Maserati Khamsin

Oh and Andrea: since you offered to track down some Khamsins in Switzerland I will post for you a couple of Alfa 33 Stradale photos this evening as a thank you in advance...but in that section, not here!

Please make sure they give the correct chassis number: it always begins with AM120.

do you know who owns a red K in Zurich? I have photos but have not tracked him down yet.

Best regards,

Marc Sonnery

www.maseratikhamsinregistry.com

PS: Someone just made me a very nice gift regarding the registry, I am awaiting to hear from him if I can say it!

 

You had me right up to the point that you listed TMC. Certain individuals within that group have done more to destroy the Maserati Community than bring it together especially in the US. Some members of that group have tried to bring every together, but are blocked by the same people that split it apart.


Joe

 

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=137743031#post137743031

Andrea: there you go!

On the matter of Maserati club US politics I will not get drawn into a dead debate: that was a 1990's problem, it was a problem, yes Joe, no question but let us move forward and try to unite, patch the wounds and give Maserati GT cars the attnetion they deserve in the US. I do not mean to speculate on them I mna find all the cars that are vegetating a good, home, create support and events for them.

Best regards,

Marc

 

Andrea,
the car belongs to a very good friend of mine. He has 2 "Stradale" : one genuine and a fantastic replica (with better brakes etc.) that he drives on the road. The original car is non-drivable due to its very tricky gearbox, terrible heat for both drivers and brakes good for zero!

He also ons a Ferrari 250 SWB Comp., an Alfa GTA, a Miura SV, A Maserati A6G-2000 Zagato, no less than 7 Lancia Delta Integrale, about 10 Mini`s in all colors and specs, a BMW M1, 2002 Turbo, 2002 Tii, 3.0 CSL (2x) Ferrari 330 GTC, a BBi, F40, ...etc., etc.! In total about 40 cars!

No, I don`t know the VIN of the original 33!

Ciao!
Walter

 

...eh..c`moi??

Ciao!
Walter

 

Marc,
It is NOT a 90's problem, it is a CURRENT problem and will continue to be until the cause is removed.

When the largest gathering of 450S' in 45 years takes place and it isn't cover by a publication supposedly dedicated to Maseratis.

It is a CURRENT problem.

When all 3 of the 8CTFs are displayed together for the 1st time since 1948 and it isn't mentioned as happening.

It is a CURRENT problem.

When Maserati owners aren't even informed that the 2 Largest Maserati Events in North America are taking place.

It is a CURRENT problem.

When 7 Maserati Dealers are involved in a single event and that information is kept from Maserati Owners.

It is a CURRENT problem.

It is either a club whose purpose is to help promote the Maserati brand or a club whose purpose is to help promote the ego of one individual. The fact is that individual has NEVER owned a Maserati GT car, but only a coupe of Biturbos and yet is held up as some kind of Maserati expect. It is laughable and reflects badly on the whole community.

Don't take this the wrong way but if the Maserati community in North America is to grow and become viable, someone needs to grow a set of BALLS and remove the problem.


Joe

 

i live sooooo close to this one!
is it for sale? i like it in white

 

Walter, I once read the beautiful story of an American businessman who bought a 33 Stradale new in 1968, and drove it regularly for a year on the highways between Torino, Milan and Rome. He often maxed the car out at 300 Km/h on the motorway, with the little V8 screaming at almost 10,000 rpm... basically the story was that the 33 was like the McLaren F1 of its day, a road-racer so superior to anything else on the road that it could humiliate virtually any supercar of the time. This guy ran the 33 Stradale as his "daily driver" until he returned to the USA, after which the car dropped off the map. So much for being "undriveable"! Although it is probably true that traffic was not so bad in 1969, in today's conditions it would be really difficult to use.

I don't remember exactly where I read this story, but I think it was the story of a 33 that was restored in the late '90s and now resides in the USA.

 

I am fully aware of the problem.

