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"Like Henry Ford, Ferruccio Lamborghini was a skilled mechanic. And like Henry Ford, Lamborghini left a career of prominence to take a chance on a completely new venture when he was well past 40 years old. Finally, like Henry Ford, Lamborghini was far more interested in building cars for the street than for the race track.

At that point, however, the parallels between the two automotive legends begin to fail, because the cars Lamborghini brought to market under the sign of the bull were about as different from a Model T Ford as an F-16 is from a Piper Cub. Sure, they both fly but...

Well, there were certainly no buts about what Lamborghini wanted in a car. As a born mechanic who loved to "wrench," he had definite ideas about what the vehicles that would bear his name would be. Born near Bologna in the middle of World War I, Lamborghini was the son of a farmer, but it soon became apparent that he was more interested in fixing machinery than raising chickens. When he was still a teenager, his father sent him to Bologna for formal schooling and then helped him land an apprenticeship with a machine shop.

Lamborghini was in his early twenties when World War II brought Europe to an abrupt halt. He enlisted in the Italian air force, which soon put his mechanical talents to work running a motor pool on the island of Rhodes. When Rhodes was liberated by the British in 1944, Lamborghini was technically taken prisoner, but the Brits wisely used his way with things mechanical until well after the war had ended. It wasn't till 1946 that Lamborghini returned to Renazzo di Cento, the tiny village of his birth.

There Lamborghini continued to use his mechanical aptitude to better himself and his family during the bleak post-war era. He scrounged enough parts from wrecked military equipment to build his first farm tractor, and within three years he had done so well that he was able to build a tractor factory - Lamborghini Trattice.

His innovative designs proved excellent for Italy's small farmers, and the enterprise grew rapidly. By 1960 he decided to branch out into heating and air conditioning equipment. Well-connected with the Italian government, that business, too, prospered.

The farmer's son had certainly done well. Now a wealthy man, he could have been excused if he had decided to live off his holdings, while letting others do the dirty work. But Lamborghini grew interested in starting yet another enterprise - automobile manufacture.

Legend has it that the tractor maker became dissatisfied with his Ferrari and took it down the road to Maranello to discuss its shortcomings with one Enzo Ferrari. There Il Commendatore either rebuffed Lamborghini or refused to see him at all. Because of this, the legend continues, the tractor manufacturer decided to outdo the famous car builder at his own game. Within months he had opened Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini.

Appealing as this legend may be, the fact is it's probably untrue. Of course, there is no doubt that Lamborghini owned a number of Ferraris along with a passell of other cars. Given his love for things mechanical, that only stands to reason. And given the fact that he owned a number of Ferraris, he almost certainly had mechanical problems with one or more of them. That, too, only stands to reason.

But Lamborghini got into the car business, not because he was upset with Ferrari, but because of his lifelong love of cars. In the late Forties, at the same time he was working overtime to establish his tractor manufacturing business, he also found a few spare moments to put together overhead valve heads for the diminutive Fiat 500 Topolino. In fact, he actually drove a car so equipped in the 1948 Mille Miglia, his only official entry in racing.

With his other enterprises making him rich and netting him social standing (the president of Italy granted him the title Cavaliere del Lavoro), Lamborghini was ready to charge ahead into automobile manufacturing. But he had no desire to reach the mass market with his cars; his effort would truly be a labor of love.

A good manager who understood the wisdom of hiring good people and letting them do their jobs, Lamborghini recruited some excellent young talent to his budding firm. Among them were Giampaolo Dallara, a Ferrari and Maserati veteran yet not quite 25 years old when he joined the team as chief engineer; Paolo Stanzani, also from Maserati and also about 25 when he became production chief; and Bob Wallace, a New Zealand born racing junkie with stints at Ferrari and Maserati racing teams, who assumed the role of development chief.

To balance his young crew, Lamborghini tapped an established GT racing engineer to design the engine. Giotto Bizzarrini was fresh from spearheading the Ferrari 250 GTO project and would later build a car or two under his own name, but, out on his own, he was eager to please when Lamborghini came calling. In short order, he designed a 3.5-liter dual overhead cam 24-valve engine that would eventually produce 385 horsepower in the Miura. Initially, however, the engine was fitted under the front hood of a fairly dreary looking coupe called the 350 GTV.

While the 350 GTV wasn't exactly handsome, it was state-of-the-art in 1963 with not only the sophisticated engine but also five-speed transmission, front and rear independent suspension and disc brakes. Though reviewed well by the motoring press, it created little stir. In the following few years, Lamborghini introduced the 400GT, Islero and Espada, again to mild acclaim.

Nothing, however, prepared the tiny Lamborghini team for the reception the Miura would receive when it was shown in chassis-only form at the 1965 Turin auto show and then in show car trim at the following year's Geneva show.



Why was it such a hit?

Very simply, it changed everything about the way people thought about passenger cars. It took a leading-edge racing configuration and wrapped a street car around it, and that street car wore one of the loveliest bodies you'll ever see outside of the Victoria's Secret catalog. Very frankly, it out-Ferraried Ferrari.

