|
|
|
Miura P400 SV |
Last updated May 9, 2008 |
||
                                     |
1971 Miura P400 SV
First-of-a-series cars were traditionally used by the Lamborghini factory for contemporary publicity photographs and 4884 was thus photographed upon completion by the late (great) Peter Coltrin. A fabulous image of 4884 from the June 1971 photoshoot adorns the cover of the definitive Miura book (considered by enthusiasts to be the Miura 'Bible') authored by Coltrin. Thus for decades, 4884 has inadvertently symbolized the ultimate Miura and is famous for being "the red Miura SV on the cover of the Miura book". Outakes from the same shoot of 4884 were used by the factory in its Miura SV sales mini-brochure. This latter item is also featured in Coltrin's book on page 177. July 1971 - Supplied to official USA Lamborghini concessionaire Modena Racing Co Inc, 770 Eleventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019, owned and operated by Alberto Pedretti & Alfredo Caita. Twin Vitaloni Sebring mirrors mounted, velour/cloth seat inserts replaced with leather, 8-track player installed and a Modena Racing Co Inc embossed emblem applied to the SV's rear panel (below "Lamborghini" badge) prior to delivery. Sent to Ann Arbor (MI) by Pedretti to the EPA testing laboratory as the USA homologation prototype. Successfully homologated and USA type approved by the EPA & the Department of Transportation. November 1971 - Shown by official concessionaire Modena Racing Co. at the Boston Auto Show, the first time a Miura SV is shown to the public in America. Sold for $22,500 plus 4% sales tax ($23,400) and delivered to first owner Jack Robinson in Goddard, Kansas. 1972 - Robinson drives 4884 clear across the country to attend the Bonneville 'Speed Week' in Utah. Dubbed the World's Fastest Speed Trials, the owner performs his own speed trial en route, allegedly finding 7800rpm in 5th gear going across flat-as-a-pancake Kansas. 180mph? November 10th 1977 - Purchased in Topeka, Kansas via Astro Motors by Alan P. Brown MD of Savannah, Georgia. Shipped the 1,112 mile distance to Savannah by classic car carriers Passport Transport at a total cost of $637. November 18th 1977 - Automobili Lamborghini SpA confirms that "the Miura with serial number 4884 is of the SV type." The official letter to Doctor Brown is signed by the renowned Ubaldo Sgarzi, the factory's sales manager during the entire Miura production run. The Bill of Sale shows the broker in the sale was the Vintage Car Store Inc. of 93-95 South Broadway, Elmwood, Nyack, New York, a classic car dealer. The sales invoice as signed by Alan P. Brown is actually dated October the 26th 1977, and documents that 4884 had by then accumulated 12,275 miles as verified by an official Odometer Mileage Statement dated same. January 17th 1978 - Automobili Lamborghini SpA corresponds with Doctor Brown again stating that 4884 is "the very first one shipped to the United States". The letter goes on to confirm that the aluminum bodied car built specifically for the USA has a "passenger compartment made of steel". Once again, the letter is signed by the aforementioned Ubaldo Sgarzi. May 14th 1980 - Bob Wallace Cars Inc. of Phoenix, Arizona performs an electronic ignition upgrade on 4884. The job by the ex-factory chief development engineer himself involves just 4 hours labour at $35 per hour for a total cost of $140 plus parts. Original Marelli coils stored with the car. Three-eared wheel spinners fitted and original USA spec octagonal centre-bolt items stored with the car. September 1st 1980 - Bankrupt Automobili Lamborghini SpA writes to advise Doctor Brown that they have "become insolvent." Brown decides on the basis of this news to accumulate spare parts for 4884, spending a small fortune in ensuing years in this endevour. 1981 - 4884 featured on the cover of the book entitled "Lamborghini" by Jean-Marc Borel. Image by Peter Coltrin. 1982 - 4884 featured on the cover of the new Miura book by Coltrin & Marchet, published by Osprey. The featured color image is a reminder of the talented Peter Cuneo Coltrin's work, who sadly passed away in April 1982 just prior to the book's release. The Coltrin image is one from a local photo shoot taken immediately after the car's June 1971 completion at Sant Agata, outtakes of which were used for the factory's official Miura SV sales brochure featuring 4884 exclusively. 4884 is also featured in the aforementioned book on page 84 (in a 1/4 page close-up image showing its headlight and front grille) and on page 177 (in a black-and-white reprint of the works' official sales & specifications brochure). Even though 4884 is historically significant as the first USA SV, it is to become best known in later years as the cover car on the book which is later to become known as the "Miura Bible". 