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The very special Maserati 3500 GTI Italsuisse by Pietro Frua

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Created on July 17, 2014

Reading time 5min

Written by:

Stefan Dierkes / Bruno von Rotz

Photos:

Erik Fuller - Courtesy RM Auctions

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Pietro Frua, Turin (I) Archiv: Roberto Rigoli (Familie Frua)

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Archiv

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Erik Fuller - Courtesy RM Auctions

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Pietro Frua, Turin (I) Archiv: Roberto Rigoli (Familie Frua)

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Archiv

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Maserati 3500 GTI (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Die Front des Wagens erinnert stark an den später erschienenen Sebring

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Die aktuelle Farbe steht dem Wagen gut

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Das Heck unterscheidet sich deutlich vom Serien-3500 GT

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Viele würden ihn von vorne wohl für einen Maserati Sebring halten, die Ähnlichkeit ist auch verblüffend

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Ein aufgeräumtes Heck ohne Firlefanz

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Im Fahrverhalten unterscheidet sich die Frua-Variante kaum vom Serien-3500-GT

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Ursprünglich war der Wagen rot lackiert

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Edel ausgestattetes interieur

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Jaeger-Instrumente

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Mit Vierganggetriebe

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Als auch die Uhren noch Kunststücke waren

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Nobel austaffierte Fondsitzbank

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Zwei obenliegende Nockenwelle für optimale Ventilsteuerung

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Drei Weber-Doppelvergaser beatmen den Reihensechszylindermotor

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Chassis-Plakette

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Der Dreizack auf der Front

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Der Dreizack auf dem Kühlergrill

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Dreizack auf dem Dachholm

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Elegante Front, deutlich anders als beim Werks-3500-GT

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Im Gegensatz zum Werks-3500-GT hat die Frua-Version Doppelscheinwerfer

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Radkappen waren in den Sechzigerjahren noch chic

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Elegante Radzierdeckel

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Alle vier Frua-3500 GT wurden auch dort gebaut

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Verantwortlich für diese Sonderkarosserie zeichnete Pietro Frua

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Einstellbarer Aussenrückspiegel

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Kleine Heckleuchten

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua - Klar beschriftet

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Maserati 3500 GTI Coupé Touring (1963) - das Coupé wirkt etwas altmodischer als die Vignale-Cabriolet-Version

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Maserati 3500 GT (1957) - der Prototyp von Touring, genannt "Dama Bianca (weisse Dame), am Genfer Automobilsalon 1957

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Maserati 3500 GT Touring (1963) - Coupé mit Speichenrädern

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Maserati 3500 GT Spider Touring (1958) - Interieur des Ausstellungsfahrzeugs am Genfer Automobilsalon von 1958

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Maserati 3500 GTI Italsuisse Coupé (AM 101.1494 von 1961) - elegantes Coupé, von Pietro Frua für Italsuisse gezeichnet

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Maserati 3500 GTI Italsuisse Coupé (AM 101.1494 von 1961) - ausgestellt auf dem Genfer Autosalon 1961, die Frua-Linie erinnert an den Sebring

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Maserati 3500 GTIS Sebring (1963) - das Vignale-Coupé auf einer arg körnigen Aufnahme von damals

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua auf dem Werksgelände der Officine Maserati in der Viale Ciro Menotti 322 in Modena

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua auf dem Werksgelände der Officine Maserati in der Viale Ciro Menotti 322 in Modena

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Maserati 3500 GT (1961) Italsuisse von Pietro Frua auf dem Werksgelände der Officine Maserati in der Viale Ciro Menotti 322 in Modena

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Summary

Based on the Maserati 3500 GT, Pietro Frua built four coupés between 1961 and 1964 as design studies, which were the forerunners of the Maserati Sebring. Series production at Italsuisse came to nothing, as this order was placed with Vignale for a design by Michelotti, but three of the four special bodies survived. This report portrays the second Coupé Speciale built and tells the story of this remarkable vehicle.

This article contains the following chapters

Classic sports car design
Many special bodies
The four coupés by Pietro Frua
The colorful life of the second Frua 3500 GT
Further information

Estimated reading time: 5min

Preview (beginning of the article)

The Maserati 3500 GT, which was shown to the public for the first time in 1957, was very well suited for the construction of special bodies, as it was not designed according to the self-supporting principle thanks to its tubular frame construction. A whole series of coachbuilders used this platform, one of them being Pietro Frua. For the Maserati 3500 GT, Maserati's chief engineer Giulio Alfieri pulled out all the stops. The classic Maserati racing engines were the inspiration for the development of the in-line six-cylinder engine. Two overhead camshafts controlled the slanted valves. The three twin carburetors from Weber were mounted on the right-hand side to reduce the overall height of the unit. The engine, equipped with a Marelli dual ignition, delivered an impressive 66 hp per liter of displacement. A four-speed gearbox (later a ZF five-speed gearbox was also available) transferred the power to the rear axle. From June 1961, the model then known as the 3500 GTI was fitted with Lucas petrol injection instead of carburetors.

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