1970 Maserati Indy

1 Of 440 Examples Made

Estimate: £40,000 - £50,000*

Reg No: FBY 195H Chassis No: AM116*358 MOT: Exempt

Although not officially announced until the March 1969 Geneva Salon, the Maserati Indy had appeared in prototype guise on Carrozzeria Vignale’s stand at the previous season’s Turin Salon. Named in honour of the marque’s two great Indianapolis 500 victories (1939, 1940), the newcomer was artfully styled; its crisp lines belying a fourseater interior. Notable as the first Maserati to employ unit construction, the Fastback Coupe was equipped with independent coil-and-wishbone front suspension, a welllocated ‘live’ rear axle, front / rear anti-roll bars, four-wheel ventilated disc brakes and recirculating-ball steering. Initially powered by a 4136cc ‘quad-cam’ light alloy V8 allied to either five-speed manual or three-speed automatic transmission, the Indy boasted a 155mph top speed. Superseded by later 4.7 and 4.9 variants, just 440 4.2 litre examples were made.

According to a handwritten letter on file from its long-term custodian of thirty-four years, chassis AM116*358 was built during 1969 and supplied new to a professional basketball player based in Durban, South Africa; the Maserati being the only Italian Grand Tourer he could find which could accommodate his 7ft 2in frame. Still wearing a rear window sticker for marque specialist Viglietti Motors of Cape Town, the Indy was imported to the UK during 1988. Acquired by its registered keeper later that same year, he entrusted the four-seater to the Fullbridge Carriage Company of Maldon for a bare metal respray and colour change from Blue to Silver in 1993 (at an indicated 82,000km). Featured in the January 2001 issue of Classic & Sportscar magazine, when it was pitched against an Aston Martin V8, ‘FBY 195H’ was fitted with an aluminium bonnet and repainted again by J.S. Bodyworks (the work being completed during November 2006). Now showing some 152,000km on its odometer, the past three decades have seen the Indy benefit from attention to its power steering, suspension, brakes, carburettors, alternator, fuel system and drivetrain. The clutch was renewed in 2014, the gearbox fettled by Phil Peacock in 2016, the airconditioning compressor replaced in 2019, the timing chain / associated tensioner refurbished in 2020 and replacement stainless steel exhaust manifolds installed in 2022. Much of the fettling was carried out by the renowned, Hertfordshire-based firm McGrath Maserati whose Managing Director Andy Heywood valued ‘FBY 195H’ at £70,000 during October 2019.

Pleasingly retaining what it appears to be its original interior complete with Blue leather upholstery and the distinctive, early series ‘dual binnacle’ dashboard, the Maserati also sports a wood-rimmed steering wheel and Green-on-Black’ Veglia instruments. Starting readily upon inspection and running well during our recent photography session, the four-seater rides on correct-type, 14-inch Borrani alloys. The factory-fitted 4.2 litre V8 engine remains in situ and developed a healthy 231bhp and 247lbft of torque when rolling road tested by Atspeed Racing of Rayleigh during December 2019. A rival in period to the likes of the Ferrari 365 GTC/4 and Lamborghini Espada but considerably less expensive today, the Indy is a much-underrated model. A presentable, usable machine, ‘FBY 195H’ is offered for sale with V5C registration document and history file.