Under an absolutely lovely, sinuous body penned by Bertone's Marcello Gandini, was a startlingly innovative chassis and equally impressive engine. By the early Sixties, midships-mounted engines had become standard practice in Grand Prix racing, and they were beginning to take hold at Indianapolis, but the audacious move of using that configuration for the street won Lamborghini immediate honors. It was a remarkable piece of engineering, because it wasn't just pretty; it worked.

Obviously the key challenge was squeezing the big 3929 cubic centimeter V-12 into the middle of the car while still leaving enough room for the passengers. Dallarra, Stanzani and Wallace accomplished this feat by turning the engine sideways and then engineered crankcase, transmission and final drive integrally to make the whole thing actually move.

Working in totally uncharted territory, Dallarra, Gandini and company put together a design that has advantages over current mid-engine monsters: such things as real luggage space and decent footroom. Though the Miura (named after a type of fighting bull) was just 41 inches high at its tallest point, it was relatively easy to get in and out of. Once inside, though, one rarely wanted to get out, because its handling was a revelation compared to that of its contemporaries.

Straightline acceleration wasn't bad either. The zero to 60 mph sprint took just 5.5 seconds, and top speed was right around 170 miles per hour. Of course, at that speed steering became a trifle baffling, since Gandini's attractive front end with its lay-down headlamps developed some disconcerting lift.

In full production the Lamborghini Miura was well ahead of its competition from Ferrari and Maserati, but its lead did come at a price. Early Miuras lacked the development and shakedown time that they should have received and, thus, were troublesome to their wealthy owners. And then, be-set by labor troubles and financial difficulties, Ferruccio Lamborghini began to distance himself from the car company that bore his name. He sold controlling interest in Automobile Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1972 and canceled production of the Miura well before its time. It was a shocking ending to a landmark automobile."

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"The last Lamborghini Miura delivered to the U.S. - in a rare but original color."

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Good man

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"This was first shown at the Geneva Salon in 1966, and it quickly became a classic. Both ends could be tilted up, to provide access at the front to the spare wheel and front suspension, and at the back to the transversely placed 3.9-litre V12 engine. And the most striking newcomer of the sixties was undoubtedly Lamborghini. Ferrucio Lamborghini was a successful manufacturer of Farm Tractors and Central Heating equipment who realized his dream of becoming a car maker in 1963 with the launch of his 350GTV. this was the Gran Turismo coupe powered by a 270 bhp 3.5 litre four overhead cam shaft V12 engine designed by Giotto Bizzarini , who soon left the project to return to his own design studios. This engine was later enlarged to just under four litres and this was the powered unit that went into the car that came to be called the Miura.


This had somewhat unusual background in that the chassis was built, unknown to the boss, by the Lamborghini employees, Gianpaolo Dallara, Bob Wallace and Paolo Stanzini, in their spare time they welded box section structure with coil independent suspension all round, in which the V12 engine was located transversely. Power was transmitted to the clutch by a pair of spur gears, and thence to a 5-speed gearbox. From there another pair of gears, transmitted power to the differential. This chassis met with Lamborghini's approval and went on exhibition at the 1965 Turin Show. By the Geneva Show the following March it had acquired a body designed by Marcello Gandini of Bertone, and was given the name Miura after a celebrated Spanish breeder of fighting bulls, Eduardo Miura. At first considered as a one-off show car, the Miura attracted many serious enquiries from would-be customers, and Lamborghini decided to put it into production.


The first car was delivered to its owner in March 1967, and 108 Miuras were sold that year. The next year, the first of full production, 184 cars were delivered, and the Miura was on its way to becoming a legend. The original version had a top speed of 173 mph (278.5 km/h), and this was increased to just short of 180 mph (289.5 km/h) on subsequent models. Road holding was exceptional and the Miura was remarkably untemperamental, suffering little from the plug fouling or irregular idling often associated with exotic machinery. Customers included Canadian Grand Prix sponsor Walter Wolf, who has owned several subsequent Lamborghini’s, and a number of pop stars, as well as wealthy enthusiasts on both sides of the Atlantic.


In January 1969 an improved model, the Miura S, was announced. This had a more powerful engine giving 375 hp, with air conditioning and electrically operated windows as options. Two years later came the final development, the Miura SV with wider rear tyres to cope with the still greater power resulting from different cam timing, modified carburetors and bigger inlet valves. Output was now 385 bhp at 7,850 rpm, and top speed 179.8 mph (289.3 km/h). Most of the bugs had been ironed out by this time, and the SV was, and is, the most desirable of all. the Miuras. It remained in production for a little more than twelve months, as it was to be succeeded by the even more dramatic Countach. Total production of Miuras was 765.


