CAFÉ RACER 76

Maserati 250S: From playboy’s toy to racing icon

Why was this gorgeous Maserati 250S sent to compete in the burgeoning U.S. road-racing scene, rather than attempting to write history in Europe’s upper tiers? We meet the now multi-million dollar, four-cylinder beauty to find out…

"A Mondial makes a good driver look bad. A 250S makes a bad driver look cool"

The life of the Maserati 250S was nowhere near as glamorous as its stunning appearance might suggest. In the seemingly eternal battle with its Modena-based neighbour Ferrari, Maserati did everything it could to remain competitive. This meant building a variety of engines, from 4 to 6 to 12 (and even 16!) cylinders. During this time, the chassis and bodies were mostly entrusted to external companies, therefore, much like Ferrari, great pride was taken in its engine building. But the battle for the racing crown often resulted in financial difficulties, placing more responsibility with the privateer teams, whose investors funded the spectacle out of pure enthusiasm and, more often than not, boredom.

Maserati's answer to the Ferrari 500 Mondial

In the early Fifties, the rules had changed in the top flight of sports car racing. Ferrari’s success in 1952 and 1953, partly with its Lampredi-designed four-cylinder engine (a radical departure from the big Colombo V12), led to the development of a new car for 1954, named the 500 Mondial in recognition of Alberto Ascari’s recent back-to-back World Championship wins. The pretty roadster was light, its two-litre four-cylinder engine was powerful, and its suspension was advanced for the time.

Maserati’s answer was its own line of four-cylinder sports cars: the 150S, 200S and the ultimate incarnation, the 250S. The latter was created by boring and stroking out the 200S’s engine to 2498cc, equating in a palpable power and torque increase with no weight penalty. Hence the first 250Ss were merely 150/200Ss with modified engines. Only two ‘real’ 250Ss left the factory in the true specification, one of which you can see pictured.

Second chance: U.S.A.

Unfortunately the 250S proved uncompetitive in Europe and the two original cars were promptly sent to America where, despite a lack of high-quality road racing, there was an abundance of oil-rich millionaires only too happy to spend their time competing in the new and exciting scene.

None other than Carroll Shelby was an official Maserati importer for the United States, and the pair of 250Ss – chassis 2431 (the car shown here) and 2432 – were sold to him by the factory. Across the U.S., both Shelby and the innovative American designer Jim Hall raced chassis 2431 successfully at airfields that doubled up as road-racing courses.

The racing years with oil tycoon and playboy Bobby Aylward

Bobby Aylward racing in his Maserati 250S #2431 (Copyright Willem Oosthoek)

In mid-1958, chassis 2431 was bought by Bobby Aylward, the Kansas oil millionaire and gun collector, who continued to race the car with reasonable success. With its synchronised transmission, the 250S was said to be easier to drive yet just as quick as the rival Ferrari – “A Mondial makes a good driver look bad. A 250S makes a bad driver look cool,” it was said. As documented in historical images, the ambitious racing playboy never started without either the number 21 or 121 adorning his Maserati’s bodywork, and he often placed in the front ranks.

From Le Mans to Pebble Beach

After several years on the taxiways between Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, chassis 2431 ended up in the legendary Rosso Bianco Collection, where it remained for 30 years. Today, the 250S is back in private hands and, thanks to a fastidious frame-off restoration conducted with the assistance of previous owner Dr. Wolf Zwiefler, looks resplendent in its period Aylward racing scheme. It is now one of the very few four-cylinder Maseratis with its original body and desirable matching numbers. Those wishing to see the sensational car first-hand have two opportunities to do so: at the Le Mans Classic, where the car will be raced against other cars of its period, and at Pebble Beach, where it will be displayed as one of 10 Maserati ‘legends’ gathered to celebrate the Trident’s centenary.

BMW R45 ‘Pure’ by Ton-Up Garage

Written by Martin Hodgson

When the Bavarian Boffins released the R45 in 1978 as a conservative middleweight they could never have imagined that their little BMW that could would one day be turned into a Two-Wheeled Urban Assault Vehicle. But renowned “Scrambler” builders from Portugal, Daniel and Pedro, of Ton-Up Garage in Portugal have done exactly that and the result is anything but German conservatism.

