I installed both in one go. Only had t take the alternator lover adjustment arm of to slide in place! Headers will not be a problem to install now - plenty of space! Kind regards John
Hello John.. Excellent work... Looks really, really nice... Nice to see a car come back!! Marc: Bad news on how quickly K's are leaving the US... This is not good news!! But on a good note, Donna did ask me if bumper kit conversions are available!!! I will make no comment on my decision. The sources you indicate on the registry and in the book, are they still the best choices or are there more! Lastly, I'm attaching two pics... One I think Marc has posted before.. The other I'm not sure of... That gold one looks pretty nice!!! Mike Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
John, Chapeau on installing engine and trans! Thank you for clarification regarding the air-pump bracket. It stands to reason then, that also mid-production Euro-spec K's had this pump. How very odd. I've been pondering this subject: I'll leave the bracket on 435 intact, some future custodian may want to/need to put the pump back in there. Best, Jack.
So, having just completed this do you think it was a requirement to NOT have the headers on or did it just make the installation less worrisome?
Hi Mike: Yes Congrats to John for an amazing job, a huge effort! Regarding Khamsins constantly leaving the US it is truly sad to see this pattern but their rarity and the visual aberration which the US version is are directly responsible along with the fact that when they were cheap (from the late 80's to the early 2000's) many were not maintained properly because the average garage did not understand or have training for the hydraulics which are in fact simple, hence people trying one had a good chance of not really getting a proper idea, being faced instead with a malfunctioning car. The pattern of cars being siphoned off to Europe started in the 80's and has been ongoing ever since... I am very glad your wife asked about the kits and will wait to see if anything happens Yes the sources listed are still very much active and the Dutchman who bought 1038 already bought a kit. I repeat that I have no part in those sales whatsoever I just want to see as many US spec K's undisfigured. Thanks for posting those 2 photos can you believe it is 8 years? For everyone else: this was April 2005 the first was at Motorcar Gallery in Fort Lauderdale early that morning since they had 1054 the blue car I was allowed to pull it out for the first ever "Khamsin reunion" (3 cars for 10 minutes you have to start somewhere!) the silver car is your 1120 and the gold one, (a very rare color, officially named Oro Kelso, Kelso being a famous racing horse which always had a gold undersaddle mat) my ex "baby" 1242 which I hope to see in Califonia next month. The second photo is at a small concours in Hollywood Florida (not California) that afternoon The blue 1054 is now in Zurich Switzerland, my ex car is in Laguna Beach near Los Angeles. best regards, Marc
Au contraire. Every one that leaves makes me happier. Scarcity equals value. So Euro friends, I will be happy to help any of you find, inspect and arrange transport for a USA car that you would move to Europe. Just send a PM.
Khamsinisti, Finally we had a beautiful sunny day after a freezing cold Easter Sunday. The swans were swimming in the sunshine on the lake behind our house. Spring is coming! Switched of the fuel supply, cranked the engine till she had oil pressure, put the fuel supply back on and she started right away! Ready to leave her basement winter sleep pit. Took her for a 2 hr spin even had the roof panels out but with the heating on! Great! Cannot wait for more of this! PS: Mark, upon your special request I masked the aluminium trim with black tape! Ciao, Bart Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Hi Dirk, Yup, these are Michelins XWX's but 2.25's instead of 2.15's. A bit more baloony but I think they look (contemporary) good. Ciao, Bart
Hello Bart and good for you! Yes spring slowly appearing down here too. It seems with the chrome around the roof panels hidden to look quite a bit tidier, thnaks for trying and I hope you find a permanent way to hide those chrome surrounds. Many happy miles to you! best regards, Marc
Hi Marc, Simply had to take the T-Top out since I finished reading your masterpiece in front of the open fire during Easter with a good glass of red in the hand an some different Requiems coming from the stereo. Anybody that has not ordered the book yet: order it! Great info and a good description of how Maserati used to work in those days. I got so enthousiatic after reading it all that I first drove my Beamer through the washing street and than drove it on the motorway: result: no salt dust on the body, so, green light to start the Maserati engines and get them out! Ciao, Bart
thanks for the info Bart. the gasoline level in my blood is rising when reading your little report. unfortunately here in Berlin it is still too cold and salty to expose my loved ones to the street. Might have to wait a few more weeks. best D
Which is the correct size tyre for the Khamsin? I think most are fitted with 215/70 X 15, but doesn't the manual call for 215 X15? I like the look of Bart's tyres. Bart, looks like you enjoyed yourself! I agree with Marc, the shiny surrounds of the T-top should be black. If they are easy to take off, maybe you could have them anodized? Best, Jack.
