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Post #1 Thu, Jul 6, 10:15 AM |
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Richard Owen
It's Your Birt - 2023
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Sale Title AUTOMOBILES DE COLLECTION LE MANS CLASSIC
Location Paris Sale Date Jul 08, 2006
Estimate 300,000 - 500,000 Euros
MASERATI 4CM
Year: 1937
Chassis No. 1128
Engine No. 1128
Engine: 4 cylinders double overhead camshafts, supercharged 1,100cc, (1,500cc), producing 105bhp (125bhp) at 5,500rpm; Gearbox, 4-speed manual; Suspension, independent front, transverse-leaf with wishbones; rear semi-elliptic springs supporting a rigid axle; rear wheel drive; Brakes, 4-wheel hydraulic drums.
Coachwork: Monoposto, red with brown upholstery.
Model history
From their inception in 1924, Maserati had produced a series of highly competitive and successful racing cars, which were renowned for their performance, handling and engineering qualities. As a result the scope of their model types increased to meet the needs of their customers in order to compete in a wider range of events. The Maserati brothers' factory was in full operation, producing their sports and racing cars stemming from the original concept of the twin-cam straight eight engines of 1,500cc capacity. They had adopted the badge that was to become a renowned trademark with the Trident motif from the City of Bologna, where the original factory was situated in Pontevecchio
Specific History
The Maserati factory in Bologna produced a new model for 1937 'voiturette' racing in the form of the CM, considered livelier than the 6CM, particularly for twisty circuits. Chassis 1128 was sold new that year to Count Giovanni 'Lurani Cernuschi' better known in motor racing circles as 'Johnny Lurani', one of the founder members of 'Scuderia Ambrosiana' together with Luigi Villoresi and Franco Cortese. The car ordered by Lurani was to 1,100cc specification with spare cylinder block and pistons, supercharger and connecting rods so as to convert it to 1,500 cc when required. Manufactured on February 24th 1937, Lurani was very successfull with this car throughout the 1937 and 1938 seasons as illustrated by the comprehensive list of racing results below, courtesy of the Adolfo Orsi archive.
1937
24/02 Maserati factory build sheet
18/04 Turin, Parco del Valentino II Circuito Internaz di Torino (voiturette) Lurani 38 8 overall 1st in the 1100 class
21/04 Napoli, Posillipo Alto, Parco della Vittoria III Coppa Principessa di Piemonte (voitur.) Lurani 4 49 overall 1st in the 1100 class
23/05 Palermo, Parco della Real Favorita XXVIII Targa Florio (voiturette) Lurani 32 2nd overall 1st in the 1100 class
30/05 Genova, Lido d'Albaro I Circuito della Superba (voiturette) Lurani 12 5th overall 1st in the 1100 class
20/06 Milano, Parco Sempione II Circuito Internaz. di Milano (voiturette) Lurani 81 1st overall 1st in the 1100 class
tested in practice by Prince Bira
25/07 San Remo I Circuito di San Remo (voiturette) Lurani 26 2nd in heat withdrawn in final 1500 engine
01/08 Freiburg (D) Schauinsland-Rennen (hillclimb) Lurani 80 1st in the 1100 class
19/09 Lucca II Coppa Edda Ciano (voiturette) Varzi 4 withdrawn at 21st lap 1500 engine
26/09 Campione d'Italia I Circuito di Campione (voiturette) Lurani 26 3rd overall 1500 engine
10/10 Crystal Palace (GB) Imperial Trophy (handicap) Lurani 10 3rd in heat, 5th overall 1500 engine
16/12 Johannesburg (SA) II Rand Grand Prix (handicap) Lurani 8 3rd overall 1100 engine
Italian Champion for the up to 1100 class
1938
01/01 East London (SA) IV South African Grand Prix (handicap) Lurani 14 withdrawn 1100 engine
15/01 Muizenburg, Cape Town (SA) II Grosvenor Grand Prix (handicap) Lurani- Villoresi (from 19, 3rd 1500 engine)
Chassis frame sent to Turin at Tecnauto for transformation to semi-independent rear suspension with coil springs
15/05 Tripoli XII Gran Premio di Tripoli Lurani 30 8th overall 3rd in the 1500 class
22/05 Palermo, Parco della Real Favorita XXIX Targa Florio Lurani 36 crash 1500 engine
25/06 Crystal Palace London Grand Prix (handicap) Lurani
Everitt 15 crash in practice 46th in heat, withdrawn 1100 engine
1939
01/01 East London (SA) V South African Grand Prix (handicap) Chiappini 9 8 overall 1500 engine
14/01 Muizenburg, Cape Town (SA) III Grosvenor Grand Prix (handicap) Chiappini 13th overall 1500 engine
Illustrated advertisement on The Motor magazine, requested price £795
01/04 Donington (GB) British Empire Trophy (handicap) Dodson 3 withdrawn 1100 engine
??/06 Donington (GB) Nuffield Trophy Dodson 5th overall 1500 engine
1948
Montlhèry (F)
Among the most significant events in the history of chassis 1128 was that it was unfortunately the car in which Lurani crashed at Crystal Palace on June 25th 1938, breaking his hip very badly and putting a definitive term to his single seater racing career. The car overturned and was only slightly damaged, Lurani being quoted as saing later on: 'I acted as a cushion for the car as it landed'. With his single seater career now over Lurani put the car up for sale in an illustrated advertisement in The Motor with an asking price of £795. The car was sold to Charlie Dobson via the then secretary of the BRDC Desmond Scannell. Dobson raced the car at the British Empire Trophy race at Donington park and once more in 1939 at the Nuffield Trophy race but war was now looming on the horizon and the car was not to be seen again until 1948 at Montlhèry autodrome outside Paris, now painted blue and raced by a French driver. In the early sixties the car resurfaced once more in Marseille, offered to Lurani who decided not to purchase the car, the now battle scared but still complete 4CM was purchased by a Swiss enthusiast Hermann Eichenberger in February of 1964. His plan was to return the car to its former glory, retaining a maximum of original parts and embarking on a painstaking and meticulous restoration. He returned to Modena to consult the car's archives and obtained a copy of the original invoice to Lurani which is still with the car today. Back home together with a professional mechanic and fellow enthusiast a 1,600 hour restoration was completed. The Maserati was finally exhibited on August 31st 1968 during the 'Expo de la ôte' in Rolle on Lake Geneva, a photograph in the Swiss autombile Revue of September 19th of that year showing it together with about 50 other collector's cars from the area. This jewel like car was subsequently drained of all fluids and spent the next 35 odd years hanging on the owner's wall, like a masterpiece by a great artist. Was he really that wrong?
Now offered for sale for the first time in close to half a century, the 4CM would quite probably require no more than a full service in order to put it back on the track. What destiny has in store for this wonderful monoposto only time will tell; Christie's is proud to offer this monoposto with a complete and transparent history at the Le Mans Classic event.
Be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead.
Edited by Richard Owen - Thu, Jul 6, 11:07 AM
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Post #2 Sun, Jul 9, 12:57 AM |
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Richard Owen
It's Your Birt - 2023
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Sold for 368,750 EUR including buyer's premium.
Be happy while you're living, for you're a long time dead.
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Posted: Today |
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Superbot
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Posted: Today |
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Superbot
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