The Enthusiasts' Page

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All things 'Maserati'. News of forthcoming models, owner's cars, tips, 'Marque' reunions and the odd touch of humour! In fact anything of interest to the 'Maseratista'.

So if you have any news about Maseratis or have anything owners and enthusiasts should know, send details to maserati123@btopenworld.com
Trident badge on a 1932 Maserati 4CM 1500 #1120
 
You can click on some pictures for a better view!!
 
 
 
 
From Gavin in Australia

"Enrico,

Thanks - then I'll wait and get the book locally!

My car was in fact manufactured in April 1968 and is chassis number AM107.2130. However, it is registered here as being a 1967 car and has the number plate "67 QP"!I attach the only digital picture I have of my car, taken when I bought it. The awful black mirrors and undersized tyres are gone now. I am going to get more photos done soon, and when I do I'll send you some if you'd like. You'd be welcome to put them on your site.
 
 

It had an interesting start to life. It has the 4136 cc engine and 5-speed ZF gearbox, and was originally left-hand drive. It was sold by the main Maserati dealer in Torino to an Australian and apparently returned to the factory and converted to right-and drive and had power assisted steering fitted. My mechanic here (who is an Italian, Maserati factory trained) didn't believe it had been converted at first - it was done so well. However there are a few pointers - the indicator switch is on the left of the column, not the right; the bonnet release and boot opener are still on the left; and the vanity mirror is on the driver's sun visor.

The car has been in Perth, Australia at least since the mid-1970s, possibly from earlier still. By the late 70s it had fallen on hard times, had no second gear and was almost chopped to be turned into a 'jute' (Australian colloquial term for a pick-up truck) by a Swiss plasterer! Fortunately a local enthusiast rescued it and, after restoring the gearbox to health, ran it as his daily transport for several years. He then took it off the road for about 10 years and stored it with some of his other projects (including 2 vintage aircraft, an Iso Rivolta and a Ghibli coupe) in a hanger. About 7 years ago it was stripped to bare metal, resprayed and mechanically overhauled. Originally the car was "Forest Green" ("Verde Inglese") but he painted it a burgundy colour which is an approximation of a Maserati colour of the period. The interior is still the original mustard leather. It was then sold to someone who did little other than polish it, and I bought it earlier this year.

I use it as my everyday car (except when it rains), and thoroughly enjoy it. The only real downside is the petrol consumption - I seem to get only about 8 mpg in the traffic (lucky I work for an oil company!). I've gradually been doing small jobs to get it up to scratch. I imported (at vast expense) a set of Avon radials in the correct 205 VR15 specification from the UK. I've fixed the power windows, replaced a broken quarter light glass, got all the gauges working properly, replaced the missing air intake under the bumper, fitted period chrome door mirrors and a period Blaupunkt Heidelberg radio/cassette player. The back axle has been rebuilt for me as it was getting noisy, and a couple of broken leaves in the rear suspension replaced. The gearbox has a fair amount of whine on overrun in second and third gears so I guess I'm heading for a rebuild of that too. I also need to get a rear silencer made up as it only has the little one in the middle and it's LOUD. Next job though is the air conditioning which has packed up just as we're heading into summer.

I only know of one other QP1 in Australia, and that belongs to a guy in Sydney. I have heard a rumour that there may be another in Melbourne, but I haven't yet tracked it down. The Maserati Club of Australia estimates that there about 200 older Maserati cars in the country. The new 4200 cars are selling very well here.

Regards,

Gavin."
 

"Thanks for the input Gavin, can't wait for the other photos!

Enrico."
 
 
 
 
From Mike in the UK

"I have an obscure question for you!

My 222E's first owner (Bonnie Tyler's dad) decided to paint the car 'two-tone'. Not liking the original tasteful dark blue, he slapped cream paint everywhere.

I can just about live with it except for the paint on the headlamp surrounds, trident badge, and grille.

The badge should be chrome, so I can use Nitromors to get rid of that and just leave it.

However, the headlamp surrounds (now cream) and the grille (now red) should both be that metallic grey colour that is covering the window surrounds and wing mirrors. Any idea what the paint code is? Maserati were using PPG at the time, so that code would be useful and I can just get it from them unless you know of a better source.

I enclose a few pics of the poor thing so you can see what I mean.
 
 
 
 
 

For your interest a sticker in the owner's manual, subsequently confirmed by Meridien, say "modified by Maserati UK and rolling road tested to produce 290 bhp at the wheels" - say 350 bhp at the flywheel (power losses through ZF gearboxes are often quoted at 55 bhp and the Ranger gearbox is hardly power efficient, hence the need for an oil cooler on later models).

Do you know anything about this conversion? Meridien say there are 'two or three' cars like this.

It accelerates like you've been fired from a gun...

Mike."
 
 

"Hi Mike,

Thanks for the photos.

The then concessionaire, Maserati (UK) Ltd in Leeds, did not import any specially modified 222 Es or 222 SEs from the factory because Maserati never produced any.

The modifications and 'new paint job', were carried out at the behest of the original owner, a Dave ******. The performance modifications were done by Auto Shield of Manchester and included replacing the standard turbochargers and waste gates with uprated ones and changing the chips in the ignition and fuel delivery management system. The rev limiter was also removed! I have been told by Marios of Auto Shield that the various modifications carried out increased power to 290 bhp at the flywheel. Marios reckons it was indeed a very fast car and that it drives like a Ghibli Cup!

Aren't you the lucky one!!!

Enrico."
 

"It seems to have made an impression on everyone who's driven it!



The rev-limiter does work - I hit it last week. At 6500 rpm the fuel pump cuts out - just like in a Porsche. I prefer the more gradual cutting out a cylinder at a time method myself - less of a shock!

It is very fast indeed. I find the 290 bhp more believeable than the higher figures suggested, as that would give it about the same pwer to weight ratio as my Aston Martin, which feels much the same when you put your foot down. It was still the fastest thing up the test hill at the Italian car day at Brooklands last week though - all the Ferrari and Lambo drivers were being a bit precious...

Interestingly, I'm not finding fuel economy too affected by the tweaks and am getting a solid 20+ mpg out if it. Thanks for all your help. Mike."
 
 
 
 
 
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