Ghibli (AM115) modifications to improve performance and drivability

Hi K1, very interesting questions. I have done the same with a couple of 105 series Alfas with great result. A light 60's car with performance suspension, skinny tires and + 50 hp from original is a lot of fun. The big difference is that when doing this with an Alfa, there are great supply of parts at almost reasonable prices.

A Ghibli is something else altogether. First of all the car is much more rare and expensive. Meaning that they are bought by a different collector type of owner not looking to modify their car. Meaning that none of the above mentioned parts are availabele to buy. You would have to have everything made costing $$$$ or €€€. And in the end the car will probably not be worth more than an original one.

If you don't have the knowledge to make it happen yourself, I'll say forget it unless you want to spend a fortune. But it can be done. I have a friend in our Maserati club who put a 3200 V8 into a Ghibli II making it look factory installed. Tuned it to more than 600hp and driving it around for rallies etc. Re backseat in a Ghibli, forget that too, there is no room. In that case get an Indy to modify, it will at least save you some money on the purchase price. Or do as I have, get a nice QP-1, it fits the whole family + luggage.

 

Hi Fredrik. Any info on the Ghibli with 3200 engine? That was always my dream...

 

Ok other than the Fuel Injection which I would advise against, it really sounds like you should be looking at a Khamsin.

 

Go for a Khamsin!
- suspensions ✓
- brakes ✓
- steering ✓
- (micro) rear seats ✓
That will be a better starting point
Plus: it will be much cheaper...

 

Hi Ken,

I like your ideas... I am a fan of originality, but a bit more functional and better reliability wins over 100% original to me. The Ghibli is absolutely more beautiful than the others. I have had a ride in the Ghilbi SSS and it was great. From reading the article about it, the first buyer wanted a longer ratio of the differential so he could go faster with lower revs. The Maserati factory never did that. And the buyer sold the car... I have that same «problem» in my 550 Maranello. I use to drive from Oslo to Monaco etc. and I really want the 550 to have much lower rpms. too. The Maserati V8 has a lot of torque and with optimized fuel injection, it would have even more. The longer ratio would make the car much more comfortable at 170 kph. cruising speed, and also give quite a bit longer range between every fill up. Quite important when you want to cross the continent in a short period of time... Modern cars today have got this long ratio, and they can cruise at 200 quite comfortably and efficient... I want the same for my 550!! And use 5th gear as top speed gear and 6th as the cruising «overdrive» gear. I also modified my cooling system, so now it can stay cool in traffic. I bet the Maserati would benefit greatly with some really powerful electric fans and a bigger generator and more amps on the battery. It just make you so much more confident when you hit a real traffic jam in the summer heat. There is a guy in Monaco who have a Ferrari 330 GTC, and he has electronic fuel injection rettofitted to the car, and say it is the best investment.... No need to tune all those carburators. I would start to find a Ghibli and fulfill you dream and start the project. It will be worth it. Good aircondition, perfect idle and throttle response, never over 90 degree coolant temps, less consumption and less excessive gas contaminating the oil... Drive with style and great sound and no big road taxes like on modern cars... A dream!!

Today I am driving from Monaco to Como actually. Then to Oslo! This time I use my Chevrolet Avalanche pickup, so no Fcar this time... But I look forward to the trip! Love Italia.

Erik

 

Erik,
although I doubt that, but perhaps it is possible to convert an old Ghibli to modern and more reliable components. But is it a wise desicion?
The cars were simply not made for this in the 60s/70s. A modern V8 engine with more performance and torque would stress the coachwork a lot! Furthermore how would you get the modern rear axle into the car???
Furthermore you can NOT compare your much more modern 550 Maranello, a car from the late 90s with a car that is 30 (!) years older....!
What you can do is: modify the ignition and the radiator-system, get race pads on your brakes, use stiffer shocks and look for an a/c from an Mercedes of the early 70s. Not sure if it fits into an ol`Ghibli but I bet this a/c works much better and is more reliable.

An old car is a time capsule but was not a sience fiction object...

Safe travels!

Ciao!
Walter

 

expect a visit soon by a gentleman named Marc!

 

I prefer to read this as `I’m certainly not interested in a Khamsin as I think this isn't nearly such a beautiful car`. No problem, everyone is entitled to his opinion.

But to say that it `isn´t nearly such a beauitful car` sounds like everyone agrees on that, and I can tell you that that's not true, because I for one think the Khamsin is a better looking car than the Ghibli.

Did you see many Khamsins and Ghiblis in real life?

 

That must be nice living on Lake Como!
Just wait until you see a Khamsin rolling past your house

The chance that that will happen is even smaller than with a Ghibli though, because only 400+ Khamsins were made, which is about a third of the number of Ghiblis produced.

