Vehicle Description
Year 1962
Make Maserati
Model 3500GTI
Type Vignale Spyder
Chassis No AM101*1449*
Engine No AM101*1449* (Original)
Engine No AM101*103* (Current)
Production Sequence No 231 of 250
Vignale Body No 233
Final Drive Ratio 11 x 45 / 4:09:1
Wheels Borrani 72-Spoke, 6.0 x 16 Wire Wheels
Tires Pirelli Cinturato 185VR-16
Exterior Color Bianco Le Touquet (White - Max Meyer Code
13.470)
Interior Color Black (Full Connolly Leather, Code PAC.1560)
Ordering Date December 15th, 1962
Shipping Arranged December 17th, 1962
Completed December 22nd, 1962
Ordering Dealer Hoffman Motors Corporation
9130 Wilshire Blvd
Beverly Hills, California
Mileage 37,906 Kilometers
Options
-Power Windows
-Five Borrani 72-Spoke, 6.0 x 16 Wire Wheels
-Five Pirelli Cinturato 185VR-16 Tires
-Floor Mats
-Optional 11 x 45 / 4:09:1 Final Drive Ratio
-Ocean Shipping in Special Prepared Packaging
This Maserati is one of 252 examples completed. Their were two
prototypes and 250 production examples. All of these Maseratis were
completed in a relatively long production run that began in March
of 1959 and ended in June of 1964. The Vignale body-production and
job number for this Maserati is No. 233. This number is
grease-penciled in a variety of places on the vehicle and the two
digit number "33" and three digit number "233" is stamped on
numerous panels and trim pieces throughout the vehicle. The
original Vignale Body tag is also stamped "233."
The original order for this Maserati came from Hoffman Motors
Corporation located at 9130 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills,
California. This was one of eight similar Vignale Spyders painted
"Bianco Le Touquet" (White - Max Meyer Code 13.470) with a Black
Full Connolly Leather (Code PAC.1560 interior.
According to Maserati's internal records, this Maserati was
formally identified on December 15th, 1962. A request for shipping
was initiated two-days later on December 17th, via the Port of
Genoa, Italy. The vehicle was completed on December 22nd, 1962 and
shipped shortly thereafter by ocean vessel to the Port of Los
Angeles, California. This vehicle was fitted with optional power
windows and five optional Boranni wire wheels and Pirelli Cinturato
Tires and a special "short" 4.09:1" final drive ratio. Special
floor mats were also fitted.
After the sale of this Maserati by Hoffman Motors, almost nothing
is know regarding this particular vehicle over the next near fifty
years until it was purchased sometime in 1985 by MIE (Maserati
Information Exchange) in Auburn, Washington. At the time of the
sale, the car was still on an original California "old-style /
Pink-Slip" type "110" title which indicates that this would have
been issued to the first original registered owner. Unfortunately
the current and former folks at MIE do not recall any of the
specifics of the transaction or from whom they actually purchased
the vehicle from. They have however confirmed that the car was
quite derelict and had been off the road for some time. At the time
it was acquired, values were still relatively low.
Not long after their purchase, a client of MIE was in need of a
replacement engine for his 3500GT Touring Coup� and MIE removed and
sold the original engine from AM101*1449 to him. MIE continued for
several years to treat this Maserati as a source of parts until
1987/1988 when prices and interest started to rise dramatically.
MIE then made a wise decision and began a comprehensive restoration
of the vehicle. In addition to the original engine being removed
and sold, the front grill was removed and both the left and rear
tail-light housings also removed and sold.
On May 9th, 1988 MIE surrendered the original California title and
received a new Washington, State Title which remains with this
Maserati even today. Work to restore this Vignale Spydert then
commenced at a rapid pace. To replace the original missing engine,
they sourced a freshly rebuilt engine they had in stock. This was
engine number AM101*103*, a rare early external-oil filter,
external oil-pump engine that was originally fitted to a 3500GT
Touring Coup� that was completed in the Spring of 1958. This
particular 3500GT Touring Coup� has been missing and presumed lost
or broken up for spares for many years.
To replace the missing front grill and rear taillight housing
assemblies, MIE sourced all three items from another 3500GT Spyder
in their possession. All three of these parts are stamped with the
Vignale body number "65." This body number corresponds to an early
3500 Vignale Spyder with the chassis number "AM101.999."
The original engine for "1449" had been fitted in the late 1980s to
AM101*916*, another 3500GT which was now on the East Coast. Then
presumably sold to a German collector where it remains currently at
this time.
MIE completed the restoration of this Maserati early in 1989 and
then extensively photographed it for sales and marketing purposes.
During the restoration the car had been color changed from the
original special order white with black interior to red with a tan
interior. Total mileage at that time the restoration was completed
was 37,489 kilometers. It was offered for sale shortly thereafter
and then sold formally on March 2nd, 1989 to Hiroaki Fukushima of
Beppu, Japan. The day before the car was sold, on March 1st, 1989,
MIE took a series of photos of the new owner test-driving this
Maserati in the parking lot of their company facility in Auburn,
Washington. Total mileage at that time was 37,881 kilometers. The
sales documents indicate the vehicle was corporately purchased on
behalf of Mr. Fukushima and invoiced as follows:
Beppu Gas Engineering Inc.
5-25 Kita Motogahama
Beppu City, Oita Prefecture
Japan
The car was then shipped to the new owner in Japan. After arrival,
rather than registering his his new Maserati for the road, Mr.
Fukushima instead placed it into storage from which it would not
move again for 28 years until our recent purchase in July of 2017.
At the time of our purchase total mileage was 37,906 kilometers.
During Mr. Fukushima's ownership the car was never road-registered
and from the time of his purchase until our purchase 28 years
later, this Maserati had been driven only 25 kilometers. It is
believed the 25 additional kilometers added was done likely prior
to the car shipping to Japan given that it was never road-registerd
while in Japan. Total mileage on this Maserati since the completion
of the restoration in 1989 is therefor just 417 kilometers. Sadly,
while this vehicle covered virtually no mileage for almost 30 years
after a complete and comprehensive restoration, it was stored
poorly and at the time of our purchase in need of significant
services and refurbishment.
After arrival in our workshop in early August of 2017, AM101.1449
was inspected and then began a thorough disassembly in order to
strip and repaint the body back to the original special order white
exterior with a correct black leather interior. All of the original
assembly and sales records were acquired from the Maserati Factory
and they are being utilized to bring the car as close as possible
back to the original delivery configuration. During the disassembly
of the vehicle, the original and very rare Vignale Body Tag was
locate...for more information please contact the seller.
