Maserati 150S Artcurial Auction Paris Feb 2014

When did it change from being yellow with teh blue stripe down the center?

 

Italian title
Chassis n°1664
Engine n°1664

- The best racing history
- Racing history documented by Adolfo Orsi
- Matching numbers
- Sold new in France
- Eligible to major historic racing events
- Sold new in France, raced 1956 24 Hours of Le Mans, Mille Miglia…

The Maserati activity, in the period 1948-1952, has been slowed down by the problems created by trade-unions to Adolfo Orsi's several activities, ranging from steel factories, foundry, agricultural machines, spark-plugs and batteries, to the transport business; furthermore he had problems with his brothers and sisters in the management of the Gruppo Orsi, the holding company. At the end of 1952, all the companies were split among the Orsi family members and Adolfo Orsi obtained the 100% control of his beloved Officine Alfieri Maserati, which produced cars and milling machines. His son Omar helped him to develop the company and to improve the Racing Department with the goal to regain competitiveness with the young Ferrari rival company.
In a couple of years, thanks to the projects developed by Gioachino Colombo (who joined the company in October 1952), Valerio Colotti and Vittorio Bellentani, Maserati won again in the Grand Prixes (with the A6GCM and later with the 250F) and in the Sports Cars races (with the new A6GCS/53). In August 1953 the young Giulio Alfieri was hired to follow the racing cars on the tracks activity; in October 1953 Colombo left and Bellentani took the technical direction.
In 1954 Bellentani developed the new dohc 6 cylinder 3.0 liter and 4 cylinder 1.5 liter engines, respectively for a powerful sports car (the 300S) and for a smaller sports car (150S), a project for the gentleman drivers, who have always been faithful customers of the Maserati brothers in the pre-war time.
In the winter 1954/1955 the two new engines were assembled and test-benched. For the 150S it was planned also a sister "1500 or 1600 Gran Turismo" version and therefore Maserati built two different chassis frames. But the racing activity was so frantic for the 80 people of the car division (other 160 workers were involved in the milling machines division) that the GT version program was frozen and only a prototype, with a Spider body by Fantuzzi, was assembled in late 1957.
In the meantime, on 13 November 1954, the very first 150S engine, fitted on the racing motor boat "Maria Luisa IV", gained a new speed world record in the 350 kilos class, with the speed of over 173 km/h.
At the end of April/early May 1955 a couple of experimental 150S were tested at the Modena Autodrome by the factory driver Jean Behra and by a selection of young Italian drivers, under the careful survey of Guerino Bertocchi, the factory test-driver.
The engine had 81mm. bore and 72 mm. stroke, developed ca. 140 bhp at 7.500 rpm and was coupled with a 4 speed gearbox; the chassis frame, built by Maserati, was characterized by front independent suspensions and a rear De Dion axle. The very round bodies of the 1955 cars, resembling the style of the 300S, were built by Carrozzeria Fiandri & Malagoli of Modena, two former Carrozzeria Fantuzzi workers, because Fantuzzi was too busy to follow the manufacturing, repair and modification of the works cars.
The very first 150S cars were sold in May 1955 and one of the first customers was Isabelle Haskell, a tall, blond American girl; during the 1955 season she met a young Argentinean driver, Alejandro De Tomaso, and in March 1957 she became Mrs. De Tomaso!
The stronger competitors in the 1500 class were the Porsches, the EMW 6 cylinder and the OSCAs: on 28 August 1955 Maserati entered a 150S at the 500 Kilometer Rennen, at the mythical Nuerburgring. Jean Behra won the race with a 2 minutes advance over Von Frankenberg' Porsche, obtaining the average speed of 124 km/h with the fastest lap at over 128 kmh. Young Aurelio Bertocchi, Guerino's son, a recent engineering graduate, wrote in his notes: "our car is, as a whole, superior to the competitors for the power and road-holding, especially it has a much better braking. EMWs and Porsches have more efficient and streamlined bodies, are also much lighter (550 against 630 kilos of our car). Giving the variety of the track, a 5 speed gearbox would be preferable".
In the meantime, on May 1955 Bellentani left Maserati and the Orsis named Giulio Alfieri as Technical Director. At the end of the season Alfieri developed a new version of the 150S body: a model was tested at the wind tunnel of the Politecnico in Milan and a new streamlined body by Fantuzzi was adopted, nicknamed "codine" (small tails), characterized by straight sides, "coda tronca" (truncated tail), a low front and complete fairing of the under car.
On 29th January 1956, a new "1956 version" 150S, driven by De Tomaso/Tomasi, won the class and arrived fourth overall at the 1000 Kilometres de Buenos Aires, valid for the World Sports Car Championship, only 9 laps ahead of the winning 300S of Moss/Menditeguy, while Haskell/Lostalo arrived 7th overall with her old "1955 version".
The unexpected Maserati victory against a brigade of Porsches and EMWs at their home circuit and the Buenos Aires result gave a boost to the 150S image and sales: 1956 cars were sold to Sweden (Bonnier), Holland (Beels Racing Team), Portugal (Mascarenhas), Belgium (Berger), England (Naylor), USA (3 cars), Italy (Perella, Pagliarini, Garavaglia), Argentina (De Tomaso) and France. The Maserati French importer Garage Mirabeau, run by the enthusiastic Colonel John Simone and Jean Thepenier, sold three "1956 version" 150Ss: #1661 to Claude Bourillot, #1664 to Louis Cornet and #1668 to Guy Michel.
The first badge of the "1956 version" 150Ss had chassis frames built by Maserati and bodies by Fantuzzi: when the 1956 racing season was on and the activity in Viale Ciro Menotti became more frantic, the later cars were assembled with chassis frames from Gilco and bodies by Fiandri & Malagoli.
After the 1956 season the 150S production was abandoned, Maserati dedicating his energy to develop the new 200S model. Looking back, the 150S was a powerful car, a bit too oversized for the category. The 150S chassis and the big 320 mm. diameter brakes were able to support easily much more power. The factory fitted a car with the new 190 bhp 2 liter engine (as works entry at the 1956 MM) and also with a 2.5 liter 4 cylinder engine(at the 1957 Argentinean 1000 km. and Sebring 12 Hours): a similar car, fitted with a 2 liter engine, permitted the Swiss Willy Daetwyler to conquer the 1957 European Hill-climb Championship. The 1.5 liter engine itself was also very powerful: the English driver Brian Naylor, after having crashed his own 150S, fitted his Maserati engine on a Lotus 11 chassis and dominated easily the class in the English races. In 1960 the same engine, developed, was used also in F1 cars.

