Classiche Masters: Workshops for Maseratis

Review by Pete Vack

Marc Sonnery had a different idea for a book. Well, it was, as he says, the idea of a Belgian Maserati collector, and he took it to heart. They both noticed that many potential classic Maserati buyers got cold feet, “being under the false impression that there are not enough people and workshops in Europe to specialize in restoring and servicing them.”

So off went Sonnery on a trip across Europe, from the U.K. (well, it was part of the EU then!) to Italy, from France to Poland. He identified 12 shops that majored in Maserati, and visited each one with his crew and photographers Rutger-Jan Cleiren and Kasper Mols. He wanted to tell the story of each restoration shop, and to have a way to tell the Maserati community in Europe that there were plenty of well qualified shops that catered to the Trident. The result is a book, Classiche Masters, the finest workshops for classic Maseratis, and each of the twelve are presented in depth, lavishly, and with a great sense of understanding of the job of a Maserati technician, be they in London, England or Piótrkow Trybunalski, Poland.

Sonnery noted that all the shops are very different, and “all have their own way of doing things…based on the national culture but also on the personality of the founder.” He considered the ethics of proper restoration and the evolution of the classic car world in general. He repeated certain questions but came out with a totally unique perspective in each case. Mind you, this book is not meant as a guide, nor are any shops given four stars or other recommendations. These are the stories of the individual shops and owners, revealed through a series of interviews and questions.

And the interviews are delightful. If one has ever worked in a classic workshop, a sense of camaraderie is always present and often necessary. It is the team that makes the car, and employees are hard found and once trained, not easy to keep. Many of the shops do everything themselves, from mechanics to paint, and others rely heavily on outsourcing jobs. Whichever, teamwork and talent are essential.

After traveling through Europe, Sonnery gives us a further four significant interviews pertinent to classic Maseratis; Maserati Classiche manager Fabio Collina, who explains his job and the thousands of documents he safeguards and Ermanno Cozza, who helped establish Maserati Classiche. He is a friend of Sonnery’s and they engage in a very interesting discussion about the Maserati engineers of the 1950s and 60s. Sonnery reminds us that Cozza’s autobiography, “Maserati at Heart” is not to be missed and in that we totally concur. Get a copy now while you can. Then a talk with Dottore Adolfo Orsi, man about Maserati and one of the best goodwill ambassadors the car has.

Sonnery selects one Maserati restorer in the US, in the unlikely place of Atlanta. Ivan Ruiz does not have a shop, or experts, but has restored many prize-winning Maseratis. With Sonnery, he discusses finding and restoring the ex-Joe Lubin prototype Maserati Vignale Spider. “But the Ghibli is really my thing,” he says. Like three Ghibli Spyders? Lucky guy.

In addition, there is a new video zone on the website.
These videos were recorded during the visits to the workshops. They show informal talks with the Masters and Curators and are an extension to the book. More videos will be added over the coming weeks and months. To watch, you can register at https://www.classichemasters.com/videos

Cost of delivery will be calculated during checkout. It is based on volume and country of destination. Customs or other taxes may apply in your country after we have shipped the book to you. Please contact info@classichemasters for any specific requests regarding large orders or special delivery needs.

Classiche Masters, the finest workshops for classic Maseratis
https://www.classichemasters.com/
€95.00
By Marc Sonnery
Weight: 1670 grams
(including packaging: 1905 grams)
Length: 303 mm
Width: 234 mm
Height: 26 mm