Walter, I guess the bodywork is the right place to start when a car needs work, otherwise you have no place to put your restored parts. Best regards Marius
We have been contracted to carry out the panelwork & paintwork. The rear sub assembly has already been rebuilt by McGraths & I believe some mechanical work was also carried out. Of course when we re-fit we will inevitably be repairing & reconditioning various odds & ends. We are also having some interior trim work done. With this particular car the outer panelwork had been very badly messed up in the past, I could post many more pictures of the work we have had to do, but am mindful that this thread is for technical & general chat and is not really the place for dozens of pictures of rusty metal! Many thanks for your interest. Kind regards, Al.
Thank you Marc! Yes, it has been a long process, but it is finally happening. Going there to prepare the car for its' journey of 3000kms, but it will go on a truck, as there are too many potholes (read craters) in the roads between there and Cape Town. The car is fabulous, with very little to do. Straight as a pin and no rust whatsoever, all tools & books present, full history and 50.000kms on it since new. Yes, I will post pics once I'm back, and yes, I will save you some I'm excited!
-Al: Congratulations on the work you have come a very long way compared to what 409 was and thankfully no longer is! Funny the photos particularly the last one made me think of the Flintstones cartoon: a Khamsin with stone wheels Jack thanks again, glad the K won't vanish into a crater or end up with a broken paw, can't wait to read your report and see the various photos! KHAMSIN QUARANTA UPDATE The following gentlemen have given their agreement in principle (meaning all going well) to be the judging committee for the concours: Ermanno Cozza, Adolfo Orsi jr and Fabio Collina: we couldn't ask for more or a better jury and are really appreciative. As I have mentioned before Khamsin designer for Bertone Marcello Gandini also gave me his agreement in principle but will be able to confirm or not 3 months before. Should he not come I will go to him with a Khamsin and film him describing it to show it for the first time at one of the K40 dinners. best regards, Marc
Khamsinisti, After endless posts on Quatroporte III paint jobs on the Maserati section also this thread got affected to by the wheel bag syndrome. BTW: For those who want to know: The real reason for the bag was that it was actually intended to put the dirty Starburst Campagnola wheel in after one had a flat tire to prevent getting the luggage compartment all dirty.... (thx Rolf for reminding me!) I made a modification to my K. When looking to the front side of the car I missed its identity, it looks like a woman without make up. There was something missing that all other Maserati's so proudly carry: the Tridente. I think the classic tridente shape is some what out of place on the wedge and edge shaped K. (Altough it does not look too bad on K#232) Maserati used a whole range of different trident designs in the early years, so which one to chose? When I looked at a recent article on the Boomerang i decided to take Giugiaro's stylistic interpretation of the trident as a model for my K. It is more or less contemporary. And my car that is on its own anyhow with its T-Top roof, so why not another mod? I took a piece of aluminum plate and started to cut it. Attached some pics what it looks like with make up....to me it now has its indistinguishably identity now. Ciao, Bart Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I have not yet put the old cars off the road for the winter. Took the K into Glasgow city centre on a shopping trip today. Why do all other cars seem to go so slowly when you drive the K? Cant wait until next summer to go fro nice drives in France and get used to driving it as it's intended to be used! Sorry for rambling, it just fills me with joy to drive these old cars! Paul xx
Somehow a lot of cars from the Bertonre-house share a common problem: they lack a front with a true identity, character, if you will. (Stratos, 308GT4, Khamsin, X 1/9) That is in sharp contrast with the front of Bora and Merak, which are absolutely stunning and also leave no question about the identity of the car. Also, the front face is in contradiction with the rather baroque rear face. To me, that is about the only negative comment on the styling of K. Probably, taking the front bumper off, doing away with the slats above it (the air-intake area is big enough without the bumper) and emulating the Ghibli/Merak/Bora idea could improve the overall picture. So, the pretty girl has a birth-mark. I can live with it
From Enrico's Maserati Pages: "Hello, We have a Maserati Khamsin for sale in our shop located in Anaheim, California. It is a black on black car, unrestored in nice shape. The interior has been partially recovered with new leather, the motor is very strong and runs well, and all gauges/electrics/hydraulic systems work perfectly. A very nice car to drive and an easy restoration project for someone wanting a perfect car. If you would be interested in listing the car on your site or if you know a buyer please let us know. Thank you, Neil." The information about this car is as follows: 19?? Maserati Khamsin. Chassis number: AM116*152*. Left-hand drive. Colour: Red primer. Interior: Black leather with white leather headliner, calf skin inserts on the instrument binnacles and centre console. Mileage: Unknown. Wheels: Standard alloys, rotten tires. This car is in "to be restored" condition. Priced at US $12,000. If you're seriously interested, please contact Neil at [email protected].
