Birdcage was an apt name for the car with the most complicated of all spaceframes. The combination of that chassis, a four-cylinder twin-cam and Dion rear suspension formed one of Maserati's most famous models.
The "Birdcage" Tubular Chassis
INTRODUCTION
The late 1950s was the era of the classic sports racing car and the hey-day of the World Sports Car, Le Mans 24 heurs, Nürburgring 1000 Km and Targa Florio motors racing championships. Cars such as the C-Type and D-Type Jaguars, DBR Aston Martin series, Lotus XI and Lotus XV and the Testa Rossa Ferraris all competed in some of this and others championships and trough the next era, the 1960s a truly high-climax period for serious sports car lovers and enthusiasts of such racing championships era. All of these cars enjoyed long and successful careers, but the last of the classics had neither, it was nevertheless one of the most exciting and interesting cars of them all the Birdcage Maserati.
Financial problems had forced Maserati out of motor racing at the end of 1957. Mindful of the prestige which could be gained from racing success however, the factory decided to develop a sports-racer which was to be raced by rich private owners. Thus the Tipo 60 Maserati was introduced in the world racing panorama at the middle of 1959.
The Birdcage was made in relatively high volumes for a racing car (over 20 being built in all), as the company had to raise money by selling the car to private teams. It appeared first in 1959 in two-litre form as the Tipo 60 and then as the 2.9-litre Tipo 61, like the example studied here. The vast majority of Birdcages were Tipo 61s as the larger engine displacement was more appropriate for racing in North America, where the Birdcage was very popular. This particular car was used by Sir. Stirling Moss and Dan Gurney to win the Nürburgring 1000Km in 1960.
1960 Maserati Tipo 61 "Birdcage" Chassis No. 2470
Source: RM Auctions, Ltd. - Lot No. 292 Sold at a price of € 2.464.000
Source: RM Auctions, Ltd. - Lot No. 292 Sold at a price of € 2.464.000
It was nearly dubbed “The Spider's Web but the nickname which eventually stuck was “Birdcage”, no one has not been able to trace, but suspected it came by the American press, since the car seems to have been particularly popular on there. Either tag would have been a fine description of the Tipo 60/61's astonishingly complex and visually delicate spaceframe, but the look of fragility was an illusion; the incredible network of fine tubes that formed the Birdcage's chassis was as light as anything Maserati had ever built, but at the same time it was considerably stronger and stiffer. In fact it was everything a true spaceframe was supposed to be, taken to the logical term.
It was designed as a matter of expediency. Given a free choice, Birdcage creator Giulio Alfieri, Maserati's chief engineer, would undoubtedly have preferred to have used a monocoque chassis, which were becoming increasingly fashionable and increasingly effective. But Maserati didn't have the ability to build a monocoque themselves, has did the Ferrari and Jaguar, and certainly couldn't afford to buy one in. In fact Alfieri was fortunate in being able to develop the Birdcage at all, given the parlous state of Maserati at the time Tipo 60/61s.
Instead of using a fairly small number of quite large tubes, the Tipo 60 spaceframe it had a huge number of very small diameter steel tubes; two hundred to be more precisely, arranged into the classic spaceframe where lots of individual elements, all properly braced, gas welded together to create the complete frame, combining maximum strength with minimum weight. The construction was obviously very, very complicated and brilliant, instantly craned the car nickname Birdcage a name which became stuck until the end of its career. In the end the unprecedented complexity spaceframe would force nightmares about engine end the gearbox changes upon Birdcage mechanics; but when it was finished, around November 1958, the smart chassis truly did work, producing impressive torsional stiffness for extremely little weight, and thus providing the ideal platform for Alfriegi's other parts bin acquisitions.
To cut the frontal area and lower the center of gravity, the dry-sumped 2.0 litre engine was also canted at 45 degrees in the front of the chassis what had reduced the frontal area, the same was done in the Lotus XI and XV series when adopted a canted angle, what it was fairly conventional for its time except for its chassis. The bodywork was sculpted tightly around the chassis tubes and being dry-sumped the twin-cam four needed a separate oil tank mounted alongside it and wire wheels, and all important unsprung weigh was saved by using large disc brakes instead of the usual huge, finned drums.
Those included wishbones front and Dion rear suspension layouts lifted from the latest 250Fs, a front-engined/rear-transaxle drivetrain layout and a large gas-tank bracing the spare tire located in the tail counterbalanced the front engine giving the compactness demanded for a small, aerodynamic and powerful race car.
