Topic: Solved - NEH 1909: Maserati Tipo 104 prototype - 1961

[Carnut]

It is a Maserati Tipo 104. Constructed in 1961 and based on the Tipo chassis and with a 3.8 Litre V8 engine.
It as a one-ff but intended for production. Only one example was constructed although never completed.

The Tipo 104 while on test carried the insignia 5300 GT when in fact it was a prototype 3800 GT

Is that the right answer you want to hear?

Yes, it is - and you earn 1 point!
Just to clarify - it was based on the Tipo 103 chassis.
A bit more info:

[RayTheRat]

Oops.  Pulled the trigger too quickly.   

[Allemano]

Any more pics available?

[Carnut]

Any more pics available?

I'll post some more tomorrow.

[Carnut]

Any more pics available?

I'll post some more tomorrow.

Here are those further pictures:

[Iluvatar]

That's interesting, as the Bertone Maserati 5000 GT from 1961 has chassis 104.004, so must be related to this one. Maybe it was really a 5300 GT ?

[Carnut]

I don't know. Surely the name referred to the cubic capacity of the engine, hence a 5000 GT would be 5 litres.
Although in the picture you can see it has a 5500 GT designation on the rear end whilst in the book the cubic capacity of the engine is described as 3856 cc, which is why it was supposedly going to be a 3800 GT; was the 5500 GT name there just there to confuse?!
It wouldn't be a 5300 GT if the engine was only 3856 cc would it?

[Iluvatar]

I don't know. Surely the name referred to the cubic capacity of the engine, hence a 5000 GT would be 5 litres.
Although in the picture you can see it has a 5500 GT designation on the rear end whilst in the book the cubic capacity of the engine is described as 3856 cc, which is why it was supposedly going to be a 3800 GT; was the 5500 GT name there just there to confuse?!
It wouldn't be a 5300 GT if the engine was only 3856 cc would it?

Of course I wrote 5300 but meant 5500 GT. The mistery is if the name on the back of the car is wrong or the error is in the identification of the car in the caption. Maybe the Bertone 5000 GT chassis 104.004 is not a 5000 GT at all and has a 3800cc engine? Or a 5500cc one?

[Carnut]

I wonder if anyone knows anymore!