Following their competition success with the sports-racing A6GCS models through 1953, in 1954, Maserati introduced a second series for a production run of road-going sports and coupe designs on a similar chassis. The twin-cam, 2-liter, 6-cylinder engine fitted into the well-designed twin-tubular chassis layout, which proved ideal to receive coachwork designs by the leading Italian stylists such as Frua, Pinin Farina and Zagato.
Some sixty-five A6G/54 chassis were built, of which this car, chassis 2123, was one of seven originally bodied with the elegant and attractive "double-bubble" coupe coachwork by Zagato. It was delivered new in Italy to a Signor Cattrini of Brescia, who used it competitively in local racing and hill-climbs such as the Monte-Bandoni, Trento and Maloja Pass road events during the late 1950s. From the factory build sheets it has been noted that some special features were included in the specification to incorporate some A6GCS racing components, including brakes, hubs, clutch, valve-springs and some instrumentation. The engine and chassis are specified normal A6G/54 type, with induction provided by three twin-choke Weber 40DC03 carburetors, and the machine shod with Pirelli 600x16 tires on Borrani alloy-rimmed wire-spoke wheels.
In 1959 the car was sold to Peter Daimler, grandson of the automobile pioneer and founding father of the German motor industry, Otto Daimler. He continued the tradition of road-racing hill-climb events in it, competing at Rossfeld, Berchtesgaden and Hasselburg near Linz in Austria, where he inverted the machine, seriously damaging the bodywork, but fortuitously not the driver. As a result, the car was sent back to the Zagato works in Modena, where it was assessed very expensive to restore the coupe coachwork. It was decided more expediently that conversion to an open two-seater was a better option. It is this very attractively styled Spider body that it still wears today.
The car thus restored, it remained in Daimler's ownership until 1966 when he sold it to Mr. Rudolf Patzl, who lived in Vienna. It stayed until 1973, when discovered by English dealer Colin Crabbe, who brokered a sale to the current vendor. He has used it only as a road car primarily for Continental touring and road events. It was prepared for the Scottish Tour by Maserati specialist Peter Shaw in the mid-1980s, since when it has been regularly maintained by its enthusiast owner primarily for Maserati Club events.
It is described as good mechanically and sound bodily, although the top may need attention. Included with the car is a spare gearbox casing with some internals and a small quantity of original Maserati tools. There is complete documentation of its history from 1959 to 1973.
This car would be ideally suitable for historic and retrospective events such as the Mille Miglia, Tour de France and many other rally or sporting ventures.
SCM Analysis
Detailing
| Vehicle: | 1956 Maserati A6G2000 |
| Years Produced: | 1954-57 |
| Number Produced: | 60 |
| Original List Price: | $5,600 |
| SCM Valuation: | $275,000-$325,000 |
| Tune Up Cost: | $500 |
| Distributor Caps: | Build your own |
| Chassis Number Location: | On top of cylinder head, between the two cams |
| Engine Number Location: | On front cross member, in front of engine |
| Alternatives: | Alfa Romeo 1900 Zagato, Aston Martin DB 2/4, Ferrari 212 |
This car sold at the November 20, 2000 Christie’s auction in London for $247,435, including buyer’s premium.
Any historically important car that underwent a period re-body raises many questions, both philosophical and economic. But first, there are some inaccuracies in the auction company description that need rectifying. There were not 65, but only 60 A6G/54 chassis built. Second, the original owner was not Signor Cattrini, but rather Bruno Moroni in Milano. (As an aside, when Moroni owned the car, its plate number was MI 301192, Cattrini, BS 7682.) Third, only one (S/N 2121), not seven, Maserati Zagato A6G/54s had a double-bubble roof. The rest were originally built with flat roofs. Of the 60 A6G/54s, 19 were Zagato coupes.
This car, S/N 2123, was produced on March 18, 1956, as a flat-roof Zagato coupe, painted the original shade of Italian racing red, a “Bordeaux” color. It is likely that it was raced at Monza before being sold to Mr. Cattrini.
This car raises all the questions that apply to these “fixed” cars. Being re-bodied after an accident is fairly common for aluminum-bodied cars in Italy. When restoring the car today, do you leave it with its
re-body or do you have it re-skinned by Zagato in Milano?
Today, the majority opinion seems to be that a car should carry its original style body, especially if it was a racer. A close second is that the car should carry the most valuable (historically defensible) body-in other words, the body it was wearing when it achieved its most historically significant accomplishments. A distinct minority, in which SCM often finds itself, is to leave the car and its unique history intact.
Maserati 2123 with a Zagato body would be worth around $325,000. The cost to have Galbiati make an “original” body would be in the $75,000 range, so the numbers work for a conversion back to the original. We believe this one-off Maserati is historically significant, though, due to its interesting and documented ownership history and unique coachwork. It may actually end up being worth more than a standard Zagato. Thus, we believe it was very well bought, in addition to providing its new owner with entrée in nearly any significant vintage event in the world.-Giuseppe Tomasetti
(Historical data and photo courtesy of auction company.)