1960 Maserati 3500 GT
The Maserati 3500 GT was a milestone for the Italian marque in 1957. Having officially withdrawn from motorsport, the marque’s full attention was turned towards the production of Gran Turismo automobiles. To usher Maserati into this new era of GT cars, they leaned on the Milanese coachbuilding firm Carrozzeria Touring, who utilized their Superleggera patented aluminum panels wrapped over a thin, tubular steel frame that formed the achingly beautiful body lines of the all-new 3500 GT.
Powering this stunning new offering from Maserati was a straight-6 engine borrowed from their 1956 350S endurance racer, with 3.5L of displacement and triple Weber carburetors the low end torque was remarkable. Over an 8 year production run, 2,226 3500 GT’s would leave the Maserati facility and go on to achieve great commercial success as one of Maserati's most celebrated postwar GT models, ultimately establishing Maserati as one of the world’s most exclusive high-performance automotive marques.
The Cultivated Collector’s 1960 Maserati 3500 GT, chassis 708, is a true time capsule and one of unbroken provenance. Presenting today in highly original condition with gorgeous patina, 708 benefits greatly from long time single family ownership of 55 years, and tells a remarkable story.
On November 14th, 1959, Stanley W Good Jr., a San Francisco based Maserati super-enthusiast, made his maiden voyage to the Maserati factory to order a new 3500 GT, thus signaling the birth of 708. Mr. Good ordered 708 with 3 options from the factory: seat belts, bumper overrides and Smiths instruments in MPH (Jaeger speedometer built under license by Smiths in the UK). Originally set on the color "Grigio Fumo," Mr. Good had a change of heart 2 days after leaving the factory and wrote a letter requesting the car to instead be finished in “Grigio Nembo”.
Mr. Good would retain ownership of 708 for a short period of time before selling the car to Dr. Portalui of Arcata, CA. In April of 1962, Dr. Portalui’s wife sells the car to Mr. Mitchel L. Mitchell of San Francisco with 3,000 miles on the odometer. Unbeknownst to Mrs. Portalui, this sale would mark the beginning of a 55 year long single family stewardship for 708.
Mr. Mitchell, an extremely prominent San Francisco businessman and socialite, immediately had 708 serviced in February of 1963. He continued to enthusiastically maintain highly detailed records on the car’s maintenance throughout ownership until 36,650 miles, where the car was then parked in the carriage house at his magnificent Renaissance-styled estate, 2901 Broadway, in May of 1978. 708 would remain dormant for close to 10 years until Mr. Mitchell’s passing in 1987. Under Mr. Mitchell’s ownership, the car was consistently and thoroughly serviced every ~2k miles.
Upon Mr. Mitchell’s passing, 708 was given to Mr. Mitchell’s daughter Gladyne, a highly prominent San Francisco socialite of the first order, where 708 would remain in the carriage house until 1997.
In 1997, Gladyne requested her nephew, Tony Mitchell the grandson of Mr. Mitchell L. Mitchell, assist with stewardship of 708 by storing the car in Napa Valley at his winery. Over the next 13 years, Tony Mitchell would periodically start and drive 708, with it making occasional appearances at the Concorso Italiano at the Quail Lodge in the early 2000’s when Mr. and Mrs. Francis G. Mandarano curated and managed the show.
In September of 2010 Gladyne requested that Tony assist in preparing the car for sale, where 708 was then subsequently sold in October 2010 to noted Maserati collectors Mr. & Mrs. Francis G. Mandarano of Mercer Island, WA showing just 36,950 miles on the odometer. 708 would be immediately brought to RMB Motorcars of Stockton, CA for servicing under Mr. & Mrs. Mandarano’s watchful ownership. In July of 2012, Mr. and Mrs. Mandarano would take 708 on the 1,000 mile Northwest Classic Rally, where the car would go on to perform flawlessly and efficiently throughout the course of the event. The following year, in July of 2013, 708 was accepted and shown at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in the esteemed Preservation Class and also participated in the Pebble Beach Road Tour.
Mr. and Mrs. Mandarano would lovingly enjoy 708 for a duration of 8 years until it was acquired by an esteemed collector based in New York in 2022. The most recent owner would take great care of 708 during his time of stewardship, ensuring consistent servicing and frequent drives, adding ~5k miles to the odometer where it now sits at 46,230 miles from new.
Believed to be one of just 4 cars to leave the Maserati factory in Grigio Nimbo, 708 is still adorned in its original paint, leather, carpets, body, and matching numbers drivetrain. 708 is recently serviced and is being sold with complete documented history from new, the original spare tire, original factory tool kit and jack, as well as original factory manuals. Standing as a time capsule, 708 represents arguably the most original 3500 GT extant, with the best history to be offered today.
