1968 LAMBORGHINI Miura P400 #3342

1968 Miura P400
Chassis #3342
Engine #1678
Prod. #137
6 Feb 1968 to Dealer: ZANI

Original exterior color: Bianco (Now Red with silver rocker panels)
Interior Colour: nero (still original)

This car is production number 137 of the P400's. When Gil and Aprille Lucero of Mountain View, California rediscovered this Miura in a classic barn find, they immediately had to purchase it. The car was complete and only had 12,340 kilometers (7,667 miles) on the odometer. While one can never be sure of the true miles, the condition of the car in fact indicated low mileage. After purchase the car was immediately transported to a highly respected world renown Miura specialist to get the car sorted out. The car spent 8 months undergoing a number of fixes to refresh the 35+year old car. Included in the work were some items to improve the safety of the car. This included installation of a built in halon fire out system, overhaul of the brake system, installation of a low pressure fuel pump and fuel return, installation of seat belts, etc. Of course all other aspects of the car were checked out and fixed as necessary so that everything worked (electrical & mechanical). Except for the new safety items, care was taken to keep everything original and period correct. After replacing all the fluids and a good tune up including the Weber carburetors, the car was delivered back to Gil & Aprille. With little known about the early history of the car, it has now been refreshed so that everything is in a known condition.

The Miura is an important piece of automotive history, and Gil and Aprille thoroughly enjoy driving the car. This is a lifelong dream fulfilled as Gil has loved the Miura since it was introduced when he was a kid in the 60's. #3342 was invited to be judged at the annual Hillsborough Concours in 2003 (the longest continuoustly running concours West of the Mississippi in the U.S.A. It was clearly one of the people's favorite judging by the constant crowd of people the Miura attracted. One journalist summarized the driving experience in the Miura very well...

Does the driving experience live up to the looks? Approach the car, impossibly low and flat, and open the door with the little catch hidden between the door slats. Climbing inside, your posterior just inches from the ground, you feel almost as if you're lying down. If you're tall, the roof touches your head and your legs are spread to clear the steering wheel. But it feels special: you could be on the grid in a 1960s sports prototype waiting for the flag to drop.

And then the magical moment comes when you turn the key, its location on the transmission tunnel only serving to heighten the sense of occasion. Tick tick tick tick ... the pumps send the four star leaded fuel to the battery of thirsty Weber carburetors inches from your ears. When the ticking has slowed down you turn the key all the way and the starter motor whines behind you. The engine turns and then ... bhaaam! A raucous high pitched whine as cams and exhaust fight for your attention. You let the engine warm up properly before moving off, conscious that the oil pressure is high when cold and it's easy to blow an oil filter by over-revving.

Once the temperature gauges have moved off their stops, dip the clutch and grab the gearlever with all your strength. It needs it - and push it ahead into first. Lift the clutch, give it some revs, and away you go. Not difficult but you have to be deliberate with the controls. The steering is light, with no self centering. The engine noise is almost deafening as revs build, but sounds fantastic. A unique, banshee like wail.

The Girling brakes require a heavy shove and, whilst they work, they don't inspire great confidence. Remember, this is a 1960s design and whilst the straight line performance is still impressive, technology in other areas has progressed further in the past 35 years.

Find a clear stretch of road, floor the accelerator and see what happens. Full revs in every gear - there's no red line so as the British magazine Classic Cars observed: "the red line is fear". 7000rpm arrives faster than you think, you're moving very quickly and the noise is reaching fever pitch, then reach for the next gear (which takes some time) and you're off again.

Soon you're traveling at well over 100mph, then 120, then 140. By now you feel like you're about to take off (and some owners have), then 150, and from then onwards progress is slower. 160mph is for the brave, 170mph for real heroes. Of course, being an Italian car, the speedometer is probably showing 200mph, which doubtlessly impressed countless female passengers in the 1960s. Like I said, only for the brave...

When you drive a Miura which is working properly take the time to savour the moment. The engine whining like a turbine behind your ears, the view over the curvaceous front wings as they devour the road ahead, and the flat cornering - it's one of motoring's great experiences, incredibly rewarding. Imagine being back in the 1960s, on empty roads with no speed limits when most family saloons couldn't top 90mph. The Miura was from another world.

Some people criticize the Miura as over-rated as a driver's car. Many owners polish their cars more than they drive them (and these are often the cars with the most frequent problems). This is, after all, a 1960s car and it will never provide the reliability of a modern one. Having been lucky enough to have driven hundreds of classic cars, from 1920s Bugattis to a 1990s McLaren F1 (usually other people's, sadly), I can confirm that many of them were quite simply fantastic. But I cannot think of any, especially for the price, which give such an adrenalin high. Every journey is exciting - if not always for the right reasons.

If you want to get from A to B take a Ferrari Daytona or a Porsche Carrera RS 2.7. You'll get there quickly without any hassle. But if the trip is more important than arriving, live a little and take a Miura.