Before everybody gets excited and wears out his keyboard emailing the seller -or considers whether it is a scam as did several of us- the seller answered my enquiry by stating that the price is in fact 49000$, NOT 12000$. Yes it got my attention too but better a fairly priced real car than a scam! He will get back to me later today with the correct chassis number which is NOT the one indicated above of course. Another Khamsin is also coming up for sale in the US, also a five speed, AM120US1228, at Motorcar Gallery in Fort lauderdale which had not had a Khamsin since...my own. 1228 was owned a few years ago by our very own Ivan who sold it to someone who did exaclty 100 miles in several years (!) and appears to have done little more than repainting it gun metal grey (it was previously silver). Paul: that's the spirit Bob: Giuseppe the owner of 250 called it Amaranto but it could well be what you say, I don't want to bother the factory for every single K I come across. Regarding Bart's Khamsin fashion statement I will say not a bad try at all though Gandini might not be very happy about having a Giugiaro inspired trident on his creation...and Jack as you mention it is true that many Gandini creations lack a spectacular nose, the contrary being for example the Daytona or BB. This in my humble view is one of the reasons the K was often overlooked, that stealthy sleek appearance. I had also put a trident on my K just before I left the US but unfortunately my friend the body shop expert had painted too much of it red so it looked a bit like a whore so it came off! I will put one on, the traditional trident like on a Ghibli, when I can afford one again. best regards, Marc
Marc, You may very well be right about the overlooking of the K because of its' lack of a 'face'. These days marketeers recognize the importance of that issue. Other than putting a proper trident in front of the spare-wheel, mine will be left original, as the rest of the car is. I had to chuckle about the advertisement of the resto K in Cali: Black on black, but then it appears to be in red primer. Five speed but US spec, what is a car like that really worth? Did anyone go and see it? Assess its' mechanicals?
i must agree with george mountain. i find mr bart's remarks unqualified ,ungentlemanly and obviously insensitive to true female beauty.unmaserati really. ciao, as one says. p
Hi, You are not alone with this feature Bart, 008 had the Trident in the grille at least for 20 years, but it has to go. Here is 008 pictured this summer, in Dijon the yellow lamps and the Trident is at the shelf in my garage. As George said, and I also tell my wife, beautiful girls don't need makeup. I like the design of Giugiaro, with soft easy to like figures, but they do not challenge me like the Gandini designs. Often the Gandini designs look less appealing at first, but after some time they grow on you and make you find new elements each time you pass the car. I hardly ever see that in any Pininfarina designs, and only in a few of Giugiaro's. In my opinion the Khamsin looks best without the slats in the front, and a bit lower in all corners. Best regards Marius Image Unavailable, Please Login
What's the deal with complaining about the activity on the QPIII threads? I don't get it. If you don't like it don't look? That huge Trident looks as though the car were about to make an appearance at the Coliseum. Image Unavailable, Please Login
1977 Khamsin for sale LHD Khamsin The exhausts are rather low, so this must be a USA car converted to EURO bumpers? Image Unavailable, Please Login
Possibly, but then they also closed side-marker holes in the body. Could just be the wrong exhaust. I am not yet intimate enough with Khamsin country-specific detail. Looks like it is in very nice condition. The chassis number should tell, but it's not listed.
This car you mention in the Uk is AM120US1212. The Norwegian who ultimately bought 380 recently considered it but walked away and a Swede who has just gone to see 1212 twice also walked away. There are some troubling issues with it. Will delve into detail this weekend. The car in California which Pascal signalled a few posts ago is AM120US1218. Will post on both when I have a minute. best regards, Marc
Come to think of it: Does Pirelli still actually make tyres with the correct speed-rating for the K? I won't find them here. If not, who does? I hear about Michelin, but I have also heard stories about people getting tyres from an old batch, as they are produced only once in so much time. My tyres are 6 or 7 years old, with almost full thread-depth, yet I won't trust them; don't want to sit on egg-shells in the car. Considered having the original rims enlarged to 16", which provides a much wider choice, but if I can get proper tyres in the correct size and with correct speed rating, I'd much prefer that option. I am fortunate enough that we have roads where the radar-controls are few, and the car can still stretch its' legs as intended Any ideas/experience?
A long ways from you but the now discontinued P4000 and P4000e are being made by Coker tire but only the P4000E which is a 225/65ZR15. That's just a bit wider but almost an identical diameter. They're great tires. I have them on my Espada. http://store.cokertire.com/p225-65zr15-pirelli-p4000.html You can't beat that deal except for your location.
Hi Bob, Thanks for that advice, I didn't look at that size. The deal is great, even with shipping and duties. I'll make contact with them regarding the exact markings, as the insurance companies here are rather peculiar in that respect (read weazles). Probably one of the very few feasible solutions.
From the Coker site it seems that the "Z" rating is actually a "W" rating which is limited to 168 mile an hours continuous. Considering the top speed of the Khamsin, the tire appear to be more than adequate for any type of use. ems
Considering how old the car is they didn't have such markings back then. Earliest would have been VR. So how would they know what you should have? I called them because I too have heard about people getting 3 or 4 year old XWX tires and grossly inflated prices and they told me it was a fresh run? Now the XWX are a 200 mph tire even though they don't advertise that but like Elliot says who needs that for these cars? These are an OEM Jaguar tire so I'm hoping the prices stay low because of that.
