CMC Maserati Birdcage Tipo 61, Engine with Showcase
At the end of the 1950s, there was a growing market for racing cars that was especially bustling in the US. The Maserati owner Orsi and his chief designer Gulio Alfieri decided to develop a new three-liter engine for their Birdcage, and it was an economically wise thing to do. Alfieri managed to create an integrated chassis-engine assemblage, which gave birth to the Tipo 61, a masterpiece of engineering that made racing history.
The CMC replica of the Tipo 61 Birdcage engine unit offers an interesting revelation of the very heart of this legendary car.
TECHNICAL DATA (ORIGINAL ENGINE)
- 4-cylinder in-line engine, 45° inclined to the right
- Two overhead camshafts, driven by a gear set
- Fuel management: Two Weber dual carburetor 48 DC 03
- Ignition system: double ignition
- Oil supply: Dry sump lubrication with a separate oil cooler
- Cooling system: Water cooling
| Maximum output: | 250 hp at 6,800 rpm |
| Displacement: | 2,890 ccm |
| Top speed: | 285 km/h |
| Bore x stroke: | 95.5 x 92 mm |
| Compression ratio: | 9 : 1 |
HISTORY (ORIGINAL VEHICLE)
During the development of the Tipo 61, the Type 200 SI engine was adopted but modified in many ways. Chief designer Giulio Alfieri was aware that in order to stand up to the competition from such powerful opponents as Ferrari or Aston Martin, one had to push the performance of the engine to limits.
Modification of the original 4-cylinder in-line aspirated engine included switching to a cylinder block and cylinder heads made of light alloy. Bore and stroke were increased to 95.5 x 92 mm so that a total displacement of 2,890 ccm could be achieved. Driven by a gear set, two overhead camshafts controlled the valve timing. A fuel-efficient mixture was provided by two Weber dual carburetors for the four cylinders.
The engine was installed far back behind the front axle, thus becoming primarily a mid-front one. To keep the front end as low as possible, the engine was installed at an angle of 45° to the right.
This also enabled a lowered center of gravity. However, it did entail the angled positioning of the oil sump. In the end, a high-performance engine with a maximum output of 250 hp was
born; it ran on dry sump lubrication with a separate oil cooler and provided the stability that was expected. The superiority of these features was proven conclusively by the consecutive wins of the Tipo 61 in the 1,000 km Nürburgring endurance races of 1960 and 1961.
TECHNICAL DATA (ORIGINAL VEHICLE)
Maserati Birdcage Tipo 61, 1960:
- Four cylinder in-line-engine, 45° inclined to the right
- Single-wheel suspension in the front
- De-Dion rear axle with transverse-installed spring leaf
| Maximum output: | 250 hp at 6.800 rpm |
| Displacement: | 2.890 ccm |
| Top speed: | 285 km/h |
| Wheel base: | 2.200 mm |
| Total length: | 3.800 mm |
| Total weight: | approx. 600 kg |
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The use of manufacturers’ names, symbols, type designations, and/or descriptions is solely for reference purposes. It does not imply that the CMC scale model is a product of any of these manufacturers.
The use of racing term and/or driver names, symbols, starting numbers, and/or descriptions is solely for reference purposes. Unless otherwise stated, it does not imply that the CMC scale model is a product of any of these racing teams/drivers or endorsed by any of them.
