This gorgeous Maserati Tipo-inspired 1965 Dio AmBro Special is inspirational in a few days, but perhaps most significantly for being a reasonably priced vintage sports car that doesn’t require a multi-million insurance policy. The racer is based largely on Triumph components and powered by the delicious Ford Cologne V6. This particular car has been for sale multiple times over the last few years, and is listed for its last auction sale price of $22,000. The seller doesn’t include any details of what he’s done to or otherwise improved on the car since he’s owned it, and even uses the same pictures from the last time it was sold! Find it here on craigslist and located in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Thanks to Barn Finds reader Rex M. for the find. The bodywork is certainly eye catching, and there’s little doubt that it bears a strong resemblance to the Maserati T-61. The original builders of the car actually used a Maserati T-61 as the basis for the molds used to form the body, so to say the Tipo was influential in its creation is an understatement. There was a run of bodies produced in the 60s and 80s, with the car featured here from the second run. The paint job features white with a red stripe and gray roll hoops, and since it last sold in 2020, the seller has changed the oil and filter and added fresh coolant. Some minor cracking in the front clamshell is noted.

The interior is beautiful, with classic touches that are perfect for a competition motor from this era. The wood-rimmed steering wheel and cue ball shift knob, along with the racing helmets – this is what staging is all about. Too bad these photos are just the hold-overs from the original auction listing, which suggests the seller either didn’t like this car or didn’t have any time to spend with it. With zero change between the asking price and the last selling price, it’s not like this was just a flip candidate, either. Although it’s equipped with modern gauges, the seller reports that the fuel gauge and odometer are inoperable at the moment.

The engine is the venerable Cologne V6, which the seller notes has been upgraded further with electronic ignition, aluminum radiator, an Isky camshaft, and a custom intake manifold featuring a four-barrel Holley carburetor. This is one of my favorite sounding engines, as it really does make a memorable noise when equipped with the right combination of high-performance exhaust and headers. The Dio AmBro features three-to-one headers with a crossover pipe and side exit exhaust, so it should wake up the neighbors accordingly. I’m not sure why this gorgeous Tipo tribute can’t find a permanent home, but one hopes its next stop lasts longer than a year – and that it finds some track time as well.