Maserati Khamsin

I think the total bridge is around 80 km. The cost is like a boat trip, something like 40 Euro, but since I have used my electronic toll tracer I'm only charged by a monthly bill for all toll roads in Scandinavia, this bridge included.

You have to make it Paul! You are a true Gandini fan, and this is your chance. Besides, your Khamsin needs the trip

 

Paul,

I doubt I will ever write anything worth having anybody desperate about but if I do I would rather it be the novel I write when I have time (Huh not a lot recently) than
a car book;-)

Marius: so you say you are 6kms further from Dijon than Stein...what if there is construction, a strike...what if Olaf the bus driver looks too much at Inger the newspaper stand girl crashes and blocks the intersection...then Stein will have to drive further than you...ahah...;-)

In any case....here is a little purchase I made on Ebay recently, probably the only time I will ever spend a penny towards nicotine...when I bought it I thought it was from Spain but actually it arrived from...Santiago in Chile! A US Khamsin in an ad I had never seeen before.

best regards,

Marc
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Who says the USA bumpers aren't functional!

A rather dumb ad since you can't really appreciate the incredible car and thus associate some crummy old cigarettes with being very chic.

 

Hi Helmut

Did any of the Citroens use the white hose?

Regards
Graeme

 

That's a bit dramatic but we get the picture. Congratulations on that effort. We are all looking forward to seeing the book in print.

This event should be fantastic!

 

What’s everyone on vacation ? I’ve missed my daily Khamsin posts

First Drive

Well tonight I got to take the Khamsin out for a drive what a blast. It was around and around the block a few times and then a little further to visit a friend. All system were working fine so we went a bit further and did a short blast on the highway.

I love it

Cheers

Mark
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Hi all:

Mark:

No we were just sulking until you gave us your first driving impressions;-)

I hope you drive it around and around Toronto, Ontario, Canada, up to Anchorage in the summer down to Key West....and....well maybe not that far but find some good twisty roads and have fun!

Carmine:

Thanks for your kind words when you have worked on a book for 5 years (having to stop to do two others in the meantime) it becomes a part of you so coming to the end of the process really impacts you, it is a bit disorienting.

Regarding KHAMSIN QUARANTA everything is looking good and I am proud to say the local authorities were impressed by the standard to which we are organizing it.

I will be contacting all participants individually this weekend, I believe everyone has their car properly prepared as opposed to any "I haven't touched it since last August but I am sure it will start" ineptitude.

I spoke yesterday to BillMcGraths in the UK where several Khamsins are being prepped and all is on schedule!

Bob:

Yes those US bumpers were useful as shelves like early dinner tray Porsche turbos and true the ad barely shows the car just steals its glamour to sell nicotine...

best regards,

Marc

 

I've been dreading this but it's a must do now situation. I need to replace both my fuel tanks filler/overflow lines.
First, any recommendations on who might have these? Or alternatives to use?
I can see I'll need to pull half my interior out. Anyone "been there done that" have any seasoned comments on stupid mistakes to avoid? It doesn't look too daunting but prior experience might have some virtue. Just getting my carpet unglued without pulling the rows has been a bit challenging. Very thin backing and surprising still strong glue. I don't want to replace it. Etc.
I should probably get serious and go ahead with my bumper conversion but man I wasn't prepared to go in that deep till next fall. And the car is running really well, been a hoot lately.

 

Marc

Please do not underestimate what you are doing! In these days where everyone thinks their contribution to world knowledge is twitter someone who takes the trouble to properly research, compile and write or publish is a person to be appreciated and revered! Winston Churchill once said that to be a successful writer you need two things; A typewriter and ?beeswax! The beeswax was to stick you to the seat so that you typed!

Look at it this way, you are contributing to knowledge and understanding. Novels contribute to culture and entertainment! both have their place, but one may bot be better than others!

I want to do a photographic guide to architecture in central Glasgow! Got my research material ( loads of books , mostly rare and out of print), my equipment................the rest you can guess!

Anyway, I think you are a star and am desperate to see and read your book!

