September 14th was an important day for the team at Bill McGrath as it marked the end of a five year restoration project. The 1971 Maserati Ghibli SS, belonging to Stephen Dowling, emerged into the sunshine outside the Kimpton workshops to be driven straight off to France and Austria for the International Maserati Rally.
With a complete restoration like this, every aspect of the car is rebuilt, but it nearly fell at the first post when the paint came off to reveal decades of metal corrosion and the full range of bodged repairs. Filler and fibreglass sheet had long since replaced the original front valance, the lower wings had pop-riveted repairs and after sand blasting, the rear wheel arch tubs were almost non-existent.
Many a project would abort at this point but Stephen is made of sterner stuff and laid down the challenge that he not only wanted to continue the restoration but that he wanted it to be as good as we could get it. The reconstruction of the body was undertaken by our body partner Shane Willis at Prestige Restorations in Chertsey, and the colour (and original Maserati shade called Verde Gemma) sets off Shane’s metal shaping beautifully.
However there were other challenges to come. While renewing the cylinder liners, we discovered that the engine block had been incorrectly machined from new – it was not quite a 90 degree V8 after all and so a bespoke set of liners had to be made to correct this.
When renewing the wiring loom (which we made in house), we found that even Maserati had got their left and right mixed up, as the wiring looms to each door crossed over behind the dashboard and were extra long as a result. Needless to say, this was all corrected on the new loom.
For the interior, Stephen chose a strong tobacco brown, reminiscent of the original hide but with lighter carpets and contrasting binding – every part of the interior was re-trimmed including the headlining, though happily we were able to save the original Maserati embossed heel mat. The interior work was carried out by our long term partners, Barton and Son in Luton.
Pulling a project like this together takes a huge amount of effort but the deadline of its debut on the International meant that the last few months of work were fairly intense. The engine ran for the first time in early August and the car was road testing a couple of weeks later. Feeling taut on the road, as only cars that have had every bush and bolt replaced can do, the car is a joy to drive. The majority of the work on this car was handled by Alan Piggott at McGraths, with help from John Gibbins and Brian Bunker.
And so the collection day dawned, the weather being kind for once as we hoist an Australian Flag above the workshop in recognition of Stephen’s home country. And then Stephen hosted a little lunch party for all the McGrath team before we waved him off to catch his ferry. Thanks Steve, we hope you like it!

The annual UK Maserati Club Concours produced an amazing result for Bill McGrath Limited this year, with 5 out of the 6 class winning cars plus the overall victor being McGrath maintained and restored cars.

Class 1. The winner was the majestic Maserati 5000GT Allemano belonging to Stephen Dowling, which only a day later set off on a European Grand Tour. Class 2. The winner was Andy Heywood of Bill McGrath with his gorgeous brown Maserati Kyalami, restored in the McGrath workshops a few years ago.Class 3. The winner was Andy Heywood of Bill McGrath with his Maserati Biturbo. This amazing timewarp car had been looked after by the McGrath team for many years when it belonged to Alexander Fyshe. And when it came up for sale a few years ago, Andy felt that this was as good an example of an early Biturbo as he was ever going to find – so it was preserved for posterity!

Class 4. The winner was Daniel Corbett with his 2006 Maserati GranSport Coupe – the only car not serviced by McGrath, but we’re working on that!

Masterclass: The winner was Club President Alexander Fyshe with his 1971 Maserati Ghibli SS, a car restored by McGrath sixteen years ago, used extensively in Europe and still capable of winning the ultimate prize.

Overall Winner: Congratulations to Roger Epsztajn and his Maserati Sebring Series 1, a car that gets used enthusiastically on many Maserati events and is of course, maintained by McGrath.

In early December we prepared to wave goodbye to an old friend. It had been Bill McGrath’s wish that on his death his faithful 3500GTI, the car that had first ignited his interest in Maserati, should be sold. The car had spent most of 2009 and 2010 in our storage but finally a decision was taken to enter it into Bonhams auction at Mercedes-Benz World on December 6th, almost exactly a year after Bill died.

The picture shows the car, freshly fettled and MOT’d, about to leave the workshops in Kimpton. It was snowing that day.

The auction was an emotional event but the car sold suitably well, making £78,500, which we believe is a new record for a RHD 3500 Coupe in the UK. Three of Bill’s daughters were present to wave goodbye to the car that they used to get taken to school in all those years ago.

Well done to Bonhams for providing their normal professional service.

However, as is customary at auction, we don’t know who bought the car. If the new owner is reading this then the family would really appreciate hearing from you, just to know how the old girl is fairing, now that she has started a new chapter in her life.

Bill McGrath Limited in Sweden!

At the beginning of September, the International gathering of the European Maserati Clubs took place, this year in Sweden. Preparations for the event occupied the workshops at Bill McGrath Limited for most of the preceding month because cars due to attend included the newly mechanically overhauled 5000GT #026, a newly restored Indy 4900, a Sebring Series 1, a 3500GT, a Ghibli SS, a Merak SS, a 4200 Spyder and a GranSport Spyder, all cars maintained by us. Andy Heywood attended in the Maserati Indy 4900, partnering owner Drummond Bone.

The Rally took place in a place called Båstad on the west coast of Sweden and featured 70 Maseratis from all over Europe. Overall winner of the event was the Maserati 5000GT #026 belonging to Stephen Dowling and winning the classic section of the concours was Cliff Clifton’s 3500GT – a car totally restored by us.

In all, the trip was around 1500 miles plus a track day at the tricky Knutsdorp circuit and we are pleased to report that all of our cars made the trip reliably. Stephen Dowling mused on the last overnight stop that he might continue on in the 5000GT to Lake Como, but that’s another story.