yellowdog

So far the only book I've found that even has a few pages (8 or 9) on the TC is: Maserati: The Road Cars 1981-1997 (Crowood Autoclassics) by John Price Williams (Hardcover - Nov 1, 2007) I've asked for this one myself. It is available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Bill, What kind of mods to the auto tranny are needed? There's a guy with a 16v engine (drop-in) for sale and I would like to use that (and an upgraded SMEC) to achieve the higher hp I'm looking for. This could be way cool!

WARNING! NEOPHYTE QUESTIONS TO FOLLOW. One thing I wanted to ask about before I head home tonight is whether anyone has replaced their 8v engine with the 16v one while keeping the auto tranny? If I had a complete DOHC Maserati engine available and an upgraded SMEC programmed for the 16v, what would need to be changed to the rest of the car during the bolt on process? What issues or problems might there be? What would be incompatable?

I like the sound of your mods but was wondering how much increase the tranny can take before you need to modify it? 200? 250?

Wild Bill you are so right. I punched it up to 95 and a late model Audi blew by me as if I was standing still. I have ridden with other people with late model Beemers who sail along at 110 fairly effortlessly and yet still have to make room for the Porsches. The danger on the autobahn is not the high speeds per se, it is that there is such a wide span between the Jet pack supercars, and the family towing their camper cruising along at a stately 65 miles an hour. If that wasn't bad enough, some drivers, secure in the knowledge that the car coming up from behind is always at fault, will suddenly invade your lane when you are practically even with them. :mad: As far as driving at the higher speed, I have not noticed any lifting or lightness in the front. My main concern is what the high revving is doing to the 20-year old seals and gaskets. I am willing to put some money into the car so some rebuilding is OK. My preference is to get all the parts as needed from the States so that the local mechanics just have to bolt them on. Right now I have used a Chrysler dealership for some mechanical issues but I think I will want to find a specialist soon. One idea I have batted around today is whether to have an engine modified as has been suggested and then have it shipped over and just dropped in.

All, Got back last night to Stuttgart from Ramstein where I had been at a conference. A 2+ hour drive at higher speeds on the autobahn (to avoid getting run over by everything from Beemers to delivery trucks) was a definite strain on the engine. By the time I got back to the garage under my apartment building, the "Check engine light" was on (Codes 44 and 45) and she sounded tired. Beyond dealing with the problems already indicated, I would like to wring more power from the engine. I know some people have gotten some enhancement from the SMEC upgrade but I was wondering if it is really that noticeable. :confused: If the upgrade is not enough, what would be the next step? Is there something else that can be done to the 8v engine to give it more hp without risking a drastically lowered life span (on an engine that may be starting to show its age)? Thoughts?

Maseratiman, Email sent. Cheers, Yellowdog

Sent an email about the soft top.

Need a replacement for my center console "mahogany" piece--the one that the ashtray and shifter stick out of. If the one in the TC is in decent shape (no cracks, chips, or scratches), let me know. Thanks.

I did it. I sent an email to the Mazing HL.

Thanks. I thought of asking for a part from that car but then I realized I'd still have to go hunting for that leather piece on the ashtray lid to match my interior. Since I'm not desperate for the piece (yet), I figured I would hunt around a bit.

I would like to replace the "mahogany" piece of my center console (don't know the proper name for it). Mine is cracked where it bends up for the seat controls and has a lot of scratches. Also, I'm missing the leather pad on the ashtray lid. If anyone has a decent replacement from a ginger interior, let's talk. Mille grazie

Sounds like a plan for winter (while the Maz is under wraps). Two questions: 1. What's a good source for the Daytona springs? 2. If I replace the rear shocks, do I have to do the front ones as well?

Thanks.

So any guesses as to what percentage IS still on the road? 45% 40% Less?

