1960 Maserati Birdcage to cross the block at Mecum Monterey auction

Mecum Auctions is touting a 1960 Maserati Tipo 61/60 sports racer--a “Birdcage” series original--as part of its high-profile lineup for its Monterey sale this summer.

The 1960 Maserati Tipo 61/60 Birdcage stands for a creative streak in Maserati's design. It was originally built for legendary Le Mans racer Briggs Cunningham, now a member of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, and competed at Sebring in 1960.

The Tipo 61/60 was completely restored by Steve Hart Racing in Norfolk, England, and comes with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine paired with a five-speed manual transmission. It has modern steering and brakes.

The car will go to auction with 749 other vehicles at Monterey. Admission is free, and the event will be broadcast on Mecum's TV show Mecum Auto Auction: Muscle Cars & More.

The third-annual Mecum Monterey Auction is set for Aug. 18-20 on the Monterey Peninsula in California. It will take place at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel, on the Del Monte Golf Course.

Visit www.mecum.com for more details.

The Monterey Week is packed with car shows, vintage racing and car auctions. Autoweek will be there providing streaming photo galleries and live coverage of the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, historic racing at Laguna Seca, the Monterey car auctions and much more. Go to autoweek.com/monterey for complete coverage and live updates.

By Michelle Koueiter