#1664 build-sheet, dated 27 March 1956, states that the chassis was built by Maserati and that the red body by Fantuzzi: on 30th March the Maserati invoice to Louis Cornet shows a price of Lire 4.500.000 plus tax. It was not a cheap car, to build and to purchase: the list price for a new 300S was Lire 6.000.000.
Cornet purchased also two additional Borrani wire wheels and he registered the car in Italy (provisional registration BO 57122). In order to avoid import duties in France, Maserati issued an ATA Carnet at his own name, so that the car could be moved around Europe with no problems.
The #1664 race debut was on 2nd April 1956 at the Goodwood Easter Races. The car is described in the program as "painted in blue"; the English magazine Autosport refer that "the brand new 1.500 cc. Maserati was handicapped from the start with seized shock absorbers. Trying hard nonetheless, he lost control at the Chicane and slid off, badly damaging his beautiful little machine". Then Cornet entered #1664 at the Mille Miglia: in a rainy day, he left Brescia at 4.35am (race no. 435) but he did not arrived to Rome because of a crash. On June 10th Cornet (together with Robert Mougin) raced at the 1000 Kilometre de Paris at Montlhéry: they classified 12th overall and 4th in class. On June 17th, Cornet raced in Portugal the IV Taca Cidade do Porto (for 1.5 liter cars) and he arrived 6th.
On June 24th Cornet entered the car at the Gran Premio Supercortemaggiore in Monza (his co-driver was Jean Claude Vidilles) but, for unknown reason, he did not take part in the race.
But the real race for every French driver is the Le Mans 24 Hour: only two Maserati took part in the 1956 edition, both were 150Ss. Cornet entered #1664 together with Robert Mougin and Bourillot/Perroud had sister car #1661. On 25th July, at the technical scrutinizing, #1664 weighted 724 kilos, the nose was painted blue, an additional light, a large windscreen and an aerodynamic fairing were fitted. After the 1st hour it was 16th, 17th at the 2nd hour, 16th at the third. At the 4th hour it was forced to retire, because of the engine breakage. Bourillot' #1661, instead, arrived 9th overall, second of the up to 1.500 class.
The last race of the 1956 Cornet's season was on October 7th at the Coupes du Salon in Montlhéry: on a sad day for the motorsport, with the incidents of Benoit Musy and Louis Rosier, he arrived 6th overall and second in class. On 7th April 1957 Cornet arrived 2nd at the Coupes de l'U.S.A. (Union Sportive Automobile) in Montlhéry, winning the category and on 16th June 1957 Louis Cornet raced the last time #1664 at the Prix de Paris, and he placed 7th. Cornet drove, from then on, DB Panhard cars, achieving good results at Le Mans. On May 1958 the car was taken back to the factory for tuning the engine, check of the clutch and brakes; the car was also tested at the Modena Aerautodromo. During 1959 Maserati hurried Cornet to take back the car to Italy because the ATA Carnet was expired; in April 1960 the custom situation of the car was solved and the car was finally exported to France.
Then the car was no more competitive: during the 1960 season it was raced by Jacques Lefebvre at Spa, at the Macon Solutré hill-climb, at Trophee d'Auvergne, at Coupes de Paris, and Nogaro.
In 1978 a certain Mr. Th. Van de Voort wrote a letter to Maserati Club (of England), published in The Trident newsletter, telling that he had purchased the project two years before in Belgium.
In 1983 a certain Mr. Henny Van Tongeren transmitted photos of the car, to be restored, to the Maserati factory for information.
After 1983, the Maserati factory has no more archival records for # 1664. After Belgium, it was sold to Lord Brocket in England in the late 1980s, who had it restored. He kept it until the mid-1990s and it was bought by the German racer and collector, Georg Stummeyer who participated in 1979/1980 and in 1981 in the German Championship in Group IV. It was entered in the Mille Miglia of 1996 and 1998. Without leaving Germany in 1998, it passed into the hands of Juergen Pyritz, a Trident brand enthusiast who had it until 2000. That year, Stummeyer repurchased the car and in 2004 it passed once again into the hands of the current owner, an Italian collector, and producer of excellent wine, who has always loved fine automobiles since his father was a collector and more specifically, the Lancia brand. He participated in the Mille Miglia twice after Comelli entrusted the restoration of this magnificent barchetta 150 S.
This is an exceptional opportunity to acquire a very important historical automotive award winning car, which has participated in the most important of endurance races, the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the most famous Italian race, the Mille Miglia. This 150 S # 1664 is moreover equipped with its original engine and comes in excellent condition, regularly maintained by the owner's mechanic, just like other cars in this prestigious collection.
This car provides the best entry possible to all major historic racing events.

