1969 Maserati Ghibli - The Resurection
Discussion
The rear axle on the Ghibli is essentially a Maserati manufactured item with a Salisbury 4HA differential and casing which could be ordered with the Powerlok limited slip set-up - which it has. The rebuild started with removal of all the main items for checking/reconditioning.
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Axle ready for stripping off all the old 1980's red Hammerite. The axle as you see it here was sent to the nice chaps at Hardy Engineering to remove the stub axles from the half shafts, all the pullers I tried failed and it needed their hydraulic tools. Whilst there it received new input and output seals and was given a good checking over. They reported all was good and it had seen only low use, this is consistent with other mechanical parts inspected.
Stripped and surface prepared ready for primer.
Primer applied
The leaf springs were cosmetically poor and needed new eye and shackle bushes.
Leaf spring disassembled ready for blasting, painting and new plastic rubbing strips.
The brake calipers are Girling and I'd previously had them blasted and plated. It was rather disapointing to see them rusting so badly in storage so I planned to have them blasted and powder coated, not original but hopefully more durable and at least they are not visible with the wheels on the car.
New stainless steel caliper pistons.
The hand brake uses a seperate set of pads to the foot brake, these are the components ready for refurbishment.
Next post, reassembly.
.Axle ready for stripping off all the old 1980's red Hammerite. The axle as you see it here was sent to the nice chaps at Hardy Engineering to remove the stub axles from the half shafts, all the pullers I tried failed and it needed their hydraulic tools. Whilst there it received new input and output seals and was given a good checking over. They reported all was good and it had seen only low use, this is consistent with other mechanical parts inspected.
Stripped and surface prepared ready for primer.
Primer applied
The leaf springs were cosmetically poor and needed new eye and shackle bushes.
Leaf spring disassembled ready for blasting, painting and new plastic rubbing strips.
The brake calipers are Girling and I'd previously had them blasted and plated. It was rather disapointing to see them rusting so badly in storage so I planned to have them blasted and powder coated, not original but hopefully more durable and at least they are not visible with the wheels on the car.
New stainless steel caliper pistons.
The hand brake uses a seperate set of pads to the foot brake, these are the components ready for refurbishment.
Next post, reassembly.
uk66fastback said:
Were these items, the leaf springs and axle, painted or powder coated originally from the factory?
That's a good question that I don't know the answer to. Whilst powder coating did exist in the 60's I doubt Maserati would have been an early adopter, a standard chassis black seems to be what I've seen on original cars, certainly they paid little attention to rust prevention of any sort, I found concealed area's of the body that had never seen any paint - ever. Paint types and colours did vary through production, some cars had the differential cover painted orange for example.The dampers front and rear were cosmetically poor but with no rust on the shafts or leaks and they seemed to function OK, as much as you can tell operating them by hand. So they have been refurbished with new bushes and paint, once I get to drive the car we will see how they are, its not too difficult to replace them later if required. They were made by RIV but Koni's were fitted as well, I'm not sure if this was an option but the Koni's seem to be favoured today.
One front and one rear stripped of paint and bushes removed, they would have been pale green originally.
In pretty good nick once the rust had been removed
Etch primed ready for top coat.
Calipers front and rear powder coated and awaiting rebuild.
Disc bells, back plates etc powder coated (some front suspension bits there as well just to confuse things)
Checking runout, It was a couple of thou either side which seemed acceptable - or was it?
Once the discs had been fitted to the bells and then the bells to the hub I was getting up to 16 thou runout. A day of swapping bits around, clocking every thing, marking up etc as there were about 30 combinations I achieved 4 thou one side and 6 the other. Not ideal but workable, I wonder what the tolerance was when it left the factory? In-situ skimming is a possibility if needed but I think it should be OK.
Discs, calipers, ARB with drop links, torque reaction arm and brakes pipe all installed
Leaf springs powder coated, new Silentbloc bushes fitted (I served my Engineering apprenticeship there in the 1980's), black rubbing strip installed with PTFE dry film lubricant and new bend over clamps.
I thought long and hard about powder coat on the leaf springs. Would the paint crack? well with the axle installed on the car but no dampers the leafs slide over each other beautifully with the rubbing strip and dry film lube, and the paint is all in tact as well. Only time will tell if its the right choice but so far so good and its not irreversible.
So here we are all assembled up and ready to fit to the car, I have some nice replica RIV stickers for the dampers once its fitted.
Front suspension next
One front and one rear stripped of paint and bushes removed, they would have been pale green originally.
In pretty good nick once the rust had been removed
Etch primed ready for top coat.
Calipers front and rear powder coated and awaiting rebuild.
Disc bells, back plates etc powder coated (some front suspension bits there as well just to confuse things)
Checking runout, It was a couple of thou either side which seemed acceptable - or was it?
Once the discs had been fitted to the bells and then the bells to the hub I was getting up to 16 thou runout. A day of swapping bits around, clocking every thing, marking up etc as there were about 30 combinations I achieved 4 thou one side and 6 the other. Not ideal but workable, I wonder what the tolerance was when it left the factory? In-situ skimming is a possibility if needed but I think it should be OK.
Discs, calipers, ARB with drop links, torque reaction arm and brakes pipe all installed
Leaf springs powder coated, new Silentbloc bushes fitted (I served my Engineering apprenticeship there in the 1980's), black rubbing strip installed with PTFE dry film lubricant and new bend over clamps.
