216 | GOODWOOD REVIVAL SALE
In fact, Ernesto Maserati had already used that kind of torsion-bar
suspension on its 1935 V8-RI Grand Prix car and the early successes
that were achieved by the Maserati 6CM must be attributed largely to
the improvement in roadholding and cornering speed conferred upon
the car by the new system.
The ex-factory price for a brand-new 6CM was Lire 95,000 – then
Sterling £1,050 – and the car was regarded as a bargain compared to
the expensive ERA at £1,800. In addition, the Bologna factory’s support
of its private owners was far more consistent, energetic, and better-
trusted than that of the ERA company in Bourne. The Maserati 6CM
also proved very consistent in retaining its tune and with the minimum of
attention between races it could race reliably and earn start, prize and
bonus money. All Maseratis in that period were regarded – when near-
new – as being reliable racers, competition cars for the sporting gentry.
In period the Maserati 6CM, in the hands of talented drivers such as
Luigi Villoresi and Count Trossi, were worthy competitors to the best of
what the ERAs had to offer. In Italian events, in particular, the Maserati
6CM proved invincible and it found a ready market. By the end of 1936
four had been delivered to private entrants and a further twelve would be
completed and out there racing during 1937.
The 6CM became the mainstay of the Maserati works team in 1938. The
hopes of the Trident marque were also bolstered by the leading private
Italian teams, most notably the Milan-based Scuderia Ambrosiana which
always had very close links to the Bologna factory.
The Maserati 6CM we offer today, chassis number ‘1547’, is well known,
respected and with continuous history from new. It was supplied new in
1937 to English private owner-driver Austin Dobson, who campaigned
the car in numerous events that season including Donington Park
near Derby and Phoenix Park in Dublin, Eire. Postwar ‘1547’ passed
on to another English privateer, Mr Anthony Alastair ‘Buster’ Baring,
who campaigned it from 1946 until 1948 including such events as
Goodwood, The British Grand Prix at Silverstone and the St. Helier
Jersey Road Races to name merely a few.
As early as 1950 it was sold to Bill Harrah for his world-renowned car
collection based in Reno, Nevada, USA. It was preserved there for no
fewer than 35 years, before eventually being returned to the UK in 1985.
It was acquired by leading Historic racing owner-driver Peter Hannen
who entrusted its restoration to the leading British Maserati expert
Sean Danaher. The car was painstakingly re-commissioned for Historic
competition, and it was during this time that the car was found to be in
remarkably original condition, retaining its original engine, gearbox, axles,
suspension, frame, and body panels. The 6CM subsequently passed to
Maserati connoisseur Stefan Schollwoeck who continued to campaign
the car with great success. Today the car is renowned as being one of
the most original and least spoiled by a long life of Historic competition.In recent years it has proved very successful within its category,
appearing in the Shell Historic Challenge for at least three consecutive
years, and running in various Monaco Historic Grand Prix and the
Goodwood Revival Meetings. It has also been raced in the Ferrari/
Maserati Challenge series since 2000, and won ‘Grid A’ in 2000, 2002,- It raced in the Ferrari Challenge again in 2007 and so the list
goes on.
The 6CM has been maintained by Sean Danaher Restorations Limited
since the 1980s for the last three owners. The last event ’1547’
attended was the Nurburgring Oldtimer Meeting in August 2013. During
the meeting, the engine lost compression in one of the cylinders that
will necessitate a strip-down and inspection by the new owner. The
Danahers are naturally the ideal candidates to undertake this work and
would be pleased to advise interested parties.It is thought just 27 of these 6CMs were built, and no doubt fewer
survive today. With 1547’s provenance, this represents a rare
opportunity to acquire one of the most respected and admired 6CMs
surviving today. This is an appealing, important, very competitive and
proven pre-war Historic racing Maserati with great pedigree, and we
commend it to the market.
£600,000 - 900,000
€750,000 - 1,100,0001