At long last I got a chance to take my new baby out to stretch her legs. Almost two weeks after the Maz arrived in Stuttgart, she and I were ready to hit the road. It took that long to clean the dirt that was caked on her both inside and out. She also needed some mechanical work. While more is still coming (both cleaning and repairs), I figured that it was time to test her out on something more than the short trips I have been taking around the area. So when Saturday dawned bright and clear, I threw some maps into the car, tanked her up, and hit the road. From Stuttgart, I headed west towards Karlsruhe and then south to Strasbourg. The car was a champ on the autobahn which allayed my fears of mechanical breakdown (to be replaced by fear for my life from the German drivers who act like they would happily run over anyone in their way). Just past the Strasbourg exit, I peeled off and crossed the border into Alsace Lorraine (no passport needed) and the wine country near Colmar. Once past Colmar, I went up into the hills behind the town to explore some medieval castles overlooking the Rhine Valley. The car had no problem handling the tight curves of the narrow road even though I had to put the right wheels into the grass on the side to make room a couple of times for the downhill traffic. I hiked over and around those partially rebuilt fortresses and through the woods along the ridgeline where I saw ruins that are little more than piles of mossy stones. From that you could get a sense of how much military history has taken place in the region over the centuries. Everywhere I went, houses, churches, and castles seem to be built on the foundations of something much older. By early afternoon, with the weather still great, I was ready to move on. Next stop was the town of Walbach which is tucked away in a side valley in the hills west of Colmar. Surrounded by vineyards, it is a picturesque place dominated by an old Gothic church. Again the Maz handled the tight turns and narrow streets in the town very well given that in a couple of places there was very little room between the walls of houses on either side. I was dreading the sound of a mirror popping off! I parked behind the church and followed a hiking trail that took me right through the rows of grapevines and past a grotto church. Then I had the chance to watch the grapes being harvested and even got a bunch of my own (makes the grapes you get in stores back home taste like cardboard). The view over this valley looked like something from a 19th century landscape except for the cars on the road. I followed the trail up into the forest and eventually came back down into the vineyards. I got back to my car determined to buy some local vino to take back to Stuttgart but by that time on a Saturday afternoon, every store was closed. Empty-handed, I pointed the car's nose east back across the Rhine and then north towards home. Other than a long stau (German word for traffic jam), the trip home was pleasant. Total mileage was about 335. Some observations: *I am glad that I had a set of V (speed) rated tires mounted on the car before it was shipped to Germany. They grip the road very well. *The car handled well even when my speed crept over 90 mph though I tried to keep her at around 80-85 most of the way. The only thing that was apparent at the higher speed was the hood rattling. *I give the French highways very high marks for smoothness. The older sections of the German autobahns can have some fairly rough sections from years of repair patches. On one section it got so bad I stopped using my CD player because it was skipping so much. *Did I mentioned that German drivers are aggressive? On a couple of occasions, when I was passing other cars but trying not to go over 90, I would suddenly find a Beemer or Merc trying to climb over me. *The Maz got plenty of attention from other drivers and pedestrians in the towns. Many looks and a couple of pointers. One young French guy with a LeBaron came up to me at a rest stop to chat and take photos of the car. *The temp gauge never went above the second mark so I will probably change out the thermostat soon. All in all, a good first trip. The Maz performed very well. The only thing that would have made the trip better is if my wife could have been there too. Since she will be coming out in the near future, I will use this trip and those that follow as a chance to scout out the best locations for a second honeymoon.

Try this: msnbc.com Video Player.

Check out MSNBC. Someone turned in a Maserati Biturbo to be crushed with only 18k showing on the odometer. I think it even runs!

The C&SC issue in question is September's and the page is 115. The entry for the TC is in the right-hand column under the heading "Dodgy Symbolism."

Is any of the factory still standing? That would be a major bummer if it was all gone. I had seen some pics of the place on flickr and elsewhere (some of which were uploaded earlier this year) so I assumed some portion still existed. Even if it is entirely gone, I think I will still make the effort to visit the museum you mentioned just to get a little of the history of the place. Besides, I like cheese...

I would like to see Salzburg at some point. Already been to London, Munich, Garmisch (beautiful mountains that would have looked even better in a TC with the top down), and into Switzerland (on a narrow gauge train that rolled through valleys that were so classic Alpine that I expected Julie Andrews to appear). I already am planning two road trips while I'm on this tour: #1 Italy next spring with the TC and my wife with one stop being its birthplace--the Innocenti factory near Milan--before heading further south to Rome. #2 The second venture is either going to be to one of the big wine producing regions of France (she-who-must-be-obeyed would probably vote for that one) OR the French/Italian Alps region to visit the filming locations of the original "The Italian Job." Either way, I'll be crossing some mountains and so am in contact with Chris at Turbos Unleashed about getting my SMEC calibrated for that extra boost.

Hello, Just joined the forum from Stuttgart, Germany. I am stationed over here at one of the military bases as a detailee from a civilian agency. I am an owner of a 1989 TC (8V yellow/ginger) which is probably being loaded onto a ship in Baltimore as I type this. Can't wait to take it driving on the autobahns and into the Alps when my wife comes to visit (she had to stay back in VA.). Besides introducing myself, I thought I would let you know that the TC is mentioned in the latest edition of the British car mag "Classic & Sports Car". I had heard that the "slick car magazine crowd" sneered at the TC. Well, C&SC did not disappoint. They describe the TC as "an Italian-built edition of the soggy K-Car. Its radiator badge had the noble trident framed by Chrysler's hideous 'pentastar.'" OK, C&SC--don't hold back, tell us what you really think! While the verbage is just dripping with scorn, I'm a firm believer that there is no such thing as bad publicity. Considering that this mention was wedged between reviews of the Lamborghini Miura, Healey and Morgan, that is not bad company. Moreover, I think that that kind of attitude comes from ignorance. I wonder if the author has even seen a TC in real life. I think I will make it my mission while stationed over here to get my TC in top shape and then go to some of these car meets to show the flag. So I will be canvassing this forum for hints and advice on how to get my TC looking her best. All assistance will be massively appreciated. Cheers