Another sad looking Ghibli on ebay...
Walter. Looks like a Swiss import - Swiss cheese - It looks like sills, and floors etc are fully gone with rust on every panel. It would appear to be past saving would you agree? Or rather, the money spent to do something with it would be more than buying a good one and it would never have the original motor or gearbox.
Will, as Ivan mentioned in his post - it needs "mucho Dollares" to get something out of this wreck that looks like a propper Ghibli. I agree with him and see this car beyond a restoration. Its a pity!
You know what would be fun. If you owned a shop like the one doing the Maserati themed roadster (you could only do this if you did own a shop) you could take this in good conscience and do a Ghibli concept car to modern specs with a new motor in it. It would be an interesting study on how you would do it now. Only viable as the car has no motor etc etc.
We have a lot of TV shows that do this sort of thing over here. They tend to be a slam bam don't drive it ma'am type of job though. I wonder what Chip Foose would do with this one? American V8 for sure although ... there are enough newer Maserati V8's floating around so they could put 400HP in it easily but they could do a whole lot more with American running gear. Maybe a Jay Leno project? Walter as restoration consultant ...
Oh you'd only be there (on camera) to express your outrage at how they're defiling what was once a great Maserati automobile. To add color ...
How about sticking a Viper engine and running gear in it, 1000HP and turning it into a Bonneville Salt Flats car. One of my ex cars runs at Bonneville now. They took the straight 8 out of my 50 Imperial and used in a 34 Chrysler Airflow. I think they just threw the rest of the car away too. Oh well. Jay Witham of heavily modified QPIII fame was supposed to be doing this to another QPIII he bought from Jim Heady. Jay is an old drag racer and nothing scares him.
First Foose & co. would have to steal a QPIII that needed a ton of work from an owner who can't afford to restore it and then have his wife keep the police uninvolved. (premise of that TV show) Hey, that's just about EVERY QPIII owner in California! Make that the USA! No problemo!
Especially with your opinions! Walter, you cannot imagine the sorts of stupid (IMHO) auto based shows they put on over here. One of the worst I ever saw was an episode of "Monster Garage" where Jesse James and crew turned a beater 308 into a pasta maker machine. http://www.carpictures.com/vehicle/08AGE444501617/Ferrari-308-GTS-Pasta-Maker-Monster-Garage-Cars-for-Auction-1981 You'd be quite tame by comparison ... LOL
Jesse James? I thought this individual was shot long time ago! Is he back? And if so, is Jimmy Hoffa also back, converting a Biturbo into a Teamster truck??? Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Google a bit more Walter. He's the one who stepped out on Sandra Bullock. Monster Garage was always about outrageous but basically stupid projects. Oh and BTW, they were just looking for Jimmy Hoffa again the other day under someones driveway in Detroit.
Well - IF you could do the metalwork there are two new Quattroportes being scrapped in the US sooooo a new motor and drivetrain. At least it is a Maserati. Similar to a beautiful Jaguar Mk IX with new running gear that recently showed in the UK. It would be an interesting challenge (if you owned your own metalworking shop, had ample cash flow so could do an uneconomic challenge (or make a TV show about it - with Walter's cameo on what should have been done right). Of course, once the prices shoot through the roof then Walter can find the original motor and supervise the restoration to original specs! OK enough of this -- back to fixing the brakes on the 85 QPIII in the US!!
Nothing was there ... James Riddle "Jimmy" Hoffa (born February 14, 1913 disappeared July 30, 1975, declared legally dead July 30, 1982[1][2]) was an American labor union leader and convicted criminal. So that would be a no for a Biturbo but a Ghibli is still possible ... LOL
NO!!! NOT TRUE!!! I saw him in a restaurant in Tinseltown last year having dinner with Elvis!!! So - he must be there, somewhere......
Auction for the forlorn black Ghibli ended early.......as you are reading this, the crack team at Gullwing are preparing the tyre blacking! seriously though, anyone here buy it?? if so, best wishes. Mark.