Maserati 3500

The Maserati 3500 GT (later GTI 3500 ) was an Italian car manufacturer Maserati from 1957 to 1966 produced sports car in the luxury class. With it began in Maserati series production of the road-going sports car; all earlier models had been more or less competition ready individual pieces. From 3500 GTI 1962 GTI 3500 Maserati Coupé S was derived, which was sold from 1965 under the name Sebring.

Development history of the production model

At the Geneva Motor Show 1957 Maserati A6 G54 presented as the successor of the 3500 GT 3.5 - liter inline six- cylinder engine with dual overhead camshafts. The chassis was with rear leaf spring rigid axle rather simple. The 3500 GT was offered as a coupe and as a Spider.

Motor

The engine of the 3500 GT was derived from the racing model Tipo 350S, but has been substantially modified for civilian use. So Maserati increased by a modified crankshaft hubs; the same speed level fell against the racing engine significantly. The camshafts are driven by a timing chain, while the drive was in Tipo 300S via gears. Initially recorded three double Weber carburettors before the mixture preparation; 1962 was alternatively a version with fuel injection from Lucas available. The petrol engines contributed 220 to 230 hp; the performance of the injector version called the 3500 GTI was given as 235 hp. One advantage of fuel injection was improved refinement and an increased pulling power. The engine had a double ignition with two spark plugs per cylinder and separate circuits.

Landing gear

The body of the Maserati 3500 GT rested on a tubular frame. The front wheels were independently suspended and feathered by coil springs. The suspension components supplied by the British specialist Alford & Alder. The rear axle on the other hand was a live axle on leaf springs. It was purchased from Salisbury Wheel Company in the UK. Especially the rear axle was in the 1960s to criticism occasion; it was considered outdated and not very comfortable.

The brakes were purchased from Girling. Initially used Maserati drum brakes on all four wheels. From 1959 optional disc brakes could be ordered for the front wheels; from 1960 onwards they were fitted as standard.

As power transmission a manually shifted four- or (from 1961) was a five-speed transmission from ZF, later also an automatic three-speed gearbox from Borg Warner was optionally available.

Body

Gran Tourismo

The 3500 GT debuted in 1957 as a 2 2- seater Gran Turismo. At the Geneva Motor Show in March 1957 Maserati presented side by side, two different structures: A version - a notchback coupe with a broad B-pillar - was spanned by Allemano, the second by Touring of Milan. The company management decided after the end of the exhibition, taking into account the reactions of potential customers for the series production of the construction of Carrozzeria Touring, which also rivals Aston Martin DB4 clothed about the same time.

Touring's body layout was similar in principle to that of the Ford Thunderbird, which should have served according to some sources as a model: The belt line ran horizontally and stretched, and the passenger compartment was kept brief and followed the trapezoidal shape. The front fenders resulted in a large round headlights. The deeply placed grille was barred and carried the Trident, the hallmark of the company. Over the years there have been some minor changes. Thus, the roofline was lowered slightly in 1961, and the grille has been reduced. At the same time the doors were wide rear quarter windows.

Production of the 3500 GT and GTI was circuitous. Maserati initially created the central longitudinal carrier frame, which was transferred to touring. There, the structure was built. Touring case proceeded according to the proprietary, patented " Superleggera " method: Thin aluminum sheets were pulled over a previously connected to the longitudinal frame steel mold frame. after completion of the construction of the vehicle was transported back to Maserati of engine, chassis and interior were installed.

In addition to the production body by Touring emerged in various body manufacturers special bodies, but who remained single pieces or reached only very small quantities.

Spider

In addition to the closed and open 3500 GT versions of the new Maserati were available.

The first two convertibles in 1958 at Touring. They represented - except for the roof - largely closed specimens: The wheelbase was unchanged, and the belt was horizontally continuous. The Touring version, however, was not produced in series.

The contract for mass production instead went to the Carrozzeria Vignale. Here Giovanni Michelotti had designed on a shortened by 10 cm Chassis an independent body, which had a distinctive hip movement over the rear wheels. Unlike in the case of Gran Turismo, was the body of the spider is not made ​​of aluminum, but largely made ​​of steel. Aluminium has been used only for the doors, the hood and the boot lid.

Vignales prototype was presented in March 1959 at the Turin Motor Show; a year later, the series production began. It lasted until 1964. Technically, the Spider took the developments of the closed model after without delay. This includes the introduction of the optionally available injection engine, however, was used in Spider rarely.

