By the way that Khamsin at Redline in Connecticut, AM120US1200, Buy or Sell Your Vehicle with Redline Restorations | Black Rock, CT | Redline Restorations ...used to be the northermost K in north America. No not quite Anchorage but Jim Collingridge owned it in Kamloops BC Canada (photos). He was a character apparently and had it without a rear bumper as the kit was not as readily available at the time, in fact those were very much still the days when K's were almost unknown, almost never seen and completely undervalued. In 2000 he drove it down to Monterey, a round trip from Kamloops over 3200 miles (5120kms about the same as Lisbon to Moscow!). He took part in Concorso Italiano and in the parade on track at Laguna Seca so I saw it there but have no specific memories nor did I meet him. It was later for sale in 2008 by Forza Motorsports, Peter Sweeney's company also in Connecticut. He believes between its years in Canada and him it had been bought out of Texas by a big Connecticut collector. Automatic Khamsins used to attract zero interest years ago but now that K values have risen very significantly and that there are radars everywhere and more traffic the usefulness of an automatic as a valid proposition has increased a lot. They are extremely easy to drive even in heavy traffic, not that the manual is hard either due to the very highly assisted clutch pedal, brakes and steering requiring zero effort. I don't believe the market, particularly in the US, is ready for a US$200K automatic transmission car though but I am sure they will listen to sensible offers. Don't know those people. MS Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hey I remember Jim and the car. Back then there was a guy in SF bay area who had BMC the west coast importer put a lower ratio diff in his Khamsin and also converted it to a Mercedes 4spd automatic. He turned up once at a local maserati club outing. I saw that car at BMC getting the new diff installed. I don't know who did the tranny conversion or how but it's a great idea IMHO. Bob S.
Hi Bob, Very interesting, do you remember the colors of the car and the chap's name, any other clues? Notwithstanding the diff change to a shorter ratio I assume that gearbox would allow a car to stretch it legs much more than standard automatic the Khamsin had...and of course much better acceleration with a shorter diff....you know Euro K's feel daintier don't accelerate as much at low speeds but really get going on the highway but US cars with the very low speed limit did not need that. I have always dreamt of a six speed manual on a K as discussed here years ago but then again one could start fantasizing about sequential gearboxes etc etc MS
If you want to find out you might check with Gene Ogorman (he had an automatic one back then), John Asmus as they were probably also there that day. Or even Frank M might know something about it? Of course there's always the chance that Qvale's son who I think still runs that SF dealership remembers or has records. The service manager's name back then was Henry and he was in his early 30's.
Yes I had a Khamsin with automatic for 25 years # 1124. I remember seeing Jims car from Canada but I did not hear the story or know anything about a Khamsin in the SF Bay area that had been modified with lower rear end and Mercedes transmission.
Hello Eugene, Thanks for that, here a couple of photos of your ex car I saved. Regarding the dubious ad we recently discussed here, it was using photos of 1090 (the 3rd and 4th photos) and I have exchanged emails with the man...yes a scammer; the car is supposedly in south east England and he wanted it to be paid and shipped without visit and inspection, kept insisting on that like a magnet stuck on glue...suuuuuure...when I said I required an inspection for my client as there are too many SCAMMMMMMERS he vanished...1090 was sold out of new England to Germany six, seven years ago. Best regards, Marc Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Went to Brooklands Saturday, the Khamsin had company Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Richard, that is 106 which was also there in October 2009 at the Goodwood Intl Maserati meeting, the only time we met (first two photos). It came out of Saudi Arabia apart and has been fitted with...a modified dry sumped QPIII engine (yes!). I don't have the engine bay photos at hand. Anybody have some? The interior is also very different from the norm as you can see below. Corley Motors is the dealer who imported it and sold it to Kim the current owner. The photo assemblage at bottom is from Corley. FYI the engine bay does NOT look like that now. I also saw the car at Le Mans Classic one year. With the Chevy engine AM120.307 in Sydney and 082 in Holland which has an Indy engine they constitute the triumvirate of differently engined K's... Best regards, Marc Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Marc, Thanks, yes I remember meeting you and all the other Khamsin's, it was a nice day. I didn't get a chance to speak to Kim. Cheers Richard Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hello Marc this should be a picture of the engine bay of #106 Best regards Roger Image Unavailable, Please Login
409 on Ebay UK 1979 MASERATI KHAMSIN 4.9 COUPE PETROL | eBay Discussed here recently, am not involved. This car had a major rebuild and cancer cure in Wales in 2011, in time for our event in 2012. MS
They have had that car for sale for a while now. The price was originally £20k lower but they put it up around 2 months ago
Took the Khamsin out for a spin today, ended up at a local car meet with an eclectic bunch of transport. The K behaved itself today. Had a really good run in it. I love the way it jumps into life on the kick down. I wish it had more gears though. Has anyone ever put a 4 or 5 speed auto in one? Just thinking out loud. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hello to all I know that a black K used to live in Beirut or at least in Lebanon and was that it was sold through ebay a couple of years back. But now I am surprised to hear there is another K which left Canada to go to Lebanon. The car is again black but this time the interior is Panna, as far as I can see. No clue which car i.e. chassis number that would be. Lebanese Classic Cars media by BTyvRnVlUhF instagram Best regards Roger
Or do it right and convert to 5-speed manual for maximum fun? Colourful collection in that photo. I know which one I'd prefer to be driving into that parking lot!
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/145342828-post6853.html I doubt any 5 speed auto would be a candidate as there would be too much electronics to deal with.
I think, for me, it would be too much work to do a manual conversion on the car. I have no problem with auto boxes, I am just missing a good pick up from mid gear. It could be the lockdown cable needs adjusting but , as the gearbox needs a rebuild anyway, I wondered if there was a similar sized, 4 or 5 speed box, that would go in without having to carve up the car. Definitely do not want the complications of electronics so thinking of an early 80s box that can cope with a 4.9 V8. All the gear ratios would have to be sympathetic to the car.
What about the Mercedes Automatic gearbox which has been used in the Porsche 928 S4? A 5-litre engine, 320 HP like the Khamsin. It's the 4-speed 722.3, also used in the 124 Mercedes series on the bigger engines. No electronics, it's controlled hydraulically. And there must be a lot of them around.
Nice thought however the 928 box is a Transaxle. There is a ZF 4 speed auto that will fit, also a Corvette 6 speed that will fit a Manual. ZF overhauled my box and when I was asked to inspect the box when it was in pieces the foreman said do you a want a 6 speed this will bolt straight in. However I recon it will need a shorter prop shaft Image Unavailable, Please Login
Of course switching back to a manual is quite a configuration change what with adding the third pedal. But that car is nice with a manual.
Transaxle on the Porsche but not on the Merc so can it suit both layouts? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_4G-Tronic_transmission Julian
