
MASERATI
SHAMAL
Maserati Shamal
This vehicle had been sitting in a garage for about five years, and had not run for this period of time. The vehicle was brought to me on a low loader and installed in the workshop prior to the rebuild. A great deal of care was needed with this project, addressing a multitude of problems both electrical and mechanical.
The photo’s show how the project progressed with some text explaining the various stages of the build and problems encountered.




Here is the car as it appeared when it arrived. A considerable amount of corrosion was evident on a lot of the alloy parts and paintwork.

So the engine is started to be taken apart. The cam belt and tensioner pulley are to be changed along with the water pump.

​The engine will be artificially primed with oil before the internals are moved, after the cam belts have been fitted etc.

Some of the photo’s were taken for reference purposes, but it gives a good flavour of the level of deterioration of the vehicle.

Cam covers removed which will be shot blasted and stove enamelled.


The covers were painted in a crackle finished originally, but is in poor condition.

All the intake castings removed, along with the cam covers.

Cam belt cover removed, here you can see some of the alloy corrosion.
The rear brake discs were not beyond redemption, but will be stove enamelled gold. The front discs will be renewed.


The vehicle supported on stands, wheels removed and fluids drained.

Radiator removed along with the pipework.

Front brake discs and calipers are unserviceable, calipers are seized and will need to be replaced with new items.

The engine has been chemically cleaned removing all corrosion.

One scrap exhaust pipe!!

Broken vacuum take off’s are £40 each, so I will machine some new ones on the lathe.

All the alloy castings are to be vapour blasted before refitted to the engine.

Cam belt and tensioner removed, water pump to take off as well.

Old and new water pumps, the old pump’s bearing had failed.

New water pump fitted and cam belt partially installed.

Thermostat casting fresh from the blasters, assembled, ready for refitting to the engine.

Cam covers being drilled and tapped M5 to accept bolts to secure splash guards. They were originally riveted, but were ground off prior to shot blasting.

Covers complete, new bolts Loctited in place.

Both am covers finished and ready to be installed. They look stunning.


New discs, caliper, pads and braided hoses. The discs have been specially made and grooved. They have then been stove enamelled gold. The calper carriers have also been shot blasted and painted black.
New tyres fitted the the wheels. Starting to look the part.

Cams and head cleaned, cam lube applied prior to covers being refitted.

Cam covers fitted with new stainless fasteners. In the background you can see the plenum chamber with freshly replated fuel rails.

Coming together now, plenum to go on next.


Plenum fitted along with injectors and fuel rails.

Machining some new vacuum take offs, four off required.


The engine finished apart from the radiator assembly.
There you go! Much better than the originals.






The left hand video, shows the bronze bar being machined to size. Here the part that will become the threaded section, is being turned to a diameter of 22mm, before being screw cut with the new thread.
On the right, the hexagonal part of the plug is being made, the part set up on the rotary table, which makes the process straightforward.
Once the hexagonal part is completed, the piece is put back in the lathe, for the thread to be screw cut. This is shown below, and the finished plug fitted to the block.