Reverse Engineering Maserati Tipo 61 "Birdcage" by Konstantin Datz
ENGINE
The Tipo 60 was powered by the latest 200SI engine, but was much modified. It used an Electron alloy block with extremely thin cast-iron liners, and a fully-counterbalanced five-bearing crankshaft with four-bolt main-bearing caps, whose outer bolts passed through the block and head, to give massive strength. The crankshaft finished at the crank centreline and the heavily-baffled dry sump below it was another very light casting. The head was also in Electron, with two big valves and two plugs per cylinder, in hemispherical combustion chambers. The twin overhead camshafts were gear-driving, with finger-type followers, and the valves were closed by pairs of hairpin-type springs. No gasket was used between head and block; the head sealed against the tops of the liners, which stood slightly proud of the block face. The twin plugs were fired by two Marelli coils and a single Marelli distributor driven from the camshaft drive gears. A mechanical fuel pump was driven from the exhaust camshaft.
Normal wear was two twin-choke sidedraught Weber carburettors on short stubs, the precise model of carb varying from engine to engine. A bore and stroke of 93.8 mm x 72 mm gave the Tipo 60 a capacity of 1989 cc, and with a compression ratio of 9.8:1 that engine produced a binary of 195 hp and finally produced exactly 200 hp at 7,800 rpm, which wasn't too shabby in a car which weighed only about 1,100 lb dry.
Maserati Engine
DRIVING THE BIRDCAGE
The power was admirably easy to exploit, partly because of the car's extreme compactness and light weight, but largely owing to a supremely responsive and well-mannered chassis. The whole feeling of the Birdcage was of lightness and precision, plus ample performance seemingly achieved with little mechanical stress. The level of grip was better than average, the handling impeccable, bounded by mild understeer and easily controlled power-sliding oversteer. With the help of a rear-mounted transaxle, a limited-slip differential and the Dion rear suspension, traction was notably good, the new rack-and-pinion steering was perfectly weighted and delightfully precise, and the combination of the huge disc brakes and very light weight offered braking power to rival the very best. And with endurance racing in mind, even the ride was unusually comfortable if we keep in mind all about this is a truly genuine race car.
1960 Maserati Tipo 60 "Birdcage" Chassis No. (unknown) once owned by the American racer Briggs Cunningham
Source: RM Auctions, Ltd. - Lot No. 152, Amelia Island, FL, Sold at a price of $1.100.000
TIPO 61
The Tipo 61 Maserati is a development of the Tipo 60 which was described in the sports motoring press as “one of the most intricate spaceframes yet designed”. With a modified block, the later version, Tipo 61 format had a bore and stroke of 100 mm x 92 mm, a capacity of 2890 cc and a 9.0:1 compression ratio, which gave as much as 250 hp at 7,000 rpm in its final version . The last Tipo 61 version with the driver aboard and the weighed barely 1,300 lb could boast a highly respectable power-to-weight ratio of around 350 hp per ton in 2.9-litre. The engine was really more effective than exotic, but it had fine flexibility and good throttle response, both well matched by very close gear ratios and a notably slick, virtually foolproof change with a lock-out reverse gear to prevent inadvertent selection of reverse, the same usually had founded in the Ferraris gear-change gate of that period.
The Maserati was announced the Tipo 61 at the beginning of 1960 when the revised regulations under Appendix C came into force, which called for, amongst other things, a windscreen at least 9¾ in. high and 39½ in. wide, 5 in. minimum ground clearance and 42 ft turning circle, and whilst different sizes of tires were permitted for front and rear wheels, wheels themselves had to be of the same diameter. Instead the usual Dunlop Racing tires, in the original Tipo's version was fitted with Stelvio - Pirelli 4.5x16 in. front and 6.5x16 in. rear, and the knock-on Borrani wire wheels with Girling disk-brakes all round were standard equipment on all the Birdcages.
The cleaver Maserati designers used the regulation to their advantage, by making their windscreen 9¾ in. low, that is to say parts of the body which would normally have been metal-shrouded were transparent.