Hi Jack, The factory size was 215/70 x15 which is what I went back to recently, though only the Pirelli p4000. I know you can get away with 225 section tyres (which may be cheaper as they were used on Jaguars so may be more common) as my car was fitted with 225/65 x15 when I bought it.. Hope that helps Bal
Jack, I checked the K owner's manual this evening and indeed it lists 2.15x15. Calling a friend who has been long time in the tyre business, I learned that the later description is 2.15/70x15. Bal, the Michelin 2.25/70x15 XWX's are not particular cheaper than the 2.15's, I have the 2.15's under my Ghibli SS, when I put the 2.25's on the Ghibli they look a bit too much of a good thing. To me the Michelin designs are of a nicer fit on both cars than the Pirelli P4000's. Even when the Pirelli's are available at a fraction of the cost of the Michelin's, I will still put the M's on. To me one of the flaws in the K design is that certainly the front wheel arches are to high above the tyres. The Michelin 2.25's fill this gap a little more, which I like better. This is all personal taste ofcourse. Ciao, Bart
Bal, Bart, Jaguars of the time used 205/70 X 15 for the 6 cylinder cars, and 215/70 X 15 for the V-12's. Early V-12's used ER70 VR 15 (from memory), and I have no idea what that exactly compares with. I share Bart's view regarding the visual aspect, but availability and price are also a concern. Tyres are consumables, and IMO Michelin charges an insane amount of cash for a tyre that hasn't been developed further since the 70-ies. On my Ferrari it turned out more economical to change to 16" rims from the metric ones it came with, instead of replacing the Michelins it was wearing, including the tyres! Also, the Michelins appear to be made in batches every now and then, and I heard some horror stories about people getting some rather old tyres. Choice then becomes very limited. I have to import tyres, as there is nothing on the market locally, the Pirelli's seem at least from a price point of view a good option. Does anyone have first hand experience with them? Best, Jack.
Which Pirelli's are you talking about? I have P4000e in 225-65/ZR65 (a Jag size) on my Espada and they're just fine. They don't have the huge P4000 lettering on them. But that car originally came with a Pirelli Cinturato HS 205 VR 15 and those were approx. 28" in diameter as compared to the later 215/70VR15 which were 27" BTW, this "which tire" theme is on every car website I frequent in multiple places at the moment. I think the 225's make the car look too much like a Conestoga Wagon. I put a set in that size on my Bora back in 1987 and the too tall sidewalls made that car feel as though it was cornering in Hush Puppies. I know I was more than happy at the time to leave the XWX behind and switch to the far superior Michelin XGTs and Goodyear Gatorbacks. I ran 245/60 in the rear and 236/60 in the front. New Gatorbacks in 235/60 ZR15 are available. I used to drive my cars hard so the much better performance from those tires was greatly appreciated. I do think that in today's climate people are driving these cars much more delicately so maybe it's not such a big issue now. Until I've finished the suspension rebuild in my Espada it's being driven gingerly as well. It's not like we have a lot of choices and none are reasonable. Check out Avons. It could be worse though. A set of new original size and style tires for a Miura SV is $7K.
