cover nor the shock tops. Ivan Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
When I purchased my car # 101 1119 35 years ago the trunk still had the original small diamond pattern. My car did have the diamond pattern on both the shock covers and the battery cover. I think the problem we always face with Maserati is they did a lot of things different from car to car, and both ways are probably correct.
Not sure. On this 61 V.S. under the hood was plain, exactly like in Alfred's photo. (sorry no pic) The trunk however had the diamond pattern, but not on shock covers nor on battery cover. Here a very original, authentic untouched V.S., carpet is also totally authentic original. Ciao Carlito Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here is an interesting photo showing the dif of my Vignale #1121. I cleaned off the tag and this is what I found. AUTBL00 46/13. And yes, both tires turn in the same direction. I my day we called this "positraction" Ciao, FGM Image Unavailable, Please Login
I read it as "AUTOBLOC 46/13" (self-locking differential ? - ratio 46/13 also called 3,54 which was the standard ratio according to the Vignale manual - see side 4) Alfred
Lynx Eventer, one of my all time favorite car, pretty rare in United States ! Bill, do you know its production number ? 61 ???
I delivered the car over to the trim shop Yesterday and so begins the trimming of 1121. Very fortunate to have such a great team of guys so close to my house. FGM Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
We began with stripping, cutting and fitting the 100% wool carpets. 7 yards of carpet was air freighted in from Italy and it arrived in 3 days at a cost of only $80. The vinyl binding is stitched in the original method, not to fat and very delicate. New rubber heal pads, new fasteners that snap the carpets down will be used. Ciao, FGM Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hello Frank... Looking great... But one question... From the picture it looks like there is no insulation material/carpet padding between the carpet and metal floor. Am I seeing that correctly? Mike
Hello, here Pics from a Maserati 3500 Vignale Spider. BR Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Bella-donna, I would be extremely thankful if you could please forward these Vignale spyder photos to me along with any other photos showing the car to: [email protected] Thank you very much for sharing them. Ciao, Frank Mandarano
Thank you. I see you have cut a access panel for servicing the transmission. This seems to be a very good idea. Have you seen this done before? Ciao, FGM
Hi Frank, if you intend to make the transmission cap without diamond patterns I would not cut an access panel. To maintain the transmission, for me would not be worth to modify originality. Maybe with the diamond structure the cap does not look so bad, but when using the plain leather I would not like to see an additional cover. This is only the point of view of a "crazy fool of originality" Alfred Image Unavailable, Please Login
+1. There is not that much maintenance to be done on a transmission. The infrequent oil changes can be done using a hand oil pump. Ivan
The fill plug is on the right side of the transmission and the drain plug is in the bottom so I do no understand that plate on the left. On the S5-15 the bump in the transmission tunnel is for the shift plate and cover so no maintenance there. It may be the car has an after market transmission since it does not have the bump in the tunnel. certainly a little strange.
I agree with all three of you. No access hole will be cut into my tunnel (awohlmann) and oil service for the trans is easy as Ivan pointed out. I do find this a little strange. More photos as carpeting progresses and there is that transmission showing the fill on the right side as Eogorman pointed out. FGM Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
.... here pics from gray vignale spider in the sun. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I love the color combination of this car. Beautiful simply beautiful. More photos of the seats please. FGM
You may recall I had installed two smaller seats out of a Canadian Electric car call the ZEN. The smaller seats allowed me to stretch my legs out and was much more comfortable on long drives, for a guy my size. Note: how the backs recline more than the originals and are much lower. The original seats I am convinced were made for short Italian guys. So while doing the complete interior in new PAC1386 leather as specified on the build sheet of my car, I also re-leathered the ZEN seats to match. This is what they now look like. You will note I have had them done in the same style pleats as the originals. The leather came from Italy along with the pre thinned piping that was pre sewn. As I plan to drive the car a lot these seats work great! I mounted them on a sheet of Aluminum and attached the aluminum plate to the original seat holes, so they go in and out in 5 minutes. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login