With the Tipo 61 ready-to-go, buyers were queuing up outside the Maserati factory's gates. One of these buyers was Loyd “Lucky” Casner who bought four of the cars. So convinced of the new car's potential was Casner that he came to an agreement with Maserati whereby they would prepare for him. So the semi-works Camoradi (Casner Motor Racing Division) team came into being, it was to challenge for the sports car championship for the next two years. The team began promisingly enough when they proved the Tipo 61 to be more than a match for the then all-conquering Ferraris. Unfortunately the car was very frail, and beset with gearbox and con-rod troubles, and consequently the marque failed to finish in either of the first two championship rounds. Casner, not unnaturally, was not too pleased about this, and sent his four cars back to Modena Maserati's factory for modifications. One car was ready in time for the next championship race, the Targa Florio, and it was well in the lead when a freak accident, caused by a stone piercing the petrol tank, forced it out.
THE TEAM
In general the model is associated with “Lucky” Casner's Camoradi Team and in the white and blue U.S. colors it was achieved its greatest successes. No one will forget its great win in 1960 in the 1000 Kms Nürburgring championship event piloted by Stirling Moss and Dan Gurney car No.5, with Masten Gregory and Gino Munaron in the second Camoradi car No.6. The Moss/Gurney car lost almost six minutes in the pits with a broken oil line, but “Ringmeister” Moss and Gurney drove brilliantly through rain and fog to score a remarkable victory. For once Moss had a working co-driver who could keep the pressure! In spite of fog, oil-spray and other hazards it won a notable race. All the more notable when one remembers that Gurney was driving for most his stint without goggles. The other Gregory/Munaron Birdcage completed a happy day for Casner by finishing 5th.
Le Mans 24 hours a month later proved too much for it, and seemed to confirm critics view that it was too lightly built for a really long race, as the two cars retired after four hours and ten hours respectively with electrical and gearbox troubles. Drivers were Scarlatti/Munaron and Burgess/Casner. Perhaps the absence of “Mr. Motor Racing” the wheel was something to do with it. That Le Mans season was high on the team's list of priorities, but the race turned out to be a complete fiasco. Three Tipo 61s were entered, including the first to be fitted with an aerodynamic, if one can use that word, body. It had a very long tail, and a windscreen which extended almost to the nose of the car in order that the driver could see over it, while it complied to the controversial minimum windscreen depth regulations then in force. This car was the fastest on the circuit by long way, but was delayed for twelve laps when a wire broke in the starter motor. The engine blew up from the strain imposed by the drivers trying badly to catch up. Camoradi's other entries retired earlier in the race and that was the end of a very frustrating year for the team. They clearly hat the fastest car, but it just would not keep itself together long enough to finish a race.
Other Birdcages have been raced successfully, Bob Drake won at Palm Sprigs – U.S.A. on No. 49 car and other successes was toked by Rallye Motors Team. Both front and rear versions have run and general view is that a car either wins or fails to finish. The Birdcage must have been born under a bad sign, for during 1961 its performance, in both Tipo 61 and 63 form, was almost identical to 1960s. Only one championship victory was scored, again the Nürburgring 1000Kms, and again the car was clearly faster than its rivals. Unfortunately the unreliability and bad karma which had dogged it the year before remained.
The end of the 1961 season saw the end of the Sports Car Championship, and the end of the Birdcage as a force in international racing. Versions of the car were very successful in American sports car racing for a few seasons after, so the car wasn't altogether a failure. No, not at all! Even those days the Birdcage, in special the Tipo 61 form, is a incredible machine, it keeps inspiring anyone including serious collectors over the world and definitely have a very special place and attention of any worldwide model maker podium.
The demise of the Birdcage brought the demise of the Camoradi Team. “Lucky” Casner, however, continued his association with Maserati until 1965 when he was killed driving a British sports car designed especially to give the Italian firm that elusive win at Le Mans.
THE COLORS
I had noticed over the Tipo's evolution form (Tipo 60 and 61s) were by no means identical, some slices can occurs at aluminum bodies as well some more upright windscreens, but when we think about Tipo 61 definitely its coming up the Camoradi's team car, beautifully painted in White and U.S. Blue colors. “CAMORADI” is written in block capitals on sides of the car – both doors. At Nürburgring, Moss drove No. 5, Gregory No. 6. The capitals “U.S.A.” was lettered on front bonnet where number plate would go in similar style but with full stops after the letters. The usual tires are Pirelli – “Stelvio” lettered in white round the covers. At Palm Springs Drake drove No. 49, trim being two blue stripes back to front on white Birdcage body.
