Maserati 151 with 427 Ford

I disagree thats just a romantic thought.

I would ad the Iso A3C to that list, Bizzarrini the guy who built the Ferrari GTO and designed the Lambo V12 loved the Chevrolet 327 and said it was "THE BEST" engine made at the time.

Lister started life with a Jag engine and then switched to the 327 FI and was very competitive.

During the fifties and sixties in the USA there were hundreds of cars that were converted to American power. Many of them were competitive and won. The engines were readily available and produced big power, much more that the european cars could.


If you study Ferrari you will see that the company had a real difficult time with chassis design. Most of their cars drove like trucks and many couldn't stop, point being ALL engines and chassis's need engineering.

 

Briggs Cunningham converted a small 150S to a Maserati V12-engine - and won nothing! I was in contact with one of the drivers who had the "pleasure" to drive this hybrid and he had only one word for this: "disastrous"!

For the US-circuits the conversion to V8-power might have worked but on the twisty roads/corcuits of MM, Targa Florio, Tour de FRance, Nüerburgring, etc., etc, this package was -mostly- not conveniand.

 

They made over fifty million small block Chevys from 1956 though pretty recently. Even the current 5.7 liter is closely derived from the original model. That might be the all-time record for production automobile engines. "The Best" is always open to debate. But it was probably pretty good anyway.

 

Bizzarrini was known for speaking his mind, I would say his assessment was on the mark. The Porsche 6 banger was a pretty good engine too, in production over 30 years.

 

The complete body of #002 also still exist, with the original paint of his last race at Brands-Hatch 1963 (n°2). Would be nice to see this car one day on a recreated chassis.

 

+1...51 but unfortunately that project (Philippe Marcq in the care of Steve Hart in the UK) stalled a few years ago and when I asked Hart he was unfortunately unable to say when or if it might resume...

MS

 

Is known he is still with us!...though very tired now, in fact he barely accepted my interview request on the Bizzarini 1900GT Europa last year.

I agree -for once with Walter: US circuits had lot of slow curves where brute power and torque mattered whereas European circuits except Le Mans have lots of twists and turns and require subtlety and good handling.

MS

 

Country's with fast cars make fast turns

 

Even though I have contributed to this thread, and I have spent most of my life in the USA, and I like American engines; I don't want to talk about Maseratis with American engines. I want to talk about Maseratis with Maserati engines.

Therefore, I move that we close this thread. Is there a second?

 

Why? this is more interesting than most of the other posts in "Maserati"

 

I was just getting ready to respond to the Euro flag wavers...

 

++++++++1 !!!!!!!!

 

I "discovered" the old 151-body of #002 about 11 years ago in Bella Italia. The body was sold to P.M. shortly after and Steve -who is a very close friend of mine- was commisioned to rebuild the body and the car. I supplied some photos for this project which stalled as P.M. ran out of cash. The project is now sold.

 

..because the 151 is up there as one of the most exciting cars Maserati ever produced!

It would be a lifelong ambition to drive one on full chat

 

what about the 450S

 

....that was a much more "exiting" car than the 151..!

 

Well considering there is only 1 left and it is well known where the cars is, now all you have to do is make him an offer he can't refuse.

 

all matters of opinion - but that is why I said 'one' of the most exciting.....

450S is up there

but so is 26M , 6C/34 etc

 

.. there is always more ways to skin a cat!

 

The 151 was not very successfull while the 450S won in Sebring and Sweden `57. Also it won with Caroll Shelby and others in the US while the 151 could not match that.

So its quite clear which car was more important for Maserati (not to mention the iconic 300S!).

Yes, the 151 was impressive but while the 450S was a nice looking but brutish car, the 151 was only brutish but ugly.

 

Hi Walter, again just matters of opinion - and I respect yours!

On 300S v 450S the 300S has a much better results record and according to many period drivers was a much better balanced car than the 450S

I only commented that the 151 was one of the most 'exciting' cars - it was the fastest car they had produced, it was one of the first coupes they produced and it was an influential car on design.

when it comes to looks - I agree on 004 and 006 - brute ugly - but 002 as 151/3, now that is a beautiful car - I just happen to have loved the 151/3 from the first time I saw it!

 

Then there is always the inspiration for the Tipo 151, 450S #4501/12 the Costin Coupe.
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OK, I agree with you about the #151/3, the ex-Cassner-car. One of the best looking and brutish race coupes ever.

Compared to that all other 151 are ugly ducks. See no design influence on other significant cars...

 

Cobra??

 

for sure - no!