Merak "Cruscotto Bora"?

Looks very nice in color-combo, But....ah-bah....its an US-version!

Ciao!
Walter

 

It's simply a late Merak with the Bora-style dashboard. Nothing more, nothing less. Looks very nice, but it's a US version, which makes it somewhat less desirable: The asking price is perhaps 50k NOK or thereabouts too high (in the Norwegian market)... The price might be realistic for a comparable Euro-version Merak, so the question is what it would cost to convert it into a "Euro-like" car visually and performance-wise...

Cheers,
Gabriel

 

I've seen this car in several sites, it has been in the market for quite some time. From the pictures, it looks in good condition but as others have already mentioned, its US-spec so that makes it ugly and not very desirable

 

Hi, just found your chat regarding the Maserati Merak 3000 SS Cruscotto Bora. Yes , there were models produced as Cruscotto Boras. Only 64 were made, mainly for the US, but the car you are discussing was made for Italian market, then imported to California ( a famous Beverly Hills star), and that is why you see the US bumpers.

http://www.anamera.com/en/detail/car/91503/index.html?no_cache=1&ret=63

They are rare! Look at the fine leather, probably the only car with "glove leather" in the seats produced.

Here is another one, not so nice colour combination.
http://www.anamera.com/en/detail/car/42973/index.html?no_cache=1&ret=63

Seldom you see some for sale. In the car museum in Monaco they have one.

Hope you may learn a little bit more now
Greetings from Italy

 

Hi, guys.

The same from Italy, explaining the model.
http://www.autobelle.it/annunci/dettid.php?gb_id=105879

Production of the SS stopped in 1982. Its engine produced 15% more power, raising horsepower to 220 hp (164 kW) and weight was reduced by 152 kg to 1,400 kg, resulting in a top speed of 152 mph (245 km/h). Late Merak SS were bestowed with the interior and dash of the Maserati Bora. The Cruscotto Bora model. The US-spec version of the Merak SS also saw a return to traditional hydraulics, eliminating the last of the Citroen high pressure system.

Greetings

 

Whatever you say, the car on sale in Norway is, as far as I can see, a US-spec late SS-model. Simple as that. Rare? Yes, of course, all Meraks are, relatively speaking.

There are three types of Meraks with Bora-dashboard: (i) all RHD Meraks, (ii) most, if not all US-spec Merak SS, (iii) late Euro-spec Merak SS. Many, many more than 64 were made... But, yes, they are very rare compared to Dinos, 308s, 911s etc...

 

Of the Merak 3.0 SS with Bora-dash and (!!) EU-specs you can find 85 examples only!

Ciao!
Walter

 

... and they are the most sought after Meraks, no doubt about that whatsoever. The car in Norway, however, is a US-spec model that and the asking price seems - in today's market - a bit too high.

Cheers,
Gabriel

 

Good morning guys!

I was probably not clever enough to explain in English:

The car was sold in Italy, but imported to USA, and had to put on other bumpers.
I know the car from Italy.

There were some here that told there are no models named Cruscotto Bora, right?


That is wrong.

Greetings

 

Of the Cruscotto Bora like advertised, there were only 64 made.

Of the Cruscotto Bora like advertised with sunroof, there were only 6 made.

The main question on the thread was if there is a model called Cruscotto Bora,
and you all told "no".

Thanks for your attention.

Greetings from
Italy

 

Hi Globe,
Your claims are interesting. Do you have further information to support them?

First, it would be very interesting to know the VIN of the car offered for sale in Norway, which judging from the pictures seems to be a US-spec SS. US-spec cars have an A in their VIN. The Euro-spec cars do not.

Second, do you have any official material (brochure, ads, catalogues) that calls those cars Cruscotto Bora?

Such information would be very useful.

Cheers,
Gabriel

 

I would also like to see marketing materials or other official documentation that are using the word "Cruscotta Bora" about the Merak. As far as I can see, the car is just like mine AM122AUS2444, a -79 Merak SS made for the US market.

A small correction Gabriel. The "A" stands for SS, and the letters "US" stands for US-market. Sometimes the "A" is missing from the stamped chassis number on the car, but still in the registration papers. On #2444 it's missing in both numbers stamped on the car, but on AM122A1334, the "A" is missing from the number stamped at the front of the car, but not in the number stamped in the engine compartment.

Best regards
Marius Sorteberg

 

Oops! Thanks for the clarification and correction Marius! Too early in the morning for me. LOL!

Gabriel

 

Gentleman I don't think that's model designation per say for the Merak.
The Italian translation of the word cruscotto is:

Dictionary

noun
dashboard
instrument panel

This is simply what later Meraks came with. I suspect because they had run out of the Citroen stuff, Detomaso hated that stuff and was too cheap (cash strapped) to order any more of it.
There were as I count it 3 dash styles for the Merak.

I guess it was a selling point to have "dashboard from the Bora" in the brochures?

 

It is a misunderstanding,

first of all, "Cruscotto Bora" is not a real model or name for a Merak and was never used as a model name or version or variant for any car.

But, it was used to describe the Merak with a Bora dashboard. As staatsof above already mentioned, it just means exactly that, a Merak with a Bora dashboard.

The only model names are "Merak" and "Merak SS", thats it.



yes there are 3 dashboards:

1) Citroen dashboard from a Citroen SM
2) "SS" square dashboard used for a limited production between (1) and (3)
3) Bora dashboard

The (1) was used when Maserati was owned by Citroen and those cars have Citroen
parts (brakes, hydraulics, etc just like the Bora).

