Early Maserati Pinin Farina Berlinetta

Can anyone in the group assist me with additional history on this car ?

I purchased it recently and plan on using it next year in the Mille Miglia, Monaco and possibly some additional events.

Year 1949
Make Maserati
Type GT Berlinetta
Model A6-1500 GT
chassis number 086
engine number 086

Sold new to Isabella Quarantotti Ippolito, Positano, Italy on September 14th, 1949.

First of the five "3C" 3-carb variants.

198? Auctioned at Rick Cole Auction for $30,000

1983 Auctioned at Sotheby's Auction for $55,689

1983 Sold to William McKinley, USA

1983/aug Monterey Historic Races, driven by William McKinley (r#112)

1984/aug Displayed at Pebble Beach Concours - 3rd IC

1985/aug Offered by McKinley in HMN 8/85 p4816 for $36,500 Painted maroon

1987/may/24th Auctioned by Sotheby's at Monaco for $92,130.

1986-1987 May have been with Tom Mongahan or on display at his Domino's Rear View Mirror Motor Museum in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

1988 featured in the book The Great Book of Sports Cars, Dean Batchelor, Chris Poole and Graham Robinson. Pages 262 and 263.

1992 Sold at Hershey, PA to Fernando Santos Martins, Lisboa, Portugal.

2005/aug/25 purchased by Bill Noon, San Diego, CA USA

Signorita Quarantotti was just 27 when she purchased the car. She died this past February at the age of 84. I do not know how long she owned the car or what she did with it. Her family was and remains very prominent in Italy. She was decended from the "House of Savoy" royal family and traced her roots all the way back to King Rudolf of Burgundy cirac 1038AD. She was most noted however as an author, actress and freind of Laurence Olivier.

I do not know any of the previous registration numbers for the car or what happened until sometime in the early 1980s. I have some sketchy notes thereafter.

Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

Warm regards,

Bill Noon
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Thanks James.

Kinda looks like its going 100 miles an hour just standing still...right ?

Too bad top speeds more like 95 and thats with a tail-wind, down hill. Even believing the lie that the 3C variants made 90bhp (vs 65 for the one-lung versions) its still going to be a lot of work going slow but I did not buy it to win the race...just to finish.

I am going to enter it in the MM, Monaco, Targa and if I get a confimation letter for the ACO possibly even the Le Mans Classic.

Hoping someone knows some of the previous owners addresses, or the cars earlier registration numbers.

Thanks for the kind comments.

Warm regards,

Bill

 

This is strictly from memory but that is the Ex-Peter Blodgit car. It was in fact the David E. Davis Jr. Car from the Car & Driver article. A single car updated to tripple carbs and later back again to a single. Was in VT then with a dealer in Maine to Raymond Milo in the early 1990s. Raymond told me at the time he set a world record when he bought it for $250K+ and then ended up selling it circa 1995 for under $100K. (I sure hope they are worth more today...but then again I bought with my heart on this one and not my head!)

These are very interesting cars. Unlike the later 2.0-liter racers the engines are derived from the pre-war supercharged GP cars and they are all alloy as apposed to the later Iron block / alloy head cars. Too bad they lost the supercharger and the high compression pistons. The single carb, low compression engined variants only make a measly 65bhp. My car is the first of five delivered with a slightly "tuned" engine on better pistons, three side-draft Webers and a slightly revised cam / ignition set up. Maserati lied and claimed 100bhp but it was more like 90 if I am lucky. Barely good for a little over 100mph on a good day I hope.

Anyway, I am busy background checking all the 61 built trying to learn as much as I can. When I am done I will post all info and photos for the curious and enthusiasts alike.

I appreciate all input, photos and comments and will be happy to burn a cd of what I have learned about these cars so far with those who contribute.

Cheers,

Bill

 

Hey Joe! I think you got it! Great. I will hit up Don Williams for info tomorrow. (Hope I catch him in a good mood!)

Can you share as much details as possible on your recollections...anything will help. Any more photos ? If you have them, can you email them to me at [email protected].

I would be more than glad to pay you for any time and material. Wish I could be part of your event. (Clearly one of the best in the world especially for Maserati's.) I am booked for four European races next year including Le Mans from July 3-10th. I wont even be able to make the Lime Rock Ferrari race next year.

