1969 Maserati Ghibli - The Resurection
Discussion
Reading this has bought my teenage ( Late Dads Ghibli ) memories flooding back.....god that car was gorgeous, that early New Year's Day morning run back through Londons West End ( Jan 1st 1974 ) is still so vivid.
Michael Ware kindly featured my apeal for info as to where it is now, it in his Column in C and S Magazine a couple of issues back, but I havnt had any one contact me so far. I'm determined to see that Oro Gold Ghibli again One day.
Michael Ware kindly featured my apeal for info as to where it is now, it in his Column in C and S Magazine a couple of issues back, but I havnt had any one contact me so far. I'm determined to see that Oro Gold Ghibli again One day.
GoGoGhibli said:
Here I am! back from the day job attempting to fund the purchase of more Maserati parts! Regarding the replica petrol/oil cap, I was lucky in having one very good example of it on my car, but one very scrappy one. They are indeed Bakelite on a brass core and suitably weighty. After a bit of experimentation, I took a mould from the good one with RTV silicone and stripped the bakelite outer from the other with a chisel.
I then found a great two part polyurethane casting resin on Ebay, it is self coloured black, and has the viscosity of water, so it follows the mould perfectly. It also sets in 20 minutes.
After pouring a suitable quantity into the mould, I then lowered the core into it, making sure it was true and centered with a VERY basic jig. Once the resin sets, it is easy to peel off the flexible mould, and Voila, a new cap.
I have just remade a run of the original (and unobtainable) vent knobs using the same method. It is quite easy to try really, and quite satisfying.
Best regards to all.
Mark.
I then found a great two part polyurethane casting resin on Ebay, it is self coloured black, and has the viscosity of water, so it follows the mould perfectly. It also sets in 20 minutes.
After pouring a suitable quantity into the mould, I then lowered the core into it, making sure it was true and centered with a VERY basic jig. Once the resin sets, it is easy to peel off the flexible mould, and Voila, a new cap.
I have just remade a run of the original (and unobtainable) vent knobs using the same method. It is quite easy to try really, and quite satisfying.
Best regards to all.
Mark.
Excellent, and first class result. I've a heater vent knob missing on mine and quite fancy a little project like that. I love this thread, inspiration on every page 
Paul
Whow, simply Whow. What a mahooosive project you took on there. (and caried through!)
As I am lying ill with the flu at the moment I had the time to read most of this...
1. To be a little constructive: Concerning that bubbling top coat. Get a paintshop expert there
to assess the situation. There must be a fellow Maserati nerd, who is as good with colors and paint as
you are with panels and the wood hammer. On my monitor it makes me think, that indeed moisture was trapped
between the coats. Getting it out in an unheated garage in January seems questionable. So it might be time
for you to trade a little of your panel beating against some paint expertise.
2. Color decision:
I do salute you for not spraying it "resale red, but darker" and for trying to get as close as possible to the original. Sadly solvent based colors are widely banned now, so a recreation of the original would always leave something to be desired. Using the formula for a water based Fiat color was a sensible option.
Why nobody was able to help you with a formula for that verde bosco is a little bit of an enigma to me.
15 years ago I used to work for the mother company of Spies Hecker,and I am positively certain, that we had the color formulas for 70ies Maseratis in written spec sheets according to the old color charts.
I do remember though, that those were mostly shades of blue and brown.
Todays online Data Base doesn't reveal anything about the green colors you were looking for, which either means there was no information on them or it wasn't already entered online due to no demand.
Standox and Spies do have a strong customer support for the classic car scene concerning the transformation of old color formulas into nowadays water based coats. Unfortunately many sales agents are a little reluctant using it, as they see prepping the masses of silver and black lease cars as their business.
Helping a guy to spray his Maserati in his garage is not reflected in their business model.
If anyone needs some more info on Standox classix and experts who can help start here:
http://52.124.1.112/portal/en?page=4.9.1_Services_...
or: www.standox.com -> classic cars
But with the period Fiat color you are reasonably close and if it can stay it will be the best solution, anyway.
3. The depth ot the project.
Whow. When looking at that first picture of the car I was well aware, that there was a lot of bondo under
the waistline. But even as a trained industrial designer, who thinks he has an eye for panel transitions I didn't suspect it to be THAT bad. How on earth do you get so much of this stuff sticking together and forming a halfway coherent shape? Using flat panels for the doors and bondoing them up to the curve is a strike of a genious in itself.