Outside the main car producing European countries few sports cars were made. In Spain a brief but brilliant comet flashed across the scene in the shape of the Pegaso. This was designed by Witfredo Ricart and built by ENASA, the government owned Barcelona company who were, and still are, Spain's largest makers of trucks and buses. Ricart's design was immensely complicated, with a four camshaft V8 engine featuring dry sump lubrication and sodium cooled exhaust valves. This was the first use of twin camshafts per block in a road going car, earlier examples being purely racing engines by Mercedes Benz, Miller and Novi. Ferrari did not use this design for a road car until the GTB4 Daytona of 1968. The gearbox had five indirect speeds without synchromesh, and was mounted on the rear axle. In its original form, as shown at the 1951 Paris Salon, the 2½-litre engine developed between 165 and 225 bhp according to tune', but later versions were enlarged to 2.8 and then 3.2 litres. The latter could be supercharged, when output was claimed as 350 bhp. From about 1955 Rican simplified his engines, using pushrod V85 of 4, 41/2 or 4.7 litres, the largest giving 300 bhp.
Pegaso boaies were mostly by outside coachbuilders, although early models had factory bodies, a neat 2 + 2 coupe something like a Ferrari 166, and a convertible. These were more restrained than the subsequent creations by Saoutchik. Later Pegaso chassis were shipped to Milan to be bodied by Touring, but this made them very expensive, and the final cars were Spanish-bodied by Jose Serra. Pegasos were raced on rare occasions, but their brakes were inadequate for their weight, and the company did not keep up with the latest technology such as disc brakes. Commercial vehicles claimed most of their attention and finance, and the Pegaso car was dropped in 1958 after about 100 had been made. Of these, only four were later pushrod Z.103 models.


Although their rally drivers and cars have scored innumerable successes, Sweden has never been renowned for its sports cars. However, both its leading manufacturers have made sports cars during the period under review. Saab were first in the field, with an open two-seater derived from the 3-cylinder 93 saloon. Only six of these were made, in 1956, and they were intended for racing, with no production in mind. The 748-cc engine and transmission were turned round, compared with the saloon, so that the engine was behind the front wheels. This gave better weight distribution as the two-seater steel/light-alloy monocoque was much lighter than the four-seater saloon.


The 1956 car was christened the Sonett, and this name was revived ten years later when Saab launched a GT coupe based on the 841-cc 96 saloon. By now the company had a worldwide reputation for their rally cars, thanks to the successes of Erik Carlsson."

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About 20 kilometers from Modena, in the small town of Sant' Agata Bolotgnese, Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini SpA was born.
With the help of seasoned engineer Giotto Bizzarrini and up-and-coming engineers Giampaolo Dallara and Paolo Stanzani, Lamborghini splashed onto the world GT cars scene with the 350GTV that later became the 350GT. In 1966, his company gained even greater recognition with the unveiling of the Miura who uses the four litres version of Bizzarrini design V12 engine. Ferrucio Lamborghini asked Bizzarrini to design a new engine through Società Autostar, created in 1962, before he left Ferrari, by Bizzarrini with the objective to get freelance engineering projects.

The FOHC V12 3.5 powerplant was designed in the record time of four months for the Lambo 350 GTV. This engine was also going to be fitted in the new Lambo P400 and LP400 prototypes. This superb engine with few modifications, later powered most of the famous Sant' Agata Bolognese creations like Espada, Jarama, etc .


The P400 'Miura' project first surfaced as a rolling chassis displayed at the 1965 Turin Motor Show, but was not expected to become a production reality. Nevertheless, by the time of the Geneva Salon the following year, the first completed car was ready for unveiling to a stunned press and public.
Designed by Gianpaolo Dallara, the Miura carried its transversely-mounted engine amidships in a box-section platform chassis, the latter clothed in stunning coupe coachwork styled by Bertone's Marcello Gandini. Like the contemporary 400GT, the Miura used the 4-litre version of Lamborghini's Giotto Bizzarrini-designed four-cam V12. With 350bhp available, the Miura was capable of shattering performance, a top speed of 180mph being claimed..

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http://www.mototechnique.com/images/70.htm

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http://www.rgmconsultants.it/auto/im...a%20engine.jpg