Anyway, thanks a million! Please share as much as you can recall and as many photos as you can scrounge up.

Cheers,

Bill

 

Hey Joe,

Wait...whats the "Sports Car Market Historic Maserati Reunion" event ?

Is it different than your Pocano show ? What time of year is it going to be held.

Regards,

Bill

 

Now that sounds like a great event!

TDF is April 15-21

MM is May 12th or so, Monaco the next weekend.

LM is July 6-7-8 ish so it might work if I don't get the Maserati into LM. (I still have my Porsche in Paris as my main car for that one anyway.)

I look forward to getting more stuff on my car from Hershy.

Warm regards,

Bill

 

Here is some updated history on my car.

Still hoping for additions and corrections on ownership, registration old photos etc...

The good news is that I have tracked down former owner, William McKinley. He is on holiday until October 15th after which I hope to have more info prior to his purchase of the car in the early 1980s.

I have asked for a late entry in the Coronado Historic Races (Festival of Speed) in two weeks. Hopefuly the car will arive in time for a quick race prep prior to my first outing in it.

Warm regards,

Bill Noon

September 14th, 1949 sold new to Signorina Isabella Quarantotti Ippolito of Positano, Italy. (Signorina Ippolito was just 27 years old when she took deliver of her new Maserati Sports Car. She was born in 1921 and died on February 18th of 2005 at the age of 84.)
198? Auctioned at Rick Cole Auction for $30,000 ?
1983 Auctioned at Sotheby's Auction for $55,689 ?
1983 Sold to William McKinley, Sacramento, USA ? When purchased car was fitted with a 260ci Ford V8 and C4 Automatic Transmission but original engine and gearbox with car.
Restoration supervised by Brian Moore. Mechanical work done by Tex Countryman.
1983/aug Monterey Historic Races, driven by William McKinley (race number112)
1984 Maserati International Meet, North Star, Lake Tahoe. Awarded best in show and event poster “cover car.”
1984 Recipient of a third place award at the Sacramento Concours d'Elegance.
1984/aug Displayed at Pebble Beach Concours - 3rd IC.
1984 Newport Beach Concours d’Elegance 1st in class.
1985/aug Offered by McKinley in HMN 8/85 p4816 for $36,500 Painted maroon.
May 24th, 1987 offered for sale by Sotheby’s Auction Ltd at their “Belles Automobiles de Collection Monaco Sale. Lot No. 85A and sold or $83,000 plus 11% commission for a total sale price of $92,130.
1988 featured in the book The Great Book of Sports Cars, Dean Batchelor, Chris Poole and Graham Robinson. Pages 262 and 263.
(Ownership of the car in this book is given to "Domino's Rearview Mirror" {Museum?} in Ann Arbor, Michigan which was owned by Domino's Pizza founder Tom Mognahan.)
1992 Sold at Hershey, PA to Fernando Santos Martins, Lisboa, Portugal. (Believed sold by Blackhawk of Danville, CA.)
199? Displayed at the Bagatelle Concours d'Elegance, Paris, France.
2005/Jul purchased by Dragone Classic Cars in Bridgeport, CT.
2005/aug/25 purchased by Bill Noon, San Diego, CA USA. Car has covered less than 200 kilometers since being shown in Pebble Beach in 1984. Has both Borrani Solid and Wire Wheels.

 

Here are some photos Photos taken by Blackhawk Circa 1992ish...

All others would be very welcome.

Cheers,

Bill
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Hi Boudewijn,

Thanks for the new photos... You are right. Not my car. I have good notes on this one but can not remember the chassis number right now as all my notes are at the office.

I will email you the history I have on this one when I get back plus the extra photos I have.

Like most of these cars. I have lots of notes and a few photos of the 61 different examples built. The worst part of my data base on these cars are the current owners and where they live. I really have only three cars I can trace to current owners to compare notes and features with.

While most of these cars were very similar, there are small minor variations involving lights, bumpers, grill etc... that gives each a unique signature.

Eventually I hope to gather enough information to see how many survive as well as put together a nice registry list for these cars.

Please keep the photos, notes and history on any cars you come by headed my way.

All updates, info and photos are greatly appreciated.

Warm regards,

Bill Noon

 

Hi Boudewij,

I will burn the CD later today and get it off to you.

