Lot 106: 1958 Maserati 3500GT Coupé
Coachwork by Touring

Despite numerous racetrack successes that included Juan Manuel Fangio’s fifth World Championship - at the wheel of a 250F - and runner-up spot in the World Sports Car Championship with the fabulous 450S - both in 1957, the marque’s most successful season - Maserati was by that time facing a bleak future. Its parent company’s financial difficulties forced a withdrawal from racing, and Maserati’s survival strategy for the 1960s centred on establishing the company as a producer of road cars. The Modena marque’s new era began in 1957 with the launch of the Touring-bodied 3500GT, its first road car built in significant numbers. A luxury ‘2+2’, the 3500GT drew heavily on Maserati’s competition experience, employing a tubular chassis frame and an engine derived from the 350S sportscar unit of 1956. Suspension was independent at the front by wishbones and coil springs, while at the back there was a conventional live axle/semi-elliptic arrangement. The 3500GT’s designer was none other than Giulio Alfieri, creator of the immortal Tipo 60/61 ‘Birdcage’ sports-racer and the man responsible for developing the 250F into a World Championship winner. The twin-overhead-camshaft, six-cylinder engine was a close relative of that used in the 250F and developed around 220bhp initially, later examples producing 235bhp on Lucas mechanical fuel injection. Built initially with drum brakes and four-speed transmission, the 3500GT was progressively updated, gaining five speeds, front disc brakes and, finally, all-disc braking.

Supplied new in Belgium, this early 3500GT was acquired by the vendor in 2000 having undergone extensive restoration during the mid-1990s (invoices available). While in the vendor’s care the car has benefited from further attention from marque specialists Meridien Modena of Lyndhurst, Hampshire who undertook a major service in May 2005 and whose invoice for £5,674 comes with it. Also included in the sale is a substantial file of history containing old Belgian and Italian registration papers, instruction manual (in Italian), translated manual (in English), Maserati parts list, assorted magazine articles, Maserati Club correspondence and numerous expired MoT certificates. The car is currently registered ‘RFO 287’ in the UK and comes with Swansea V5C document.

Vendue neuve en Belgique, cette 3500GT première série fut acquise par le vendeur en 2000 après avoir bénéficié d'une restauration complète dans les années 1990 (factures disponibles). Propriété du vendeur, la voiture a été suivie par le spécialiste de la marque Meridien Modena de Lyndhurst, Hampshire, qui effectua une révision majeure en mai 2005 pour un montant avéré de 5 674 livres (factures jointes). La voiture est vendue avec un substantiel dossier historique contenant les anciens documents d'immatriculation belges et italiens, le manuel d'utilisation (en italien), sa traduction (en anglais), une liste de pièces Maserati, divers articles de presse, une correspondance avec le Club Maserati et divers certificats du MoT périmés. La voiture actuellement immatriculée “ RFO 287 ” au Royaume-Uni est accompagnée du document V5C de Swansea.