Description
Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale this magnificent 1962 Maserati 5000 GT by Allemano.
The Maserati 5000 GT started life as a one off car to be built for Shah Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran. The Shah wanted a car that made a statement. He had seen brochures of the 3500 GT and 450S and asked Alfieri if Maserati could install their famous 4. 5 litre V8 engine, used in the 450S race car, into a Maserati 3500 GT chassis! Maserati obliged and the 5000 GT was born. A second car was subsequently built and shown at the 1959 Turin Motor Show. The car generated significant interest and Maserati 5000 GT’s were soon ordered by royalty as well as the rich and famous. Noted owners included Giovanni Agnelli, Karim Aga Khan and King Soud. These cars were ridiculously expensive new, being roughly double the price of a Maserati 3500 GT!
Maserati built only 34 5000 GT’s from 1959 to 1965 of which 22 were bodied by Allemano, 3 by Touring, 3 by Frua, 2 by Monterosa and 1 each by Bertone, Ghia, Michelotti, and Pininfarina.
Documentation on file from Maserati Classiche confirms that this Allemano bodied car was completed on the 17th July 1962. It was fitted with a ZF S 5/ 325 5 speed gearbox and finished in ‘Celeste Ardenza’ (Light blue) with a red leather interior. The car delivered new to Chiasso in Switzerland. It is also well documented in Maurice Khawam’s excellent book, The Maserati 5000 GT – A Significant Automobile, which notes this was the first car fitted with a 5 speed gearbox.
There is an excellent article detailing the history of this car in Issue 108 of the Maserati magazine Viale Ciro Menotti.
The above article notes that the car was sold new to noted businessman and author Rob de la Rive Box by Swiss Maserati importer and dealer Martinelli and Sonvico. de la Rive Box was a Dutchman living in Switzerland, who owned the Ferrari dealership Garage De Montchoisy SA in Geneva. He is a well known author of several books on Maserati and Lamborghini as well as other titles.
It is not known how long this Maserati 5000 GT remained in Switzerland, however, it found its way into the hands of Bill Hilfiker from California in the USA. Interestingly, Hilfiker owned two Maserati 5000 GT’s and sold them both into Europe. This car found its way to Sweden. In February 1990 the car was sold at a Coys Auction in the UK from where it made its way back to the USA. The car passed through classic car dealership, Chequered Flag in Los Angeles, into the ownership of well known collector and enthusiast Bruce Milner from Los Angeles. There is a State of California certificate of title on file for the car in Milner’s name issued on the 30th June 1992. In June 1998 the car was purchased by Tom Shaughnessey. It was then sold through RM Classic Cars Amelia Island auction on the 11th March 2000. At that time the Maserati was a running and driving car, though it was tired and in need of restoration.
The car was acquired by Brazilian collector Alberto Pamos and stored with Gary Roberts in Costa Mesa. Pamos wanted to restore the car and the first task was to rebuild the engine. That task was given to Rod Drew of Francorchamps of America, Inc. (FAI). Whilst that work was in progress the car was tucked away in the corner of Roberts’ workshop where it was spotted by the current owner. In his words “ . . . on entering, there were about twenty various Ferraris interspersed with the odd British and German offering. As I wandered around I came across a rather sad looking car that I did not immediately recognise. The seats were out of the car and on the floor, the hood was leaning against the wall, the motor was gone and the transmission sitting in the trunk. The car sat very high at the front and low at the rear and had plenty of dust, it was not a pretty sight”.
Then the realisation hit him, he was looking at a Maserati 5000 GT! This was a car he had dreamed about, always wanted to own, but never seen in real life . . . and there it was, sitting in front of him. Luck was on his side as Pamos wanted to reduce his collection and within 24 hours a deal was struck and the car was his.
Drew had finished most of the work on the engine. Work on the short block and cylinder heads had been completed. The new owner elected to pack everything up and ship the car to Australia.
We understand that the car arrived into Australia in mid 2001, however, the owner had other restorations underway so the Maserati project was put on hold.
In 2003 work commenced in earnest. Having had a very good experience with Auto Restorations in Christchurch, New Zealand on other projects, the decision was made to send the body to them. They handled all the body restoration and paint as well as the chrome. They also refurbished all the instruments.
The balance of the mechanical work, the trim and assembly was all completed in Australia.
The restoration of this fabulous car was completed some ten years ago, however, it has been used sparingly since and it still presents beautifully today.
