One to Buy: ex-Vittorio Giol 1948 Maserati A6 1500 Gran Turismo
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In an austere post-World War 2 environment, Maserati, which from 1947 came under total control of the Orsi family, was forced to get serious about building a potentially lucrative line of road cars. The firm had of course already constructed the occasional vehicle equipped for street use, but thus far Maserati’s overriding preoccupation had been with out-and-out racing machines.
The A6 1500 that broke cover at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1947 was based around a new ‘production’ tubular steel chassis with independent front wishbone suspension and a live axle at the rear. Hydraulic Houdaille shock absorbers were fitted all round along with drum brakes. In the engine bay was a 1488cc all-alloy single overhead cam straight six which Maserati hooked up to a four-speed gearbox.
Most of the 61 Maserati A6 1500s produced between 1947 and 1950 were draped with aluminium Pinin Farina bodies as per this 1948 example currently residing at The Houtkamp Collection in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, Holland.
078’s naked chassis was dispatched to Pinin Farina on September 8th 1948 and returned to Maserati on April 9th 1949 wearing a handsome Coupe body painted Blu Scuro. Three days later the car was completed and offered for sale. Soon afterwards it was purchased by wealthy landowner and winemaker, Vittorio Giol of San Polo di Piave, Treviso, who took delivery on May 3rd 1949. Interestingly, Vittorio’s brother, Americo, also purchased a Pinin Farina-bodied A6 1500: chassis 059.
In 1953, chassis 078 was sold to an American serviceman stationed in Munich, Lemuel Ladd, who in April 1956 took the car to the factory for a complete engine overhaul and repaint, after which it was exported to the United States. 1963 saw the Maserati pass into the ownership of David Chopourian of Billerica, Massachusetts, who retained it for the next 40 years.
Having returned to Europe in 2003, chassis 078 subsequently went through a complete restoration back to its original colour scheme by Bluccino di Baldone Luciano in Ravenna. To improve driveability, a modern five-speed gearbox has since been installed. Today, chassis 078 is being offered in excellent condition throughout having most recently formed part of an important Dutch collection.