Hi Guys This an interesting and often visited disscusion. The thing that I find interesting is the 215 70 15WXW ist the dimension that its ment to be as the ones i have measured are much taller at 695 mm and the calculated size 685mm high so may be the original size of 215 is an 80 profile. One of the local Khamsins here has 16 inch wires on it and the size looks about right. It is a shame that 16 rims of the same stle as the K but in 8" wide were not available. That way when I ask about tyres at my local shop they ask and what SUV are they for? Graeme PS did any spot this interesting article back in 2011 Top Ten Grand Touring Cars for £45,000 | Drive Cult
Hi all: -Graeme thank you for that, had not seen it before. -"Napolis" Jim, nice to see you in this thread welcome -A very rare item on Ebay and since I have two I won't be greedy: A Homburg 1/43 scale Khamsin model. made in the 1980's they are extremely difficult to find, in fact I had to buy my first one from a shop in Vienna but it was gold like my car, so grab it while you can: Replicars Maserati Khamsin RARE Vintage Collectible | eBay The hood is a bit too long but it is as rare a piece of K memorabilia as you can find. The standard 1/43 scale models by IXO is of course more correct and inexpensive but you can find it anywhere, this one not. I am not at all involved with whomever is selling it. -A mystery car no longer is! I had posted photos of this right hand drive one some time ago: seen in northern France at le Touquet with bizarre plates and the two letters identifying the nation on the blue part of the plate masked...we had theorized that it might be a Baltic nation plate, Latvia or Lithuania...thankfully Andy Heywood of BillMcGrath's recognized it for me: it is AM120377 owned by a well known English restaurant chef and it is in fact a Britsh registration number but done using a French plate: he has homes on both sides of the channel, the registration is British but the metal plate was procured in France because that is where the plate was stamped, odd but not uncommon, there is another British registered car in the south of France that has not been back to the Uk for years and in the 80's a friend of mine in France had an Espada on UK plates for years. Now this one is no longer a question mark! best regards, Marc Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Gents, I had my A/C pump off and was with my friend who helped with the engine, gearbox etc.. Waiting to have the pump back he just informed me that he was unable to source parts for the overhaul and rebuild from Freon. This is bad new as I need the pump installed soon to avoid any delay in the final stage. Any good ideas / experience from the experts of the forum? To change to a rebuild new one would be an option, if that's faster! Kind regards John
Hi John, I am always looking at your restoration job and admire it! The aircon pump is a York pump and at least over here (Netherlands) still listed item in the Hella catalog, you just have to take the pulley of your old pump and put it on the new one. After all these years they still use them for refrigerator trucks! Must be good stuff. I did renew them on my cars and changed the liquid to the 134 modern stuff. Do not expect to cool like a modern system but sure does keep you cool and drops the humidity, which is half the experience. Make sure that when you mount the pump that it is concentric with the drive pulley! I do not like the little cable running so I fitted an alternative solution. Let me know if you need any further hints. Ciao, Bart Image Unavailable, Please Login
The original AC compressor should be a York. Those and parts are widely available here in the USA I don't know about Europe though. You Ghibli & Khamsin guys have that wacky water pump - AC compressor drive set up right? I don't know that affects things ... but the compressor is a pretty vanilla item over here. Has anyone converted to a Sanden compressor for a Ghibli or Khamsin?
I haven't done a Sanden conversion for the Ghibli or Khamsin but I am making a conversion bracket that will take the Sanden pump for the Bora. If anyone is interested in converting to a Sanden pump for the Bora, contact me on the Bora site and I will give you further information but be advised I will be away from April 6th through May 10th on vacation. Elliot
John, The following is from memory, so don't pin me down on it! The original York compressor for the Khamsin is NLA new, but a superceeding compressor can be had:I was told the dimensions are identical, but the capacity is somewhat bigger. These are still used in Volvo forestry equipment, amongst others. Parts for the original York should not be a problem at all. If you get stuck, I can try and source them here for you. The pulley you'll need from the old compressor, as stated. Also, it is best to align the compressor and waterpump on the bench for accuracy. If not properly aligned, you'll frequently break the drive-cable. Best, Jack.