This car is subtle in many ways, however, the more you look the more you see. The level of detail, particularly at the rear of the Allemano coach work, is a work of art and quite breathtaking. The colour combination suits the car perfectly and brings out all the lines very well. The big trident in the front grill leaves you with no doubt that you are looking at a Maserati.
Whilst this car is now an older restoration, it would not have travelled 500 km since it was completed. As a result, the paint is still in excellent condition having retained a strong depth of colour and a high gloss finish. When this car was painted a significant amount of time must have been spent on preparing the body. All the panel gaps are excellent, the lines on the car are razor sharp and the audacious curves, particularly at the rear which go in every direction, are perfectly formed. There is also an abundance of chrome on this car and it is all in excellent condition. The workmanship is first class and a real credit to the team at Auto Restorations.
A real design feature on this car is the glass and particularly the rear window. As you can see in the photographs it is not only panoramic, it also has some amazing curves. The glass is generally in good condition with no cracks or chips evident, however, the rear glass which is most likely originally, has a few scratches. These are most noticeable on the long surface and may well polish out.
The Borrani wire wheels are in excellent condition and are shod with Pirelli Cinturato HS tyres, size 205VR15. These tyres still present well but they are date stamped 1110 (week 11, 2010).
The doors, which are long to provide access to the rear seats, open and close perfectly. With so much glass you can easily see inside the cabin, however, once you open the door you can really appreciate the sophisticated looking interior. The red leather upholstery contrast perfectly with the exterior colour of the car. The first thing that catches your eye is the delicate wood rimmed steering wheel. It is a real feature and it is in a very good condition, though the Maserati logo on the horn button is faded. Looking beyond the steering wheel, the instrument binnacle features two massive round instruments, which are another incredible feature of this car. These are a speedo and tacho, inside of which there are other instruments that provide you with information about oil pressure, oil temperature, coolant temperature and fuel level. In the centre of the instrument binnacle is a clock. All the instruments are crisp, clean and appear to be in good working order. The only exception is the fuel gauge, which is not working.
The seats are in excellent condition and provide ample support. The upholstery on all the seats, the door cards and the massive transmission tunnel is all ‘like new’. The rear seats have probably never been used.
The boot, which has probably never been used, presents as new. The spare Borrani wheel sits under the boot floor.
Under the bonnet sits Maserati’s mighty V8 engine. The engine bay, including Maserati’s diamond quilted under bonnet matting, is very neat, clean and tidy. The unique green painted cam covers have begun to flake and these would have to be repainted to return the car to a concours level.
Starting the car is not difficult, however, there is a very specific sequence one needs to follow. It would be easy to foul the plugs! Get it right and the engine starts easily and almost immediately settles into a smooth idle. Wow . . . what a noise! We have handled plenty of 1960’s and 1970’s V8 engined Maseratis, but none of them sound like this! It is immediately apparent that this car means business. There’s is no doubt that the Shah was onto a good thing!
Once the temperature gauge starts to move we have the signal to go. And GO this car does. The clutch is quite heavy and very responsive. So once disengaged, Maserati’s race pedigree hits you between the eyes . . . this car just wants to take off. The engine roars rather than rumbles and it just pulls like a train. The gearbox is firm and takes some getting used to as the gears are all close together. It all clicks quickly and you soon feel ‘very comfortable’ behind the wheel. The car handles, steers and stops as expected.
These bespoke cars are insanely rare, highly desirable and offer incredible performance.
Famous musician, Joe Walsh, who was a guitarist with The Eagles, was a Maserati 5000 GT owner and famously wrote in the song Life’s Been Good ” . . . my Maserati does 185, I lost my license, now I don’t drive”.
185 mph may be unrealistic, but these cars were road tested in period at speeds over 170 mph!
A Maserati 5000 GT is a very unique car and this particular example is in excellent condition. A few small improvements would take it to a concours level where it would be a knock out at any event in Australia. It is also highly likely to get an entry into one of the big international Concours d’Elegance’s like Villa d’Este and Pebble Beach.
What a car!
Highlights:
- 1 of only 34 cars built and 1 of 22 bodied by Allemano.
- The ‘holy grail’ of Maserati road cars.
- Stunning colour scheme.
- Magnificently restored.
- Ready to show, use and enjoy.
Price: $1, 399, 950 AUD
