1961 Maserati 3500 GT Roadster

This 1961 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder by carrozzeria Vignale is one of the 424 examples built through 1964. It has been given a recent comprehensive restoration to concours standards and retains its matching-numbers engine and rare factory-issued hardtop.

This Maserati was ordered in late March of 1961 by Franco Cornacchia SrL, the well-known dealership in Milan. It was built in April of 1961 and received the carbureted six-cylinder engine, a manual ZF gearbox, and Vignale's open coachwork. It rode on Borrani wire wheels and finished in Azzurro Real (light blue) paint, while the interior was upholstered with white Connolly leather.

The car entered the care of its first owner in August, a company in Rome called Finmonte. It is believed that it remained in Europe for many years, and in 2004, it was given a significant restoration by Auto Stangl in Prague, Czech Republic. This included a repaint in orange red and appointment of the interior in beige leather.

After the work was completed, the car was imported to the United States and exhibited at the Blackhawk Automotive Museum in Danville, California. In 2008, it won a class award at the Hillsborough Concours d'Elegance. In August 2011, it was purchased by its current Connecticut-based owner. A complete nut-and-bolt refurbishment soon followed, with the work entrusted to Redline Restorations in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The work included a comprehensive mechanical rebuild, refinishing the coachwork in midnight blue, installing a matching soft top, and re-trimming the interior with blue leather. The hardtop was refinished in white. Approximately $500,000 was spent on the restoration.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2022