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MIURA P 400
The Lamborghini Miura was a milestone in car history, it first appeared on the 1965 Turin Motor Show, it was not a car, but a bare chassis. But what a revolutionary chassis it was: it was a real race-design monocoque chassis with lots of holes in it to save weight, the V 12 engine was mounted transversely in front of the rear wheels. At the Geneva Motor Show of 1966 the first car was introduced, it had a body designed by Bertone, and it was spectacular. This car was years ahead of everything else ( it would take Ferrari 7 years to come with an equivalent road-car: the Boxer). There were a lot of troubles to solve, and it took nearly a year before the first production cars left the factory, they were delivered in 1967, but it was worth the waiting, the top speed of the car was 273 Km/h. and acceleration from 0 to 100 Km/h. took 5,7 seconds, it was the fastest road legal production car of the world.
MIURA P 400 S
The Miura P 400 was improved on many fronts during production, in 1970 however the S version was introduced, the rear-wheel mounting was changed, the chassis was stiffened (thickness of steel plate was changed from 0,9 to 1,0 mm. on all cars from no.125), suspension was modified, vented discs were mounted, air conditioning was optional, and the engine was up rated to 370 Hp. A lot of the original P 400's were modified to S-spec, some only optical, others complete. There was one special, the JOTA that was built by Bob Wallace, it had a completely different chassis and a 440 Hp. engine, sadly it never raced en was destroyed.
MIURA P 400 SV
The Miura SV was the second official update from the Miura, the car got a more powerful engine, fatter tires (and flaired wheel arches to support them), leather trim and the headlights louvre s disappeared (not on all, Ferruccio's one still had them). Some of the problems of the earlier cars were solved: the oil pan was enlarged (the engine could get oil-problems in fast corners), the gear change was somewhat smoother, and a limited slip differential was mounted. Although the engine was more powerful, the car was not faster than the S model due to its heavier weight. One convertible Miura was built by Bertona as a design model, it was later sold to the International Lead Zink Research Organization, who had it rebuilt and named it ZN 75, All other convertible's are modified by their owners ! There were 4 factory specials (SVJ) who had ducts in the panel work for brake venting, fixed headlamps and up rated engines with straight-through exhausts.
What the press said:
Mark Hughes, Classic and Sportscar july '94 (Miura SV):
"After five houres with this car, I'm not sure a raging bull is appropriate. Few cars in my experience have exceeded expectations but the Miura, with its blend of sensational dynamic abilitiesand a sufficiently peaceable disposition, undiniably did. And that's the view of someone who placed the Miura on a pedestal 25 years ago....."
Tony Dron, Thoroughbred & Classic Cars April '97 (Miura SVJ):
(About the ex Sjah of Irans Miura SVJ) "It is good to be reminded of the simply perfect shape that Bertone created for the Miura. I study the style. It looks better than ever, one of those wonderful things that came out absolutely right - and there was no seeking to imitate anything else; it could only be a Lamborghini Miura. The shape is perfect from any angle or height. And it's quite uncanny the way it looks so obviously unused, so nearly new, despite being a quarter of a century old."

LAMBORGHINI MIURA

P 400 / P 400 S/ P 400 SV
Production no. 475/ 140/ 150
Production years '66-'69/ '70-'71/ '71-'72
Driven wheels rear/ rear/ rear
Place engine mid/ mid/ mid
No. seats 2/ 2/ 2
Engine type V12 4 OHC /V12 4 OHC/ V12 4 OHC
Engine size (cc) 3929/ 3929/ 3929
Max. power (Hp/Rpm) 350 / 7000 370 / 7700 385 / 7850
Max. torque (Nm/Rpm) 367 / 5100 387 / 5500 387 / 5000

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www.lambomiura.com

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Nov, 1999
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At 7000 rpm, the Lamborghini Miura's big V12 powerplant generates an unearthly sound, a symphony of induction and combustion noises mixed with the howl of dozens of fast-spinning gears, cams acting on valves and heaven only knows what else. Any 12cylinder engine that turns at such an elevated rate can make a similar racket, but here it's all happening inches behind your head. Loud, yes, but excitingly so; a few moments in a Miura being run in full war mode is enough to make any other car seem terminally dull.

There are other Miura joys to savor as well. Begin with the body, a sensuous, sleek form that is dazzling in its unadorned purity. Bertone's young designer, Marcello Gandini, created a masterpiece here, one he would never quite surpass later. Then there's the small hut comfortable cabin swathed in buttery-soft Italian leather, magnificently detailed. The chassis, too, is beautiful in a functional way

And it all works. Oh, bow it works. The suspension delivers both a good ride and remarkable cornering power, and it always keeps the driver fully informed of what's going on. The brakes are up to the lob of bringing a 160-plus mph car to a halt as well.

One might expect acceleration and handling from such a machine, but the veneer of civility that makes the Miura a "real" car is an unexpected bonus when you consider that the Miura was originally intended to be built in a series of 30 cars only, and was rushed into production when orders began to pour in.

Which brings us to the downside of life with Miura If not maintained and modified in small but crucial ways, a Miura can rot away at key points and/or become a mousenest of squeaks as the chassis flexes. The electrical system has weak points galore and, even though Automohili Lamborghini remains in business (after enduring a series of ownership changes), the Miura is as much an "orphan" car as a Borgward or Moretti. Don't be fooled by the starry-eyed fans' gushings over the original mid-engine Limbo; as quickly as it seduces, so too can it cause incredible grief to the unfortunate owner who either gets a lemon or fails to treat a good example with proper care.

At the Turin auto show in 1965 Lamborghini exhibited the first Miura chassis. Created by Gianpaolo Dallara, Paolo Stanzani and Bob Wallace, the body-less package had the look of a racing-car-in-the-making. Sheet steel, liberally drilled for lightness where possible, was welded into a box-section structure that carried a slightly modified version of the V12 engine originally designed for the 350/400GT. Here, however, the powerplant was laid out transversely behind driver and passenger and was connected to the gearbox by helical gears.

Some months later the first complete Miura appeared in Monaco at Grand Prix time and caused a sensation. Response to the orange coupe was so strong that what was intended originally to be a run of 30 cars grew into a final production total more than 20 times greater. Serious production began in 1967 and was ended in 1972 when the LP400/Counlach took center stage.

