Mistral Spyder - can it cope with the rigours of modern life?

As usual I have very quickly become bored with some modern offering or other (presently not a Maserati). So as I think of what next, I wonder if backwards is the new forwards?
Can I ask if there are any Mistral Spyder owners reading this?
If so, how do they find living with the car?
Is it robust enough to survive the travails of modern life (mostly heat issues in my experience of similar cars)?
Are they generally reliable?
Do I go 3.7 or 4 litre?
Lots more questions in mind, but would love to hear a few opinions. If there is an old link out there, don't hesitate to point me.
Best,
Gordon

 

Hi Gordon

I suggest you also post / search:

http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/forum.php

http://www.************.com/forums/

Jon

 

All engine versions can cope with that. But - the 4-liter car is the one to have. Its very quick and has great torque!

Ciao!
Walter

 

There is a Mistral thread on this forum:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=204696&highlight=mistral

 

Hi Gordon,

I use to own a 3.7 liter Mistral spyder and currently own a 4.0 liter spyder. I like taking my cars on long drives and, although beuatifully restored by a prior owner, I never trusted the 3.7 liter. The main difference is not in horsepower but the type of fuel injection used.

The 3.7 used the early "wet" Lucas injection system where engine oil is used to lubricate the fuel distributor. This system is not practical for a street car as some amount of fuel will dilute the engine oil every time the car is started. If the fuel distributor fails (which is not that uncommon) a lot of fuel gets dumped into the engine while driving .... not a good thing. By the time the 4.0 liter engines came out the fuel distributor was changed to the "dry" type in which fuel is used as a lubricant and the problem was solved. You might be able to find a 3.7 liter Mistral with the dry injection, you just need to learn to to identify the different injection systems. There is a thread dedicated to the Lucas injection system.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=227298&highlight=lucas

I never had any overheating issues with my car. It has an extra electric fan which seldom gets turned on.

The Vignale and Ghibli spyders get all the attention when it comes to resale value but I find the Mistral spyder just as fun and beautiful as the other two.

Ivan

 

Guys many thanks for all the replies, most kind.
I am working my way through the links you passed on and also my old copies of Trident, VCM etc.
Ivan, I must agree, the Mistral Spyder would not be my third choice in that line up! For what I want this car to do (in central London I should add) it would be top of my list for sure.
Regards,
Gordon

 

Gordon,

Contact me at [email protected] as I was offered a nice 4.0 liter Mistral spyder you might be interested.

Ivan

 

Modern cars are getting so crazy fast that it doesn't seem to be about speed any longer, but rather style is the way. Newer cars are beginning to look more like wind-tunnel experiments than things of beauty for the road. It's a realy stretch lately. Older boutique manufactured cars indeed have style, class, pinache, and sophistication. A club-scene favorite of the future will be a classic Maser/Aston Martin or the like. Cars make comebacks just like fashion. Go-go boots anyone?

 

Any vintage car however fashionable and nice running is going to be at a considerable disadvantage in today's combat-like traffic environment. You'll constantly be cut in front of as well as routinely expected to stop in very short distances. Today's low end cars are enormously capable machines. If it's mostly country roads and based upon your location it might be just that then maybe it could be fun. For a while ...

There are guys that have modified the injection system to look original (mostly) but are actually fully electronic. That could help.

Bob S.