I thought long and hard about powder coat on the leaf springs. Would the paint crack? well with the axle installed on the car but no dampers the leafs slide over each other beautifully with the rubbing strip and dry film lube, and the paint is all in tact as well. Only time will tell if its the right choice but so far so good and its not irreversible.
So here we are all assembled up and ready to fit to the car, I have some nice replica RIV stickers for the dampers once its fitted.
Front suspension next
The problem with powder coating is that any crack or scratch that goes through to the metal surface allows moisture between the powder coat and the metal component. This allows extensive rusting to take place that is hidden by the structural cohesiveness of the powder coat. A small area of visible rust can be the sign of a large area of actual rust. The TVR forum has plenty of images to illustrate this, where extensive chassis damage has been concealed by powder coating. Springs seem to me very likely to suffer damage to the powder coating.
Gareth9702 said:
The problem with powder coating is that any crack or scratch that goes through to the metal surface allows moisture between the powder coat and the metal component. This allows extensive rusting to take place that is hidden by the structural cohesiveness of the powder coat. A small area of visible rust can be the sign of a large area of actual rust. The TVR forum has plenty of images to illustrate this, where extensive chassis damage has been concealed by powder coating. Springs seem to me very likely to suffer damage to the powder coating.
Is this why the TVR Cerberas have so many chassis issues (rotting) from the factory?Welshbeef said:
Gareth9702 said:
The problem with powder coating is that any crack or scratch that goes through to the metal surface allows moisture between the powder coat and the metal component. This allows extensive rusting to take place that is hidden by the structural cohesiveness of the powder coat. A small area of visible rust can be the sign of a large area of actual rust. The TVR forum has plenty of images to illustrate this, where extensive chassis damage has been concealed by powder coating. Springs seem to me very likely to suffer damage to the powder coating.
Is this why the TVR Cerberas have so many chassis issues (rotting) from the factory?RicksAlfas said:
Great to see the thread back up and confirmation that many Italian classics look better in colours other than red!
Please can I ask where you got the bands which hold the brake pipes to the rear axle? :
My Alfa has a similar setup and I really don't want plastic tie wraps on it.
MIE in the USA sell them, Bill McGrath Maserati in the UK might as well.Please can I ask where you got the bands which hold the brake pipes to the rear axle? :
My Alfa has a similar setup and I really don't want plastic tie wraps on it.
https://maseratinet.com/maserati/ghibli/15186-brak...
I can measure the diameter of the axle tube if you want?
Hope this helps
Chad speed said:
MIE in the USA sell them, Bill McGrath Maserati in the UK might as well.
https://maseratinet.com/maserati/ghibli/15186-brak...
I can measure the diameter of the axle tube if you want?
Hope this helps
Thanks very much. According to that link it says 2.5" ID so I will check that against mine this weekend.https://maseratinet.com/maserati/ghibli/15186-brak...
I can measure the diameter of the axle tube if you want?
Hope this helps
What a stunning Ghibli, the colour really suits it very well!
Now that you mention it, I should really use these on my Giulia as well!
RicksAlfas said:
Thanks very much. According to that link it says 2.5" ID so I will check that against mine this weekend.
Jaguar seemed to have used those as well (unsure of the size): https://mossmotors.com/clamp-brake-pipes-to-rear-a...Now that you mention it, I should really use these on my Giulia as well!
Chad speed said:
RicksAlfas said:
Alfa back axle tube is 2.5” as well.
Good info Rick thanksInteresting to see the Maserati vs Alfa price for essentially the same product.
Is David Askew, the Maserati parts chap, still going? He’s dug me out of some parts holes with my S4 Spider and, IIRC, a Selespeed 156 GTA.
psi310398 said:
Ironically, over the years, I have often found that the cognate Maserati part can be either cheaper than, or simply available in comparison to, the Alfa ricambi.
Is David Askew, the Maserati parts chap, still going? He’s dug me out of some parts holes with my S4 Spider and, IIRC, a Selespeed 156 GTA.
I'm not sure if Dave is still going, the last update on his website seems to be 2017. However Dave only really did Biturbo era cars and spares and then later into the 3200 & 4200 era, very little from the 70's and nothing in the 60's which the Ghibli is from.Is David Askew, the Maserati parts chap, still going? He’s dug me out of some parts holes with my S4 Spider and, IIRC, a Selespeed 156 GTA.
He did a good job keeping the Biturbo cars on the road through a time when they were low in value and unloved.
Chad speed said:
psi310398 said:
Ironically, over the years, I have often found that the cognate Maserati part can be either cheaper than, or simply available in comparison to, the Alfa ricambi.
Is David Askew, the Maserati parts chap, still going? He’s dug me out of some parts holes with my S4 Spider and, IIRC, a Selespeed 156 GTA.
I'm not sure if Dave is still going, the last update on his website seems to be 2017. However Dave only really did Biturbo era cars and spares and then later into the 3200 & 4200 era, very little from the 70's and nothing in the 60's which the Ghibli is from.Is David Askew, the Maserati parts chap, still going? He’s dug me out of some parts holes with my S4 Spider and, IIRC, a Selespeed 156 GTA.
He did a good job keeping the Biturbo cars on the road through a time when they were low in value and unloved.
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