| 1959 Maserati 3500GT Vignale spyder prototype |
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Serial number: AM101.504
The first 3500GT Vignale spyder and also the first Maserati completed on the shortened 3500GT chassis.
History:
The 3500GT coupe was introduced in 1957 and by 1958 Maserati was interested in adding a spyder (convertible) version to the product line. Carrozzeria
Touring, who was building the coupes, completed several spyder design prototypes based on the coupe that was already in production. These cars
looked very much like a coupe without its top and used the standard 3500GT wheelbase. Apparently the folks at Maserati were not impressed. Carrozzeria
Vignale was given the challenge of designing a spyder using a shortened version of the 3500GT chassis which Maserati provided. This car is the first
design prototype of the Vignale spyder. It is also the very first Maserati built on the shorter chassis which would later be used on the production 3500GT
spyder, Sebring and Mistral.
Completed on August 13, 1959. It was shipped back to Carrozzeria Vignale on August 24, 1959 and returned to the factory the day the Turin Motor Show
started (September 31, 1959). According to Adolfo Orsi, who owns prototype # 623, this car was considered probably a bit too extreme for the production
and the Michelotti ideas were softened for prototypes #505 and #623, which were officially introduced at the 1959 Turin Motor Show which was held from
September 31 until 1November 11, 1959 (#505 at the Maserati and #623 at the Carrozzeria Vignale stand).
This car was delivered to its first owner, Joe Lubin of Los Angeles, on November 3, 1959. I have been told that Mr. Lubin was a major Maserati supporter,
good friends with Omar Orsi and Alfieri, and he owned the very first Tipo 61 Birdcage, raced by Bob Drake. He also owned a 250F that saw action in the
US Grand Prix at Riverside in 1960. Lubin must have bought the convertible at the same time he got his Tipo 61.
The April 1997 issue of Il Tridente features the interview Willem Oosthoek did with Mr. Lubin. Joe was a major aftermarket Caterpillar parts dealer in South
Central Los Angeles. The business went under the name TAP, which stood for Thrifty Auto Parts, a reference to Joe's early career. He actually referred to t
he convertible in the interview:
" I had three of them [Maseratis]. A Quattroporte, a 3500GT Coupe and the most beautiful convertible version of the 3500GT with chrome wire wheels. I
traded that convertible in at the Beverly Hills Cadillac dealer for two Cadillacs."
There is a 20th Century Fox studio decal on the windshield, most likley from the second owner. It was later sold to Richard Holst of Camarillo, California.
Mr. Holst was an engineer at Point Mugu military base in Ventura, California. In 1975 or 1976 the car was purchased by Edwin Good from Ventura. Mr.
Good drove the car for a few years and last registered it in 1980..... that was 27 years ago! This car has been in the Los Angeles area all its life and has
the black California plates.
Mr. Good did start the car from time to time but I would estimate it has not started in at least 10 to 15 years The engine was running good when last
parked, but who knows its current condition. The body is in extremely nice condition for its age with the only signs of rust being the right and left front
rocker panels, just under the lower louvers. Body gaps are great and panels will not need adjustment. Paint and interior is all original. Although in the
photos the interior does not show well, I estimate about 70% of the original interior can be saved. Top is also original and I believe it can be saved by
applying dye and replacing the rear plastic. All the chrome and wire wheels will need to be done. Paint is too far gone to be saved. Luckily it is all complete
with the exception of missing the spare tire and wire wheel (RW 3421), one of the jack hole plugs and the right headlight trim. I am hoping the headlight
trim was used on some other car ... if not, I'll have to find someone to reproduce the one I have. The trim has a small dimple on the top which is the start of
a fender character line. Very nice detail but probably too intricate for a production car. The trim to body fit is so good that most trim pieces (grill, bumpers,
tail lights) do not have a gasket between the trim and the body.
I will post additional details as I learn more about the car. Click here to see photos of some of the other Vignale spyder prototypes, or click here for a list
of all Vignale spyders including the production models.
This car is NOT for sale
.
Click on any of the thumbnails to enlarge.
The first 3500GT Vignale spyder and also the first Maserati completed on the shortened 3500GT chassis.
History:
The 3500GT coupe was introduced in 1957 and by 1958 Maserati was interested in adding a spyder (convertible) version to the product line. Carrozzeria
Touring, who was building the coupes, completed several spyder design prototypes based on the coupe that was already in production. These cars
looked very much like a coupe without its top and used the standard 3500GT wheelbase. Apparently the folks at Maserati were not impressed. Carrozzeria
Vignale was given the challenge of designing a spyder using a shortened version of the 3500GT chassis which Maserati provided. This car is the first
design prototype of the Vignale spyder. It is also the very first Maserati built on the shorter chassis which would later be used on the production 3500GT
spyder, Sebring and Mistral.
Completed on August 13, 1959. It was shipped back to Carrozzeria Vignale on August 24, 1959 and returned to the factory the day the Turin Motor Show
started (September 31, 1959). According to Adolfo Orsi, who owns prototype # 623, this car was considered probably a bit too extreme for the production
and the Michelotti ideas were softened for prototypes #505 and #623, which were officially introduced at the 1959 Turin Motor Show which was held from
September 31 until 1November 11, 1959 (#505 at the Maserati and #623 at the Carrozzeria Vignale stand).