I have had meetings with the factory during which I mentioned the urgent need for it to encourage unification of the clubs in the US.

I have spoken with people of both clubs to encourage this.

If I lived in the US I would volunteer for this but I am currently in Europe. I am working on returning to the US but there is nothing specific yet. It may never happen.

I did find it bizarre that when I offered Il tridente (the TMC magazine, not the factory one) an FIA GT MC12 test drive article I never received the slightest reply which is bizarre considering they only had an MC12 road car test drive, (albeit a very fine one) but they are two different animals. Still, like Viale Ciro Menotti it is a very fine magazine.

Best regards,

Marc

 

Vive nella pianura! bella campagna ma preferisco le colline dell Apenino per guidare!

Yes it looks great in white and a white car has to be impeccable to look good but it is definitely not for sale...even though a dealer told me it was...without the owner's knowledge. The owner of the car: Davide is a great enthusiast.

When I interviewed Marcello Gandini near Turin in November (not an easy feat as he normally does not do interviews) I asked Cozza if he knew of a Khamsin near Turin so I could take some shots of Gandini with one but he did not so I contacted Davide: despite the long drive from the Modena area to Turin he was fully ready to do it but his schedule dod not allow and he was mortified to miss the opportunity: truly a great guy.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen ! Roll the drums !

The very nice gift I have just received for the Khamsin Registry is…the data on Khamsins accumulated through the years by Walter Baumer!

This is a wonderful contribution and very much appreciated since Walter –despite occasionally having the temper of a 450S on nitrous oxideLOL!- is certainly one of a few leading lights in the Maserati vintage world.

So I am honoured Walter: thank you very much mein herr!

I will also take this opportunity to thank Joe Corbaccio who had started a Khamsin Registry some years ago and generously gave me his data in 2005, and Andy Heywood of Bill McGrath in England who gave me a copy of his extensive right hand drive Khamsin data.

I will also point out that even though I am not currently updating the
Khamsin Registry website, since I am still recovering from the shock of hearing how much my webmaster felt I owed him, what matters is that the database itself is growing, I am working on it and communicating with owners all the time.

I don’t have the patience to do the HTML myself but have found that posting interesting Khamsin news, data, trivia, photos in Ferrarichat.com is a good solution.

Of course the Registry is not about humble me it is for the Maserati community, for the preservation and appreciation of Khamsins and is non profit. That is not to say that if I can put together a buyer and a seller I will not do it but I never disturb owners with questions about selling their car.

The database is open to anyone with specific questions about a particular car, though I respect confidentiality and I am always happy to help owners or those considering buying a Khamsin and last but not least, enthusiasts who may be very young or unable to afford one.

So as always any information on any Khamsin is most appreciated!

Best regards,

Marc Sonnery

www.maseratikhamsinregistry.com

 

GRAZIE

a pity, i was going to see it! i'd like a period maserati (ghibli-bora-Khamsin) and they are still quite cheap IMO
there is or was a red ghibli spider in the area and i love the car! very few old maserati running here (only 2-3 meraks and that ghibli)

a yellow, white or black car would interest me, if you know of one of these for sale in my area please PM me TKS!

 

Hello Emilio:

There is a dealer near Cento north of Modena that has several Masers including a nice goldish Bora: you can find him in www.autoscout24.com, also there is a Khamsin for sale at another dealer near Verona.
Prices are all over the map: nsome people are dreaming...some people arer asleep

Best of luck,

Marc

 

tks
i did not find the dealer, still looking

guys, what are realistic prices for good:
-ghibli
-bora
- khamsin

 

prices for excellent cars here in EU:

_ 95-115k Euros (coupe!)
_ 75-90k Euros
_ 60-85K Euros


Ciao!
Walter

 

TKS Walter

 

i found the gold bora
looks an US bumpered model...i am not in love with color and US version, tks aniway!

