1957 Maserati 200Si

Built on 31st March 1957 and sold new to well-known driver and Maserati agent Franco Cornacchia in Milan, chassis '2422' was fielded in Italian national events before being acquired from Cornacchia by Carroll Shelby Sports Cars early in 1959 and exported to the USA. It continued its competition career Stateside, where by the early 1980s it was enjoying a peaceful retirement in an East Coast collection. Here it was tracked down, together with a sister 200Si, by Belgian collector and historic racer Edmond Pery who repatriated the car to Europe and, for the next 15-odd years, maintained and campaigned it on the continent. During Pery's tenure the enlarged 2.5 litre engine (a common upgrade on similar 2 litre cars raced in the USA in the late '50s) was swapped with that from his other 200Si, but otherwise little was altered except than to paint the car white with a blue stripe in honour of its American history.

In 2000, as part of a major acquisition spree, a new Italian collector bought '2422' from Pery via an Italian dealer and for the next decade it saw very little use. Apart from a rare appearance on the historic Mille Miglia in 2001, the car was otherwise hidden away and tended to by a team of full time mechanics until sold to the current owner in 2010.

A mechanical rebuild was then commissioned with well-known Ferrari/ Maserati specialist Corrado Patella, who carried out the following work: complete engine rebuild and dyno test (218bhp @ 6800rpm), replacing the incorrect cylinder head with a factory original (#2438); rebuild braking system as per original; rebuild chassis, back axle, driveshaft and gearbox; attend to various small inaccuracies and cosmetic blemishes. The invoice for this work confirms expenditure of €120,057. Following completion the car was UK road registered, MoT tested and inspected by FIVA who certified it as authentic ('B/3') under passport #046341.

Now liveried again in its original Rosso Corsa and ready for enjoyment, this is a handsome example of a car much sought-after by enthusiasts, collectors and event organizers alike and one whose value is likely to appreciate.