I am deeply impressed with your resurrection of the shell. Most restaurations of those cars are nowadays
done by professionals, who farm out the hard labour to Tijuana or Poland within a strict budget. Nevertheless the cars get auctioned off as class 1 jobs. I somehow doubt those to be as thoroughly done behind the sheet metal as your car. A true labour of love.
4. 70ies Maserati Quality
When I was in my 20ies I ran a hot Alfasud Sprint and sometimes dreamed it to be a Maserati of the same vintage (and designer). On one of my trips I passed a small Maserati restauration shop, that I had not clue about before, and came to a screaching halt. When the owner saw me nosing around he opend up to a very frank conversation. He more or less wented off, that if I had any brains I should take that rusting Alfasud as an experience and stop dreaming about a Maserati. He pointed out, how the coachworks had more or less the same weak points and how both cars were stunning designs, but sadly cobbled together out of less than suitable material qualities. He even told me about him rebuilding the engines with "corvette parts" as the old italian
Borgo? stuff was crapp then and crapp now. Within that hour this old craftsman told me a lesson I never forgot.
These cars were built as fashion items, not as roling sculptures, that should be passed on to the next generation.
Getting one of them back together and onto the next level like you are doing is no trifle and may allow for
some more time than you (and your wife) originaly expected. You have already come a long way and I wish you all the best for the finale.
Get that blistering sorted and the car on the road!
Martin 480 Turbo
P.S.: May I ask you Chad Speed, just out of curiosity, what zodiac sign you were born? I'd
guess you have to bee sagittarius or taurus if your persistance (stubbornness) with turning
that Maserati around is any hint.
As I am lying ill with the flu at the moment I had the time to read most of this...
1. To be a little constructive: Concerning that bubbling top coat. Get a paintshop expert there
to assess the situation. There must be a fellow Maserati nerd, who is as good with colors and paint as
you are with panels and the wood hammer. On my monitor it makes me think, that indeed moisture was trapped
between the coats. Getting it out in an unheated garage in January seems questionable. So it might be time
for you to trade a little of your panel beating against some paint expertise.
2. Color decision:
I do salute you for not spraying it "resale red, but darker" and for trying to get as close as possible to the original. Sadly solvent based colors are widely banned now, so a recreation of the original would always leave something to be desired. Using the formula for a water based Fiat color was a sensible option.
Why nobody was able to help you with a formula for that verde bosco is a little bit of an enigma to me.
15 years ago I used to work for the mother company of Spies Hecker,and I am positively certain, that we had the color formulas for 70ies Maseratis in written spec sheets according to the old color charts.
I do remember though, that those were mostly shades of blue and brown.
Todays online Data Base doesn't reveal anything about the green colors you were looking for, which either means there was no information on them or it wasn't already entered online due to no demand.
Standox and Spies do have a strong customer support for the classic car scene concerning the transformation of old color formulas into nowadays water based coats. Unfortunately many sales agents are a little reluctant using it, as they see prepping the masses of silver and black lease cars as their business.
Helping a guy to spray his Maserati in his garage is not reflected in their business model.
If anyone needs some more info on Standox classix and experts who can help start here:
http://52.124.1.112/portal/en?page=4.9.1_Services_...
or: www.standox.com -> classic cars
But with the period Fiat color you are reasonably close and if it can stay it will be the best solution, anyway.
3. The depth ot the project.
Whow. When looking at that first picture of the car I was well aware, that there was a lot of bondo under
the waistline. But even as a trained industrial designer, who thinks he has an eye for panel transitions I didn't suspect it to be THAT bad. How on earth do you get so much of this stuff sticking together and forming a halfway coherent shape? Using flat panels for the doors and bondoing them up to the curve is a strike of a genious in itself.
I am deeply impressed with your resurrection of the shell. Most restaurations of those cars are nowadays
done by professionals, who farm out the hard labour to Tijuana or Poland within a strict budget. Nevertheless the cars get auctioned off as class 1 jobs. I somehow doubt those to be as thoroughly done behind the sheet metal as your car. A true labour of love.
4. 70ies Maserati Quality
When I was in my 20ies I ran a hot Alfasud Sprint and sometimes dreamed it to be a Maserati of the same vintage (and designer). On one of my trips I passed a small Maserati restauration shop, that I had not clue about before, and came to a screaching halt. When the owner saw me nosing around he opend up to a very frank conversation. He more or less wented off, that if I had any brains I should take that rusting Alfasud as an experience and stop dreaming about a Maserati. He pointed out, how the coachworks had more or less the same weak points and how both cars were stunning designs, but sadly cobbled together out of less than suitable material qualities. He even told me about him rebuilding the engines with "corvette parts" as the old italian
Borgo? stuff was crapp then and crapp now. Within that hour this old craftsman told me a lesson I never forgot.