 

You can always do a bumper conversion like I did on my K and got done on a US Bora in Modena and all US Boras are 4,9 liter.

 

Correct - but it will always be a US-version by chassisnumber! The trick is to get an unmolsted EU-example without all this US-stuff "glued" on and in it!

Ciao!
Walter

 

So Walter, if it's had the bumpers and side lamps (minor issue) changed then other than tuning the car properly what's the big deal?

Since you have such a distain for US spec Maseratis how about giving a specific list of the things that are objectionable?

Now remember, this a discussion not a mud slinging argument so don't get offended right away. So poney up.

Let's face it, nice as all of us think these cars are, they are not historic Maserati race cars or one offs where the chassis number is so critical. Even in perfecto condition they are worth less than the equivalent new car would be. IMHO they should be driven and not pu**y footed to car shows. They are drivers.

Bob S.

 

Hallo Marc,
I know about 4 Khamsins in Austria:

AM120 056, red/grey (orig. color was tabacco met.) , owner: Werner Müller, AT-3021 Pressbaum near Vienna
AM120 404, black/?, was sold from a dealer in Vienna last year
AM120 #??? tabacco met/?, now for sale in Salzburg,
and my car AM120 US1268, silver/red, 12.600 miles, comes 1991 to Austria and was stored in a garage, next week the car is back home from the paint shop with new silver color.

Regards, Helmut
[email protected]

 

sure it could be done, but how big are the US models difference on 70's maseratis ? i really do not know and would like to learn, tks

i know mods put on US countachs and are SERIOUSLY different from car to car to car ( there are some i could buy and convert to euro specs-look with only few euros, but there are some that would neee MANY K euros to become as the euro cars (QV FIs for example have different cams, headers, muffler, FI, bumpers, ecc....)

 

There are USA versions that did not have the big rubber bumpers. Those would be your easiest route because it's almost a bolt on change except for the front where there's a point
protruding into the Euro style bumper.

Side markers.

Limited amount of emissions stuff especially on the pre 1975 cars. After 1974 they all had a big air pump and thermal reactors though any car still running most likely has shed all of that silly equipment. It didn't work correctly. That's not hard to rectify and most cars this old need new headers and exhaust anyway.

Final gear ratio varied in the USA cars. We tended to get the higher ratio for better acceleration but then 5500 rpm arrives at 140mph. Not a great sacrifice these days.

Engine tune, cam timing and carb jetting. Again, not a big deal to change. My car actually came set to the euro specs so you may not have to do a thing.

If you want a 4.7L though, which some prefer as freer revving engine then I don't think any of those came here as USA spec cars but maybe a few. The 4.9 has more torque.

If you want to convert the 75=>77 USA boras to a European bumper set-up then it's a bigger deal.

1. The bumper set is quite expensive now I think around $9500? not installed. They've been getting reproduced for a while now. (same for the earlier USA Boras)
2. The front is easy enough but the rear requires some fabrication and a custom exhaust as the European style exhaust will never fit because the frame is different. It's a lot stronger but gets in the way of the tubing for an original style exhaust.
3. You have buy a new rear valence which is maybe not so easy to do these days.

There are people who have repositioned and trimmed these bumpers so that they are not quite as ponderous and to me it is an improvement. It's a more modern look. These bumpers also function very well whereas the originals look pretty but serve zero function.

There are pictures of these cars around.

That's all the major stuff I can think of and on any decent example a lot of that will have already been taken care of but you need to ask.

As for the mechanical foibles of these cars that's a whole other story but then that's the same whether it's a European or USA spec emissions stuff excepted.

Bob S.

 

Helmut:

Welcome and thank you very much!

I think I may have seen 056 in a photo years ago.

Ah so the black car that was with Auto salon Stich is 404?

Do you have a link or contact info for the Salzburg car?

Of course any photos would be most appreciated, you can post them here or email them to me at:

[email protected]

Best regards,

Marc