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• Auction House:
  Mossgreen
• Sale Name:
  Important Collectors' Cars
• Sale Date:
  28 May 2017 ~ 4pm
• Lot #:
  9
• Lot Description:
  MASERATI TIPO 61 ‘BIRDCAGE’ RECREATION
  By Crosthwaite & Gardiner With FIA Historic Technical Passport. Chassis number: 2473; Engine number: 2487. This vehicle will be sold unregistered.
• Notes:
  The late 1950s, for much of Italy, was a period of post-war rejuvenation and unprecedented economic growth. Nowhere was this more so than in the industrial northern part of the country, where Modena was recognised as the headquarters of motor racing research and construction. This reputation had been established in no small part due to the success of Maserati. The Maserati marque, like the rest of Italy, was undergoing a revival brought about in its case by success on the track and the market’s response to road going models such as the 3500 GT and the 5000GT. The Orsi family which controlled Maserati allowed the engineering department led by Giulio Alfieri free rein. Alfieri’s response was the creation of one of the most legendary sports racing cars of all time, a revolutionary chassis composed of very short, narrow gauge tubes in a construction that he called the ‘Birdcage’. The basis for this had been the Maserati 250F T2, and the monocoque chassis being produced in Great Britain. Alfieri took the concept to the next level thus creating a chassis which was befitting of the reputation of Italian competition engines which led the way internationally. The construction of the chassis in its unique manner allowed the engine, closely derived from the proven Maserati 200S, to be located virtually at the centre and canted over by 45 degrees. This dramatically lowered the vehicle’s centre of gravity and provided near perfect balance, both from the point of view of weight distribution and aesthetically. The engine was developed so that the maximum power output of 200hp was obtained at a higher speed. Twin Weber 45 DCO3 carburettors were fitted along with a Marelli distributor providing a twin-spark ignition system. The total production of the Birdcage consisted of just 22 cars, out of which six were designated Tipo 60, and 16 plus one (ex-Tipo 60) were Tipo 61. Stirling Moss, who was entrusted with the first car, ran tests at the Modena Autodromo, and then Nurburgring, before competing at Rouen. The Birdcage’s first major triumph was at Rouen on 12th July 1959. Its impact was immediate and for 1960 the car was in great demand by American racing teams, with legends including Briggs Cunningham and Carrol Shelby in the cockpit Power to weight ratio was very good in comparison to its contemporaries from Ferrari, Jaguar and Aston Martin, as was its fuel consumption, an important consideration and contributing factor to its success in long distance races. This 1959 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage carries chassis number 2473. It was built by Crosthwaite & Gardiner in late 1989 and early 1990, commissioned by Don Orosco, the American racing driver and team leader as an exact reproduction of his original Maserati Birdcage. As Orosco, well known on the international historic racing scene said in his own words of this car in 2015, “Rod Jolley reproduced the body utilizing my original body as the basis for his efforts. Crosthwaite & Gardiner already had reproduced the Birdcage’s transaxle and engine for other Birdcage owners by that time. I had the frame copied as well from my original car, first being Tig welded, and then gas welded over the top to approximate what the welds would have looked like coming from Maserati. The same holds true for the aluminium bodywork, where Rod Jolley rolled the body out first on his English wheel, I then had him go over the entire body with a hammer and dolly, as the Italian coach builders seldom used a wheel to form aluminium bodies. I knew the car would be closely scrutinized, so I went to unusual lengths to get the Birdcage accurate in every detail.” To provide an indication of the quality of the work and faithful construction to the original carried out on this car consider that, Crosthwaite & Gardiner are the most recent recipients of the International Historic Motoring Awards Specialist of the Year Award, as well as having been commissioned by Audi to create brand new recreations of the famous Auto Union cars. Seven new builds later, covering all of the models including the AVUS streamliner car and having worked on all of the original Auto Unions in existence, Crosthwaite and Gardiner are the experts in the pre-war Silver Arrows. Rod Jolley, meanwhile, was taught as a panel beater by Wally Parr. Wally built the body work for Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Bluebird, a car that was refitted some years later by Rod Jolley Coachbuilding. Many of the world’s most important historic cars have, at some time, passed through the Rod Jolley Coachbuilding workshops, including the Shah of Iran’s Bugatti T57 with a Van Vooren body styled after Figonl et Falaschi and many classic Ferraris receiving care and attention of the highest level. Rod Jolley told Mossgreen, “The two rolling chassis were delivered by Dick Crosthwaite from Crosthwaite and Gardiner in their usual superb state of construction alongside an original Tipo 61. Body bucks were created from the original car and aluminium bodies were hand beaten in the original Italian method and not wheeled.” The current owner has had this Birdcage for ten years, having purchased it from Canepa Design of Scotts Valley, California, since when it has been used sparingly. The car came to Australia in 2008 and has of course its Vehicle Import Approval document. Most importantly, Birdcage chassis number 2473, is accompanied by an FIA Historic Technical Passport meaning that it is open to invitation to the major international historic racing events in the two-seater racing car category, period 1947 to 1960, sanctioned by the FIA.
• Estimate:
  A$600,000 - 650,000
• Realised Price:
  *****
  

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• Category:
  Automobiles & Accessories

This Sale has been held and this item is no longer available. Details are provided for information purposes only.