Do the words affordable and exotic ever go together? This vintage Italian sports car we have here is available for about half the price of a typical new car! Maserati had success with its two-seat Bora model and decided to try a 2 + 2 version by making a bunch of changes to the Bora. The result was the Merak that you see here. This Merak-ulous find is located in Hollywood, Florida and the seller is asking $19,500.
Unlike the V8 Bora, the Merak had a V6 and a French-influenced drivetrain. Citroen had a controlling influence in Maserati in the late 1960s and early 1970s so many of the components are French. On a positive note, the seller assures us that the engine is not locked up, and the car is said to have a mere 33,546 miles on the clock. The Merak is a 2 + 2, but those back seats…. hmmm. Do you remember the Lexus SC430? A two-seat car where the manufacturer tried to squeeze two more seats in the back. It didn’t really work for Lexus 20 years ago, and it certainly didn’t work for Maserati 50 years ago either.
According to the seller, this car is one of only 102 produced by Maserati in 1975. But this might be a textbook example of the fact that rare doesn’t always equal valuable. It is a V6 car and the styling and color might not be for everyone’s tastes. The condition of this particular example is even more concerning. Besides the fact that it is not running, it has been parked for the past 15 years and there appears to be significant rust issues. It will likely need every hose, belt, bushing, and tire replaced. After all the fluids have been flushed and replaced, it’ll need a deep cleaning too.
Common and boring usually go together. Anyone can own an Altima or a Camry; these cars are everywhere. Cars are more than just transportation for some of us. We love the unusual, the distinctive, and the unfamiliar. Not many can boast of having a Maserati parked in their garage. Are you brave? You can be the new owner of this rare nearly half-century old Italian masterpiece! Find it here on craigslist.
The only aspect that is affordable is the acquisition cost. Tip of the iceberg, Captain Smith…
Affordable to buy? Possibly. Affordable to maintain? Not even close
Was it found in a seaside community looking at that body cancer?
’73 front & ’74-’82 front & rear corvette bumper haters – feast your eyes on this exotic car’s bumpers, tho like ’74-75 firebird bumpers, they are exceptionally protective.
Odd place to put the radio.
I would like to know the make/model of that front passenger tire – time to swap in the spare!
If it has been at a place that works on exotic cars for the last 15 years and they do not want any part of it, that should tell you something!!
I own a 1975 Merak for nearly 15 +years as part of my collection. It has been a show winner, fantastic auto to drive and view; proven entity to have superb braking system, mid -engine Maserati race developed V-6 , five speed , glorious exhaust sound like no other 6 cylinder partly because of the three Weber carbs, etc, etc . I also own a number of Ferraris, Lambo and other exotics. The Merak, like its bigger brother with a mid-engine v8, the BORA have identical bodies doors front, are well engineered, raced thorough Breds. Recall the Pantera???? Recall the Ferrari 308 series??? All well ahead of their time, similar to the Merak , and certainly well ahead of the Corvette, T.Birds from the USA. The bang for the buck is exemplary! The Merk is a defined, limited production exotic. The market, as with the Bora, will soon be in the 6-figure area for the proper specimen. A 1979 Merak was recently sold by a well-known Ferrari dealer in Detroit for $80,000. This Merak on Barn Finds has work to be completed; the rust issues should be well examined before purchase. I am a buyer of this auto at this point with further pre-purchase issues to be conducted. Pricing can go nowhere but up and if Europe sees this, it will be gone. In the EU, these regularly sell for the $55-75,000 area. The engine should be checked for compression and any other areas for aluminum stress as with any other exotic.
@Howie…..your comment tells me that you are not well informed.
There were several mid engined driveable corvettes made in the 1960s & 1970s(& later), including the exotic ’73 4 rotor gullwing corvette.
But front engined corvette sales were good at the time & Chevy saw no need to bring what would have been a much more expensive mid engined corvette to market then. & let’s not forget the mid engined AMC AMXs. – but they would have been more expensive than the Pantera.
With recent insanely priced vehicles, like $90,000 chevy trucks, it was time to bring a(the current) mid engined vette to market, but unlike the 4 rotor one, IMO, it looks nothing like a vette SHOULD look & unfortunately looks like an unattractive Ferrari wannabe.
It would be interesting if YOU were allowed to drive some of the old corvette
mid engined concepts to see how they performed & handled(tho the 4 rotor vette unfortunately lost its motor – replaced with a 350 small block v8).
Of course, tho, each of them was a handmade million dollar prototype & probably never put through extreme limits of driving back in the day. & today are driven around soooooo carefully & sparingly.
I’m with Howie. This is a car for someone with more money than brains, imo.
Kind of sad looking
A nightmare on wheels :) You will spend more than the purchase price on bodywork & paint- and you end up with a thoroughly patched, and non- original car. Beyond that is addressing the mechanical issues. Even if the car is 33K miles, just the basic service to fuel, cooling and braking systems will be a tall investment. Need a fuel tank? First, you’ll have to find one, and then you’ll have to pay how much? Same for radiators, brake calipers , etc, etc, etc. Based on the body rot I can only imagine what kind of humid air has been filling any open valve cylinders in the engine. They may be selling in the EU for 55-75K, but check the values. Runner drivers look to be going in the 30-40K range, with the highest sale four years ago in the 65K area, and the only one listed in that value neighborhood.