This story started in Magazine IV, in case you missed it, click here.
Guy Williams was in the prime of his acting career when he took Italian delivery of his new Vignale bodied Maserati Spyder #101 1347 in 1961. He had starred in the successful ABC television series Zorro, and they were nearing the end of its 5-year run. What better vacation than touring Italy with wife and children in your brand new Maserati. Photo below, left: we see the car and family shortly after pickup. Italian tour completed, Guy shipped it back to southern California and kept the car for years finally selling it to Dr. Bishop of Rialto, CA in the mid-seventies. Bishop enjoyed #1347 for about a decade when St. Louis architect & collector Fred Guyton acquired this Maserati. We move forward about 3 decades; it was 2017 when Fred called us after seeing the Cisitalia. We were on a plane to St Louis shortly there after. We found a well preserved original machine. We purchased and soon sold this car to it’s current curator who heartily appreciated it’s carefully kept patina. This 63,000 documented original mile Maserati has now undergone a careful restoration at our shop with delivery completed recently. Pictures tell the tale best and this car story unfolds to completion in pages to come.
Our 1st Look It all began when a collector asked the Gooding organization who had restored a Cisitalia 202SC they had on offer. “I’ve got a car that needs their magic” he said, & the Gooding guys were kind enough to refer him to us. The call came in on my cell. “It is a superb and very original Maserati but it really does not fit in my collection” he said. He was right, pictured above, right is what we found.
GT3500 # 101.1347’s new owner sought to capitalize on it’s good bones and pedigree while suiting it’s visual impact to his preference. Color changes and full mechanical restoration were in the offing and 1347 was on the restoration road at ARI.
Once disassembled, the paint came off to reveal …. an exceptionally solid original body shell, free of any prior corrosion or collision damage. We suspected this and said as much in the sale process. We were all very encouraged by what we found. We don’t see them this solid and unmolested much anymore circa 2020. A little hammer and dolly work, metalwork detail refinements and viola! John’s new “Maser” is in prime!
Maserati 3500 GT #101.1347 is coming together nicely. We see its new livery just out of the booth and below on a dolly with mechanical assembly underway. Engine restoration which some exceptional specialist service to correct a worn head matting surface. Job done, almost ready for dyno. Once run in it produced all the power it should.
Done and delivered to its new Florida owner. Fully sorted, in his colors and ready for the season.
