To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION
Estimate:
$220,000 - $260,000
- Sympathetically restored in the late 2000s
- Retains its original engine; desirable early carbureted
example
- Includes Maserati Classiche documentation
- Superleggera coachwork in a striking color combination
- Maserati's ultimate road car of the 1950s
- Please note this lot will need to be collected from Emeryville,
CA
By the late 1950s, Maserati faced financial difficulties that
prompted the development of a series-produced grand touring model.
The inline six-cylinder motor of the dependable 350 S sports racer
was reworked with wet-sump lubrication, and the camshaft profile
was modified for road drivability.
At the 1957 Geneva Salon Maserati introduced the resulting road
car, the 3500 GT. With an advanced chassis clothed in breathtaking
new aluminum coachwork by Carrozzeria Touring, the 3500 GT was an
instant success, and its popularity led to a renaissance in sales.
Just under 2,000 examples were built through 1964, and the model
remains esteemed by enthusiasts of all stripes for its historical
importance, aesthetic beauty, and stout performance.
This benchmark example benefits from long-term storage in a
California garage followed by a more recent photo-documented
restoration to factory specifications. The result is one of the
most handsome examples of a 3500 GT offered in some time. As
demonstrated by a manufacturer's certificate of origin and a
factory build sheet, chassis no. 530 completed assembly in July
1959. Specified as a European example with instruments in
kilometers, the 3500 GT was finished in distinctive Azzurro Grigio
Verde (blue gray-green). Following delivery to Milan, the car was
subsequently exported to the United States, where it was acquired
during the 1970s by two brothers residing in California.
One of the brothers, Mark Fletcher, recalled discovering the car
for sale in 1979 with an asking price of $3,500. Just 17 years old
at the time, he thought his luck was too good to be true and
assumed the price was a typo. It was not. He was able to convince
his older brother to buy the car. Originally planning to preserve
it, the Maserati was parked with the intention of returning it to
the road. Circumstances eventually prolonged this period of storage
to last for more than 30 years. In 2009, the Maserati finally
emerged from storage and the decision was made to commence a proper
refurbishment to a level Mr. Fletcher thought the car always
deserved. Brian Moore Restoration was commissioned to refinish the
coachwork in the striking and attractive blue that it wears
today.
The four-speed gearbox was shipped to ZF in Germany for a proper
overhaul, while the original 3.5-liter DOHC inline six had been
rebuilt prior to the car's extended period of storage. Mechanical
systems were rebuilt as needed, including the brakes and
suspension. The car was fitted with new Koni shock absorbers, a
stainless-steel exhaust system, a period-correct Autovox radio, and
upgraded insulation. Cosmetic considerations were rounded out with
a re-trimming of the interior with fresh beige leather and Wilton
carpets, though original items were left unrestored when possible,
including the quilted trunk liner.
The marque bearing the familiar trident logo offered up the 3500 GT
as its ultimate roadgoing model during Italy's la dolce vita era.
This carefully restored example is as sweet as they come, ideal for
concours presentation and touring events, offering a beautiful
example of one of Maserati's most celebrated models.To view this
car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit
the RM website at
rmsothebys.com/en/auctions/0120.