1961 Maserati 3500 GT Spyder (Vignale)
- Engine
- Twin-cam inline-six, triple Weber carburettors, twin spark-plug ignition, 220 hp
- Colour
- 'Bianco Andalusia' (white) over black leather
The Maserati 3500 GT Spyder is among the rarest variants of the model, with only 242 open examples produced against nearly 2,000 coupes. This Vignale-bodied example, completed in February 1961 and finished in Bianco Andalusia over black leather, was originally destined for a Genoese buyer before being redirected to a British customer. It subsequently passed through American ownership, during which it received a comprehensive multi-year restoration culminating in a class victory at the Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance. Further restoration work was later undertaken in Stuttgart, and the car retains its original factory hardtop and documentation.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold €840,000 (≈ $924K)
- —Auction saleSold £410,000 (≈ $513K)
- 1961-04-07 →Factory deliveryCesarina Arginellipartial documentation
Car was ordered on her behalf through the Genoa Maserati dealer but she ultimately never took delivery for undisclosed reasons.
- 1961-07-01 →Factory deliveryTeresa Mitarachipartial documentation
Car was delivered to her London address at the request of an English lord who had visited the factory and selected the unsold vehicle; he arranged for several bespoke modifications before delivery.
- 1970-12-05 → 1975-07-18Acquisition unknownMichael Milespartial documentation
Member of Maserati Club UK; period photographs confirm the car retained its original livery during his tenure. He also owned a 3500 GT coupe and swapped that car's engine into this spyder before selling.
- 1977 → 1988Acquisition unknownFrank Wilburpartial documentation
US-based owner; held the car for approximately a decade before selling to a corporate buyer.
- 1988 → 1988Private saleMIE Corporation (Frank Mandarano)partial documentation
Short-term corporate ownership before the car passed to a noted Maserati collector the same year.
- 1988 → 2007Private saleIvan Ruizpartial documentation
Georgia-based Maserati collector who received the car in bare-metal condition and immediately undertook a thorough multi-year restoration, after which it was campaigned at concours events.
- 2007 →Acquisition unknownEuropean owner post-2007partial documentation
Following its return to Europe, the car underwent additional specialist restoration work in Stuttgart, including an extensive repaint and engine rebuild.
Competition
- —Amelia Island Concours d'EleganceClass win
Entered following completion of Ivan Ruiz's extensive restoration; this was the culmination of several concours appearances during that ownership period.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1975Modification
The car's original engine was replaced with the unit sourced from the seller's own Touring coupe prior to sale.
Recorded by Michael Miles at the time of the sale.
- 2007BodyworkItal-Auto
A full repaint was carried out, with an estimated 500 to 600 hours of labour expended on this work alone.
Undertaken after the car returned to Europe; part of a broader programme of further restoration work by this Stuttgart-based Maserati specialist.
- 2007Engine rebuildItal-Auto
The replacement engine, which had been restamped to correspond with the chassis number, was fully rebuilt.
Carried out concurrently with the repaint and interior retrim.
- 2007BodyworkItal-Auto
The passenger compartment was retrimmed in black leather, matching the original specification.
Part of the broader restoration programme undertaken in Stuttgart.
- —Restoration
A thorough multi-year restoration was undertaken over approximately five years after the car was acquired with its bodywork stripped to bare metal.
Commissioned by Ivan Ruiz; completed before the car's concours appearances, most notably at Amelia Island.
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