Fantasy Junction

Description

1949 Maserati A6 1500 Coupe
s/n 078, Engine no. 078
Dark Blue with Red Interior

From the moment of inception, Maserati set out to be more than a racing car company. The Maserati brothers were dedicated enthusiasts, but they were also passionate artisans and engineers – a rare combination of these disparate skills. This artful engineering, a great part of Italian culture, was truly embodied in their cars. Maserati built some of the finest racing cars for decades, even while under different ownership. The often-underfunded company competed handsomely against giants of industry, winning world racing titles, including a rare win at the Indy 500.

In the late 1940s, Maserati began developing cars with more of an emphasis on dual-purpose - capable of performance achievement but also beautifully appointed street or touring cars. As technology improved and wealthy customers emerged for these cars, Maserati enjoyed a robust following in both motorsports and on the showroom floor.

In September 1948, this Maserati A6 chassis was released from the factory equipped with a 1496cc six-cylinder engine and 4-speed gearbox. As one of the earliest post-war cars, it was delivered to Carrozerria Pininfarina and scheduled for elegant lightweight alloy bodywork which would be hand formed and finished for delivery. The car was delivered to its first owner on May 3rd 1949. Vittorio Giol of San Polo Piave, Italy, a winemaker by trade, took delivery of the dark blue A6, handsomely trimmed with red leather and velour interior. This exact color combination has been faithfully restored on the car as it sits today. It is believed to be one of just 61 examples produced.

In 1953, the A6 was sold to Lemual D. Ladd, a US serviceman based in Munich, Germany who kept the car until 1956, subsequently selling it back to Italy, where Mr. Federico Lambetano of Padova purchased the car and retained it until 1963. Once again the car returned to the states when ownership passed to Mr. David A Chopourian of Billerica, Massachusetts who exported the car back to the USA where it remained in his possession for a remarkable forty years. In 2003 Mr. Chopourian offered it for sale in Hemming's Motor News as a “Garage find needing full restoration”. The car sold to a collector in Austria, whereby it returned once again to Europe. By 2008, it arrived in Italy where it was commissioned to a full restoration by Bluccino (di Baldone Luciano) in its original colors. In September 2011, this A6 was listed in Registro Storico Del Maserati Club #162 and shown at the Auto e Moto d'Epoca, Padova, on Bluccino's display stand later that year. In March 2012, it appeared at Retro Classics, Stuttgart, Germany, shown by Mr. P. Wiesner. Shortly thereafter the current owner acquired the car and the A6 returned, once again, to the USA. The current owner has enjoyed participating in a number of events including participating in the 2013 Mille Miglia as well as being invited to participate at 'The Quail 100th Anniversary of Maserati' in 2014.

Today this wonderful car truly presents the elegance and capability that defined the finest Maseratis of this period. Here in every respect the artistry and performance is revealed in the coachwork and mechanical specifications. The restoration is simply stunning throughout, having been painstakingly restored in Italy by marque experts, using great care retaining several original components, most critically, the original engine. This wonderful car has not only been FIVA approved and proven to be Mille Miglia eligible, it is fully sorted and Maserati Certified, ready for any event or high-level concours field. During the restoration a 5-speed gearbox was installed to improve use in events. The original 4-speed gearbox has been retained and will be supplied with the car.

The exterior of this A6 has been finished to a high level with excellent paint and very nice fitting and gapping of all body panels. Doors open and close smoothly and various bright work throughout the exterior have been polished and finely detailed to complement the deep blue paint. There are delightful design elements throughout the exterior including beautifully sculpted recessed door handles, elegantly shaped grille and vent details, and exquisite headlight trim that brightens the fascia and handsomely extends the gently sweeping fender lines. The clean lines of the dark blue body are contrasted by the purposeful solid wheels, accented in red with bright work rims and center caps hinting at the performance history of the Maserati name.

The bold and elegant exterior is further enhanced by the art deco influenced interior. Once seated inside, the car is surprisingly roomy and open due to the expansive glass and light pillar work. The door panels and seats are covered in contrasting red materials with nice deco-inspired fan-shaped door panel accents and delicate chrome trim. The dashboard is a wonderful display of fully functional instruments and indicators, beaming in harmony with what has to be one of the most artfully designed steering wheels ever to grace the interior of a sports car. And while all of this would certainly be enough to delight any occupants, the interior continues to surprise with jewel-like features including a fuel gauge illuminated by a blue glow light, a cross drilled handbrake handle, delicately sculpted rear wing handles, and unique rear glass privacy screen. All components are very nice in presentation and condition overall – beautifully designed and faithfully restored.

Under the hood, the car presents with excellent workmanship and authenticity to the period. Correct fittings and hoses, proper hardware, and attention to detail prevail in this exciting display of one of Maserati’s earliest dual-purpose performance engines. The underside of the car has been properly restored and currently displays only mild evidence of use, consistent with the high quality exhibited throughout this A6.

The car starts easily and idles smoothly once warmed up. The clutch and 5 speed shifter are easily engaged and the car moves out smoothly without hesitation. Of note is the excellent 5 speed Getrag which has very nice gear spacing and first gear synchro allowing for excellent shifting. The original 4 speed gearbox, mounting floor-pan tunnel, and newly constructed matching red interior carpeting and 4 speed leather shift boot are included, should the new owner wish to return the car to 4 speed configuration. Overall, the ride is particularly good in large part due to the rear coil spring suspension. Given the age of this car and when compared with other vehicles of the same era, the ride and performance seems years ahead of the competition. The overall feel of the car is elegant and comfortable, with very nice mechanical sounds and delightful interior features accompanying you as you venture on to spirited sprints along inviting roadways.

Elegance and performance are unified in stunning harmony in this exquisitely appointed A6 Maserati 1500. This historically significant and superbly sorted Maserati comes with Maserati “Classiche” Certification book, FIVA Class A3 Passport issued in 2012, owner’s manual, multiple photos documenting the restoration process, and the Maserati Club “Gold” plaque adding to the documentation and history associated with this fine example of Italian motoring excellence.

The above vehicle information is complete and accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time it is posted to this website. Corrections or additional information is always appreciated. All advertised prices exclude government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document preparation charge, and any emission testing charge. Vehicles are subject to prior sale. All advertised to be true but not guaranteed. We assume no liability for errors or omissions.

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Fantasy Junction  •  510-653-7555  •  1145 Park Ave, Emeryville, CA 94608