One to Buy: ex-William Brown 1961 Maserati 5000 GT (SOLD)
Buyers for super high end Grand Tourers in the early 1960s needed to look only in one place: Italy.
Between them, bitter rivals Ferrari and Maserati had the market for truly customisable 160mph-plus road cars sewn up.
From Maranello came the 400 Superamerica while, over in Modena, Maserati offered the 5000 GT.
Although immensely powerful and incredibly fast, neither model was conceived for competition use. Rather, they were created as flagship road cars for the firm’s wealthiest clients.
Famously, the 5000 GT was powered by a V8 engine derived from the 450 S sports racing car. The first two examples (built in 1959 and ‘60) ran four enormous Weber 45 IDM carburettors and the racing engine’s complex gear-driven overhead camshaft system. Peak output was 340bhp at 5500rpm.
Subsequent 5000 GTs displaced 4941cc, used Lucas fuel-injection and quieter, simpler, chain driven overhead camshafts. These cars produced 325bhp at 5800rpm.
34 cars were manufactured in total between 1959 and ‘64, no two of which were 100% identical.
22 units from the production run were dispatched to Carrozzeria Allemano in Turin for bodywork. The first of these was chassis 014 which is currently on offer at the Fantasy Junction showroom in Emeryville, California.
The car, which features a number of unique cosmetic details, was completed in October 1961 and finished in Grigio Montebello with a red interior. It went on to star in Maserati’s brochure for the 5000 GT and also appeared on the cover of Auto Italiano magazine.
Chassis 014 was ordered by William Brown, an industrialist from Pittsburgh who collected his brand new Maserati from the factory and proceeded to drive it around Europe. Having been returned to Maserati for some final tuning, 014 was shipped to the US where Mr Brown drove it to his ranch in Arizona. It was retained until 1967, at which point the handsome Maserati was sold to the first of several subsequent owners.
Today, the car is offered in wonderful restored condition.
Reprinted below is Fantasy Junction’s description for this rare 1960s Super-GT:
The First of 22 Allemano Examples Built. One of a Kind ‘Indianapolis Coupe’ Alloy Coachwork. Original colors and matching numbers engine per factory records. Magnificent 5 liter quad-cam engine in Maserati's "Car for Kings". Chassis number AM103.014. Engine number AM103.014. Silver with Red Leather Interior.
Beginning in 1960 and continuing through 1965, Maserati built just 34 examples of the 5000 GT, offering coachbuilt bodies from a range of competing Italian styling studios, each offering their own distinctive take mated to the powerful 5000GT chassis. Priced for elite clientele, at $14,000.00, more than the average price of a new home, the 5000 GT competed handily with the Ferrari Superamerica, attracting a range of buyers including racing enthusiast Briggs Cunnigham, industrialist Ferdinando Innocenti, and King Saud of Saudi Arabia. The first of the Carrozzeria Allemano bodied cars to be constructed, this example is one of just 22 built by Allemano. Penned by the hands of the genius and prolific Giovanni Michelotti, his work has spanned decades of Italian car design with nearly every major Italian manufacturer including Ferrari, Lancia, Alfa Romeo and more, including work with Allemano, Ghia, and Vignale to name but a few of the top coachbuilders that contributed to his astonishing portfolio.
Because this was the first Allemano bodied 5000 GT constructed, it is distinctive in that it carries several unique features including the unique “Indianapolis” script on the rear fender, a different grille design, and a unique dashboard arrangement. Completed in October 1961 and finished in stunning Grigio Montebello (Silver) and trimmed with red leather interior, the Indianapolis Coupe was boldly featured in the Maserati brochure announcing the model and proudly displayed on the cover of Auto Italiano magazine. Upon completion, the car was sold to the first owner, Mr. William H., Brown, a wealthy Pittsburg, PA industrialist who personally visited Italy to take possession of the car. He drove the car throughout Europe and returned to Maserati requesting that it be specifically tuned and then tested to ensure it could achieve the advertised 168mph top speed. Mr. Brown must have been pleased as Maserati loaded the car for shipping to New York, where he eagerly awaited arrival and then proceeded to drive the car more than 2,000 miles to his ranch, El Mirado in Sasabe, Arizona. Unafraid to drive the car, Mr. Brown reportedly drove it to Beverly Hills, CA to visit with his daughter, and then had the car shipped to Italy for servicing.
In September 1967, Mr. Brown sold the car to Jimmy Castle, a resident of Tuscan, AZ. Under Castle’s ownership the car appeared in the “Tucson Daily Citizen” featured in the article “The Most Aristocratic Autos of Tucson”. By 1975 the car had found its way to Maserati enthusiast Richard Kreischer, who rescued it from the ravages of the Arizona sun, where a former owner had left it parked outdoors. By 1980 the Indianapolis arrived in Charlottesville, VA under the care of Oliver Kuttner. In 1988, when advertised by Griffon Motor Cars, UK, the car subsequently found a home in the classic car collection of the distinguished Lord Charles Brocket. For reasons unknown, while in the Brocket Collection, the original engine was removed from the car and with a stroke of luck reunited under the guidance of the new owner, Randy Simon, in the mid 1990s. In 1996, renowned collector John F. Bookout purchased the car from Simon.