Sonderkarosserien

In addition to the work of bodies of Touring or Vignale presented numerous Italian Karosseriewerke behalf of customers special bodies for the 3500 GT and 3500 GTI ago:

  • Four coupes delivered Allemano (1958 and 1959).
  • Bertone -designed 1959 a 2 2 seater coupe with close-cut cabin and a very long trunk.
  • The Milan Karosseriewerk Boneschi built in 1963 two straight -designed coupe with high passenger cell and front panoramic window, which are occasionally described in the literature as strange stiff -looking.
  • Pietro Frua designed for Carrozzeria Italsuisse four coupes, which should be seen as a stylistic forerunner of the Maserati Sebring. Back in 1959 Frua was built on a single piece of a spider whose rear end design resembled the ( also designed by Frua ) Renault Floride.
  • The Turin Motor and body manufacturer Moretti built in 1965 on behalf of customers a hatchback coupe on the chassis of the 3500 GTI, which quoted the lines of the Iso Grifo.
  • Pininfarina designed in 1963 as a single piece of a spider with very tight roof structure, which anticipated the lines of the Fiat Dino Spider.

The Maserati 3500 GTI S

At the Turin Motor Show in 1962 Maserati first showed the 3500 GTI S, a 2 2 seater coupe on the shorter wheelbase of the 3500 GT convertible with styling by Michelotti. The technique corresponded to the previous 3500 GTI (Touring ), the body, however, was entirely self-contained. As of 1965, the vehicle received the designation Maserati Sebring.

Distribution and current market conditions

From the closed models 3500 GT and GTI arisen to 1964 a total of 1972 specimens of plant body (Touring ); added 245 Vignale Spider.

As a vehicle of the upper class was the 3500 GT numerous buyers from politics, society and show business. In addition to Prince Rainier III. Monaco drove Tony Curtis, Stewart Granger, Rock Hudson, Dean Martin and Anthony Quinn a 3500.

Both the 3500 GT and the Spider are among the most sought-after classics. For a 3500 GT with touring body in excellent condition, a price of 120,000 euros is required on the classical music market in 2011; the spiders are more than twice as expensive. So you can outperform the price of a Maserati Ghibli significantly.

Specifications

Swell

  • Gianni Cancellieri et al. (Ed.): Maserati. Catalogue Raisonné 1926-2003. Automobilia, Milan 2003. ISBN 88-7960-151-2
  • Craig Cheetham (ed.): The encyclopedia of classic cars from 1890 to present day. Amber Books. San Diego 2007 ISBN. 978-1-59223-781-4.
  • Sam Dawson: GT: The World's Best GT Cars 1953 to 1973 Veloce Publishing Ltd, 2007, ISBN 978-1845840600
  • Dieter Günther: Forza Maserati! With the 3500 GT to economic success. Model history of the Maserati 3500 GT in: Oldtimer Markt, Issue 3/ 1991, pp. 6 ff
  • Hans -Karl Lange: Maserati. The other Italian sports car. Vienna 1993, ISBN 3-552-05102-3
  • Frank Oleski, Hartmut Lehbrink: standard sports cars. Cologne ( Könemann ) 1993 ISBN. 3-89508-000-4.
  • Halwart Schrader, George Clerk: Italian sports cars. Stuttgart 1999, ISBN 3-613-01988-4.
  • David Sparrow, Iain Ayre: Maserati Heritage. Osprey Classic Marques. Auckland 1995. ISBN 1-85532-441-5.
  • Maurizio Tabucchi: Maserati. All Grand Prix, Sports and GT cars from 1926 to today. Heel Verlag, King Winter 2004. ISBN 3-89880-211-6
Car classification Luxury vehicle Curb weight Maserati Mistral Weber carburetor Lucas Industries Beam axle Grand tourer Carrozzeria Allemano Carrozzeria Boneschi Moretti Motor Company Maserati GranTurismo Maserati 3200 GT Maserati Barchetta Maserati Biturbo Maserati Bora Maserati Coupé#GranSport Maserati Indy Maserati Karif Maserati Khamsin Maserati Kyalami Maserati Merak Maserati Mexico Maserati Quattroporte Maserati Shamal Maserati MC12 Maserati A6GCM Maserati 250F Maserati Tipo 151
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