Vehicle Details
- Year: 1980
- Make: Maserati
- Model: Merak SS
- VIN: AM122AUS2580
- Mileage Shown: 35,762mi (5-digit odometer)
- Transmission: Manual
- Title Status: Clean
- Color: Rosso Fuoco
- Seller Type: Dealer
- Location: Cornelius, NC 28031
- Dealer Fees: None
- Lot #: V-0046583
Produced between 1972 and 1983, with 1,830 examples built in total, the Maserati Merak is based on the flagship Bora model of the same era and features bodywork designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, a mid-rear mounted 3.0-liter V6 engine a mid-rear engine, and 2+2 seating. Making its debut for the 1975 Geneva Motor Show, the SS version benefitted from additional power, thanks to its higher compression engine, larger carburetors, and reduced weight. This 1980 example is finished in Rosso Fuoco over a Black leather interior and features a 5-speed manual transmission, its original 15” magnesium Campagnolo wheels, and recent maintenance. This Merak SS is now being offered for auction by its seller out of North Carolina accompanied by a Maserati Certificate of Origin and the original test drive sheet from when the car was new.
Penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro of Italdesign, the Merak employs a steel monocoque chassis and shares its front-end bodywork with the Bora, distinguishing itself from the Bora by a vertical rear window, and a vented engine cover bordered by open flying buttresses spanning from the roofline to the tail. The SS model differentiates itself from the earlier Meraks with its black front hood grille that sits between pop-up headlamps. This 1980 example is finished in Rosso Fuoco and rides on 15” magnesium Campagnolo wheels wrapped in Michelin Hydro Edge tires from 2005. The seller notes the car was repainted in its original color in 2010. Detailed images are provided in the gallery.
The cabin is upholstered in Black Connolly leather and features front bucket seats, polished sill plates, a leather-wrapped three-spoke steering wheel, trident-embroidered floor mats, power windows, and a heater. The seller notes an Alpine head unit has been installed, along with replacement carpets, and an aftermarket shift knob. All gauges, electronics, and accessories are said to function as intended, with no warning lights present.
Powered by a 3.0-liter 90° V6 with chain-driven double overhead camshafts, the SS features triple 44DCNF carburetors, a 9:1 compression ratio, and sends up to 217 HP to its rear wheels by way of a 5-speed manual transaxle. Standard performance features include independent suspension with unequal-length A-arms, coil springs, and telescopic shock absorbers. Stopping power is provided by four-wheel disc brakes. The seller reports to have installed a newer alternator. Recent maintenance includes an oil service and fluid change, along with replacing the oil cooler line, ignition switch, belts, steering rack bushing, ignition, and plug wires. Additional service included rebuilding the carburetors, adjusting and lubricating the shift linkage, and converting and adjusting the A/C compressor to R134A.
This sale will include the owner’s manuals, the original alternator, and a clean title.
The seller would like you to know: “This is one of the nicest Maserati Merak SS cars to be found and we spent a lot of time going through this car to make it right. We are ready to pass it on to the next caretaker.”
Auction Results
- Highest Bid: $27,500
- Auction End: Jul 31, 2024 07:00:00PM UTC
- Number of Bids: 13
Comments (39)
@EnriqueRicardo Thanks for your comment! We will see what happens.
Bid in the amount of $27,500
Great car and great seller interaction!
Hola...The reserve lowered again.....
Marc
Hello everyone. Thanks for the bids, interest and questions. We just lowered the reserve and we put this car on here to sell.
Marc
Bid in the amount of $20,000
Bid in the amount of $15,000
@ItsAllGood Hello. Great question. It was done outside on a warm Charlotte, NC day. It does both, recirculates and takes fresh air from the outside. Thanks again!
Marc
On your photo with the AC temp, where was it done? Inside the shop or outside in the sun and what was temp outside the car? Does the car have a recirculate (ala Max AC) or does it take air in from outside only? In AZ it makes a big difference.
Bid in the amount of $10,000
Bid in the amount of $9,500
Bid in the amount of $9,000
Hello everyone. Well we have reached the last hours of the auction. In a few hours we will see if this car finds a new home or not. Thank you for all the comments and concerns. This really is a wonderful auction platform, website and community. If you have any other questions please let me know and good luck to all.
Cheers,
Marc
@ILLANOIZ Hello. Thank you for your comments. I have only taken this to a to a car meet in the Lake Norman as I do not do a lot of the car meets. If I do I usually take a Jaguar E-type as that is mostly what I buy, sell and collect. Thanks.
Marc
@The_Sandman Hello. Thank you for comments. It was not painted, repaired or replaced. Yes there were vinyl decals/stickers on the car I took off as I thought it looked better and cleaner without them. After I took them off I had the car detailed, buffed and polished again. Thanks again!
Marc
Has the hood been repaired, replaced or repainted recently? I seem to remember some tapering vertical black stripes on hood as depicted on seller’s website motorcartrader.com previously.