Naturally, the Miura was greeted by the automotive press with bleatings of joy Here, for $20;000 or so, was a drop-dead gorgeous supercar that could out-exotic any Ferrari you'd care to name, show nearly 170 mph on the speedometer and take corners like a racing car. So what if the cockpit was cramped for anyone over 6 ft 1 in. and poorly ventilated? Who cared if the gearbox had to be shifted slowly and with great deliberation? One report summarized the Miura as "...the most glamorous, exciting and prestigious sports car in the world.. .has its faults but every enthusiast should have at least one Miura." Another called it "bold, individualistic and unconventional." All agreed on almost every detail, though the horsepower figures quoted varied (between 400 and 430 bhp), as with all Italian cars.

The first Miuras were called P400s. Their chassis were fabricated from 0.8mm steel. Over the years, as the structure showed signs of excess flexibility, the thickness of the steel was increased, first to 0.9mm, the to 1.0mm and finally to 1.2mm in the last SVs. Some 475 P400s were built.

Later, the P400 became the Miura S, differing only in minor details from its predecessor. According to Tom Shaughnessy (949/366-6211), a Southern California Ferrari broker with a soft spot in his heart for Miuras (he owns an S, and arranged for the SV shown here to be brought out for photography and driving impressions), rumors of horsepower increases and engine modifications between P400 and S are simply rumors. There may be minor changes in cam timing, but he quotes former Lamborghini development engineer Bob Wallace as saying that horsepower differences, if any, may add up to 7 bhp. Or less.

Later S-model Miuras had different wheels, modifications to the cooling system and a stiffened front chassis section, as well as vented brake discs and minor changes to interior trim and switchgear. These are sometimes called "Series II" Ses. Shaughnessy says these cars began with chassis numbers in the 4,000 range. Most production totals suggest that 140 Ses were built.

The SV is considered by almost everyone who cares to be the ultimate Miura, but not all SVs are alike. Early versions may show some differences when compared to Ses, but only later examples had the split oil sump that permitted use of proper gear oil in the transmission. Before that, engine and gearbox shared lubricant, which caused some problems, particularly when an imprudent owner chipped gear teeth while shifting and the remains found their way into the engine.

Only the last 50 to 60 of the 150 SVs produced had the full list of upgrades, from the split engine/gearbox oiling, Positraction differential and four-link rear suspension to wider (9.0-in.) rear wheels--which necessitated widened rear bodywork--and the SV cosmetic changes. The latter included gold- painted wheels and rocker panels, and the deletion of the "eyebrows" around the popup headlights.

Over the years, all but a few seldom-driven show-quality Miuras (and a few derelicts) have been modified to improve the weaknesses of early models. Bracing in selected locations has added chassis stiffness, use of late-model four-link rear suspension pieces has cut down on uneven suspension bushing wear, and relatively simple fixes to cooling systems and carburetors have taken care of overheating and engine-bay fires, respectively.

Many Miuras will be sporting new front underpan sections as well. It seems the factory used wool as an insulator under the front-mounted fuel tank, and this collected moisture which inevitably ate away at both the flat pans and surrounding chassis rails. Bob Wallace has suggested a change from splash-type to forced lubrication of the engine-gearbox transfer gears which reduces noise and wear. Electrical system "fixes" are common, too.

Given the hand-built nature of these cars, none of these problems should come as a surprise. Neither should the difficulties of repairing bent body panels, or, worse, of fitting new pieces. Each part of a Miura body was stamped with the car's serial number, and each was painstakingly worked into position. Replacement rear window slats, internal braces or trim may not even come close to looking right until massaged.

All the horror stories one might hear about Miuras-and those recounted here are more or less the tip of the iceberg-cannot dull the sheer joy of driving. The mechanical responsiveness a Miura displays is unequaled even by some of today's premier exotics, and the elegance of the overall design puts the mid-engine Lamborghini in a very small class of timeless classic automotive forms.

A bad Miura can instill feelings of outrage and out-and-out hatred in its owner's heart. It can destroy even a healthy bank account in short order as well.

But a good Miura, whether inherently nice or resuscitated from near-dead by a sympathetic owner and talented technicians, is a true work of art and a car to be cherished for its undeniable visual and dynamic attributes. Think of it as the ultra-Ultra-Buy

The View from the Parts Counter

With such a glorious car in front of you, you're worrying about parts? How can you be practical at a time like this? Okay, okay, you are definitely right to be worried. Since the words "Lamborghini" and "dealer" create a textbook oxymoron when combined, it is logical to assume that getting vital parts is going to he a real hassle. And it is.

Most of today's Lambo purveyors won't have a thing on their shelves for Miuras. An appeal to the factory can bring positive results, if you've made the call on the right day and are talking to the right person. Some items, such as brake and electrical system parts, may also be available from their original manufacturers. But plenty of body and trim parts are simply no longer available from anyone and must be replaced with used (rare) or specially fabricated (expensive!) items.