Paul
xx

 

Hi Doug
Yes Been there done that in fact all of that.
Carpet shame its stuck down. My experience is to use thinners and bit by bit soften the glue then prise it with a with something like a paint scraper be patient and take your time.
OH did I mention use a respirator!!

Next thing take note of were the screws go as you take the inner panels out.

When you get the R/H inner panels out the upper tank just sits on a underfelt material and some wood, well mine was, and is retained by a strap sadly the hoses are difficult to get to under the side tank. There is from memory two or three hoses 1.125/1.5" transfer hose and about 3/8" breather hose.
Also there is an access panel into the connection of the main tank.

The Top tank will be rusted and I assume this is the reason for removing it.

The large hose will be as hard as ........ and my crack.

This hose on my car I replaced with some actual fuel transfer hose. And I had a 90 degree thinwall stainless mandrel bent tube with beading. The Hose its self had a copper embeded wire which I used to electrically bond the lot together and some stainless clamps.

I could get some stainless bends made made If there is enough interest however I have no Idea howmuch as Aircraft stuff isnt cheap/

The other hose I bought some fuel compatable hose.

The Top tank will be rusted on the bottom and I assume this is the reason for removing it.
As for removing the main tank I had the complete rear cradle removed so it was easy and some where her there was discussion about removing it.

If you do take main tank out clean and have it painted with a decent paint.
Again with the top tank a good protective coarin here it sits is essential.

Hope it goes well and the euro bumper converion will make all the trouble worth while

Regards
Graeme

 

I did this job on my Espada a few years ago because of fumes in the interior and a bunch of rust sediment had clogged my fuel filter.

I ended up using the Bill Hirsch fuel tank restoration kit.
I didn't have any god awful rust issues so no actual repairs were required.
It was surface rust at the bottom of the tanks. A borescope really helps out with tank inspections.

With some links of chain in the tank as a mechanical aid to break up any scale and using their rust remover product I was able to get them pristine again. I flushed it out repeatedly with water and dried it using a hair drier. The coating in the Bill Hirsch kit is impervious to alcohol and now I don't have to worry about any water damaging it ever again. Just keep the coating away from any threads on the tank.

I used two kits worth of coating so that I had more to slosh around inside the tank for more assurance of coverage. The excess goes back in the can.

I covered the exteriors of the tanks with that truck bed liner spray that comes in a spray can from the auto store. It's a lot more abrasion resistant paint.

Everything worked really great.

 

Paul:

Shame on you for making me blush like a teenage girl

Many thanks but let's concentrate on the cars I am just trying to serve their preservation not to self glorify.

I may print your post to impress a girl I am meeting in Monaco next week during the Historic Grand Prix though.-)

In any case it is a good feeling to get to the end of this process which many times I though I could never end.

Very best of luck with your architectural endeavour: I have to visit Scotland, the single malt distilleries, the history,the Lochs, the great roads, single malt distilleries, the castles, the mountains and did I mention single malt distilleries

best regards,

Marc

 

I have not removed my interior panels yet but I believe my problem is solely the lines have cracked. They are both pretty badly cracked at the bottom fittings on the main tank.
I suspect I will need to fabricate the main line as any NOS ones laying around may not be so supple anymore either. Perhaps if never subjected to gas a NOS line would still be decent but finding one is another matter.
That copper cored hose sounds pretty special, I've never heard of using that bonding process before. I am curious which metals a suitable to use for the elbow? Some/most steel will corrode rapidly. I wonder if solid copper would be good, easily sourced at a plumbing supply. Straight hose I hope is not so hard to source.
Oh, the carpet is now loose and OK.

Thanks for your comments.

 

You would want even a perfect NOS hose anyway. There are better rubber compounds now to deal with the alcohol in the gas. Just ground the tank and all the fuels related components really well.

If you have the tanks out you should check the insides for any corrosion.

Also, almost empty gas tanks are a terribly dangerous hazard, as in bomb!
They're all considered "almost empty" until they've been flush well with water.

 

Feel free to quote me and good luck with the girl!

