With several historians adamant that 'Birdcage' chassis #2459 was totally destroyed in a crash almost fifty years ago and the number should not be reassigned to this example although the recreation uses some original components, stories have been carried by both High Gear Media and Speed.com in recent days challenging this controversial lot's right to FIA authenticity.

Now Mecum has been forced to review the sale details, adding an addendum to its website listing which reads: "The original configuration of 2459 was crashed and deemed un-repairable in 1962, thus it was dismantled. The current owner/seller of 2459 purchased parts from the original which he used in his construction of the latest rendition of 2459. In the owner/seller’s opinion, he via due process has right and claim to that number. He constructed the current car to exacting standards and applied to the FIA for certification. They approved and accepted the car as 2459. In the owner/seller’s opinion, he has followed the same protocol as many other historic race cars that have been re-constructed from very minimal remains."

"Mecum Auction’s position is the seller has been transparent and willing to share all aspects of the project. The number 2459 which is well documented to have been a 'total' in a crash was disclosed to all potential buyers to do their due diligence at least 150 days before the upcoming auction.

Trying to justify its listing, the Mecum's addendum concludes: "Some internet blogs have called the car a fake and counterfeit. We would like to define fake or counterfeit as words that pertain when you attempt to deceive someone. The history and explanation is fully disclosed on this car. We do acknowledge that there can be a difference of opinions. The owner/seller’s opinion is he is selling a re-constructed current rendition of the original. If potential buyers wish to opinion the car in a different light, that is their discretion and they should make the decision to not bid or bid according to their opinion of the car. When ascertaining value, the car is FIA approved to vintage race, world wide. Per a statement in Finn’s book, of the 22 Birdcages, only 1 remains with the original body, chassis and motor. Thus virtually every Birdcage in the world has been wrecked and re-bodied, reconstructed or updated and evolved."

However Steve Hart of Norfolk, England, who undertook the restoration, in a written response to the assertions of Speed.com, disputes that the car has any claim to chassis #2459. "We were given a chassis, an engine, a few bits of gearbox case and asked to make a car from it, which we did," said Hart. “When we first began working to make the remaining parts and assembling it, we were not told about it was to be 'given' a chassis number. It was only towards the end that we were asked to put a number on it.

'As far as I'm concerned, I do not believe the car to have any 'claim' to the original number of 2459. Whenever anyone has contacted me about it, I have always told them this. The chassis has 'Replica' stamped into it, not by us, but from whoever the chassis came from/builder. I have not informed anyone of this before. I do, however, wish to remain completely honest about this and I am happy to answer any questions that someone may have. I do not have a problem with 'new' cars, providing everyone knows what they're getting into and where they stand. I am sorry that this has created such a fuss."

1960 Maserati Tipo 61/60 Birdcage Chassis #2459 (Listing text by Mecum Auctions)

After decades of racing success that included the 1957 Formula One World Championship with the legendary Juan Manuel Fangio, Maserati was by the late 1950s in serious financial straights. Despite this, the company pressed on with a customer racing program led by Chief Engineer Giulio Alfieri and skilled head mechanic Guarino Bertocchi, who oversaw the building and development of an extraordinary sports-racing car whose chassis comprised an intricate network of small-diameter tubes. Weighing in race-ready at an incredibly light 1,280 pounds, the Tipo 60, nicknamed the “Birdcage”, had a front-mounted 2-liter 4-cylinder engine canted at 45 degrees to reduce its frontal area. The 200-horsepower 4 drove through a 5-speed gearbox to a DeDion rear end, and Dunlop disc brakes were used front and rear. Wrapped in skimpy aluminum bodywork, the Tipo 60 was as minimalist a machine as had been seen to that time, and its potential was borne out on May 12, 1959 when Stirling Moss put it to its first serious test at the Modena Autodromo. Moss also scored the car’s first win at its inaugural race, the Coupe Delamere Deboutteville, a support race for the F2 race at France’s Rouen circuit. 

Chassis 2459 was built for American sportsman and privateer Briggs Cunningham, who also happened to be Maserati’s American East Coast distributor and whose racing operation was managed by the great Alfred Momo. Finished on February 27th, 1960, it was sent to Momo’s shop in Queens, New York, where it was prepared for its first race, the Sebring 12 Hours. Driven by Cunningham’s ace driver Walt Hansgen, the car eventually retired, but not before setting the second fastest lap behind Stirling Moss, who was also piloting a Tipo 61. The team’s fortunes with the car subsequently improved considerably, with Hansgen scoring wins at Cumberland, MD, Bridgehampton, NY and Montgomery, NY, reconfirming the dominance of America’s most formidable racing team. 

After two years of success with Team Cunningham, on February 11, 1962 number 2459 was crashed by Augie Pabst during a practice run. It was returned to Momo’s shop where it was dismantled and then sent to England. Many years later a famous Maserati collector, with help from original drawings from the factory, reconstructed the frame. He also rebuilt a correct Tipo 60 2 liter engine with an original cylinder head, lower crankcase, sump, transaxle, cam covers, and carburetors. In 2008 the frame and engine were delivered to expert Birdcage mechanic and restorer Steve Hart, who began its restoration using both original parts and replacements fabricated from original factory drawings or copied from other correct Tipo 60/61 pieces. Many typical factory modifications were performed to reflect ongoing contemporaneous developments and the car was upgraded with modern equipment such as a new fuel safety cell. The vehicle was completed in January 2010 and received FIA approval in September 2010, making it eligible to compete in many prestigious historic and vintage events worldwide. 

Maserati produced a total of just 22 front-engine Birdcages, 21 of which exist today. The offering of 2459 presents an exceptional opportunity for the gentleman racer or investment grade collector to own one of the rarest and purest machines of the classic sports racing era, and today an international vintage racing favorite.