Vehicle Description
Upon its introduction at the 1957 Geneva Auto Show, Maserati's 3500
GT marked a significant turning point for the storied Italian
sports car maker. Up to that point, Maserati focused on building
racing cars, supplementing them with a handful of high-strung,
thinly disguised racers for the road. In order to stay viable in
the face of competition from Ferrari, Aston Martin and Jaguar, they
needed a flexible, reliable sports car capable being built in more
significant numbers. With the 3500 GT, Maserati had its first car
designed for volume production, but they did not skimp on style or
performance in the name of "mass" production. At its heart was a
3.5-liter twin-cam, twin-plug inline-6 that produced nearly 250hp
on a trio of Weber carbs. The engine was derived directly from the
350S sports racing car, and traced its roots to the fabled 250F
Grand Prix cars. Despite an eye-watering $13,000 price tag in 1960,
the 3500 GT proved to be popular with buyers, with production
reaching 2,400 units between 1957 and 1964, more than any previous
Maserati model. While the majority of 3500 GTs were sold with coupe
bodies by Carrozzeria Touring, just 245 very lucky (and wealthy)
buyers got their hands on the gorgeous, open-topped spyder by
Carrozzeria Alfredo Vignale. One look and it is easy to see why the
3500 GT Vignale was seen as a direct competitor to the Ferrari 250
California built just down the road in Maranello. The styling on
the 3500 GT Spyder was elegant and balanced, and with the
performance to match its good looks, it was the epitome of Italian
Grand Touring in the early 1960s. This gorgeous 1963 Maserati 3500
GT Vignale Spyder is chassis number 101.1145, delivered new in
Torino, Italy, in the summer of 1962. It was imported to the United
States in 1969 and spent many years in California and then Texas.
It has recently been treated to a sympathetic restoration that was
completed in 2017, in the original colors of Blu Sera over Rossa
leather. The stunning Vignale coachwork looks magnificent in dark
blue with just a hint of metallic sparkle. A striking red leather
cabin provides a beautiful contrast against the metallic blue
paint. The blue canvas soft-top is fully lined for comfortable
cruising in all conditions, and the dash retains the
factory-applied blue paint as well as original gauges, switches and
steering wheel; all in excellent condition. The highly valuable
factory tool kit and jack are included, and even the ultra-rare
quilted trunk mat and hood insulation are intact and in amazing
original condition. As part of the restoration, the engine bay is
comprehensively finished with correct hose clamps, wiring and
plumbing, while the chassis has been detailed with correct-colored
shocks, brakes and other components. As a 1963 model, this car
features many significant improvements over the earlier models,
such as four-wheel disc brakes, a ZF 5-speed manual transmission
and beautiful, highly desirable polished alloy Borrani wire wheels.
Furthermore, on this car the troublesome Lucas mechanical
fuel-injected engine has been replaced with a reliable and proven
triple-Weber carburetor spec unit. Twin-plug ignition, dual
overhead camshafts and race-proven design translate into 240hp and
near 150 mph performance. Beautiful, rare Vignale coachwork and the
robust and powerful Maserati drivetrain combine to produce one of
the most desirable Italian GT cars of the era. This stunning
machine, fresh from restoration, is a worthy addition to any
collection; a fabulous driving sports car with race-bred DNA from
one of the most legendary Italian marques of all time.
