Hiding out at the seller’s shop in Santa Barbara, California is this unrestored Maserati 3500 GT. The seller would be happy for you to purchase the car and hire them to restore it, but you are not obligated to if you win the auction. It’s listed here on eBay with an opening bid of $25,000 and a reserve higher than that.

I have to confess before writing any more that I am an unabashed fan of the 3500 GT and Sebring models from Maserati, having owned and cherished it’s little Vignale brother (a Triumph Italia 2000 GT) for almost 30 years. This car has had only two previous owners (apart from the seller) and was originally sold in Italy. An American serviceman purchased it in the 1960’s and brought it home to San Fransisco. It was last on the road in 1997.

By this picture alone, the seller makes a convincing case for having them restore the car (assuming you have the funds to write some very large checks). I think what I’d want to do, though, is get it running first and get the car set mechanically, then turn to the cosmetics if I grew tired of having the car everyone wanted to look at wherever I parked.

While those rear seats are the original leather, the front ones have been reupholstered in vinyl. They did about as good a job of matching the color as they did matching the material! Just like in my Italia, rear seat leg room is more of an imaginary concept than a real one.

With the triple side draft Webers on the side and the twin cam covers, this has to be one of the more interesting engines in appearance from this era. The seller tells us that the carbs flood out when a starting attempt is made, but at least the oil pressure comes up while the engine is rotating. With my limited knowledge of Weber side drafts (enough to be dangerous) I’d take everything apart, clean it up, replace gaskets and seals and try to fire it up! What would you do?