Maserati 450S Re-Creation

This Maserati 450S re-creation is the second of two examples commissioned by the seller in honor of his late father, who collected and raced original Maserati race cars over several decades. Constructed by The English Wheel Company in Argentina between 2017 to 2021, the car features a steel oval-tube-based space frame wrapped in aluminum coachwork that was hand-formed over a wire-form buck and is finished in red. Power is provided by a 4.9-liter Maserati quad-cam V8 that breathes through triple Weber 42 DCNF carburetors and is mated to a Tremec five-speed manual transmission. Additional features include a 3.31:1 aluminum-case differential, finned aluminum hydraulic drum brakes with Wilwood dual master cylinders, coil-sprung independent front suspension with houdaille lever arm shocks, a De Dion rear axle, 16” Borrani-style wire wheels, electronic ignition, electric cooling fans, riveted aluminum fuel and oil tanks, aluminum bucket seats trimmed in red leather, and a custom-made wood-rimmed steering wheel that is said to replicate a wheel given to the seller’s father by Juan Manuel Fangio. In 2024, the car was selected to be featured at the San Marino Classic and the Macchinissima II show in Southern California. This 450S re-creation is now offered by the seller on behalf of its current owner with photos from its build and a clean California title describing it as a 1967 Maserati.

Development of the original 450S began in 1954 under the project name Tipo 54 and resumed in 1956 when Maserati was tasked with producing a V8 for use in an Indianapolis 500 chassis. After the powerplant was tested in a 350S chassis, a new platform was designed by Valerio Colotti to accommodate the increased power. The model gave Maserati second place in the 1957 World Championship of Makes before production ceased in 1958 after approximately 10 chassis had been built.

This re-creation is said to have been patterned after the Fantuzzi-bodied 450S prototype number 3501/4501 and is based on a steel oval-tube chassis with a tubular space frame. Aluminum body panels are said to have been shaped over a wire-form buck before being gas-welded together and finished in two-stage Rosso Indianapolis paint. Features include removable hood and trunk panels with drilled release handles, a hood scoop surrounded by louvers, faired-in Marchal headlights, Carello taillights, a wraparound plexiglass windscreen, louvers behind each wheel, dual side-exit exhaust, and Monza-style fuel filler caps accessible through the trunk panel.

Custom-made Borrani-style wire wheels finished in silver are secured by concave three-eared knock-offs and are wrapped in Dunlop Racing tires measuring 6.00-16 up front and 6.50-16 at the rear. A matching spare is held in place by leather straps in the trunk compartment. Stopping is handled by finned aluminum drums that were reportedly cast from period Maserati units and fitted with steel liners, cast-aluminum vented backing plates, and stainless-steel hoses. Actuation is via dual Wilwood master cylinders located under the driver-side floor. Nickel-plated custom-fabricated steering components include a vertically mounted box and a forward-facing drop Pitman arm.

The right-hand-drive cockpit houses a pair of vented-back aluminum bucket seats trimmed in red leather and surrounded by bare aluminum panels. Features include matte clear-coated tunnel and rear-bulkhead panels, silver latch-and-link lap belts, leather door-pull straps, a gated shifter, a height-adjustable rearview mirror, and a passenger-side fire extinguisher.

The riveted wood-rimmed steering wheel is said to have been fabricated as a replica of a 1957 Formula One steering wheel given to the seller’s father by Juan Manuel Fangio. Re-created Jaeger instrumentation includes a 10k-rpm tachometer and gauges monitoring coolant temperature and oil pressure. The car is not equipped with an odometer, and total mileage is unknown, although the seller estimates the car has traveled 1,200 miles since completion. The dash also hosts a Magneti Marelli ignition barrel and Magneti Marelli turn-signal and fuel-pump switches, while an electrical panel in the passenger footwell incorporates Magneti Marelli components and cloth-covered wiring.

The 4.9-liter Maserati Tipo 107 V8 features an aluminum block and cylinder heads and was overhauled during the build with IAPEL forged pistons and replacement valves, valve gear, and camshafts. Quadruple Weber 42 DCNF carburetors are equipped with dual intake stacks, custom heim-jointed linkage, and brass-crimped fuel lines. Additional features include electronic ignition with a Bosch distributor and an MSD control unit and coil, twin fuel pumps, dual Spahl variable-speed electric cooling fans with a cockpit-mounted manual override switch, custom exhaust headers, and a brass radiator with a triangulated neck. The latter is said to have been fabricated with a larger core than used in period as well as a remote header tank. Hand-made riveted aluminum fuel and oil tanks are situated in the rear compartment. An oil change was performed in preparation for the sale.

Power is sent to the rear wheels via a Tremec TKO five-speed manual transmission, a racing clutch with a hydraulic throwout bearing, and a 3.31:1 rear differential with an aluminum case. Independent front suspension incorporates nickel-plated A-arms, coil springs, and rebuilt Houdaille shock absorbers, while the De Dion rear assembly utilizes a transverse leaf spring and Houdaille shocks.

Images from the build are included in the photo gallery below. A copy of a 2022 issue of Alfieri magazine featuring an article on the seller’s first Maserati re-creation and his father’s history with the marque is included in the sale.