3-For-1: 1980 Maserati Quattroporte
Maserati first used the name Quattroporte (literally four doors) in 1963 on the Pietro Frua designed masterpiece, but the name continued (and continues) to be used on 4-door luxury sedans from the Italian car builder. The 3rd generation was built during the Alejandro de Tomaso reign at Maserati from 1979 through 1990 with styling coming from a guy named Giorgetto Giugiaro. Find this 1980 Maserati Quattroporte offered for $8000 in Manhattan, NY (or get it with 2 more running/driving QPs for $10k). Tip from Cory.
The 4Port makes quite a statement sitting on the street in Manhattan or rotting away in a garage in Idaho, but I’m really not sure what the statement is. Sure, it looks cool, and has the trident badge on the side…but this is a car that is about as reliable as prison sushi.
Under the hood is a Maserati V8 — either a 4.1 liter engine good for 252 horsepower or the larger 4.9 liter version good for 276 horsepower. I’m no expert on Maserati V8s, but perhaps someone more familiar can help in the comments with IDing the engine — and I would be surprised if that carburetor setup is stock from the 80s.
You’d have to be at least a little bit insane to consider buying this one (or all three) Quattroportes; any logical person could tell you that this is a terrible idea for any number of reasons. But we heartily encourage that type of crazy.
See another 3-for-1 special on a Giorgetto designed classic? tips@dailyturismo.com
This website keeps getting better and better. "As reliable as prison sushi " +1 and also the little mini graphic icons for each posting type. Like the one for the Z34 with the square wheel : 0 ) As for the Maserati above, 1980s retro cool but getting it into good running order would be like trying to fill in the Grand Canyon with hundred dollar bills. Possible but why?…..
There's one about three blocks from me, I've lived here for 20+ years and I think it's been on blocks next to his driveway almost all of that time.
Something like this would make a wonderful Lemons ride except that you'd need five acres for parts cars, and to make the numbers work you'd find yourself in the Quattroporte parts business, which I figure eventually leads to suicide so at this point in my life I'd prefer not to go there. .
Now, figure out how to adapt one of those Maserati V8s to a T5 and stick it in a Fox Ford…if you can make Judge Phil laugh you're probably ahead of the game. Still need three engines for parts and some suitably Italian-looking coveralls…
Great find! Those Weber carbs are probably stock, they're just usually hidden under a big air filter box with two snorkles pointing forward. This one has been breathing dust, assuming it has been breathing at all.
The current Ghibli has such a cop out name. Everyone knows it should be called Quattroporte Piccolo…
Those are the stock Webers, but as mentioned the air cleaner has been removed. They must be incredible fun to sync up. It's a bit of a parts bin job too, I'm pretty sure the rear end is a Jag independent setup with the infamous inboard brakes.
My buddy has one that we fire up every now and then. The car is a big heavy thing, but once it gets going the engine sings a lovely song. AFAIK all the Q-ports of this generation were automatics, Maserati spec'ed the Chrysler Torque-flite.
Thought the rear was a De Dion setup, regardless, it's definitely a design that was cooked up before software modeling.
Says Manhattan , but it's photographed in Staten Island on the corner of Heberton Avenue and Richmond Terrace.
Guy sells a lot of cars from there. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Heh. Not that this West Coaster would know Manhattan from the Bronx, or Staten Island, too.
Is he selling that Alfa around the corner, too? I'd think it would be unusual to find two aging Italian cars in the same spot in NY that were not under the same ownership.