This 1959 Maserati 3500GT was purchased new by a descendant of John and Horace Dodge, founders of the car company that to this day bears their surname(Image: Maserati)
This impeccably-restored Maserati 3500GT displayed at Rétromobile in Paris has a connection to the Dodge brothers, founders of the famous US car company of the same name.
An extraordinary example of a Maserati 3500GT restored by coachbuilder Touring Superleggera held pride of place on the Maserati stand at the Rétromobile classic car show held in Paris recently.
The stunning Maserati 3500GT is a 1959 example originally intended for the California market. It was originally owned by a descendant of brothers John and Horace Dodge who founded the iconic Dodge Brothers Company in Detroit, Michigan, in 1900.
The car was restored with the support of the Maserati Classiche department at the House of the Trident, which provides Restoration Certification and its own Certificate of Authenticity for such projects.
Work took place in Touring Superleggera’s workshop, where the iconic grand tourer was meticulously restored to its original splendour by the celebrated Milan coachbuilder, with technical and documentary support from Maserati Classiche.
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The restoration of this car was handled by the legendary Touring Superleggera in Milan, while all work was certified by the Maserati Classiche department (Image: Maserati)
The Restoration Assistance Service checked and validated every component of the vehicle, including the chassis, the engine and its compartment and the transmission, while also ascertaining the condition of the suspension, brakes, wheels and tyres.
The 3500GT’s bodywork, interior and exterior, and colours and materials were all inspected and authenticated, as were the electrical system and all accessories.
After undergoing more than 300 technical verifications against the historical archives to ensure its conformity with the original drawings, the 3500GT was awarded the Certification of Authenticity by Maserati Classiche.
The restoration is said to pay tribute to the GT’s Italian spirit, featuring all original functional components, and the proven historical continuity of a vehicle has been carefully maintained, ensuring unique and authentic identification.
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Over 300 technical verifications were required for the 3500GT to be awarded its Certification of Authenticity by Maserati Classiche (Image: Maserati)
What is the Maserati Classiche programme?
The Maserati Classiche programme is a department within the House of the Trident that’s designed to protect, promote and preserve Maserati’s automotive heritage.
It offers an exclusive service for the brand’s customers and collectors, including a Certification of Authenticity process guaranteed by a committee of experts.
Maserati Classiche focuses on Maserati cars that are more than 20 years old, as well as special series, including cars of the recent past such as the MC12 or the Quattroporte limited series.
The programme supports the preservation of cars and restoration parts that conform to the original, including the manufacture of replacement parts that are no longer available on the market.
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The elegant bodywork of the 3500GT was originally the work of Carrozzeria Touring, with its alumunium construction limiting the car’s weight to jut 1300kg (Image: Maserati)
About the Maserati 3500GT (1957-1964)
The 3500GT was Maserati’s first road car to be produced on a large scale. The elegant body was the creation of Carrozzeria Touring, while the innovative design that enabled the connection of the aluminium body to a tubular frame was a Superleggera patent that helped limit weight to 1300 kg.
The six-cylinder engine was derived from the 1956 350S race car and featured excellent torque delivery at low engine speed. In 1961, its triple Weber carburettors were replaced by a Lucas fuel-injected system, boosting power to 173kW (3500GTI).
The four-speed gearbox was manufactured by ZF, with a five-speed available from 1960. Other components were sourced from the best suppliers of the time, including front brake discs which were made available as an option starting in 1959.
That was also the year that the coupé was joined by a spider version, built to a design by the great Giovanni Michelotti.
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Once the restoration work on this vehicle was completed, it was the star attraction on Maserati’s stand at Rétromobile in Paris (Image: Maserati)