I know a fair bit about Malt Whisky and appreciate a wee glass. Let me know if you want to come up here to gods chosen country. Like wise to any other owners on here, would be happy to provide info and meet up. Marc/ Bal, you guys have my spare room any time.

Paul

 

Hey Paul,

Thanks for the offer, if things go well this summer I may try to bring her back to Scotland for your August do. I'll press Marc to sign you a copy and bring it back for you if it's ready for K 40.

I've had a couple of days messing with the LHM tank as there was still a leak. Turns out it wasn't rust causing the problem as the original is tin plated. The problem was the plastic pipe for checking the level, and after the first attempt of using mastic to fix the grommet to the tank it turned out to be the centre hole not sealing against the plastic pipe.

My guy was coming up with ideas of using a metal elbow made of copper or something soldered in place and doing away with the grommets. Then to use the plastic pipe to fix between the elbows, fixed with ties or something similar.

But for now I've had the holes soldered over with metal plates rather than risk issues for K 40. Will investigate his ideas later in the year and temporarily I can work out the correct level by looking down the filler neck. It's fairly easy (the level is not in the handbook) but when you have the tank out you can actually read the instructions. There are two ribs pressed into the sides and the level is required to be up to the lower one with the engine running. Showed up the fact that my car had been overfilled in the past.

My problems started due to the tank being out of the car for nearly a year while they worked on the engine. I think the rubber grommets must have dried out/ shrunk a little in that time. They were very hard, in fact one broke apart when we tried to remove it and McGrath's have confirmed that these are not available.

Bal

 

Marc,

I wonder if Sarkozy will make it? Here in the USA, we've heard that he might have some spare time now. ;-)

Carmine

 

Hi Bal,

Are you sure your tank is a tin-plated unit? Mine's out, and I thought it is stainless. In itself not that important, but it may affect your decision on how to proceed with affixing angled pipes. I like the idea.

It, too, has leaked around the grommet et the bottom of the level-tube, and it appears to have been repaired with some black compound, of which I have no idea what it is. Near future will tell if it holds up well

 

Anyone know about this car?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3858680.htm

Have i missed the posts on this?

Marc, Is this the 'girl' you are going to se at Monaco next week? lol

Nothing wrong with it my view. Alphabetically, woman don't even get close to 'c' in the alphabet. So Cars, cake, cameras, chocolate, computers etc. As one gets older one appreciates the order of things in life.

Paul

 

Hi all:

Paul thanks for the invitation, may well take you up on that eventually.

No the car is from Moooo-dena the girl is from Moooo-scow not the same

Yes we discussed that Coys auction Khamsin some days ago.

Doug R: as Bob mentioned fuel tanks are filled with explosive fumes, be very very prudent as there have been all sorts of accidents, best to flush out with water thoroughly first.

best regards,


Marc

 

Hi Jack,

That is what my guy said it was. You can see the odd small area where the plating has been scratched and it had some rust developing. He was able to make a couple of tin plate discs and solder them in place of the grommets. When we get round to it and look at the angled pipes I'll let you know the results. The original is good enough, but only if you can get spares.

He said to use a rod as a dip stick to check the level until we get around to a solution.

Bal

 

The huge tank on my Bora was tin plated steel with a side hose that I turned into a fill level checker. It didn't come that way though. It had just a braid covered piece of hose on it when new. I used tigon? tubing and a pair of very small clamps. That worked like a champ.

Unless you have leaks (in which case they should be fixed at once!) you really shouldn't need this though.

 

Sounds like the same as the one on my car in terms of materials Bob.

Tin plated steel was how my metal guy described it as well. The fix has worked for now, but we'll see what we can do in later on in the year.

McGrath's also described a fix based on mastic etc that they employ, but I want something more permanent. I know Graeme has a Stainless steel item on his car that is not standard.

To be honest I can check the level with a torch and looking down the neck.

Bal

 

Sounds great except for that British term "torch" LOL.
Over here a torch typically means an open flame ...

 

That made me chuckle. Yeah I suppose you lose a bit in translation, maybe I should have used flashlight. Having a family holiday to Orlando this july, I dare say there will be a few clangers dropped by me when we are there.

Bal