The (2) was used when Citroen sold their stake at Maserati to De Tomaso, and for
some reason used this dashboard for a limited number of "SS" cars.

The (3) was eventually the standard dashboard for all later Meraks until the end
of the production in 1983. These cars have no Citroen parts, they are 100% Maserati
and are the ones most sought after, especially if they are European spec and not the
ugly US variants.

 

I like all three dashboards but I think they should have NOT put the Bora style dash in the Merak. It's like putting the Miura dash in a Urraco.

I kind of liked the SM look though I haven't driven a LHM equipped Merak. Is it any different to drive (equipment wise) than a Bora, besides the missing torque and horsepower? No LHM assisted clutch right?

 

"In 1975 Maserati launched the Merak SS, an upgraded version of its V6 mid-engine sports car boasting a 30 hp increase over the earlier version. Tweaks included larger carburetors and a higher compression ratio, working together with a 50 Kg reduction in weight. A front grille between the pop-up headlights identified the car, while inside the cabin the Citroën-derived dashboard was replaced by a design drawn from the V8 Bora following production efficiencies. Production name of 64 ever made was "Cruscotto Bora". Most of them were exported to United States Of America. Some remained on the Italian market.

Some minor chassis revisions further improved the car, which could now reach speeds in excess of 240 km/h ( some 245 km/h). The SS remained the most powerful version of the Merak, although a development prototype (designed with the American market in mind) was tested with a turbo-charged 3 liter engine. The project never reached production. The Californian market was essential to Maserati in the 60s, 70s beg. of 80s".
------------------
Greetings

 

I haven't driven a Bora, so I can't tell the difference between the two, but has driven Gabriel´s Merak 3000. It has the old style SM dashboard and LHM, also for the clutch. The clutch master and slave cylinders are the same as on Citroën CX Prestige 5-speed. This is some what interesting, as the Merak had this in -72, but the Citroën got those parts in -79.

My -79 Merak SS has the Bora dashboard, and I think only the cars from -76 to -77 has the "box" style dashboard. My -76 SS Euro model has that style, and I know of one -77 here in Oslo with the same dashboard. I think all cars from -78 to -83 had the Bora dashboard, and that must be more than 64 made.

Best regards
Marius Sorteberg

 

I don't know what I'd conclude from that since the english is so poor. Translations are troublesome. In english using that phrase you're calling it a "Bora" which it certainly is not.
I think we'd need an Italian who is very well spoken in english and have him look at the original literature mention on here to see how it translates.

Any chance of a scan of that?


QUOTE=Globe;140688912]"In 1975 Maserati launched the Merak SS, an upgraded version of its V6 mid-engine sports car boasting a 30 hp increase over the earlier version. Tweaks included larger carburetors and a higher compression ratio, working together with a 50 Kg reduction in weight. A front grille between the pop-up headlights identified the car, while inside the cabin the Citroën-derived dashboard was replaced by a design drawn from the V8 Bora following production efficiencies. Production name of 64 ever made was "Cruscotto Bora". Most of them were exported to United States Of America. Some remained on the Italian market.

Some minor chassis revisions further improved the car, which could now reach speeds in excess of 240 km/h ( some 245 km/h). The SS remained the most powerful version of the Merak, although a development prototype (designed with the American market in mind) was tested with a turbo-charged 3 liter engine. The project never reached production. The Californian market was essential to Maserati in the 60s, 70s beg. of 80s".
------------------
Greetings[/QUOTE]

 

Clutch then like the Khamsin? Interesting. I might like having that as the Bora clutch is a bit heavy when you leg is tired or your lower back is acting up.

 

Dear guys!

I find this site and your discussing like a chatboard of unfair treatment and bickering in stead of finding facts.

Yes, I told you my English is not perfect, but I see from others here that you also need
a lesson or two in the same language.

I do not like sites where there is mobbing and trying to make fool out of other persons, like you do here.

I think you should go into yourself and look for more fair treatment of other persons. You must feel sick by attacking others like you do. I think the meaning of the site is to be fair, discuss cars, not ability of persons. Right?

 

Globe,

I am not sure what your problem is, but the fact is that there is no Merak called "Cruscotto Bora", you like it or not.

It is either "Merak" or "Merak SS".

As we have already mentioned, they come in three dashboards: 1) Citroen SM, 2) "SS" squared and 3) Bora.

The above three dashboards are in either a Merak or a Merak SS. There is NO OTHER MODEL NAME!

PS:
unless we count the "Turbo" which was never sold to the public, afaik.

 

http://www.granucci.net/quotazioni.htm

http://www.memorialmarcoturci.com/4memorial/th/4memorial_eng.php

http://www.vetrinamotori.it/dettaglio.asp?tm=A&pr=NA&mr=190&id=5175427&page=&nDett=

I find it very, very strange, reading these lines you write, when you know you can ask
the Maserati Factory whenever you want. It probably means you are more interested in keep on your negative discussion about what you know nothing about than get the facts?

If you scroll down there http://www.granucci.net/quotazioni.htm , you will find the Cruscotto Boras, but I am sure you never give up. Am I right?

Greetings

 

Merak with "Bora Dash" is what I see but you see it differently I guess?

This is a whole lot of nothing about nothing..