Maserati 3500 GT Convertible Classic Car Spotted in Turin, Italy, for Gran Premio Valentino Park

At the Gran Premio of Valentino Park there was also a group of old classic cars of the 1950s and 60s. I saw a couple of Maserati, one Lancia D30, one classic Ferrari, and then Abarth 1000, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider and more. All will appear soon in this blog.

This Maserati 3500 GT stood out as a wonder of a car !

A video with the full parade of the supercars seen at this event is here - Hope you will like it.

Please see also my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/settime2588

The Maserati 3500 GT (Tipo 101) and the Maserati 3500 GT Convertibile (Tipo 101/C) are 2-door coupé and convertible grand tourers made by Italian car manufacturer Maserati between 1957 and 1964. It was a seminal vehicle for Maserati as the company's first successful attempt at the Gran Turismo market and series production.

Development

The main development efforts that led to the 3500 GT were carried out in 1956–57, despite the frantic activity required by Maserati's participation in the Formula 1 world championship.

Alfieri modified the 350S's engine to suit a touring car, e.g. by switching to a wet sump oil system and changing the engine accessories. 

The 3500 GT alongside Italian Weber carburetors and Marelli ignition, used many British-made components such as a Salisbury rear axle, Girling brakes and Alford & Alder suspension parts.

Production of the 3500 GT started in late 1957; eighteen cars were built that year, the first handful leaving the factory before Christmas.  All 3500 GTs had leather interior and Jaeger-LeCoultre instruments.

The 3500 GTi was introduced at the 1960 Salon International de l'Auto, and by the following year became the first fuel-injected Italian production car. It had a Lucas mechanical fuel injection, and developed 235 PS (173 kW; 232 bhp). A 5-speed gearbox was now standard. The body had a lowered roofline and became somewhat longer; minor outward changes appeared as well (new grille, rear lights, vent windows). From 1961 convertible 3500s for export markets were named 3500 GT Spyder and GTi Spyder.

In 1959, the V8-engined Maserati 5000 GT was introduced using the chassis of the 3500 GT. Also based on the 3500 GT's mechanicals was the Maserati Sebring 2+2 coupé, which entered production in 1962.

In total 2,226 3500 GT coupés and convertibles were built between 1957 and 1964. The first year (1958) 119 cars were sold, while 1961 was the best-selling year, totalling 500. All together, 245 Vignale convertibles and nearly 2000 coupés were manufactured, of these, 1981 being Touring coupés, the rest were bodied by other coachbuilders: Carrozzeria Allemano (four coupés, including the 1957 prototype), Zagato (one coupe, 1957), Carrozzeria Boneschi (1962 Turin Motor Show and 1963 Geneva Motor Show ), Pietro Frua (two or three coupés, one spider) and Bertone (one coupé, 1959 Turin Motor Show). The last was a coupé by Moretti (1966 Geneva Motor Show).

Frame and chassis

The 3500 GT was built on a tube platform chassis, constructed from tubes of square, round or elliptic section. Front suspension was by double wishbones coil springs, hydraulic dampers and an anti-roll bar; at the rear there was a Salisbury solid axle on semi-elliptic leaf springs, with hydraulic dampers an anti-roll bar and a longitudinal torque arm. Steering was of the recirculating ball type. The hydraulic brakes were initially Girling 12" finned drum brakes front and rear; disc brakes were later introduced on the front wheels, and finally on all four. The wheels where 16" steel disc wheels with 6.5" Pirelli Cinturato diagonal ply tyres. Borrani knock-off wire wheels were optional, as well as wider 185x16" radial tyres.

Engine and transmission

The Maserati 350S-derived DOHC, 12-valve straight-six cylinder engine had a bore and stroke of 86 mm × 100 mm and displaced 3,485.29 cc. The engine block was aluminium, with cast iron cylinder sleeves; cylinder heads were aluminium, with cast iron valve seats and hemispherical combustion chambers. It was equipped with mechanical Marelli ignition, dual ignition and dual fuel pump. It developed 217 hp at 5,500 rpm when fitted with three twin-choke 42 DCOE Weber carburetor, or 232 hp at 5,500 rpm with Lucas mechanical fuel injection. The transmission was a 4-speed ZF S4-17 gearbox, later replaced by a ZF S5-17 5-speed, and used an hydraulically actuated Borg & Beck single-plate dry clutch.