	*Miura P400*		Last updated June 6, 2003
			1968 Miura P400 Chassis #3342 Engine #1678 Prod. #137 6 Feb 1968 to Dealer: ZANI Original exterior color: Bianco (Now Red with silver rocker panels) Interior Colour: nero (still original) This car is production number 137 of the P400's. When Gil and Aprille Lucero of Mountain View, California rediscovered this Miura in a classic barn find, they immediately had to purchase it. The car was complete and only had 12,340 kilometers (7,667 miles) on the odometer. While one can never be sure of the true miles, the condition of the car in fact indicated low mileage. After purchase the car was immediately transported to a highly respected world renown Miura specialist to get the car sorted out. The car spent 8 months undergoing a number of fixes to refresh the 35+year old car. Included in the work were some items to improve the safety of the car. This included installation of a built in halon fire out system, overhaul of the brake system, installation of a low pressure fuel pump and fuel return, installation of seat belts, etc. Of course all other aspects of the car were checked out and fixed as necessary so that everything worked (electrical & mechanical). Except for the new safety items, care was taken to keep everything original and period correct. After replacing all the fluids and a good tune up including the Weber carburetors, the car was delivered back to Gil & Aprille. With little known about the early history of the car, it has now been refreshed so that everything is in a known condition. The Miura is an important piece of automotive history, and Gil and Aprille thoroughly enjoy driving the car. This is a lifelong dream fulfilled as Gil has loved the Miura since it was introduced when he was a kid in the 60's. #3342 was invited to be judged at the annual Hillsborough Concours in 2003 (the longest continuoustly running concours West of the Mississippi in the U.S.A. It was clearly one of the people's favorite judging by the constant crowd of people the Miura attracted. One journalist summarized the driving experience in the Miura very well... Does the driving experience live up to the looks? Approach the car, impossibly low and flat, and open the door with the little catch hidden between the door slats. Climbing inside, your posterior just inches from the ground, you feel almost as if you're lying down. If you're tall, the roof touches your head and your legs are spread to clear the steering wheel. But it feels special: you could be on the grid in a 1960s sports prototype waiting for the flag to drop. And then the magical moment comes when you turn the key, its location on the transmission tunnel only serving to heighten the sense of occasion. Tick tick tick tick ... the pumps send the four star leaded fuel to the battery of thirsty Weber carburetors inches from your ears. When the ticking has slowed down you turn the key all the way and the starter motor whines behind you. The engine turns and then ... bhaaam! A raucous high pitched whine as cams and exhaust fight for your attention. You let the engine warm up properly before moving off, conscious that the oil pressure is high when cold and it's easy to blow an oil filter by over-revving. Once the temperature gauges have moved off their stops, dip the clutch and grab the gearlever with all your strength. It needs it - and push it ahead into first. Lift the clutch, give it some revs, and away you go. Not difficult but you have to be deliberate with the controls. The steering is light, with no self centering. The engine noise is almost deafening as revs build, but sounds fantastic. A unique, banshee like wail. The Girling brakes require a heavy shove and, whilst they work, they don't inspire great confidence. Remember, this is a 1960s design and whilst the straight line performance is still impressive, technology in other areas has progressed further in the past 35 years. Find a clear stretch of road, floor the accelerator and see what happens. Full revs in every gear - there's no red line so as the British magazine Classic Cars observed: "the red line is fear". 7000rpm arrives faster than you think, you're moving very quickly and the noise is reaching fever pitch, then reach for the next gear (which takes some time) and you're off again. Soon you're traveling at well over 100mph, then 120, then 140. By now you feel like you're about to take off (and some owners have), then 150, and from then onwards progress is slower. 160mph is for the brave, 170mph for real heroes. Of course, being an Italian car, the speedometer is probably showing 200mph, which doubtlessly impressed countless female passengers in the 1960s. Like I said, only for the brave... When you drive a Miura which is working properly take the time to savour the moment. The engine whining like a turbine behind your ears, the view over the curvaceous front wings as they devour the road ahead, and the flat cornering - it's one of motoring's great experiences, incredibly rewarding. Imagine being back in the 1960s, on empty roads with no speed limits when most family saloons couldn't top 90mph. The Miura was from another world. Some people criticize the Miura as over-rated as a driver's car. Many owners polish their cars more than they drive them (and these are often the cars with the most frequent problems). This is, after all, a 1960s car and it will never provide the reliability of a modern one. Having been lucky enough to have driven hundreds of classic cars, from 1920s Bugattis to a 1990s McLaren F1 (usually other people's, sadly), I can confirm that many of them were quite simply fantastic. But I cannot think of any, especially for the price, which give such an adrenalin high. Every journey is exciting - if not always for the right reasons. If you want to get from A to B take a Ferrari Daytona or a Porsche Carrera RS 2.7. You'll get there quickly without any hassle. But if the trip is more important than arriving, live a little and take a Miura.