Here is what I have for notes on the car you posted above. It is chassis 069 and one of the more documented examples but obviously still missing lots of notes on the cars history like many of these cars:

Sold new to Francesco Biemmi, Isco, (Brescia ?) Italy

1950 purachased by Giuseppe Fiala of Milan, Italy engine then fitted with three -carbs.

19.. Owned by David Fenton, Providance, RI, (Maine) USA

By 1963 this car had bumperettes, inboard body mounted running lights outside directional signals are all the same. C&D article most likely references fake names on the ownership ? Car was 1-carb, then 3-carb but back to one carb by 1963.

April 1963 issue of Car and Driver page64-70 story on an A6G-1500 Car supposed to be owned by Sig. Chicca, Cesare then Mastrorilli then Mr. Blodgett in VT USA. The owned by Car and Driver / David E. Davis Jr. Magazine did a restoration on the car.

Car & Driver's May 1963 page 58-60 shows more photos of car and engine repairs. Restoration may have more than they bargained for as the car was in the classified section of the November 1963 issue of Car & Driver offered directly by Editor Davis for $3000 describing the car as fully restored. The add was then repeated in the December issue. (Car may not have had a trafficator ? Bumpers have extra bumperettes and large visible polished bolt heads.

Is this the same car ? : Car & Driver September 1963 page 94 Classified Ads: 1950 Maserati A-6, G.T. in excellent, original condition. Will consider trade for Ferrari or other or best cash offer. H. Nicholas Simpson, Jr., 440 Linden Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois.

--April 1964 issue of Car & Driver has the following ad: MUST sell immediately 1950 Maserati A6G-1500; featured in the April, 1963 Car & Driver. $2500 or best offer. H. Nicholas Simpson Jr., 440 Linden Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois.

Car was later owned by Davd N. Fenton of Portland Maine. Several photos on his web site during his ownership of the car.

1990 Sold to Raymond Milo, USA

1991 with Rocky Piscazzi, co-owner of Piscazzi Auto Body in Akron, Ohio back to single carb set up Painted Red with brown leather

(According to Raymond Milo, he bought the car in 1990 for $207,000 and sold it in 1995 for $60,000!)

1996/oct Sold to Franco Minetti, USA, who bought it on behalf of an Italian client (?)

1997 Sold again (USA or Italy ?)

1999 Franco Manetti - I

1999- Luigi Mancini – I

 

Anyone with any further updates, photos, notes... ?

My car is scheduled to arrive on Wednesday morning. This leaves all of about ten hours to prepare the car for this weekend's races in Coronado. (HSR Classic Speedfestival.)

Hope they can pull of some magic and get me out on the track. I am in Group One and should be easy to spot...just look for the back marker holding everyone else up.

If all goes well, I will post some photos next week.

On a bright Note. Sig. Orsi is assisting with some major history collecting with the three first owner's in Italy. Hopefully he can clear up some of the many mysteries.

Warm regards,

Bill Noon

 

I think but do not know for sure that this might be chassis 101 sold by Tony Nicosia for a friend via a Japanese American broker named Ichizo Kobayashi.

If it is, this is what I have on it:

Sold new on July 27th, 1951 to Catullo del Monte in Rome, Italy. Painted Amaranth (burgundy)

In 1999 the car was in the USA.

Owned by Oliver Kuttner in Virginia.

Sold via Tony Niccosia via Ichizo Kobayashi to Japan. Now one of two known A6s in Japan. Chassis number beleived to be 101. No idea on the chassis number of the other car.

Photos that I have on file to follow:

Cheers,

Bill Noon

 

This is definately the same car you posted. I believe it may be chassis 101.

Cheers,

Bill
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This is the other one in Japan...no idea on the chassis number:

Cheers,

Bill
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I just picked this up on Ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6565446046&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26satitle%3D6565446046%26fvi%3D1

Pretty rare item.

Apparently there are two different versions using the same cover with different details inside. I have a copy of the one and now the original of the this one.

I will scan and post photos of each page once it arrives.

Warm regards,

Bill Noon

 

*086* arrived this morning at our workshop!

Way too sweet for words. No "pretty" photos yet. Just lots of details shots. The car looks incredible. Very original and in great shape. I will try and get some better shots at the races this weekend.

I hope some of you can stop by and say hi.

Cheers,

Bill