The Maserati 150, 200, and 250 series of sports racers was introduced in 1955, and generally geared towards privateer owners. The design was somewhat typical of the period, and featured a four-cylinder engine connected to a four-speed, and later five-speed, gearbox, and De Dion rear axle suspended by a transverse leaf spring. In its first competitive outing, a 150S was driven by Jean Behra at the Nürburgring, where he set a new 1,500 cc record in practice by a margin of nine seconds, and went on to win his class by two minutes over Richard von Frankenberg’s Porsche. Based on its debut performance, orders poured in from around the world, and soon, the 150S was a ubiquitous site at major sports car events, competing and often beating Ferraris, their main competition from Italy.

In 1956, a larger-displacement variant was offered called the 200S, which had a corresponding increase in capacity to just under two liters, and increased horsepower by 45 bhp, now standing at 185. Competition successes for the new 200S included a class win at the 1956 Mille Miglia and a 1-2 finish by Behra and Cesare Perdisa at the Bari Grand Prix. Soon, a variant named the 200 SI was introduced, the “I” standing for Internazionale, and denoting the model’s compliance with new FIA Appendix C regulations. In general, 200 SIs were fitted with five-speed gearboxes, larger brakes, and an additional five horsepower, but specification could vary by car. The 200S and SI were bodied by Fantuzzi, and the sleek shape featured the coachbuilder’s long and low nose that was also found on the later-production 300S and 450S models.

Maserati later offered a 250S model and sold conversion kits to upgrade earlier cars in the series to the later 2.5-liter specification.

The 200 SI offered here is chassis 2423 and, according to copies of its build sheets and delivery notice on file, it was completed on June 13, 1957, and sent by Maserati Corporation of America to Houston. Carroll Shelby’s agency in Dallas delivered 2423 to its first private owner, Gaylord Jackson, who ran a furniture business in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Mr. Jackson entered the Maserati in races in Florida for up-and-coming driver Joe Sheppard from Tampa.

Sheppard was the son of Jack Sheppard, who owned and ran Sheppard Motors, a successful and noteworthy import car dealership. Joe started his racing career in 1954, driving an MG TF and Triumph TR2 in SCCA competition. He moved up to a Lotus Mark IX, and later a Lotus Eleven, both cars owned by his father. A career highlight came during a drive with the Lotus factory at Sebring in 1957, when he shared an Eleven with Colin Chapman and Dick Dungan, resulting in a class victory and a new nickname for Sheppard: “The Tampa Hot Shoe.”

September 30, 1957, brought Sheppard’s first outing in Mr. Jackson’s brand-new Maserati at Fort Pierce, Florida, where he placed 2nd and 3rd in two races that weekend. The following week, in Gainsville, the Maserati was the class of the field and Sheppard won both his heat race and the main event in the 200 SI. After a 9th Place finish in Miami at the Orange Bowl Nationals, the Maserati traveled to New Smyrna Beach in February 1958 for the Paul Whiteman Trophy race. Competition consisted of E.D. Martin’s 3.5-liter Ferrari Monza, Lloyd “Lucky” Casner’s Ferrari TRC, and Ed Rahal’s Chevrolet-powered Arnolt. Sheppard beat Casner to the line and his performance was recounted in the SCCA’s magazine: “the winner of the main was Joe Sheppard, who taught many of us a lesson in fine piloting. He made it apparent that the mark of the truly accomplished driver is the ability to pace himself to the competition.” Wonderful photos of Sheppard posing with the Paul Whiteman trophy are included in the car’s history file.

The Maserati’s next outing, in Boca Raton, Florida, on March 9, 1958, turned out to be its last in frontline racing competition, as during practice a connecting rod failed and the 200 SI’s engine was damaged to the point where it had to be shipped to Maserati in Modena for a rebuild. The slow process necessitated that Sheppard source a new car to drive; his father Jack bought a Porsche Spyder, which they raced very successfully through 1961.

The 200 SI became a static sight in the back of the garage at Sheppard Motors until the early 1970s when Dale Powers learned that it might be available. The Maserati was purchased for $6,000 in complete form, but it was dirty and did not run. According to Mr. Powers, he cleaned the car and rubbed out the dull paint and sold it shortly thereafter to an unknown buyer, likely David Laramie of Maine, through well-known dealer Stanley Nowak for $16,000. By the late 1970s, the Maserati was owned by noted racer Robert Fergus, whose wife Barbara drove 2423 in vintage racing competition. By 2000, Brian Brunkhorst owned the 200 SI and raced it in the Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge before selling it to Charles Wegner of Chicago. Mr. Wegner campaigned the car extensively, winning the Ferrari Maserati Historic Challenge Drum-Brake Championship circa 2004.

In December 2008, it was found that the Maserati’s engine block had a crack in the webbing between two cylinders. A new 2.5-liter engine was sourced by Vintage Restoration Services and built by the renowned Rick Bunkfeldt. The engine that was removed, which includes the cylinder head stamped 2423, is included with the car at auction in a disassembled state.

In 2014, the consignor purchased 2423 and it became a prized part of his collection of significant Italian sports racers. Service and sorting work was completed by Mike and Adam Dopudja at Vintage Racing Motors in Redmond, Washington, including a brake rebuild and work on the steering gear. The 200 SI has been used sparingly on the road during current ownership, and is accompanied at auction by an extensive history file and large cache of spare parts. Significantly, the original riveted fuel tank is included, as are two sets of Borrani wheels.

This series of Maserati sports racers offers qualities that make these cars an alluring choice for collectors and racers alike. Rare as one of less than 60 built in 150, 200, and 250 guises, they offer usable performance that make them incredibly popular for road rallies such as the Colorado Grand, which this car has completed more than once. This 200 SI is also eminently eligible for the Mille Miglia, possibly the world’s greatest vintage motoring event.

An exceptionally desirable Maserati with known history from new, 2423 represents a rare opportunity to buy a car that is widely thought of as superior to its four-cylinder competition from Ferrari. As either a vintage racing car or one of the ultimate road-going driver’s cars of the 1950s, this gorgeous Maserati 200 SI is sure to impress.