CORSE MASERATI 150 S Telaio # 1664

Data Evento N° Pilota/Piloti Auto Ris. Pos. classe/causa ritiro
02.04.1956 Goodwood Easter Races (GB) 68 Louis Cornet Maserati 150S Rit. -
29.04.1956 1000 Miglia (I) 435 Louis Cornet Maserati 150S Rit. -
10.06.1956 1000 km Paris (F) 54 Louis Cornet/Robert Mougin Maserati 150S 12. 4. S1,5
16.06.1956 Coppa Oporto (P) - Louis Cornet Maserati 150S 6. -
24.06.1956 GP Supercortemmaggiore (I) 53 Louis Cornet Maserati 150S NV -
29.07.1956 24 H Le Mans (F) 31 Louis Cornet/ Robert Mougin Maserati 150S Rit. Motore
07.10.1956 Coupes du Salon (F) - Louis Cornet Maserati 150S 6. 2. S1,5
07.04.1957 Coupes de l'USA (F) - Louis Cornet Maserati 150S 2. 1. S
16.06.1957 Prix de Paris (F) - Louis Cornet Maserati 150S 7. -

Rit. = Ritirato
NV = Non Verificato
S = Categoria Sport
S1,5 = Categoria Sport Classe 1500 cc

 

Wonderful, thank you for posting the information.

Very appreciative!!!!


Ciao and best!

Trev

 

I agree with Trev... I really enjoyed reading the history of this 150S...

Mike

 

The catalogue is up on Arcturials website now.

There's also a 1969 Ghibli Spyder (no. 1005) up for auction and a 1956 125 GT Super motorbike.