Chassis Number: 2180
Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 1954, the A6G54 represented the ultimate evolution of Maserati’s first post-war sports car. Developed from the highly successful A6GCS racing cars and the earlier single-cam A6G2000 road car, the A6G54 was an exclusive gran turismo; its fine engineering and exquisite attention to detail embodied the very best qualities of the Maserati marque.
The Maserati presented here, chassis 2180, was the first A6G54 Frua Spyder built and, as such, was the prototype of this exclusive series. Constructed by Frua between May and August 1956, this Spyder possesses several unique features not seen on any subsequent example. The most notable distinction is this car’s aluminum dashboard, which is painted entirely in the body color (rather than upholstered) and is unadorned with decorative trim on the instrument panel.
While little is known of the car’s earliest history, by the mid-1970s the Maserati had been imported into the U.S. and acquired by Thomas Dailey of California. When Mr. Dailey sold 2180 to Louis Rader in 1978, the Maserati had already been repainted dark blue and, having lost its original drivetrain, was powered by a Ford 289. Other than repainting it red, Mr. Rader did little else with the Maserati during his ownership and sold it around 1990 to Dana Beall and Mick Brackett.
In 1999, the unrestored Frua Spyder gained a new lease on life when it was sold to the current owner, a renowned American collector with a passion for acquiring and restoring coachbuilt Maseratis. Over the next few years, the first steps were taken to restore 2180 including the sourcing of a complete, correct driveline including a proper A6G54 engine, numbered 2146.
Under the careful supervision of Maserati authority Dr. Adolfo Orsi Jr., 2180 was completely restored to its original splendor. The comprehensive restoration of the Frua coachwork was carried out at Carrozzeria AutoSport, which carefully repaired the damaged original body, seamlessly integrating newly fabricated panels with carefully preserved sections of original aluminum. Once this painstaking process was completed, the Spyder was refinished in its sensational two-tone livery and sent to acclaimed specialist Interni Auto of Mantova for upholstery. Meanwhile, the engine was entrusted to Modena Motori for a complete rebuild to factory specifications.
Completed in April 2008, after nearly five years of continuous work, 2180 was issued a FIVA passport and made its debut at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, where it justifiably earned First in Class honors. In 2014, the Frua Spider was honored with an invitation to participate in a special Maserati Centenary exhibit held at the Museo Enzo Ferrari in Modena, Italy. Following its display there, the Maserati returned to Carrozzeria AutoSport, where the coachwork was taken down to bare metal, reinforced with additional structural tubing (addressing an inherent flaw of the Frua design), and once again painted in its original color scheme.