This car was delivered to its first owner, Joe Lubin of Los Angeles, on November 3, 1959. I have been told that Mr. Lubin was a major Maserati supporter,
good friends with Omar Orsi and Alfieri, and he owned the very first Tipo 61 Birdcage, raced by Bob Drake. He also owned a 250F that saw action in the
US Grand Prix at Riverside in 1960. Lubin must have bought the convertible at the same time he got his Tipo 61.
The April 1997 issue of Il Tridente features the interview Willem Oosthoek did with Mr. Lubin. Joe was a major aftermarket Caterpillar parts dealer in South
Central Los Angeles. The business went under the name TAP, which stood for Thrifty Auto Parts, a reference to Joe's early career. He actually referred to t
he convertible in the interview:
" I had three of them [Maseratis]. A Quattroporte, a 3500GT Coupe and the most beautiful convertible version of the 3500GT with chrome wire wheels. I
traded that convertible in at the Beverly Hills Cadillac dealer for two Cadillacs."
There is a 20th Century Fox studio decal on the windshield, most likley from the second owner. It was later sold to Richard Holst of Camarillo, California.
Mr. Holst was an engineer at Point Mugu military base in Ventura, California. In 1975 or 1976 the car was purchased by Edwin Good from Ventura. Mr.
Good drove the car for a few years and last registered it in 1980..... that was 27 years ago! This car has been in the Los Angeles area all its life and has
the black California plates.
Mr. Good did start the car from time to time but I would estimate it has not started in at least 10 to 15 years The engine was running good when last
parked, but who knows its current condition. The body is in extremely nice condition for its age with the only signs of rust being the right and left front
rocker panels, just under the lower louvers. Body gaps are great and panels will not need adjustment. Paint and interior is all original. Although in the
photos the interior does not show well, I estimate about 70% of the original interior can be saved. Top is also original and I believe it can be saved by
applying dye and replacing the rear plastic. All the chrome and wire wheels will need to be done. Paint is too far gone to be saved. Luckily it is all complete
with the exception of missing the spare tire and wire wheel (RW 3421), one of the jack hole plugs and the right headlight trim. I am hoping the headlight
trim was used on some other car ... if not, I'll have to find someone to reproduce the one I have. The trim has a small dimple on the top which is the start of
a fender character line. Very nice detail but probably too intricate for a production car. The trim to body fit is so good that most trim pieces (grill, bumpers,
tail lights) do not have a gasket between the trim and the body.
I will post additional details as I learn more about the car. Click here to see photos of some of the other Vignale spyder prototypes, or click here for a list
of all Vignale spyders including the production models.
This car is NOT for sale
.
Click on any of the thumbnails to enlarge.
Notice the hood bulge which then visually follows the contour of the instrument panel The hood
and trunk lids are made of aluminum. The hood extends all the way to the windshield and hides the
wipers. This long hood design made it through the first production cars and was later dropped in
favor of the shorter hood found on most Vignale spyders.
and trunk lids are made of aluminum. The hood extends all the way to the windshield and hides the
wipers. This long hood design made it through the first production cars and was later dropped in
favor of the shorter hood found on most Vignale spyders.
The gaps in the rocker panel would lead you to
believe the doors open down to the rocker
panels. In reality it is just a visual effect as the
door stop at the chrome trim, just like the
production cars. The chrome trim is significantly
wider than the production model, and the door
itself is made out of aluminum.
believe the doors open down to the rocker
panels. In reality it is just a visual effect as the
door stop at the chrome trim, just like the
production cars. The chrome trim is significantly
wider than the production model, and the door
itself is made out of aluminum.
Dash layout is rather plain. There is an antenna and speakers but no place for a radio. There is an indentation where a radio would most probably be located but instead there are two unlabeled indicator
lights. The seats have an cool design ... they should have kept them for the production cars! Notice the use of chrome of the door pillars. These were not used on the production spyders but can be seen
on other Vignale productions cars such as the Maserati Indy.
lights. The seats have an cool design ... they should have kept them for the production cars! Notice the use of chrome of the door pillars. These were not used on the production spyders but can be seen
on other Vignale productions cars such as the Maserati Indy.
The top mechanism is very different from the production cars, it reminds me of an Alfa Giulietta. The
top swings out and fits over what looks like a leather soft top cover. In reality this leather cover is just
a visual effect since that cover is not removable. Without it the trunk area would look too long. The
top itself folds under this metal cover. I can understand why on the production cars the factory would
choose to go with a more conventional design.
top swings out and fits over what looks like a leather soft top cover. In reality this leather cover is just
a visual effect since that cover is not removable. Without it the trunk area would look too long. The
top itself folds under this metal cover. I can understand why on the production cars the factory would
choose to go with a more conventional design.
There is no rubber gasket around the grill,
headlight trim or tail light lenses, the fit is superb.
headlight trim or tail light lenses, the fit is superb.