CONGRATULATIONS! One Of The Spies BIGGEST Fans SCORES The 957 Maserati 200SI In Monterey!
Congratulations to our good friend, superstar architect, vintage car guru and all around good guy, San Diego’s own Jonathan Segal.
You’ve seen our coverage of his private batcave in the past and go WAY back, all the way to the beginning of our site chronology.
And he is a living example of the American Dream fulfilled. He came to San Diego with $350, his rambler and his bride Wendy. And now he is the next Frank Gehry. The NY TImes did this feature article on him.
He just won this beauty at auction in Monterey! Congratulations Johnny, Wendy and kids!!!!
“The 200SI was one of the best handling front-engined, drum-braked racing cars from that period. It was wonderful to hang on in curves with it, and it clearly followed your line. It was a pleasure to drive.”
John Fitch
Although occasionally still achieving respectable results with their aging A6GCS, by 1954 Maserati had acknowledged its creeping obsolescence and were simultaneously developing their new 150S and 200S models as suitable replacements. Somewhat illogically designated the Tipo 53 and Tipo 52, respectively, both shared broadly similar conventional tubular chassis, as well as 1.5- and 2-liter versions of the same all-new, twin-plug four-cylinder engine. Front suspension on both models was via conventional double wishbones and coil springs, although the 150S employed a De Dion tube and transverse leaf-spring arrangement at the rear while the 200S—initially at least—used a live axle. However, following complaints from early 200S customers, rear suspension on all but the first few cars was subsequently modified to mirror that of its smaller sibling.
Development of the 200S proved troublesome, with transmission problems plaguing the car in longer distance and road racing events. However, wins in 1956 for Jean Behra at the Gran Premio di Bari and Gran Premio di Roma salvaged considerable pride, as did Stirling Moss and Cesare Perdisa’s fine 2nd place to Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins’ Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa in that year’s Supercortemaggiore at Monza. The move to Appendix C regulations for 1957 precipitated the car’s transformation into 200SI, or Sport Internazionale, guise—a move which saw such cars fitted with a full-width windscreen, two functioning doors, provision for a spare wheel, and a somewhat makeshift fabric top to ensure compliance.