1959 Maserati Tipo 60/61 Birdcage Roadster

At the end of 1958, when many race car designers were moving towards a rear-engine layout, Maserati developed this front-engined, 2-liter Tipo 60. It is the prototype of the so called 'Birdcage' Maseratis. In May 1959 this car was tested for the first time by chief mechanic Guerino Bertocchi on the road between Modena and Verona. Stirling Moss was influential in the Tipo 60's fine-tuning, driving it at Modena before breaking the 2-liter lap record with it at the Nurburgring. It first raced at Rouen in July, where Moss drove it to victory, defeating a large grid of Type 15 Lotuses. At the end of 1959, the car's engine was enlarged to 3 liters, it was renamed Tipo 61, and was sold to Lloyd 'Lucky' Casner for his Camoradi team. The Tipo 61 was driven by both Dan Gurney and Carroll Shelby at the Bahamas Speed Week and later at Sebring and the Targa Florio before being rebodied with this ultra-streamlined windscreen and extra-long tail for the grueling 24 Hours of LeMans. It retired from racing at the end of 1963.

t was the fastest car on the straights due to its extremely slippery streamliner body with that unusual but characteristic windscreen. Although faster than the Ferrari Testa Rossas it lead the race but retired due to electrical problems. The car has been restored to exactly as it had run in Le Mans down to the scrutineering stamp on the body. There is no other Birdcage like this one.