With a fascinating backstory, and a name ready to send shivers down the spine of any arachnophobes, this exquisite 1952 Maserati A6G/2000 Spyder has recently been announced as one of the early headliners of the 2019 Bonham’s Scottsdale sale.
So, if you’re into Italian sports cars, now is your chance to get your hands on a car even rarer than the Chinese Hourglass Spider.
The Maserati will feature in 2019 Bonham’s Scottsdale sale
The A6G/2000 Spyder was the first Maserati ever designed by Pietro Frua. This model is one of his first three models, which are discernable from later incarnations most clearly by the striking central headlight set inside the grill, and a handsome split two-piece windscreen.
A slice of motoring mystery…
The car was restored in Modena
The grill was remanufactured from the moulds of an original set
The car presented here, the whereabouts of which had not been known by the factory since it was last registered in October 1954 in Rome, was discovered in 1997 in California.
A group of Dutch collectors were dining at a restaurant in California, discussing vintage Italian autos, when their server, Dee-Dee, mentioned that she owned a vintage Italian car — specifically a Maserati A6G Frua Spyder, and all the diners at the table fell silent.
Arriving at her small, one-car garage, they tried to buy it on the spot, but time did not permit them to arrive at a deal. This story was then published in a 1998 issue of Classic Sports Car, including Dee-Dee’s contact information stating, “she is keen to sell the Maserati”.
The car had belonged to Dee-Dee’s father, a racing enthusiast who participated in SCCA and vintage racing events with his Frua Spyder for the better part of 25 years.
The A6G/2000 Spyder was the first Maserati ever designed by Pietro Frua
A passion project…
And so it came to pass that, in 2000, the car was purchased by the current owner and shipped to a trusted group of artisans in Modena, Italy for a no-cost-spared restoration to return the car back to as close as possible its original condition – under the expert supervision of Maserati historian, Dr. Adolfo Orsi.
Housings for the original transmission and differential were found, and the engine and mechanical innards were meticulously remanufactured. Even the grill and bumpers were remanufactured from the moulds of an original set. Little by little, and five years later, the car was reincarnated — and the Spyder crawls again…
Want something that flies the British flag instead? This 1956 Jaguar will get your motor running…
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