Yup, "Bikini Beach" it was actually being used as a tow vehicle for a FED. I love those corny old movies, not for the brilliant acting but to look for all the cool shit in the background, etc. This same movie also has the Greer-Black-Prudhomme FED and TV Tommy Ivo's four engine dragster... with a monkey (not a Monkee haha) driving it.
The issue with the 8CTF theory (and it's one that's been presented in multiple places and one that I believed for a long time) is that all the 8CTFs are accounted for. In fact, it's hard to find any known record of an 8c Maserati coming over to the US (never mind two) and then going missing. There is a 6c (not A6) that was here (chassis number unknown) that I've been trying to connect via the Mantaray timeline, but I still haven't connected one very important dot to anything else. The brakes certainly look big enough to be later 8c units but that doesn't mean much until someone takes a look at them up close. I seem to recall seeing chassis numbers for these cars stamped on all kinds of partsincluding either backing plates or drums. Since this thread first started I've been digging through information and corresponding with a few people about this to see if I can find anything. Will update when I find something. Cris
Here's a quote from Dean in an interview in the July 2012 issue of Octaane magazine: "My ex father-in-law shipped two 8CTFs from Europe to the States. He raced them a few times but theyweren't powerful enough, so they just sat in his backyard with weeds growing through them. I said I could make something out of these carsand he let me take them." According to the article, the 289 and T10 for the Mantaray came from Carroll Shelby.
My dad and I purchased the Maxson/Jeffries ex Foyt sprint car from Jeffries' ex-wife back around '85. He mentions this account in his book on Page 42. Along with the sprint car and the Offy engines there were two Maserati engines - mostly complete. We sold them to Miller/Offy collector Chuck Davis - not sure if they were restored or sold. Offy 220
If the father in law raced then I guess they would have been listed in Sports Car programs. What time frame would this have been, and what was his name? Bob
The Jalopy Journal