Hailing from the seaside city of Porto, a UNESCO listed Heritage site with a history dating back to the 4^thcentury, Ton-Up build bikes that can look as good pulled up at a small café as they do screaming down the rough cobblestone alleyways of the old city. But this is no commission build, collaboration of the style of a builder and the demands of a customer, the R45 is Ton-Up’s own and no compromise would be accepted. “We’ve started from a previous custom attempt on this bike that we’ve felt that had failed to end up with what we thought this bike was all about, simplicity and purity.”

The bike starts and ends with the wild off road rubber fitted to a set of freshly laced spoked rims that immediately takes the bike back to its 70’s origins. Controlling the way the rubber meets the road is a new set of adjustable Hagon shocks for the rear and rebuilt and altered front forks. The side on profile is the most important of any Scrambler build and so Ton-Up built a new rear subframe to give the perfect bone line before complementing the look with aggressive front and rear mudguards.

Scramblers are about simplicity, so anything that is not needed is removed and anything that can be smaller now is. The indicators, rear tail light and speedo all copped the reduction method while the headlight has been readied for battle with a custom grill and any unnecessary plastics tossed aside.

Torquey and reliable define the Boxer Twin, making it the perfect heart of a scrambler build and a few more ponies are added to the factory 35hp with a handmade heat wrapped exhaust and high flowing pod filters. The valve covers are painted the same Earth Brown that adorns the tank, complimented by a striking pure white. All flowing rearward towards the custom trimmed flat seat with embossed Ton-Up Garage logo that also has been cleverly incorporated into the BMW badging.

The finishing touch comes by way of off road motocross bars and brown gum grips for wrestling the R45 down the back streets. What you are left with is signature Ton-Up; tough, simple and incredibly well built! It’s the name of the bike, the philosophy behind the build and the best description of the end result, “Pure”!

[Street photos by Manuel Portugal]

[Technical photos by Joel Bessa]

Wheels & Waves 2014 Trailer

Wheels & Waves 2014 Trailer from Edwin Europe on Vimeo.

“Under the shadow of the Biarritz Lighthouse, you can mingle with like-minded souls, grab a cold beer and feast your eyes. The ‘Village’ will be home to a phalanx of machines from Europe’s top motorcycle builders, restorers and hitherto secret private collections.”

Saved from the scrapyard: The staggering Righini Collection

Tucked away in a 15th Century castle outside Modena is one of the world’s most exceptional private car collections. But perhaps even more impressive than the location, and the treasures it holds within, is how many of the centrepieces were saved from the adjoining scrapyard…

During WWII, the Italian government sent many ‘expired’ cars, motorcycles, trucks and tractors to the Righini family scrapyard, where they would be reduced back to their raw materials. However, the family had the foresight to save some of the more significant machines from tragic terminations – and these became the basis of the remarkable Righini Collection that exists today.

Salvaged showpieces

When Mario Righini assumed control of the family business post-War, he began adding to the collection. Highlights include the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 that Nuvolari piloted to victory at Monza and the Targa Florio in 1933, an Auto Avio Costruzioni Type 815 (the first car Enzo Ferrari built after leaving Alfa Romeo), and an ex-Gilles Villeneuve Ferrari 312 T4. As you might expect, the majority of the collection comprises Italian machinery, but you can also find such gems as a BMW 328 and a Mercedes-Benz 300SL Roadster. Regardless of origin, each car from the 350-strong collection is either lovingly restored (just take a look at that Ferrari 500 Mondial Spyder), or faithfully preserved.

Decrepit art

Considering the wealth of riches held within the pair of old horse stables (split into pre- and post-War displays), it’d be easy to lose yourself in a trance of wonder for hours. But during his flying visit, Classic Driver’s on-location photographer Rémi Dargegen ventured beyond the old stables and found himself in the grounds of the still-operational scrapyard. The old engines, wheels and gearboxes he found there might not be as instantly eye-catching as the fleet inside, but they’re equally spine tingling. Browse though the extended gallery above to share Rémi’s experience.