These cars were built as fashion items, not as roling sculptures, that should be passed on to the next generation.
Getting one of them back together and onto the next level like you are doing is no trifle and may allow for
some more time than you (and your wife) originaly expected. You have already come a long way and I wish you all the best for the finale.
Get that blistering sorted and the car on the road!
Martin 480 Turbo
P.S.: May I ask you Chad Speed, just out of curiosity, what zodiac sign you were born? I'd
guess you have to bee sagittarius or taurus if your persistance (stubbornness) with turning
that Maserati around is any hint.
Martin 480 Turbo said:
Whow, simply Whow. What a mahooosive project you took on there. (and caried through!)
As I am lying ill with the flu at the moment I had the time to read most of this...
1. To be a little constructive: Concerning that bubbling top coat. Get a paintshop expert there
to assess the situation. There must be a fellow Maserati nerd, who is as good with colors and paint as
you are with panels and the wood hammer. On my monitor it makes me think, that indeed moisture was trapped
between the coats. Getting it out in an unheated garage in January seems questionable. So it might be time
for you to trade a little of your panel beating against some paint expertise.
2. Color decision:
I do salute you for not spraying it "resale red, but darker" and for trying to get as close as possible to the original. Sadly solvent based colors are widely banned now, so a recreation of the original would always leave something to be desired. Using the formula for a water based Fiat color was a sensible option.
Why nobody was able to help you with a formula for that verde bosco is a little bit of an enigma to me.
15 years ago I used to work for the mother company of Spies Hecker,and I am positively certain, that we had the color formulas for 70ies Maseratis in written spec sheets according to the old color charts.
I do remember though, that those were mostly shades of blue and brown.
Todays online Data Base doesn't reveal anything about the green colors you were looking for, which either means there was no information on them or it wasn't already entered online due to no demand.
Standox and Spies do have a strong customer support for the classic car scene concerning the transformation of old color formulas into nowadays water based coats. Unfortunately many sales agents are a little reluctant using it, as they see prepping the masses of silver and black lease cars as their business.
Helping a guy to spray his Maserati in his garage is not reflected in their business model.
If anyone needs some more info on Standox classix and experts who can help start here:
http://52.124.1.112/portal/en?page=4.9.1_Services_...
or: www.standox.com -> classic cars
But with the period Fiat color you are reasonably close and if it can stay it will be the best solution, anyway.
3. The depth ot the project.
Whow. When looking at that first picture of the car I was well aware, that there was a lot of bondo under
the waistline. But even as a trained industrial designer, who thinks he has an eye for panel transitions I didn't suspect it to be THAT bad. How on earth do you get so much of this stuff sticking together and forming a halfway coherent shape? Using flat panels for the doors and bondoing them up to the curve is a strike of a genious in itself.
I am deeply impressed with your resurrection of the shell. Most restaurations of those cars are nowadays
done by professionals, who farm out the hard labour to Tijuana or Poland within a strict budget. Nevertheless the cars get auctioned off as class 1 jobs. I somehow doubt those to be as thoroughly done behind the sheet metal as your car. A true labour of love.
4. 70ies Maserati Quality
When I was in my 20ies I ran a hot Alfasud Sprint and sometimes dreamed it to be a Maserati of the same vintage (and designer). On one of my trips I passed a small Maserati restauration shop, that I had not clue about before, and came to a screaching halt. When the owner saw me nosing around he opend up to a very frank conversation. He more or less wented off, that if I had any brains I should take that rusting Alfasud as an experience and stop dreaming about a Maserati. He pointed out, how the coachworks had more or less the same weak points and how both cars were stunning designs, but sadly cobbled together out of less than suitable material qualities. He even told me about him rebuilding the engines with "corvette parts" as the old italian
Borgo? stuff was crapp then and crapp now. Within that hour this old craftsman told me a lesson I never forgot.
These cars were built as fashion items, not as roling sculptures, that should be passed on to the next generation.
Getting one of them back together and onto the next level like you are doing is no trifle and may allow for
some more time than you (and your wife) originaly expected. You have already come a long way and I wish you all the best for the finale.
Get that blistering sorted and the car on the road!
Martin 480 Turbo
P.S.: May I ask you Chad Speed, just out of curiosity, what zodiac sign you were born? I'd
guess you have to bee sagittarius or taurus if your persistance (stubbornness) with turning
that Maserati around is any hint.