For the modelers, plans and drawings available online will provide most of the wanted information. The real difficulty its presents by the total absence of the spaceframe layout, a few photos online can be founded and really are useful but definitely are not enough to start over a detail and desirable scale model.
SPECIFICATION
| 1959 - 1960 | |
Naturally Aspirated | |
Rear wheel drive | |
2200 mm (86.6 in) / 1250 mm (49.2 in) / 1200 mm (47.2 in) | |
270 km/h / 168 mph | |
Birdcages
| Tipo | Birdcage 60 | Birdcage 61 | Birdcage 63 | Birdcage 64 | Tipo 65 |
| From | 1959 | 1959 | 1961 | 1961 | 1968 |
| To | 1960 | 1961 | 1961 | 1961 | 1968 |
| Engine | 4 | 4 | 4 | V12 | V8 |
| Capacity cc | 1989 | 2890 | 2890 | 2989 | 5046 |
| BHP | 200 | 250 | 260 | 320 | 430 |
| Speed (MPH) | 144 | 144 | 156 | 187 | 192 |
| No. made | 4 | 6 | 1 | ||
| Coachwork |
A truly succesful racer that put its mark on the early 60's. You couldn't find a sports car race that didn't feature a Birdcage. Reaching the mechanics wasn't always straightforward; the maze of tubes often obstructed maintenance, and chassis tubes were therefore sometimes cut out and welded in again after the work had been done.
Product Review Taken From Four Small Wheels Magazine
SCALE MODELS
Product Review Taken From Four Small Wheels Magazine
The Maserati Birdcage is one of those subjects that always makes for a great model with its exposed chassis detail visible through the deep windscreen and this car, driven to victory at the Nürburgring in 1960 by Moss and Gurney, was the type's finest hour. Minichamps have had a pretty good time too looking at this. When we saw their 1:18th scale model of the same car it was rather lacking in finesse, but in 1:12th that plastic molded windscreen looks to be about the right thickness, there is plenty of very fine wiring in the back of the exposed dashboard and the wheels are beautiful. The seat fabrics look realistic, and that chassis framing is, for the most part, very convincing. Our only slight gripe is that the brackets that hold the floor to the frame on the real car are simply molded in place, otherwise it is superb and with this level of detail in this scale offers fantastic value for money. We expect that this will be one of those models that sells out very quickly.
CMC M06 Limited Edition numbered of 3000
Product Review Taken From Four Small Wheels Magazine
| Product Description: | Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage model by Minichamps |  |
| Product Type: | Die-cast: 1:12 | |
| Event: | Sports Racing | |
| Drivers: | Moss, Gurney | |
| Sponsors: | #5, Camoradi | |
| Dates: | 1960 | |
| Race/Position: | ||
| Comments: | 1st Nürburgring 1000kms. With opening bonnet and doors | |
| Catalogue number: | MIN120601205 | |
SCULPTURE
If you like the Maserati, you can not asternervi from expressing your admiration for the model in scale 1:10 of the legendary Birdcage, offered in limited edition from the store house of Modena, at a price of 504 euros per copy.
The boat's trident, whose prices are very high by virtue of historical value and the strong interest from collectors around the world, is portrayed in the play with a touch of poetry that gives vitality to the forms of aluminum.
-1/8 1961 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage chassis frame. Each chassis is handmade
using heat resistant jigs in soldered brass section. It takes over 50 hours of
careful soldering to produce each chassis which includes suspension mounts and
other components. Includes a corian base with an individually numbered chassis plate.
Edition of 50, measures 17" long, on a 19" base.
using heat resistant jigs in soldered brass section. It takes over 50 hours of
careful soldering to produce each chassis which includes suspension mounts and
other components. Includes a corian base with an individually numbered chassis plate.
Edition of 50, measures 17" long, on a 19" base.
-1/8 1961 Maserati Tipo 61 Birdcage chassis frame. Each chassis is handmade
using heat resistant jigs in soldered brass section. It takes over 50 hours of
careful soldering to produce each chassis which includes suspension mounts and other components. Includes a corian base with an individually numbered chassis plate.
Edition of 50, measures 17" long, on a 19" base.
using heat resistant jigs in soldered brass section. It takes over 50 hours of
careful soldering to produce each chassis which includes suspension mounts and other components. Includes a corian base with an individually numbered chassis plate.
Edition of 50, measures 17" long, on a 19" base.
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