Maserati Tipo 61

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Maserati "Birdcage"
View of part of the "bird cage"
Maserati Tipo 61 at the 2009 AvD Oldtimer Grand Prix
The successor to the Tipo 61, the Maserati Tipo 63 (1960), now with a mid-engine, at the 2015 Oldtimer Grand Prix at the Nürburgring

The Maserati Tipo 60/61 is a racing car that Officine Alfieri Maserati SpA built for customers in Modena from 1959 to 1961. There was no factory assignment at racing events because of the tense economic situation of the company at the time. 22 vehicles were produced.

construction

The car became known as the Maserati “Birdcage” (“bird cage”), an allusion to the unusual, only 30 kg heavy tubular space frame by Giulio Alfieri, which consists of more than 200 relatively thin-walled steel tubes with a small diameter. With this construction, Maserati achieved a strength similar to that of a much more expensive monocoque. A special feature of this Maserati frame is that it shows the shape of the vehicle even without a body.

The bonnet of the "Birdcage" is extremely flat despite the front engine; because the in-line four-cylinder is installed at an angle of 45 degrees so that the air flow is favorable, also because of the tightly enclosed front wheels and the spoiler lip at the rear.

The wheels (wire-spoke wheels) are suspended at the front on double triangular wishbones with coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers, a De-Dion axle with transverse leaf springs and telescopic shock absorbers is installed at the rear . The car has disc brakes on all four wheels (made by Maserati according to Girling's plans).

The body was made by hand by the supplier Allegretti e Gentilini .

In 1961 the successor Maserati Tipo 63 was also built according to the birdcage principle, but with a mid-engine.

Technical specifications

Maserati Tipo 60 (1959) Tipo 61 (1960)
Engine: Inline 4-cylinder (inclined 45 ° to the right)
Displacement: 1989 cc 2890 cc
Bore × stroke: 93.8 x 72 mm 95.5 x 92 mm
Compression: 9.8: 1 9.1: 1
Power: 200 hp at 7800 rpm 250 hp at 6500 rpm
Power transmission: Multi-disc dry clutch,
five-speed gearbox with interlocked differential ( transaxle )
Body: Aluminum body on tubular space frame
Overall length: 3800 mm
Wheelbase: 2200 mm
Track width front / rear: 1250/1200 mm
Tire size front / rear: 5.50 × 16 / 6.00 × 16 (Tipo 61: 6.50 × 16)
Own weight: approx. 585 kg approx. 600 kg
Top speed: approx. 285-300 km / h

Sporting successes

With this car, the Italian brand dominated racing in the early 1960s, especially in the USA , with the name Maserati being associated with teams such as Camoradi ( Casner Motor Racing Division ) and Cunningham. In addition to other races, the Maserati Tipo 61 won the 1000 km race on the Nürburgring twice : In 1960, Stirling Moss / Gurney won in 7: 31:40.5 hours = 133.2 km / h; 1961 Gregory / Casner in 7: 51.39.2 hours = 127.6 km / h.

literature

  • Michael Riedner in Motor-Klassik , issue 1/1987, Vereinigte Motor-Verlage, Stuttgart
  • Program booklet for the 1000 km race in 1962
  • The big book of the automobile , Delphin Verlag, Cologne 1991

Web links

Commons : Maserati Tipo 61  - Collection of images, videos and audio files