Hi MartinAs I am lying ill with the flu at the moment I had the time to read most of this...
1. To be a little constructive: Concerning that bubbling top coat. Get a paintshop expert there
to assess the situation. There must be a fellow Maserati nerd, who is as good with colors and paint as
you are with panels and the wood hammer. On my monitor it makes me think, that indeed moisture was trapped
between the coats. Getting it out in an unheated garage in January seems questionable. So it might be time
for you to trade a little of your panel beating against some paint expertise.
2. Color decision:
I do salute you for not spraying it "resale red, but darker" and for trying to get as close as possible to the original. Sadly solvent based colors are widely banned now, so a recreation of the original would always leave something to be desired. Using the formula for a water based Fiat color was a sensible option.
Why nobody was able to help you with a formula for that verde bosco is a little bit of an enigma to me.
15 years ago I used to work for the mother company of Spies Hecker,and I am positively certain, that we had the color formulas for 70ies Maseratis in written spec sheets according to the old color charts.
I do remember though, that those were mostly shades of blue and brown.
Todays online Data Base doesn't reveal anything about the green colors you were looking for, which either means there was no information on them or it wasn't already entered online due to no demand.
Standox and Spies do have a strong customer support for the classic car scene concerning the transformation of old color formulas into nowadays water based coats. Unfortunately many sales agents are a little reluctant using it, as they see prepping the masses of silver and black lease cars as their business.
Helping a guy to spray his Maserati in his garage is not reflected in their business model.
If anyone needs some more info on Standox classix and experts who can help start here:
http://52.124.1.112/portal/en?page=4.9.1_Services_...
or: www.standox.com -> classic cars
But with the period Fiat color you are reasonably close and if it can stay it will be the best solution, anyway.
3. The depth ot the project.
Whow. When looking at that first picture of the car I was well aware, that there was a lot of bondo under
the waistline. But even as a trained industrial designer, who thinks he has an eye for panel transitions I didn't suspect it to be THAT bad. How on earth do you get so much of this stuff sticking together and forming a halfway coherent shape? Using flat panels for the doors and bondoing them up to the curve is a strike of a genious in itself.
I am deeply impressed with your resurrection of the shell. Most restaurations of those cars are nowadays
done by professionals, who farm out the hard labour to Tijuana or Poland within a strict budget. Nevertheless the cars get auctioned off as class 1 jobs. I somehow doubt those to be as thoroughly done behind the sheet metal as your car. A true labour of love.
4. 70ies Maserati Quality
When I was in my 20ies I ran a hot Alfasud Sprint and sometimes dreamed it to be a Maserati of the same vintage (and designer). On one of my trips I passed a small Maserati restauration shop, that I had not clue about before, and came to a screaching halt. When the owner saw me nosing around he opend up to a very frank conversation. He more or less wented off, that if I had any brains I should take that rusting Alfasud as an experience and stop dreaming about a Maserati. He pointed out, how the coachworks had more or less the same weak points and how both cars were stunning designs, but sadly cobbled together out of less than suitable material qualities. He even told me about him rebuilding the engines with "corvette parts" as the old italian
Borgo? stuff was crapp then and crapp now. Within that hour this old craftsman told me a lesson I never forgot.
These cars were built as fashion items, not as roling sculptures, that should be passed on to the next generation.
Getting one of them back together and onto the next level like you are doing is no trifle and may allow for
some more time than you (and your wife) originaly expected. You have already come a long way and I wish you all the best for the finale.
Get that blistering sorted and the car on the road!
Martin 480 Turbo
P.S.: May I ask you Chad Speed, just out of curiosity, what zodiac sign you were born? I'd
guess you have to bee sagittarius or taurus if your persistance (stubbornness) with turning
that Maserati around is any hint.
The problems with the paint have been identified now and rectification is under-way (though thanks for the pointers);
1 Blistering on the nearside front wing was due to a couple of things, contamination under the primer coat and insufficient drying time between filler/primer coats. Rectification was to strip back and repaint and has been successful.
2 Hazing in the clear coat is air entrapment due to over heavy film thickness and incorrect spraying distance (damn garage is too small), evidenced by it only appearing on vertical panels on the shell. Rectification is to respray base and colour coats when the weather allows.
Happily moisture wasn't the cause of either problem.
I'm still a way off getting the painting finished as its now a waiting game with the weather but rest assured if I'm not happy with it I'll pack it off to a spray booth to get it done by a pro, or do it again myself in a spray booth as I now feel the spraying environment is all that's holding me back - as ever I'll post progress.
