Roadster Salon Resumes Tributo Deliveries Post Pandemic

It’s been a roller coaster, but we are happy to report the delivery of our first Tributo since the returning from our COVID-19 hiatus. With some necessary changes in details, and supply related modifications– this lovely project finally came to fruition this week. Finished in Maserati Sebring blue and built on a 1985 Pininfarina platform, we overcame many obstacles to get her back on the road, and prepared for delivery to her new home in the Chicago suburbs.
Our customer plans to eventually send his resto-mod sweetheart to his second residence near Los Angeles. Consequently, our proprietary air conditioning system and automatic transmission were non-negotiable “must-haves” that couldn’t be left off their option list. Accessing these parts along with shortages of other critical items made this build one of the most challenging Roadster Salon has ever produced.
We are happy to report that in spite of some bumps along the way, the end result is stunning. We particularly like the revised center console treatment with a new leather binnacle flanked by burled walnut sections on either side. Operations Director Rob Baird commented, “We thought this car would be finished at some point this Summer, but some components like the custom gauges could not be accessed through any of our domestic sources or even Europe. Ironically the manufacturer is in Dekalb Illinois, but the only distributer that had them available was in Australia. I thought we had the problem solved, however shipping strikes at DHL and FedEx set us back another month.”

Chrome components like bumpers and door trim have been unobtainable since last winter, as shipments from the far east have slowed to a near standstill. Many of our trading partners were caught unprepared for pandemic related supply chain interruptions. “Simple parts orders that we’ve been accustomed to arriving within a few days have turned into months of delays and disappointments. It’s been very hard to manage customer expectations in this environment. Hopefully we are seeing some light at the end of the tunnel” Baird said.
Watch this space for announcements on our plans for 2022—just around the corner.