In 2001, Mr. Bookout, a well-known Maserati enthusiast, shipped the car to Italy for a comprehensive restoration including the removal of all components. The body shell was stripped to the bare metal and aluminum panels and all parts removed for refinishing. The bodywork was carefully prepared and refinished in the original color, supplied by Mr. Cozza from the Maserati factory. The interior was expertly retrimmed in red leather and a set of custom woven and stitched carpeting was made by specifically matching a piece of the original material still in the car. Upon completion in 2006, the Maserati Indianapolis was displayed at the Houston, TX Keels & Wheels Concours d’Elegance and, spanning 2014-2015 it was featured at the Maserati 100 – “A Century of Pure Italian Luxury Sports Cars”, held at the Museo Enzo Ferrari in Modena. The current owner acquired the car in 2016 and has retained it in his private collection where it has kept company with many of the most prestigious and historically important GT cars ever built. Exhibited at the Cavallino Classic in 2017, this Maserati won Best in Class and Finest GT, and was awarded two impressive trophies, both of which are included with the car.
Today this Maserati 5000GT presents as a beautifully restored example of one of the finest and most elegant GT cars ever produced. The distinctive Allemano lines are subtly expressed through the exquisite paint color which was selected by Maserati and expertly applied to the aluminum and steel body. The beautiful one-off grille, delicately louvered side vents, and distinctive rear fender ‘Indianapolis’ script all contribute to the stunning coachwork and dramatic performance stance. The rare, ventilated painted bimetal wheels wear Pirelli Cinturato tires and the rims are finished with Maserati script wheel covers and bright beauty rings. In profile view, the Allemano design drapes over the wheels with fully enveloping wheel arches and a lowered rocker panel, further enhancing the performance appearance of this car. All body panels have excellent fit and tight closures for the doors, hood, and trunk. Glass and surrounding trim are in excellent condition including the rubber stripping and detailed chrome frames and vent windows. The chrome and polished body trim are in excellent condition as are the delicate script lettering and gorgeous emblems, correct lighting, and lenses, all of which have been restored to a very high level of finish.
Opening the driver’s door, the red leather interior comes to life vividly against the contrasting satin black dash top. The leather seats are beautifully upholstered with correct piping and pleating patterns, showing almost no evidence of use since the restoration was completed. The rear seating compartment, headliner, door panels, and specially made carpeting are all perfectly composed in material, color, and composition, carefully matched to the original materials. Notable touches include gold toned Maserati 5000 GT script on the dash, etched aluminum detail panels on the dashboard, and a stunning set of gauges with superb clarity and crisp numeric indication. The wood rimmed Nardi steering wheel is handsomely finished, uniquely featuring a two spoke aluminum design which aids in visibility of the instrument panel. The interior has been authoritatively restored with impressive attention to detail and equal artistic passion. The trunk compartment has been faithfully restored using the same carpet as the interior, diamond quilted insulation for the trunk lid, and a correct matching bimetal rimmed spare wheel is in place wearing a period correct spare Pirelli Cinturato tire.
Under the hood, the original matching numbers quad-cam, twin-plug 5000 series V8 engine delivers a very strong and captivating visual impression. The restoration performed on the car addressed every aspect of the engine and engine bay with absolute care and accuracy to the finishes and component details. The distinctive green cam covers are correctly prepared with raised Maserati casting nomenclature and twin plug valleys feeding the piston chambers. The aluminum casting finishes, proper hoses, lines, and correct fasteners have been correctly sourced and installed consistent with the original build. The finishes throughout the engine compartment are excellent including correct identification tags, correct fittings, and hardware, as well as the correct Lucas fuel injection, correct air cleaner, and air cleaner assembly. Even the underside of the hood is a work of art with lightening holes cut into the substructure and diamond quilted hood insulation pad. The chassis is clean and well-tended, showing excellent fit and finish and correct components restored to proper specifications. Though some of the hardware and features show signs of age since the restoration was completed, the workmanship is reflective of the exceptional visual and mechanical integrity throughout this magnificent example.
Clearly one of the more refined GTs assembled in this period, the most particular enthusiast will be delighted by the exceptional visual presentation, but also come to find that the restoration and mechanical attention have successfully combined to present a very pleasing road car. The Lucas fuel injection allows for a friendly starting procedure and, with a bit of warm up time, the operational features present confidently when underway. The expansive front and rear glass allow for easy visibility and the seating position is commanding looking out over the front of the car. The V8 engine delivers on the torquey promises of its race-bred heritage coupled to the smooth 4-speed gearbox, which functions as originally intended. Highway speeds are comfortable with instruments properly functioning, save for the odometer which is not currently functioning. The suspension, brakes, and driveline all function in harmony offering pleasant GT performance consistent with the period. While a prominent show car with unique visual distinction, the mechanical condition certainly invites use in many of the club tours and popular vintage events held in conjunction with concours events throughout the world.