The Khamsin was designed by Marcello Gandini for Bertone. For the USA the Khamsins were equipped with safety bumpers, and most people agree that that didn´t look good. So when I say that I think the Khamsin is a beautiful car I´m talking about the EURO version, with the normal bumpers, as it was designed by Gandini. Today many US cars have been converted to EURO bumpers.

 

Hello Ken,

FYI I wrote the Octane magazine article about the Ghibli SSS you mention and more importantly created the Khamsin Registry in 2004, wrote the book on that era of Maserati, and organized KHAMSIN QUARANTA the 40th anniversary event in 2012 at a castle in Burgundy with 27 of them, Marcello Gandini as guest of honor and Maserati Classiche to judge the cars so as some have alluded I am just a bit partial.

You must have seen only US Khamsins which were utterly disfigured by US regulations with monstrous bumpers and the rear was completely ruined, a scandal. See below photos of Euro Khamsins firstly and then secondly the photos with a pair of them (courtesy and Copyright Art Harvey) show a US disfigured version in light blue version with another with the Euro bumpers in silver; now you can see the difference.

Also allow me to put things in perspective. If you were to drive a Khamsin and then a Ghibli you would feel the Ghibli is antiquated with poor brakes, heavy steering, feeling lumpy.

The Khamsin feels far more modern because it is in many ways which I will list for you.

Firstly you will be happy to know it has exactly the same engine as the Ghibli SS, same front chassis however it has independent rear suspension with TWO springs and shocks per side, all of this within a subframe to isolate any vibrations etc. The brakes, steering and clutch, heavy in Ghiblis; are brilliantly light, precise and enduring in Khamsins thanks to the LHM hydraulic system created by Citroen (the same Rolls Royce used from the sixties to the 90's) and used on the Khamsin not after being imposed by Citroen but because chief engineer Giulio Alfieri wanted it. Indeed those brakes are far stronger, do not fade, even on a track day. Meanwhile the poor man with his Daytona is in the pits with his arms and legs aching, his brakes hopelessly gone.

A Khamsin has more torque than a Daytona, brilliant neutral handling, very agile for a car its size, huge charisma at least as much as a Ghibli and is easy as can be to drive in traffic, I drove one for an hour through Vienna traffic last month, easy as can be with light controls, like a *****cat yet a Euro model has 275kph performance and can cruise all day at 200, 220kph going straight as arrow. K's are perfectly reliable if properly maintained proof (as opposed to vague hearsay): at KHAMSIN QUARANTA I calculated that of 27 cars 3 were trailered there so that is 24 cars which completed 38000kms to, during and from the four day event. only ONE car had a minor issue and that one was a tired poorly maintained one. Another was driven from Oslo Norway to Burgundy and back. Two cars, one each in Holland and the US have 170000 kms.

Like a Ghibli it is carburetted which is what provided for the glorious sound that fuel injection will never have. If you modify a classic it is no longer what it was meant to be, I would stay away from drastic modifications apart from electronic ignition which does help.

Why then is the Ghibli much more famous you ask, thinking it proves it is better? No the Ghibli was born and sold during the dolce vita years, a big success and they sold 1200 berlinettas. the Khamsin however was a victim of the energy crisis, it came out just before the october 1973 energy crisis which saw quadrupling of fuel costs, the introduction of speed limits and these cars became politically incorrect so sales of ALL GT's collapsed, hence there were only 430 made, plus the US version utterly ruined sales in the US as the late importer Bob Grossman confirmed to me. It is always a pleasure when you drive a Khamsin to explain to people what this little known gem is, highlight its qualities, like a great yet unknown wine.

I think you need to have a proper look at a Khamsin because it is actually the model that replaced the Ghibli in the Maserati range with all the improvements I mention. If you need to see one and wish to have a ride in one I can organise that. I will also be in Lugano in a few weeks for an article so we could have a coffee in Como then if you like.

Voila, food for thought for you!
Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

While I agree that the Khamsin is a very attractive car that looks better in person than in photos, but for me the Ghibli is the clear winner in the "looks department". As far as driving, on paper the Khamsin should be the better car but again I give the nod to the Ghibli. I am not a big fan of the Khamsin's self centering steering and I prefer cars that provide more road feel. I am sure others will disagree with me and that is fine.

As far as modifications: Electronic ignition, better brakes, better suspension, LED light bulbs, are all practical alternatives .... as soon as you replaced the Webers with fuel injection you have crossed the line into "restomod" territory.

Ivan

 

Tastes and colours...my own preference goes to the 4900 Indy
- nice and discrete Vignale design by Virginio Vairo, still modern on today's grounds
- power steering
- powerful LHM braking
- four real seats
- ample power and four Weber's for a marvelous sound
- and the cheapest by far of the Alfieri grand tourers of that period!
And I can live with the solid rear axle and the heavier front end, no need to restomod it

 

...and the fastest of all classic Maserati when well maintained!