I live in the area but don't recall seeing this at any of the local meets. Looks like a nice example. GLWTS
Bid in the amount of $7,250
Bid in the amount of $7,000
Bid in the amount of $6,500
Bid in the amount of $6,250
Additional content has been added to the gallery for this listing.
@montecarlobeach Thank you for your comments. I have a shop filled with Jaguar E-types and in my opinion this Merak matches their beauty. Your father's analogy is great, but if I may add one thing. As long as you take care of them properly they will in turn take care of you. Thanks again!
Marc
@dongood Hello! Thank you for your question. This does have the same hyraulic systems. The clutch operation is excellent. There is no slippage, shutter or issues with the clutch. We did adjust all the shifting linkages as they do need to be properly serviced and adjusted from time to time. When we first purchased the car this was not done for quite sometime, so I took it to my mechanic who knows these cars well. He adjusted the shifting linkages and now the car slides into the gears easily. In addition he did other work the car as mentioned in the description. Thank you and no ignorance at all. Appreciate the question and your interest.
Marc
What a great looking Merak. Many years ago I had one similar to this. Remarkably robust and even (dare I say it?) reliable. It never left me stranded, though it always did seem to need something. My father used to say Italian cars are like Italian women-- beautiful, high-performance, and high maintenance. The SS is the version to have. It's a comfortable, stylish car with a lot of personality at the price point. I hope this car finds a good home. I am tempted (but I'm always tempted). If you've ever wanted to scratch the vintage Italian exotic itch, this is a pretty painless way to do so.
I have a question: please excuse any ignorance on this subject; some earlier models had the Citroen hydraulic systems, including the tie in to the clutch. Perhaps this is not true for the SS models or the 1980 model. My understanding is that a later model, or later models did not rely on the hydraulic systems. I see no mention of the clutch condition or operation. What is the system in this model, and what condition is the clutch in? Thanks
@S1lv3rF0x Hello. Thank you for your interest but as with any auction, the reserve price is not available until after the auction process is completed. You are welcome to bid with other interested parties
Marc
May I ask how much the Reserve is? Probably
Bid in the amount of $6,000
Bid in the amount of $5,250
Bid in the amount of $5,000
@TheVintageCarGuy Thank you sir for your kind comments. Yes no vibration and have a good weekend.
Marc
@MotoMJC Thanks for the video. That certainly does look much better. Of course, we can't verify exacyly when that was shot, but I will have to take your word on it that it has no vibration. Removing your hand from the shifter, between shifts, was very helpful in alleveating some worry. BTW, the car is quite beatiful. Glwta
Hello everyone. Here is another driving video for your enjoyment.
https://youtu.be/ucg1bAGgPCY
Thanks for looking and have a great weekend.
@TheVintageCarGuy Hello Sir. Thank you for your additional comments. Actually, it really is no more than the camera mount. I tried a different mount with my new Go Pro because the flexibility allows for better dash shots. The downside is that there is more vibration in the mount because the arms has a lot of adjustment in it.
We buy, sell and collect a lot of Jaguar E-types and other sports cars and have been doing this for over 25 years. We know when the front end is not right on the cars. We will repair issues that exist as we know how crucial the stable feeling through the steering wheel is whether braking hard (not pulling in either direction), going over bumps, steering, high speed stability with no shake in the steering wheel, alignment or balance issues can be to these cars. When we first purchased this car, among the many issues we addressed, we did have a rattle coming from the passenger side when we drove over bumps. We took apart the rack and found out that the play in the steering rack was because the brass steering rack bushing needed to be replaced. We replaced this and there is no rattle. The front end of this car is very tight. There are no shakes, rattles, it stops straight, no vibration through the steering wheel, no wheel balance issues or alignments issues. I will post another driving video I took earlier or you can see it for yourself.
Thanks again @TheVintageCarGuy and if you have any other questions please contact me.
https://youtu.be/ucg1bAGgPCY
@MotoMJC I appreciate your answer, and anticipated you might say that. And the camera mount might be responsible for amplifying the vibration, but it is more than that. As I stated I anticipated your reply, and looked closely at your arm, hand and steering wheel, and the vibration was notable through them as well. Seemed more pronounced under acceleration and at higher speed, almost like a seriously out of balance tire. My fear is that it might be mechanical and quite expensive to repair. CV joint, axle, bearing?
@TheVintageCarGuy Yes it is the camera arm attachment on my go pro. I used the jaws clamp extension with the suction attachment on the side window. There is more movement in the arm with this attachment.
@MotoMJC The driving video seems to show a tremendous amount of vibration. Can you explain what is causing it?
Hello everyone! Happy hump day. Welcome to the auction for my 1980 Maserati Merak SS. This is a special car with long term ownership history, low mileage and extensive documentation. Please do not hesisate to contact me with any questions on this stunning example. Thanks for looking.
Cheers,
Marc