Maserati to stir the blood

Rod Tempero proudly shows off the  rare 1953 Maserati A6GCS series 2 Allemano that  he has...
Rod Tempero proudly shows off the rare 1953 Maserati A6GCS series 2 Allemano that he has restored at his Oamaru business. Photo by Sally Rae.
It's red, racy and Italian, and all that's missing is a young Sophia Loren behind the wheel.

Oamaru motor body builder Rod Tempero has completed restoration of a rare Maserati, which he estimated could be worth about $1 million.

The 1953 Maserati A6GCS series 2 Allemano is owned by an Auckland car enthusiast and is destined for his private car museum. It will be sent north shortly.

There were 54 series 2 chassis built by Maserati which were then given to other coach builders - including just 16 to the Italian coach-builder Allemano.

The original chassis had been ripped out and used in racing sports cars in the 1980s and Mr Tempero had to rebuild the chassis to accommodate an original engine but not the car's factory-fitted motor.

The car's wire wheels were sent from Italy.

The restoration of the sports touring car had taken about 14 months, alongside other projects at Mr Tempero's workshop, in converted poultry sheds just south of Oamaru.

He described the Maserati project as "like building a house from the roof down instead of from the foundations up". However, it was a straightforward project for the experienced motor body builder.

"It's an interesting car to work on. Not only is it rare, but it's a nice car. It's got a lot of things going for it," he said.

The interior - complete with its red dashboard - boasted the original leather, carpets and headlining.

The boot paint was polished and the striking red formulation for the exterior taken from that, to replicate the original Maserati colour of the era.

 

Add a Comment