I was very surprised to see such a thing! Still uses the Maserati power plant.
I was very surprised to see such a thing! Still uses the Maserati power plant.
Awesome on the number choice of 185.
That too is my plan if I ever have a Maserati Challenge car.
Does it also have a bumper sticker that reads, "my other car is a limo". If not, it should.
Also should have piece of paper taped to the window that says..
Dear Joe,
You're Great
Signed: Your Fan
Somebody need to reach out to this guy (or gal) and get him to join in here.
How amazing would it be to say, "I have a Maserati race car" ?
The owner posted on “the champ car garage” Facebook group. I’ve sent him a link over here.
From the owner:
Andrew James yes. Bone stock 2.5 liter 90 degree V6 twin intercoolers turbos. Only have done some head porting by hand, stock cams, stock ECU, stock injectors. Huge gains just getting it to breath. Firing angles are very unique with only three crank journals at 0-90-240-330–480-570-720 giving unique sound and torque. Bottom end is bullet proof and there are folks that are running nearly 30 psi. I have my doubts, but I do know that the 2.0 liter version of this engine in the later Italian only Versions came out with 360 hp
Good lord that’s hot.
Off to Searchtempest I go...
Edit: Only one very scabby Biturbo in LA. Prolly saved myself.
But Is It Enough to stop the Bad Jokes?
I Like it.
These cars in particular seem to be available non running with low miles for little money. What typically leads to their early demise? Poor electrics design? Terrible plumbing? Im not in a position to acquire one now, but they sure are interesting. Seeing this race car makes me wonder if this owner stripped out non essential electrics and was able to make a working car or what.
In reply to gunner :
The short version is that they had atrocious engine management, especially the carbureted versions, so you mainly knew you were in boost by the horrific detonation (per new-car road test reports).
The cylinder heads got their lube oil through a screen to protect them from debris. The debris would plug the screen and bad things would happen, fairly quickly. (Seems to be the main reason they rarely have over 30k)
User m4ff3w had one and detailed his fun in repairing a failed top end. The valvetrain design is... odd.
I'm unaware of any other major issues like electrical or chassis, possibly because engine issues happened first. Gut instinct is that Italian makes have traditionally had atrocious support in the US, so many people probably just parked them.
In reply to gunner :
I own the Dead Pedal Maserati. You are right - electrics were a problem originally, but really the Achilles heel was the fuse panel, oddly enough. There were other issues on the early ones. This one (our second race car after totaling the first one at Watkins Glen last May), is another 1987 that is the only US imported year for fuel injection. Fixed quite a bit of Italian temperament problems, including having to use a manual choke, and was a much better car. By that time the ECU was from the 20th century and they had worked out several other quirks. Earlier models (I have a restored 1985 with twin liquid-air intercoolers made and installed by Spearco for Maserati) were quite quick and very nice, but really were badly misunderstood.
As a race car, everything problematic was taken out anyway, but the engine, with a few adjustments, is largely stock -- and bulletproof. The oil pan is very "sump-like" and quite deep, and all the the lower strength and oiling is phenominal. The trans is a ZF 5-speed with a dog-leg low and the differential, what Maserati called its "sensi-torque", is a clutchess, Torsen style that is amazingly effective and quick.
It is a very light and amazingly stiff body and we are weighing in at about 2300# wet, and once we removed all of the mid 80's pollution stuff and the choking cats, we can run 2-1/2" straight pipes right off the turbos without being too loud for most any venue (Laguna Seca excepted). With some intake piping changes that were very easy, boost on this model peaks at about 15psi, although for endurance racing we keep it down to about 12 to make our fuel make a full two hours. Speaking of fuel, the stock fuel capacity is just under 22 gallons which with the 2.5L V6 is ideal for endurance racing.
It is light and an absolute hoot to drive, and getting replacement parts really is not too much of a problem if you have an imagination. For example, we are using stock front calipers from a 1979 BMW 633 csi, which uses the same four-piston calipers that the BiTurbo did, except a bit wider opening for vented disks -- which we modify from 2000 Subaru Outback front brake disks. Many parts are derivatives or directly compatible from old BMW parts bin stuff, and if we need something specific, we have been lucky enough to just go buy an old BiTurbo that has a barn leaning on it for about $500 or less.