The best sources are the service/restoration specialists and enthusiasts in the Lamborghini owners' clubs who have squirreled away anything they could find. Most of them can direct you to yet another good source, this one in Arizona, where many items otherwise unavailable can be found in either NOS or newly manufactured/remanufactured form. Sources say the prices are reasonable there, too.

In essence, the Miura is a relatively simple car with a few exceedingly complex features. A competent Ferrari mechanic won't have much trouble dealing with routine service, and one of the rare Lamborghini specialists throughout the country will find it a walk in park to work on. So, too, will those owners with a comprehensive toolbox, some mechanical skills and plenty of patience.

"There's nothing that requires a brain surgeon's skills" in a Miura, according to Tom Shaughnessy, though he suggests that small hands are helpful when repairs and adjustments to the front row of carburetors are necessary. Some operations are time-consuming, changing the front six spark plugs, which virtually demands removal of the three forward Webers, is one, and clutch replacement is definitely another.

Beyond those chores peculiar to its unusual mechanical layout, the Miura needs the kind of service any exotic car- any car at all, for that matter-demands. Lubricant changes, checking of hoses, belts and other perishable parts and rectification of small fluid leaks, electrical gremlins and new squeaks/rattles should be regularly attended to, regardless of how often the car is used. In fact, cars that are seldom driven need even more care, lest deterioration cause problems.

If run regularly kept filled with clean oil, coolant and brake fluid and pre-flighted like a small airplane, a Miura can enjoy a long and happy life. Treat it badly and it may turn to dust at a faster rate than you can imagine.

How Much?

No matter how you look at it, the purchase of a Miura will require substantial sums of money. Even if the initial price seems low, it will undoubtedly be followed by a significant cash outlay for repairs, upgrades and cosmetic surgery Unless you happen to know the seller well, you will want to be no less careful when Miurashopping than you would be when entering a darkened room full of rattlesnakes.

As always, a good recorded history is of paramount importance unless you are prepared to take on a major restoration project. Look for paperwork indicating regular service-by an acknowledged expert-first, followed by documentation covering upgrades and modifications as previously mentioned. And definitely have someone who knows what's what with Miuras take a good long look before you buy Even if the pre-sale vetting adds a four-figure sum to your total investment, its better than having a dream car become a nightmare. 7

Tom Shaughnessy suggests that the best values may not necessarily be found among the 100-point restorations. It isn't unknown for restorers to skimp on mechanical repairs if the customers primary interest is in a limited- (or no-) mileage showcar. Some body shops have been less than successful in recreating exterior panel shapes and trim as well. A shopworn unrestored example that is considered basically sound by an expert can be spiffed up by a good specialist and still end up costing less than the creampuffs.

$50,000-$90,000: Early P400 Miuras can be found for as little as $50,000 or as much as $90,000, depending on condition and the owner's willingness to cut a deal. Condition plays a role in determining value, but so does the presence or lack of functional upgrades. A P400 is not everyone's ideal choice but is most likely what you'll run across first. The right one can be good. Within the upper limits of this range it might be possible to find a Miura S, though probably not in the best condition.

$100,000-$130,000: Any Miura here will likely be a solid S or a totally restored P400 with all the improvements, though the latter should not cost more than $100,000. Don't be fooled into paying a premium for a car claimed to be an SV when in actuality it is an S with gold wheels. Check out chassis numbers with someone who knows. On the other hand, there are documented cases of certain S models leaving the factory with what is normally considered SV trim, just as there are P400s with S upgrades. Change did not follow a fixed schedule at Lamborghini. Worry more about mechanical soundness, a solid chassis and well-maintained mechanicals.

$140,000-$200,000: A good and genuine SV will fall between these numbers. Should you be so fortunate as to find a car that matches the one pictured here, it will certainly cost close to 200 large, and will be worth every penny Keep Shaughnessey's advice in mind and strike a deal for a solid car, even if it needs some work; it's fair to say that a first-class car will eat a $ 150,000+ hole in the bank account in any case, and spending the last third of that having your Miura brought up to standard by someone you trust makes a great deal of sense.

Alternatives

At first glance there are no substitutes for the genuine article. First impressions are, in this case, correct. Anyone looking for another gorgeous, outrageous coupe with a V12 engine slotted transversely behind the driver is out of luck.

Partial substitutes are available. If you want to experience the pleasures of the Lamborghini powerplant, you can console yourself with a 400GT, Jarama or Islero. Same engine (but front-mounted), handsome (if controversial) styling, exhilarating performance and plenty of exclusivity for the happy owner. They share the Miura's ownership drawbacks, as you'd expect....

Or one might look to the Countach. Early and less-well maintained examples might be even less expensive than a decent Miura and can be catered to--at least to some extent--by current Lambo dealers. Same basic engine, too, though sited differently in the chassis. Styling-wise, the choice between Countach and Miura is entirely personal; the former is definitely more dramatic but has not aged as gracefully as the latter.

