It can be interesting to trace the genesis of a machine, taking note of the influences that led to its creation. In the case of the 450S Maserati, it was catalyzed by an enthusiastic Southern California building contractor/entrepreneur by the name of Tony Parravano.
With unprecedented horspower for its time, the 450S commands respect, though once a driver comes to grips with the beast, it can be immensely satisfying to drive. Photo: Sean Smith
Parravano got hooked on automobile racing after meeting Jack McAfee, an accomplished racer and mechanic, in the late 1940s. With McAfee wrenching, Parravano started his racing career with Cadillacs, running in California events and also contesting the Carrera Panamerica in Mexico. Parravano loved Italian machinery, especially Ferraris and Maseratis, and with the mid-’50s housing boom in full swing in Southern California, he had money to burn. So, what better way to burn it than to buy fast cars and go racing? Jack McAfee, Ken Miles, Carroll Shelby and Masten Gregory all sat behind the wheels of his red cars with the central dark blue and white racing stripes.
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