Finding a super rare and exotic Italian sports car is the dream of many barn finders, but more often than not the discovery of a rare beauty is a mix of excitement and sadness. Most of the Italian barn finds we have come across are in dismal condition and while they deserve to be saved, are likely to cost enormous amounts of money to rectify. This 1965 Maserati Sebring II 4.0l was discovered in a barn where it had been stored for 30 years, but is in a sad state now. It can be found here on eBay.
When we first saw this car we thought the seller was exaggerating about the rust issues, but then we saw the front of the car. The sides and top of the car don’t look all that bad, but the underside is a different story. The seller is at least up front about the severity of the rust, but we wish they would have included photos of the undercarriage. They feel this car would be best used as a parts car, which may be all it’s good for. It would be sad to see it end up parted out, as there were only 98 of these ever built and only a handful came with the 4.0 liter engine.
The majority of the Series II Sebrings came with a 3.7 liter, but a small number were delivered with a 4.0 liter straight six. This twin cam fuel injected six was good for 255 hp and gave this car a top speed slightly over 150 mph.
Given the shape of the car, the interior is surprisingly solid. All the gauges are there and in respectable condition, even the original leather seats could be salvaged. It’s too bad that the previous owner didn’t protect it from the elements better. Given how serious the rust issue appears to be, it likely won’t be saved. Hopefully someone will have compassion on it and give it a second chance at life. Do you think it’s salvageable or should it just be parted out?
I don’t think that car has ever seen the inside of a barn! That car sat 25 years outside!
Beautiful interior and a great looking engine. I hope someone does save it.
Pretty sad!
Jay Leno has the money and resources to fix it. Too rare not to try and save.
Yikes, how do people let this happen…the key question I’d ask is what does floorpan/frame look like…if it is really bad, its gone…
why? why? WHY would anyone let this happen to such an incredible and rare car! Disgusting. Good parts source.(sigh…)
to bad there are no pics of the underside ,sadly its not looking good given the front shot. I think if its doable buy any means the car should be saved. Neat car and o so rare. aits even got the 4.0
Change the oil, new battery. The rest will buff out.
If it sat outside for 10 years it would have holes in the roof and hood. This did sit inside as claimed, as I’ve worked on enough Italian cars from that era to know they rust like crazy.
They will rust in Saudi Arabia in the middle of summer.
I agree with Harrell in previous comments. Due to so few made let Jay Leno have the car and make it right. I also agree with the other comment WHY WHY WHY!!
ugh!!!
Sure any car is fixable, all you have to do is rub enough money on it.
So sad to see a functional work of Art be neglected this way.
But isn’t that a great looking trailer? nb
Lots of rust, lots of work, lots of money to restore. Not for the timid. But with less than 100 ever produced, this is a MUST RESTORE.. Some big money and experience needs to step up on this one. There’s plenty here and actually is in good condition considering. Richie Rich’s with too much cash and time on your hands here’s your proj, get it done and give some good shop men some employment!
Some things can’t be saved. Could be nice lawn art next to the slay.
The most splended high-speed transportation for your trip to bankruptcy court!
Tragic .
The SCM Price Guide has this Sebring II at $50 to $82K in #2 condition, which is likely a bit out of date. That valuation doesn’t take into consideration the 4.0 liter engine (which you would want documentation for, as opposed to the possibility that it’s the ‘regular’ 3.7 liter), so say maybe $85 to $100K for a #2 car sold today at an RM or similar Auction, depending on who is in the room.
You can assume the worst about the underside, based on the front valence and the other detail shots. That makes this a viable project only if you are a skilled body metal worker, have an equipped shop, and spare time on your hands. If the drivetrain and fuel injection are salvageable you might end up having an outlay less then the #2 valuation providing the eBay auction doesn’t end at a crazy price. But it might not end up as a #2 car, depending on how deep your pockets are.
Check that engine out very carefully because a car like this might have been laid to rest so long ago with so few apparent miles because the engine is toast. The fact that it turns over is a big plus. If you get lucky with the frame and drivetrain and survive the spare-time 10-year restoration you will have one of the classiest Vignale-designed Italian exotics of the 1960s.
The big question is, will this car be saved, or parted out? It would be very interesting to hear from the ultimate post-flipper owner to find out.
It is a dooable project, but…. like others have said , if the floor and frame.are at least a little in tact it is possible. if not then it will cost a ton of money to reproduce these parts. Best if the buyer can reproduce his/her own panels as its going to need every panel at least touched and most totally reproduced. Oh I wish my mad money could envelope this car.It would be mine.
The ebay ad says it’s in Michigan…when folks there give up on saving a car, it has to be one rusty ride. Funny to see the Bondo on the trunk lid, poor car has had a rough life. Let it rust in peace and be an organ donor.
“if it doesn’t sell for the reserve he will part it out. …There is so much work and money that needs to be put into saving this car (And it should be saved), that the reserve should be about $500.00, What parts he can part out will make some money, but he will be stuck with a lot of parts that ..well lets say for instance the A/C compressor, it is toast, the seats…maybe good for patterns to make new covers but they’re no good, he took the aircleaner off,…why?… what is the motor now like?
……..Sad, but it should be saved. You’ll never make money but people have restored a lot worse.
What an era……..of things can never be relived.
Cars, Peter Sellers, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman and so much more. It was an amazing time to be alive.
It is my greatest hope that this car is sold to the right buyer and they proceed on a proper course of restoration.
Anything is rebuildable with deep enough pockets. There’s companies that will build you a brand new Spitfire or P-51. I’d like to see it saved, but it’s not a job for the faint of heart.
The listing ended early, so we assume it sold offline. It would have been interesting to see what he got for it.
The high bid was $25,900, but that and all other bids were cancelled and the auction ended early, so unless someone talks or the car appears for sale again we won’t know what happened.
Given the SCM Price Guide valuation of $50K to $82K for a #2 car (=only very minor flaws), $25,900 should have been enough to buy it even with the 4.0 engine considering that the car needs everything. There is no chance that the car could be brought to #2 condition for the difference between $25,900 and the current price for a #2 car.
I was lucky enough to have a Maz-Sebring back in the early 70’s virtually the same spec, it was absolutely fabulous and i was totally enchanted by the performance /driveability, however even with my own professional restoration shop it was impossible to stay ahead of ravages of the rust bugs and maintain the “Lucus” mechanical fuel injection in working order.My shop was only 1/4 mile away from the Lucas competition dep’t in B’ham UK and I had mates in their service dep’t but they could not service or provide parts then so how would one stand today
(60 years later)