None of these can be classed as "better" buys, at least if measured by reliability, ease of service, parts availability, etc. Any Lamborghini can bleed your wallet dry and torture you with glitches major and minor; they make Ferraris look like paragons of virtue in this respect.

If you've read this far, you have presumably decided that the pleasure outweighs the possibility of pain, so if your dream Miura doesn't materialize, the recommendation here is to grab the best 400GT you can find--paying less money while doing so, by the way--and settle into one of the automotive world's best love-hate relationships.

The Owner's View

Kevin Romak got his first ride in a Miura SV in 1971, when his father bought one to replace a De Tomaso Mangusta. During the 7 or so years Romak senior ran his SV, Kevin was able to drive it from time to time, often enough to have retained vivid memories of what he considers to be "Lamborghini's [Ferrari] GTO."

Less than a year later, George Dyer bought an SV. It was built to order, with an unusual blue exterior/interior color scheme. Dyer, a friend of the Romak family, kept the SV until 1997 and put some 18,000 miles on it. When he decided the time had come to part with it, this special and very original SV went to Kevin Romak.

How original? Except for some partial repainting and the fitment of modern tires, it remains the same car George Dyer drove with so much pleasure. In fact, Romak brought the car to our photo session with correct period tires mounted on the correct SV gold-painted rims. A more authentic example of a late-model SV (the Dyer car is chassis 5018; the final Miura, built up from leftover parts much later, was 51101 would be almost impossible to find.

Though there have been plenty of exciting cars in Romaks past and current stable of exotics--a Ferrari 400,911 Porsche and Mercedes-Benz E55 are among those currently sharing garage space with the SV--he maintains that the Lamborghini would be the one he'd keep if forced to cut back. His attachment is partly sentimental (Dyer is a good friend, and Romak still regards the SV as his) and partly based on the excitement a Miura provides for its driver.

The SV has been reliable, too. It has never failed to start, always runs well, and displays no temperament of the expected kinds (plug fouling and overheating, for example) even in slow-moving traffic. With the help of a little luck and a lot of regular maintenance, Kevin Romak expects to enjoy that kind of fuss-free behavior from his very special Miura forever.

The Numbers

Base price (1968) $21,000

Engine: dohc V12

Displacement: 3929cc

Horsepower @ rpm: 400 @ 7000

Torque (lb-ft) @ rpm: 300 @ 5000

Carburetion: 6 Weber 40IDL

Transmission: Five-speed manual

Wheelbase: 98.4 in. Track, f/r: 55.1/55.1 in.

Length/width/height: 171.6/69.3/41.5 in. Curb

Weight: 2,850 lb

Fuel tank: 25.1 gal.

Suspension, f/r: Upper & lower A-arms, coil springs, tube shocks, antiroll bar/upper & lower A-arms, coil springs, tube shocks, antiroll bar

Steering: Rack & pinion

* Tires: 205-15 Brakes, f/r: Disc/disc Performance, 0-60 mph: 6.3 sec
Wheels: alloy, 1 5x7.0 in.

Standing 1/4 mile, time @ speed: 14.5 sec. @ 101 mph

Maximum speed: 163 mph

* Fuel economy: 15mpg

COPYRIGHT 1999 McMullen Argus Publishing, Inc

COPYRIGHT 2000 Gale Group

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"At 7000 rpm, the Lamborghini Miura's big V12 powerplant generates an unearthly sound, a symphony of induction and combustion noises mixed with the howl of dozens of fast-spinning gears, cams acting on valves and heaven only knows what else. Any 12cylinder engine that turns at such an elevated rate can make a similar racket, but here it's all happening inches behind your head. Loud, yes, but excitingly so; a few moments in a Miura being run in full war mode is enough to make any other car seem terminally dull.

There are other Miura joys to savor as well. Begin with the body, a sensuous, sleek form that is dazzling in its unadorned purity. Bertone's young designer, Marcello Gandini, created a masterpiece here, one he would never quite surpass later. Then there's the small hut comfortable cabin swathed in buttery-soft Italian leather, magnificently detailed. The chassis, too, is beautiful in a functional way.

And it all works. Oh, bow it works. The suspension delivers both a good ride and remarkable cornering power, and it always keeps the driver fully informed of what's going on. The brakes are up to the lob of bringing a 160-plus mph car to a halt as well.

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One might expect acceleration and handling from such a machine, but the veneer of civility that makes the Miura a "real" car is an unexpected bonus when you consider that the Miura was originally intended to be built in a series of 30 cars only, and was rushed into production when orders began to pour in.

Which brings us to the downside of life with Miura If not maintained and modified in small but crucial ways, a Miura can rot away at key points and/or become a mousenest of squeaks as the chassis flexes. The electrical system has weak points galore and, even though Automobili Lamborghini remains in business (after enduring a series of ownership changes), the Miura is as much an "orphan" car as a Borgward or Moretti. Don't be fooled by the starry-eyed fans' gushings over the original mid-engine Limbo; as quickly as it seduces, so too can it cause incredible grief to the unfortunate owner who either gets a lemon or fails to treat a good example with proper care.

