1969 Maserati Ghibli - The Resurection

1969 Maserati Ghibli - The Resurection

Author
Discussion

MJK 24

5,648 posts

237 months

Friday 5th October 2012
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Fantastic work. Looking forward to more updates smile

McClure

2,173 posts

147 months

Thursday 8th November 2012
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coffee

entwistlecymru

172 posts

142 months

Saturday 10th November 2012
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Awesome car, awesome work! My father used to work in the service department for MTC in the early seventies and he still has some Ghibli related souvenirs which I'll attempt to post up here - brochures and the like. He's even got some windscreen stickers left!

Getragdogleg

8,772 posts

184 months

Saturday 10th November 2012
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entwistlecymru said:
Awesome car, awesome work! My father used to work in the service department for MTC in the early seventies and he still has some Ghibli related souvenirs which I'll attempt to post up here - brochures and the like. He's even got some windscreen stickers left!
What you doing ere ?

(probably like me, dipping into this thread for inspiration !)

hehe

P5Nij

675 posts

173 months

Saturday 10th November 2012
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I read through the entire thread yesterday with my jaw hitting the keyboard at regular intervals - fantastic work going down Chad Speed, just incredible! The Ghibli is is my all time favourite motor car, and has been since I saw one in the Alain Delon film 'La Piscine'when I was a nipper
(there's footage of it on youtube), it's such a beautiful well balanced looking design from end to end. I'm green with envy and full of admiration for the task you've taken on, it really is very inspirational stuff.

There's a beautiful 1969 Ghibli for sale in this month's 'C&SC' mag in a lovely shade of dark blue called 'Blue Sera', asking price is a mere £350k...!

Chad speed

Original Poster:

438 posts

198 months

Saturday 10th November 2012
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Ok guys thanks for the bump.
Progress since the last post has been somewhat traumatic and very slow despite banging in the hours. Sometimes I don't know what makes me do it, at other times I pour the evening beer with the warm glow that comes from having achieved something. Anyway as the next few months will show its not been plain sailing, did you ever think it would be?
We're into body preparation prior to painting:


The lines on a Ghibli should be fine, straight and true like a sharp Italian suit. Many have lost the clean edges on the front wings and swage lines down the sides, not to mention the little crease where the wheel arch runs past it.



More soon wavey

Yertis

18,061 posts

267 months

Saturday 10th November 2012
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Chad speed said:


More soon wavey
I would hang that shell on a wall just as it is – wonderful lines.

The Surveyor

7,576 posts

238 months

Saturday 10th November 2012
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Chad speed said:


:
stunning, absolutely stunning.

Inspiring stuff as always Roger, we'll done.

McClure

2,173 posts

147 months

Saturday 10th November 2012
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The Surveyor said:
stunning, absolutely stunning.

Inspiring stuff as always Roger, we'll done.
How's the Mexico, Paul?

The Surveyor

7,576 posts

238 months

Saturday 10th November 2012
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McClure said:
The Surveyor said:
stunning, absolutely stunning.

Inspiring stuff as always Roger, we'll done.
How's the Mexico, Paul?
50% primed with the rest being pushed on this next week, hopefully will be ready for final painting the week after. I've been putting some pressure on the body's hop to finally give the car the attention it needs and finally they seem to be responding..... Photo's to follow next week....

Baron Greenback

6,999 posts

151 months

Saturday 10th November 2012
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Awesome line and lovely metal work! Cant wait for next updates!

McClure

2,173 posts

147 months

Saturday 10th November 2012
quotequote all
The Surveyor said:
50% primed with the rest being pushed on this next week, hopefully will be ready for final painting the week after. I've been putting some pressure on the body's hop to finally give the car the attention it needs and finally they seem to be responding..... Photo's to follow next week....
Fantastic.

lordlee

3,137 posts

246 months

Sunday 11th November 2012
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Top work and thank you very much for taking the time out to share it all with us.

Blue62

8,897 posts

153 months

Monday 12th November 2012
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You should write a book Chad, absolutley stunning preparation, photo's and words, best thread on PH.

V41LEY

2,895 posts

239 months

Wednesday 14th November 2012
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First comment on this thread and I am in awe !
Surely an inspiration to all home restorers.
  1. EPIC as they say
One question I have is how the amount of filler on the doors (Page 7) does not affect the lines of the car as
showing on the first page ? Why did it need so much filler ? Had the door profiles changed over the years ?
Just curious.....


It is going to be an absolute stunner. Thanks for the thread.


Chad speed

Original Poster:

438 posts

198 months

Wednesday 14th November 2012
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V41LEY said:
First comment on this thread and I am in awe !
Surely an inspiration to all home restorers.
  1. EPIC as they say
One question I have is how the amount of filler on the doors (Page 7) does not affect the lines of the car as
showing on the first page ? Why did it need so much filler ? Had the door profiles changed over the years ?
Just curious.....


It is going to be an absolute stunner. Thanks for the thread.

Well spotted Jon, the previous bodger had cut the bottoms of the door skins off and beaten back what remained before brazing new lower skins on. The new pieces were made from more or less flat sheet, hence the massive amount of filler required to regain the original curve

V41LEY

2,895 posts

239 months

Thursday 15th November 2012
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Thanks for that. With your experience would you say that is a common practice ? Seems to me a much more
labour intensive fix than just replacing the whole skin and forming to the correct profile.
Were all the bodges done at the same time or has the car been through a series of dubious restorers ?

Pied Piper

1,388 posts

248 months

Thursday 15th November 2012
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I have just sat and read through this, what fantastic work, can't wait to see the finished car.

Thank you

Chad speed

Original Poster:

438 posts

198 months

Thursday 15th November 2012
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V41LEY said:
Thanks for that. With your experience would you say that is a common practice ? Seems to me a much more
labour intensive fix than just replacing the whole skin and forming to the correct profile.
Were all the bodges done at the same time or has the car been through a series of dubious restorers ?
Not sure if its common practice per-say but on this car both doors and the lower half of the offside front wing had suffered the panel on panel treatment. I guess the lack of replacement panels might lead a back street body shop to turn a quick buck this way, just hope that the owner that paid for it didn't think he was getting a decent job.
I think that the doors, both front lower wings, four wheel arches, headlight pods, bonnet, nose and lower wings behind the rear wheels were bodged at the same time as they were all brazed which is just about the most unsuitable metal jointing method you could choose for thin sheet metal.

P5Nij

675 posts

173 months

Thursday 15th November 2012
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Just a quickie... went along with a mate to the NEC this afternoon as he was taking his SD1 to put on the club stand, went for a good old wander round so's to get as many uncluttered photos as possible before the crowds arrive tomorrow... I grabbed a few shot's of this gorgeous machine on the Maserati club stand and stared at it for several minutesm quite literally agog with envy...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21403537@N00/81891356...

Superlatives are almost pointless when confronted with something manmade and this beautiful...