Hope you're feeling better and glad the thread brought a bit of light entertainment.
Chadspeed
Cancer BTW
Roger, I have been lying in bed for a few days with flu and nothing to do except trawl the internet. I am flabbergasted by what you have done. I think when it's finished you should arrange a meet solely around the unveiling of this beautiful car. I'm fairly local to you in west kent, but I'm sure I'm not the only one on this thread who would love to see it in the flesh (and sit in it!) and shake your hand.
Can't wait for the next instalment.
Joel
Can't wait for the next instalment.
Joel
Nobody else arround, having the flu aswell? It is THE thing to have!
which on the way back could allow for a little deroute into the Netherlands
to Brummen. The guy has two Ghiblis there at the Moment. Look totally different
quality on the pictures, but are close in price.
Chad, if you need any encouragement for your project look at the red one:
http://www.thegallerybrummen.nl/de_DE/autobedrijf/...
I'll reserve final judgement until I see it in person but the pics are not really
convincing for the price. You paid under 10K for the projects car? Well done !
Martin
which on the way back could allow for a little deroute into the Netherlands
to Brummen. The guy has two Ghiblis there at the Moment. Look totally different
quality on the pictures, but are close in price.
Chad, if you need any encouragement for your project look at the red one:
http://www.thegallerybrummen.nl/de_DE/autobedrijf/...
I'll reserve final judgement until I see it in person but the pics are not really
convincing for the price. You paid under 10K for the projects car? Well done !
Martin
Saw this and thought of you... 1968 MASERATI GHIBLI HISTORIC RACE CAR
Looking forward to the next installment...
Looking forward to the next installment...
Having spent a large part of today reading this thread I want to thank you for sharing with us. I am both inspired and awed by what you have achieved. I am a life long petrolhead, but have only just started to do jobs on my cars. As such my milestone of changing front pads without help is some way behind "made new door skin"!
Not much happening of late and likely to be that way for a while. A planned house move this year is mopping up any spare time and I'm currently laid up with a trapped nerve in my lower back, for me its 'no work' = 'no pay' so a double whammy.
A little progress has been made making a new mesh insert for the front grille but I'll leave posting that till its done.
In preparing for the house move its been suggested that I find a new home for 25 years worth of classic car magazines, so if anyone would like them for a small contribution to the 'Resurrection' fund please PM me.
A little progress has been made making a new mesh insert for the front grille but I'll leave posting that till its done.
In preparing for the house move its been suggested that I find a new home for 25 years worth of classic car magazines, so if anyone would like them for a small contribution to the 'Resurrection' fund please PM me.
Wish you a speedy recovery, Chad Speed, i can imagine what your going through, I am having various health problem at the mo too, ( inc my back ) which are causing me huge agg. Waiting for a date for an op at the moment.
I havnt had any response to my appeal in C and S re AM115 100. Guessing its tucked away somewhere .
I havnt had any response to my appeal in C and S re AM115 100. Guessing its tucked away somewhere .
Hi Chad,
This is a truely epic restoration!
Seeing the car in the metal.. it looks awesome.. when you said you'd been restoring it I didn't quite imagine the lengths you'd gone to until reading the thread!
Look forward to seeing and hearing it on the road!
Cheers
Mike
p.s. really pleased with the frame!
This is a truely epic restoration!
Seeing the car in the metal.. it looks awesome.. when you said you'd been restoring it I didn't quite imagine the lengths you'd gone to until reading the thread!
Look forward to seeing and hearing it on the road!
Cheers
Mike
p.s. really pleased with the frame!
Chad speed said:
Craikeybaby said:
I'm in Paris at the moment and at the Maserati gallery on the Champs Élysées they have a gorgeous Ghibli as you go in which reminded me of this thread.
Any chance of a pic?https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Champs+Elysee+Ma...
Even a couple of videos - I'll check if they show it now.
doogalman said:
it's been very quiet of late. Any updates on the Ghibli??
Very little progress for a number of reasons, one being a trapped nerve, another being the house is up for sale. I've been informed that a dismembered car on the patio wont encourage viewers to make an offer so I've had to be content with clearing 19 years worth of junk in the mean time. I have sold the Tuscan (sadly as that is one awesome car) so when it goes this weekend I'll have the space to re-commence work. The final finishing of the paint will have to wait until we move so I'm going to start making a frame to transport the engine/gearbox in, it will also double up as a test bed so I can run it up before fitting.Best wishes all and pics to follow as usual.
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