AC Frua vs. Maserati Mistral

[Emmanueld]

I found a photo on the net of a Maserati Mistral Spider under carriage. When compared to the 428 it looks really antiquated and thin! The chassis is composed of what appears to be 2" square tubing triangulated and the solid axle at the rear is pure 1950's. Up front, are very short control arms in a pure 1950's tradition as well. Of course, the engine is based on Maserati's 1950s Grand Prix car made so famous by Juan Manuel Fangio.  In other words, no comparison with the 428. It makes it obvious the two cars are not in the same league performance wise! It does not mean the Mistral is a bad car, a properly designed solid axle rear suspension is often better than a poorly designed independent one, specially on smooth roads or on a race track. The Jaguar rear end for example with all it's praise for strength and smooth ride was a poor performer in racing in stock form because of it's lack of an upper control arm.  The mistral chassis is probably very rigid laterally with the substructure for the aluminum skin providing vertical rigidity. Fine for the coupe but probably not optimum for the roadster. The AC on the other hand has it's massive 4" tube chassis reenforced by  three  4" cross members. There are two square tubing cages, one to reenforce the cowl (windshield area) and one around the rear end area. 2" triangulated square tubes run from the chassis to the sills which are massive as well with a 1/4" L shaped rail running the length of the sills. All this steel is welded to the body panels and provides for a very stout structure, much like a modern unibody design. This is not the lightest design but it  provides a very strong structure to make a very good handling automobile providing suspensions are properly set up. The Mistral is likely a lighter car but does not have to tame a huge cast iron  American V8 engine with massive power and torque. Unlike big block Corvettes C2 and C3s ' which are not very good drivers, the 428 is a very good handling automobile  with positive and light steering (no power steering required or offered) and does not feel in anyway over engined like the Corvette does. Also, it does not feel loose on the road like most US cars of the era. In other words, it feels like a sporty European car but with massive power and torque that only a big block US engine can provide.
   
   Mistral:
   
   
   
   428:
   
   
   
   Interestingly, you can see the Mistral is not symmetrical either. Everything is moved  to the right, engine, drive-shaft and the left floor pans are wider than the right.
   
   Emmanuel [:)]