 

As an ex-Khamsin owner who also drove many Ghibli over the years, I can say that the suspension is -for me- the biggest bonus over the Ghibli who had a rear axle when that was already antiquated when it came out in 1966. The Khamsin brakes are good...too good! But little play and feel in the brake paddel and impossible for heel n`toe (what ALL Italian cars with manual gearbox like!). But: the Ghibli was "the car to have" for the Happy Few at a time when everything was "much colorful and funny!" The car became an icon! The Khamsin was more or less killed by the oil crises as Marc already explained and so never got that iconic image.

Designwise both cars are masterpieces of their time.

 

I agree about the suspension differences. I'm not a fan of the rear solid axle setup either. I've ridden in and driven plenty of those Masers but the one time that stands out so distinctly in my mind was shortly after I bought my 71 Espada and got a ride in Joe's nice Ghibli the same day. I happen to prefer Maserati's V8 for torque and serviceability but the suspensions were like night and day. The Espada truly has a wonderful suspension, better than my 2005 Jag. I haven't driven a Khamsin in many moons but I imagine it's the same idea thing. The rear end doesn't jump around on bumpy roads and the car always feels well planted. Steering? Never got used to that. But I didn't drive them very much. You can always put electric steering on a Ghibli or Indy if it doesn't already have it.

I found a friends 4.2L Indy quite the treat on a couple days trip from the Stockton area down to Monterey after I put new tires on it. I went through the hilly section from I5 via Salinas. A gorgeous drive for that car.

Leave the induction system alone, it's why you buy these cars.

However ... I have friend in California, an engineer, who has heavily modified his Espada with a totally digital ignition and fuel injection system using the original webers as throttle bodies and it sounds great and is the best running Espada I've ever been in. But that's a hell of a project.

It pulled three heavy passengers up a 2.5 mile long driveway from highway 1 in Monterey with a ton of switchbacks and nary a missed beat all the way up to arrive here for an amazing lunch in the clouds
with some very gracious hosts.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Ah, I recognize that driveway, to the top of the world. The meeting place of the vintage Lambo bunch during Pebble Week. I was fortunate to be the only Maser in attendance (half a Lambo with my in-line 6 3500 GT). Yes, I would agree that the private 2 mile driveway is a great test of suspension, especially with a loaded car. I don't have any personal experience with the Ghibli, or the Khamsin, beside observing them naked in my local repair shop. Also a fellow Maser Club member & neighbor has a Khamsin that he bought new! To me, the Khamsin seems a lot more complicated.

 

I was there when this car was present so we've met. That was in 2017 right? Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

That is not correct. There were different ratios. But if you do not like the grace and pace of this wonderful car - I have a spider - yo better go for a different car as repeatedly recommended.

 

Even the great 350/400GT from Lamborghini -introduced in 1964, 2 years earlier than the Ghibli!!- had a much more advaced suspension than the old fashioned Maserati (and all Ferrari until the magic 275GTB).

 

Yes Espada and Jarama chassis are just evolutions of that. They didn't do so well with the steering though and the Lamborghini made 5 speed is ah ... um ... well ... agricultural with most of them having their first and second gear synchros wiped out early by overly enthusiastic drivers. They never did speed shift well. Lamborghini also did their own differentials which some have a know assembly flaw that only now is being fixed by a lot of guys. Ah the joys of low production, even lower budgets exotic Italian cars ... LOL. Then there's the Miura and Countach! Those will really make you appreciate Maserati's efforts in mid engine design at the time. Hard to do better than a Bora. Built like a tank but not always assembled well in Modena. I had a friend who had both a Bora and a QVDD carburated Countach, an ex Al Burtoni personal car which I helped pick up in Gilroy. That's the only Countach I've ever driven. He parked it in my garage in SF for a couple of nights in a gentrifying neighborhood.
It took a piece of plywood to get it in and out. Bora no problemo. The Countach really didn't feel that much faster, much heavier than the Bora to operate but it was wild! It was a bucket list car for him which drove from Kansas City to Monterey twice. I've done that same trip in my Bora and in my early 30's that was about as adventurous as I'd ever want. I can't imagine it in a Countach.

So when we pulled out my Bora and his black Countach in the morning we garnered quite a crowd of young very interested kids and I'll never forget the very sad thing one of them said. He was about 8 or 9 years old.
"Sheet use must be drug dealers". I explained how both of us had made some money and that he too could if stayed in school and worked hard ... that probably didn't work though ...
When he saw my other cars in the garage his next sentence was "Why you gots to be so greedy?"

With that we departed ...