At the Turin auto show in 1965 Lamborghini exhibited the first Miura chassis. Created by Gianpaolo Dallara, Paolo Stanzani and Bob Wallace, the body-less package had the look of a racing-car-in-the-making. Sheet steel, liberally drilled for lightness where possible, was welded into a box-section structure that carried a slightly modified version of the V12 engine originally designed for the 350/400GT. Here, however, the powerplant was laid out transversely behind driver and passenger and was connected to the gearbox by helical gears.

Some months later the first complete Miura appeared in Monaco at Grand Prix time and caused a sensation. Response to the orange coupe was so strong that what was intended originally to be a run of 30 cars grew into a final production total more than 20 times greater. Serious production began in 1967 and was ended in 1972 when the LP400/Countach took center stage.

Naturally, the Miura was greeted by the automotive press with bleatings of joy Here, for USD 20,000 or so, was a drop-dead gorgeous supercar that could out-exotic any Ferrari you'd care to name, show nearly 170 mph on the speedometer and take corners like a racing car. So what if the cockpit was cramped for anyone over 6 ft 1 in. and poorly ventilated? Who cared if the gearbox had to be shifted slowly and with great deliberation? One report summarized the Miura as "...the most glamorous, exciting and prestigious sports car in the world... has its faults but every enthusiast should have at least one Miura." Another called it "bold, individualistic and unconventional." All agreed on almost every detail, though the horsepower figures quoted varied (between 400 and 430 bhp), as with all Italian cars.

The first Miuras were called P400s. Their chassis were fabricated from 0.8mm steel. Over the years, as the structure showed signs of excess flexibility, the thickness of the steel was increased, first to 0.9mm, the to 1.0mm and finally to 1.2mm in the last SVs. Some 475 P400s were built.

Later, the P400 became the Miura S, differing only in minor details from its predecessor. According to Tom Shaughnessy (949/366-6211), a Southern California Ferrari broker with a soft spot in his heart for Miuras (he owns an S, and arranged for the SV shown here to be brought out for photography and driving impressions), rumors of horsepower increases and engine modifications between P400 and S are simply rumors. There may be minor changes in cam timing, but he quotes former Lamborghini development engineer Bob Wallace as saying that horsepower differences, if any, may add up to 7 bhp. Or less.

Later S-model Miuras had different wheels, modifications to the cooling system and a stiffened front chassis section, as well as vented brake discs and minor changes to interior trim and switchgear. These are sometimes called "Series II" Ses. Shaughnessy says these cars began with chassis numbers in the 4,000 range. Most production totals suggest that 140 Ses were built.

The SV is considered by almost everyone who cares to be the ultimate Miura, but not all SVs are alike. Early versions may show some differences when compared to Ses, but only later examples had the split oil sump that permitted use of proper gear oil in the transmission. Before that, engine and gearbox shared lubricant, which caused some problems, particularly when an imprudent owner chipped gear teeth while shifting and the remains found their way into the engine.

Only the last 50 to 60 of the 150 SVs produced had the full list of upgrades, from the split engine/gearbox oiling, Positraction differential and four-link rear suspension to wider (9.0-in.) rear wheels -- which necessitated widened rear bodywork--and the SV cosmetic changes. The latter included gold- painted wheels and rocker panels, and the deletion of the "eyebrows" around the popup headlights.

Over the years, all but a few seldom-driven show-quality Miuras (and a few derelicts) have been modified to improve the weaknesses of early models. Bracing in selected locations has added chassis stiffness, use of late-model four-link rear suspension pieces has cut down on uneven suspension bushing wear, and relatively simple fixes to cooling systems and carburetors have taken care of overheating and engine-bay fires, respectively.

Many Miuras will be sporting new front underpan sections as well. It seems the factory used wool as an insulator under the front-mounted fuel tank, and this collected moisture which inevitably ate away at both the flat pans and surrounding chassis rails. Bob Wallace has suggested a change from splash-type to forced lubrication of the engine-gearbox transfer gears which reduces noise and wear. Electrical system "fixes" are common, too.

Given the hand-built nature of these cars, none of these problems should come as a surprise. Neither should the difficulties of repairing bent body panels, or, worse, of fitting new pieces. Each part of a Miura body was stamped with the car's serial number, and each was painstakingly worked into position. Replacement rear window slats, internal braces or trim may not even come close to looking right until massaged.

All the horror stories one might hear about Miuras-and those recounted here are more or less the tip of the iceberg-cannot dull the sheer joy of driving. The mechanical responsiveness a Miura displays is unequaled even by some of today's premier exotics, and the elegance of the overall design puts the mid-engine Lamborghini in a very small class of timeless classic automotive forms.

A bad Miura can instill feelings of outrage and out-and-out hatred in its owner's heart. It can destroy even a healthy bank account in short order as well.

But a good Miura, whether inherently nice or resuscitated from near-dead by a sympathetic owner and talented technicians, is a true work of art and a car to be cherished for its undeniable visual and dynamic attributes. Think of it as the ultra-Ultra-Buy."

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