We have worked on the other issues (like the top end oiling issue that is fixed with a small brass bushing and a #68 drill into the head just below the cam boxes), and a bigger radiator from a C&J racing fitted for a big block chevy. An oil cooler is essential and easily fitted.
Id love to see more of these out there -- we have been learning about these for a few years now, and even though we have our eye on some other unicorn-type racecars, driving the Maserati has spoiled us for just having a boat load of fun. It is pretty quick, handles amazingly good and is pretty darn reliable, and has given us a few class wins and even an overall podium. The wheelbase is short, and the turbos come on quite quickly so it will reach out and bite you if you don't pay attention or have a lapse in attention, but you never get bored driving it.
In reply to Knurled. :
There was an early recall on the screens early on, and the fix was even worse that the original problem. The first fix I believe was to increase from 0.8 mm orifices to 1.0 mm, but they still had the screens. The second fix was to leave the large orifice but remove the screen. Most of the later BiTurbos have that configuration for the oil supply passages between the head and the cam boxes. Works great at put-around-town speed but not so good at 6000 rpm for 2 hour speed. We removed the 1.0mm orifices and reduced to 0.7mm (#68 drill) and switched to Red Line 40WT oil and have had exactly zero issues for three years. On particularly warm race days we sometimes pump too much oil into the cam towers, but because the oil pan is so deep, we just overfill be a couple of quarts and drain the extra after the race. With the block/oil pan configuration there is no problem thinking of it as a true sump.
In reply to John Welsh :
I missed the "my other car is a limo" -- that is great. Thanks for the suggestion - consider it done. Been trying to get Joe Walsh to come to a race -- even offered to let him take a few hot laps with it but haven't gotten any response. Anyone know how to get his attention?
In reply to stroker :
go for it -- they are around. Lenny at Autoitalia.com (one of my team members) has a business supplying parts for BiTurbos and Lancias and Fiats. He is one of my drivers and has resources and knows were there are cars avaialble. Also, check out MIE in Seattle WA. They are everything Maserati in the US. Talk to Stewart and tell him I referred you and he will help out. At the same time, check out their magazine -- there is a 11-page feature article on Dead Pedal Racing and the history in the latest edition -- including how I found cars in the most unlikely places.
Dead Pedal Racing said:In reply to John Welsh :
I missed the "my other car is a limo" -- that is great. Thanks for the suggestion - consider it done. Been trying to get Joe Walsh to come to a race -- even offered to let him take a few hot laps with it but haven't gotten any response. Anyone know how to get his attention?
Similar name but not close enough. I have no contact to him.
Speaking of similar but not close enough, these were always my plans if campaigning a Chrysler TC by Maserati at The GRM Challenge.
Very interesting... Sounds like a fun car that you do not see many of racing. Of course I had to look local for a Maserati on CL and I lucked out. There isn't any!
Maybe next week.
noddaz
In reply to noddaz :
See my link, it's on FB marketplace and not CL, but close enough to be dangerous
Can someone explain the joke?
Joe Walsh.
My Maseratti does one-eighty-five
I lost my license, now I don't drive
I have a limo, ride in the back
I lock the doors in case I'm attacked
stroker said:Can someone explain the joke?
Joe Walsh song: Life's Been Good
Middle Lyrics:
My Maserati does one-eighty-five
I lost my license, now I don't drive
I have a limo, ride in the back
I lock the doors in case I'm attacked
Joe wrong = does not do 185 mph. Note that the number on the car is also 185 (and D for does)
As a fan of boxy 80's design, I find this var highly attractive. So good to see it out there racing as the Italians intended.
Dead Pedal Racing said:Lenny at Autoitalia.com (one of my team members) has a business supplying parts for BiTurbos and Lancias and Fiats.
Just leave a message, maybe he'll call.
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