1960 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage Roadster

In 1957, Maserati withdrew factory sponsorship from motorsports as it was hard to reconcile the expense of competition development with profitability. The costs associated with engineering a brand-new engine, or building expensive V-12 based cars in any quantity was too great. Maserati did, however, continue to develop the two-liter inline four-cylinder unit from the 200S sports racer. The costs with this motor were much lower and allowed them to create a new sports car for privateers.

Giulio Alfieri designed a new chassis which used a lattice frame of small-diameter tubing resulting in a rigid structure with minimal weight. In total, the new frame weighed just 66 pounds. Initially, it was designated the Type 60 but later it was given the nickname, the 'Birdcage.' The Type 60 chassis was given factory bodywork with an engine canted at a 45-degree angle to lower height. These would be one of the last sports racers to feature the traditional front-engine configuration.

Chassis number 2451 was the Prototype Type 60. It made its debut with factory sponsorship at the Coupe Delamare Debauteville on July 12 of 1959 piloted by Stirling Moss. In its first outing, the car took 1st place overall. Soon, Maserati was experimenting with larger versions of the engine, resulting in the three-liter Tipo 61 cars, which began delivery to customers in November of 1959. At least one Tipo 60 example was eventually upgraded to Tipo 61 specification. Between the Type 60 and Type 61, there were 22 examples built.

This example is chassis number 2461 and was the 11th Birdcage example produced. It is believed to be the first Type 61 equipped with the larger 14-inch front brake discs. It was originally owned by Lloyd 'Lucky' Casner. Mr. Casner was an early proponent of the Birdcage, buying the used factory prototype (chassis number 2451) for his new racing team, the Casner Motor Racing Division (abbreviated Camoradi).

Chassis number 2451 was entered at the Nassau Speed Week in early December of 1959 and was driven by Carroll Shelby. Gaston Andrey had an impressive performance at the race with chassis number 2455, convincing Casner to order three more cars, chassis numbers 2458, 2461, and 2464.

2461 was delivered to Casner on March 20th of 1960 and would make its racing debut for the Camoradi team at the 12 Hours of Sebring. Unfortunately, driver Jim Rathmann blew the engine during practice before the race. The motor was replaced in time for the Nurburgring 1000 km on May 22nd of 1960. Dan Gurney and Stirling Moss were given driving duties and they led one of the most dramatic comebacks in racing history after a broken oil pipe prompted a five-minute pit stop during lap 20. This meant the Birdcage was longer in the lead and when it did re-enter the race, it was in 4th place. Gurney was able to regain 30 seconds per lap and took the lead by the time he next pitted. Moss was then able to maintain 1st place after resuming driving duties, giving 2461 its initial major victory.

2461 was one of three Birdcages entered at the 1960 24 Hours of Le Mans, and one of at least two that were given a longer, modified tail, intended to improve aerodynamics at speed. Unfortunately, all three cars were forced to retire early due to mechanical issues.

One of the final races for 2461 with the Camoradi team was at the Swedish Grand Prix on August 7th of 1960 where Joakim Bonnier drove it to 2nd overall. Soon afterwards, in September, the car was sold to Alan Connell, of Fort Worth, Texas, who was the 1959 champion of SCCA's Modified Sports Car Class. Mr. Connell raced 2461 in no fewer than five different races over the next four months, placing 1st overall at the USAC Consolation Race at Riverside on October 16. He placed 5th overall at the SCCA event at Daytona on November 13th.

Mr. Connell's mechanic, John Miller, installed a Ferrari 250 TR V-12 engine (from Ferrari chassis number 0724TR) into the car at the close of the 1960 season. The hope was to keep the car competitive. For the 1961 season, chassis 2461 earned a 1st overall finish at Mansfield, Louisiana, on September 4th of 1961 and another victory at the Muskogee, Oklahoma, Grand Prix on October 29th.

The car was sold in 1962 to Texan, Richard McGuire, who continued to race the car through 1965, after which it was exhibited for a period of time at the Texas Speed Museum.

By the early 1970s, the car was in the care of the Honorable Patrick Lindsay, of the United Kingdom. Mr. Lindsay gave the car a restoration, installing a replacement Tipo 61 engine rebuilt from a block by Steve Hart with an original cylinder head and ancillaries, including the water pump and oil pump, as well as period-correct Weber carburetors that are stamped sequentially with very low numbers.

Mr. Lindsay frequently raced the Birdcage in various British events, until an accident at Silverstone in 1972 sidelined the car with damage to the chassis and front bodywork. Frank Coltman was commissioned to create a new chassis using as much of the original componentry as possible, including the front and rear de Dion suspension, the supporting frame uprights, the cowl, the steering box, the prop shaft housing, transaxle components, and the brakes. Unassembled, the project was assumed by American collector Dieter Holtersbosch, who properly finished the rebuild, including the bodywork, and restored the original short tail design from its Nurburgring victory.

In 1989, the car was given its FIA Historic Vehicle Identification Form, attesting to the correct specification of all major elements, including the chassis, suspension, engine, and body configuration.

Hartmut Ibing, of Germany purchased chassis number 2461 in 1986. It was treated to another restoration. It was later loaned for display at the Nürburgring's Rennsport Museum for a period, and occasionally, it was raced at historic events.

For the 1995 season, the car was driven by Peter Hannen. When the season came to a close, it had been crowned the winner of the Historic European Championship in Spain.
In 1999, the car was sold to Phillippe Marcq, of Belgium, who continued to race the car over the next few years at events such as the Shell Ferrari-Maserati Historic Challenge at Le Mans, the Ferrari Days at Spa, and the Goodwood Revival and Festival of Speed.

In 2005, the car was acquired by its current owner. Under new ownership, the car was reconditioned from the ground-up. In August of 2006, the newly restored car made its debut at the Monterey Historic races, receiving the Rolex Award for Presentation and Performance. In July of 2006 it was presented at the Vanderbilt Concours d'Elegance in Newport, Rhode Island where it won First in Class and the Founder's Award. At the event, it was autographed by Dan Gurney and Sir Stirling Moss. Chassis 2461 has run consecutively each year since at the Monterey Historics, with one exception, when it was invited for display there on the occasion of their Dan Gurney tribute.

By Daniel Vaughan | Jan 2014