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StarLight Garage presents her 175th car suggestion and hits another big milestone for the GT-series Garage.
Thanks to everyone who has voted for my suggestions, I only did the suggestion but you are the one who make it happen!
Presents another classic racing car, this time a Maserati, the Maserati 300S from 1955.
Another beautiful car who had be driven by famous drivers, Stirling Moss, Jean Behra and Juan Manuel Fangio.
This Maserati won also the 1000km of Buenos Aires and the 1000kms of Nurburgring, both in 1956. An extraordinary racing car.
Replacing the A6GCS series, Maserati had engineer Vittorio Ballantrani prepare a new car to stay on pace with competition from the similarly powered Ferrari Monza, Jaguar D-Type and Mercedes-Benz SLR . The initial idea was to use an engine similar to the successful Maserati 250F Grand Prix car in a A6G-like sports car chassis, but both elements required significant modifications.
As early as 1954, a 2.5-litre version of the 250F engine was tested in an A6GCS chassis. Called the 250S, it wasn't on pace, so larger versions were made, including the 280S. The ultimate version was the 3.0-liter 300S. These engines retained the 250F cylinder head, but the 300S used a new block which used a larger bore and stroke. This head supported twin-overhead camshafts, that allowed hemispherical combustion chambers. Other engine details included Vandervell bearings, an alunum alloy block and Weber carburetors.
The first few chassis were designed and manufactured by Maserati's racing departments. Later upgraded versions were supplied by Gilco. Both used a de Dion-type tube axle in the rear. The rear of the car was cramped with a 4-speed transaxle that was covered by a single transverse leaf spring. The front featured a more conventional layout including double wishbones with an anti-roll bar.
Similar to the 250F, aluminum finned drums were fitted and some cars were later upgraded with the larger Maserati 450S versions.
Some of the first cars featured differences including 5-Speed gearboxes and a center throttle panel, but these were changed after the first few cars. All the bodies were made of lightweight aluminum alloy, but they were upgraded throughout the five year production. Half way through production, the shape was changed to a longer protruding nose with circular front intakes.
The 300S made its World Sportscar Champship debut at the 1955 12 Hours of Sebring. Remarkably the privately owned 300S of Bill Spear finished third overall, setting a good precedent for the upcoming model. For the rest of the season the 300S supported the A6GCS cars but never achieved any notable victory. Cars entered in that year's Mille Miglia and Le Mans both retired.
For the 1956 season, Maserati hired Stirling Moss and prepared a works team for all the rounds of the World Sports Car Championship. At the opening round of this season at Buenos Aires, the factory efforts paid which paid off. All the large 4.0-litre Ferrari suffered mechanical problems, and the car driven by Moss and local Carlos Menditeguy took overall victory.
For the next rounds at Sebring and the Mille Miglia, Maserati prepared the 350S. The cars were on pace but succumbed to the competition. The 1000kms of Nurburgring changed this when Moss and Behra took over a second car to win the event.
1956 ended at the Swedish GP and Maserati had high hopes to gain enough points to win over Ferrari. Despite bringing five cars, all the Maseratis retired, leaving Ferrari with the first six positions and the Manufacturer's Championship.
Specifications
type Racing Car
production years 1955 - 1959
built at Modena, Italy
production 26
Engine
Tyep: Twin Plug Inline-6 w/Dry Sump Lubrication
Position: Fornt Longitudinal
Aspiration: Natural
Block material: Aluminum Alloy
Valvetrain: DOHC 2 Valves per Cylinder
Fuel feed: 3 Weber Twin Choke 45DCOE
Displacement: 2992 cc / 182.6 in³
Bore: 84 mm / 3.31 in
Stroke: 90 mm / 3.54 in
Compression: 9.0:1
Power: 182.7 kw / 245.0 bhp @ 6200 rpm
Specific output: 81.89 bhp per litre
Bhp/weight: 314.1 bhp per tonne
Chassis
Body / frame: Aluminum Body over Steel Tube Frame
Driven wheels: RWD
Transmission: ZF 4-Speed Manual
Wheel type: Borrani Wire Wheels
Front tires: 550x16 Dunlop
Rear tires: 550x16 Dunlop
Front brakes: Hydraulic Drums
Rear brakes: Hydraulic Drums
Front wheels: F 40.6 x 12.7 cm / 16.0 x 5.0 in
Rear wheels: R 40.6 x 12.7 cm / 16.0 x 5.0 in
Steering: Worm & Sector
Front suspension: Unequal Wishbones w/Coil Springs, Hydraulic Shock Absorbers
Rear suspension: De Dion-Tube Axle w/Semi-Elliptic Leaf Springs, Hydraulic Houdaille Shock Absorbers
Curb weight: 780 kg / 1720 lbs
Wheelbase: 2310 mm / 90.9 in
Front track: 1300 mm / 51.2 in
Rear track: 1250 mm / 49.2 in
Length: 4150 mm / 163.4 in
Width: 1450 mm / 57.1 in
Height: 980 mm / 38.6 in
Performnace
Top speed: ~289.7 kph / 180.0 mph
0 - 60 mph: ~5.0 seconds
THE OTHER MASERATIS ARE HERE
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