Owned by the Orsi family at the time, La Casa Del Tridente rolled out its first road-going car in 1947 in the guise of the ultra-rare A6. Production came to a screeching halt in 1956. Named after Alfieri Maserati and the number of cylinders it boasts in a line rather than a V, the resplendent gran turismo was replaced in 1957 by the more successful 3500 series.
The Modena-based automaker’s first series-production car paved the way for the Sebring and Mistral. Italian engineer Giulio Alfieri designed the 3500 to be that bit more appealing than its predecessor, which is why the 1.5- and 2.0-liter sixers of the A6 were succeeded by a 3.5-liter engine.
Bodied by Carrozzeria Touring in the coupe’s case and Vignale for the canvas-topped convertible, the 3500 features a motorsport-derived sixer with a DOHC valvetrain plus hemispherical combustion chambers.
Initially shipped with a four-speed transmission, then a five-speed unit from ZF, the 3500 ended production in 1964. Gifted with 2+2 seating, the Maserati would outsell the Ferrari 250 GTE to the tune of 2,226 examples of the breed versus 954 units for the V12-engined rival from Maranello.
The 3500 we’re covering today is a bite-the-back-of-your-hand beautiful 1961 model. Delivered in April 1961 to an Italian gentleman in Trento, chassis number 1470 was first registered in June 1962.
The Weber-supplied 42 DCOE carburetors were rebuilt in 2007, while additional work during that period included rebuilds of the starter and dynamo. The head gasket, radiator, and engine mounts were replaced at that time as well.