1965 Maserati Sebring I Coupe

Coachwork by Vignale

3,485 CC DOHC Inline 6-Cylinder Engine
Triple Weber DCOE Carburetors (see text)
235bhp at 5,500rpm
5-Speed Manual Transmission (see text)
Independent Front Suspension - Live Rear Axle
4-Wheel Disc Brakes

*One of Only 348 Series I Sebrings produced
*Over $130,000 in receipts of file
*Exceptional Candidate for Tours and Classic Rallies
*Giovanni Michelotti-Designed Coachwork by Vignale

THE MASERATI SEBRING

Introduced in 1962, the Sebring was one of the final manifestations of the landmark 3500GT, which had been the linchpin of Maserati's program to establish itself as a manufacturer of road cars. A luxury 2+2, the 3500GT drew heavily on Maserati's competition experience, employing a tubular chassis frame and an engine derived from the 350S sports car unit of 1956. Suspension was independent at the front by wishbones and coil springs, while at the back there was a conventional live axle/semi-elliptic arrangement. The twin-overhead-camshaft, six-cylinder engine was a close relative of that used in the 250F and developed around 220bhp initially, later examples producing 235bhp on Lucas mechanical fuel injection. Built initially with drum brakes and four-speed transmission, the 3500 GT was progressively updated, gaining five speeds, front disc brakes and, finally, all-disc braking.

Built on the short-wheelbase chassis of the Spider and likewise styled by Vignale, the Sebring Coupe arrived in 1962. By now a five-speed ZF gearbox, four-wheel disc brakes and fuel injection were standard equipment, with automatic transmission, air conditioning and a limited-slip differential available as options. With a hefty price tag, the new Maserati was some 22% more expensive than the contemporary Aston Martin DB5, its closest rival. Production ended in 1966, by which time 591 Sebrings had been built, 348 of which were in the more desirable first series.

THE MOTORCAR OFFERED

One of the most elegant and understated Grand Touring cars of the 1960s, the Maserati Sebring offered here is the much sought-after Series 1 model. Delivered new to Rome in September of 1964 as a 1965 model year example, it would remain in Europe briefly before making its way to the West Coast in the 1970s into the collection of a Wells Fargo executive. In the late '70s, the Maserati joined the garage of fellow Californian Carlos Maduro. A passionate enthusiast, Maduro restored the car in his ownership before eventually selling it to Texas in 1998. In 2001, collector Gary Pace of Ft. Worth, Texas acquired the car as a driver with a replacement engine and triple Weber carburetors in place of the original Lucas fuel injection system. Pace promptly sent the Sebring to well-regarded restorer Bob Smith Coachworks of Gainesville, Texas for extensive cosmetic and mechanical service. Among the nearly $118,000 in Bob Smith Coachworks receipts on file from 2001 until 2011—with the bulk of receipts from 2001-2005—are records of a carburetor and engine rebuild, fitment of a newly-sourced and rebuilt 5-speed manual transmission, service to the period correct aftermarket A/C system, and lots of cosmetic detail work. Pace, an enthusiastic tourer, enjoyed the car until 2013 when he sold it to the present, East Coast owner.

Since acquiring the car, it has been regularly serviced at Aston Martin of New England, with over $15,000 in service receipts accumulated since purchase. The car has been on numerous tours, including the 2016 and 2017 New England 1000 rallies, as well as the Larz Anderson Mototour 2016-2019. Accompanying the sale are nearly 80 pages of receipts detailing the $134,000+ in service completed in the last score of years, the tool pouch, and the jack. A tried-and-true event car (for which this writer has witnessed it in action on a few tours!), this Sebring will no doubt provide the next lucky owner many happy miles on any number of lovely events such as the Copperstate 1000, Going to the Sun Rally, Texas 1000, Mountain Mille, and more.