1983 - Doctor Brown & family move to Tupelo, Mississippi (birthplace of Elvis Presley) taking 4884 along. A valuable cache of SV spares including several sets of original-spec Pirelli CN12 tires comes with the car. 4884 is now Mississippi registered "95824" on Antique Car plates. Over the next 20 years, the residents of small-town Tupelo (most of whom have never seen a Lamborghini of any kind before) become used to the sight and sounds of 4884 roaring up Allyson Drive with pilot Brown MD at the wheel. 4884 shares garage space with a pair of classic Ferraris, an E-Type Jaguar and several USA 'Musclecars'. May 24th 2003 - Doctor Brown reports just 19,500 miles on his totally original unrestored SV 4884. The car has never had any paintwork of any sort and the interior remains completely original. June 9th 2005 - Brown unexpectedly passes away. 4884 has 19,548 well-maintained miles, remains completely original in every respect, and still has its original Pirelli CN12 tires mounted. The first USA SV could not have fared better than it did during its almost 30-year ownership with Alan P. Brown MD. A friend has fallen and he will be sorely missed. Historic Miura SV 4884 will serve as a noble reminder of this great man. "Addio" Al. October 8th 2005 - 'The Estate of Alan P. Brown' sells the prototype USA Miura SV 4884 (and spares) to a Miura enthusiast based in California. October 15th - 4884 arrives in California for new owners Joe & Margaret Sackey and it is only fitting that this first-of-a-series USA SV remains in the United States. USA specification details noted, as are the original concessionaire's Modena Racing Car Inc. emblem (a simple yet delightful piece of automotive history not seen on any other Miura) mounted on the rear panel. This beautifully made-in-the-period badge features the old Modena city coat of arms with the inscription: "Avia Mutina Pervia", surrounded by the official Lamborghini concessionaire's company name: "Modena Racing Co. Inc, New York, NY". Also unique to 4884 is a works-installed additional ashtray in driver's door sill (a rare factory item, interestingly also seen in the original SV prototype, 4758). A rare, well-preserved SV, 4884 stops the clocks at 1971. The original "Rosso Corsa" color as applied by Bertone for Lamborghini retains` its 'blood-orange' hue (a distinct orange tint relative to the standard Rosso Corsa as applied to the cars from Maranello). The red-with-gold wheels & sills complimented by the dark blue interior is flamboyantly period, and it is worth noting that Ferruccio Lamborghini himself selected this same livery for his own Miura SV (5028). A full set of original tools are in the trunk, the car has a truly mint owner's manual, an original copy of the Coltrin Miura book for which 4884 is the featured cover car, and an original copy of the factory official Miura SV sales mini-brochure which also features 4884 exclusively. The current set of original-spec Pirelli CN12s are still healthy, unlikely though that they are the originals. The rich dark blue leather interior is cool and subtle assisted by the works-installed Borletti air-conditioner, and every switch and knob is original, including a flawless steering wheel & shift knob, both impossible to replicate when restored or replaced. The original 8-track player is still in place and is still capable of belting out the early Elvis gospel "How Great Thou Art" over the wail of this Lamborghini's V12. Of particular note (& testament to the aforementioned ex-owner): each electrical device works and is fully operational. Upon startup, this SV barks into life, idles smoothly and revs immediately. Nary a whiff of smoke is to be seen once warmed up. The single sump gearbox feels slick and positive. In evidence is a works-original megaphone-tipped standard exhaust system but with (obviously) hollowed-out mufflers! Under the hoods, all the original appointments fixtures & fittings are correct and in place. What is clear to the new owner of 4884 (having owned a handful of European specification SVs prior), is the fact that the USA specification cars were finished to a higher build quality, if 4884 is representative of the limited USA series. The car's bodywork is stamped "729" in all the correct places, its original engine number 30642 (the first SV engine set up by the works to meet mandated USA standards) is fitted - clearly never removed from the chassis or opened, and the car's chassis number "4884" is stamped on an ID plaque and installed by the works (upside down so it can be read externally.) in the interior to the left of the speedo binnacle, as per all USA cars. November 2005 - Restoration commenced by Bobileff Motorcar Company and Joe Sackey to return a slightly 'tired' 4884 to its exact June 1971 Factory Publicity SV status, as featured in the works' official SV brochure and as famously featured on the cover of the Coltrin Miura book. Chassis and all mechanicals will be fully refurbished, interior will be returned to its original Bertone production status with period dark blue velour cloth inserts, and bodywork will be refinished in its original Bertone "Rosso Miura" (best described as 'blood-orange' a rich orange-red) using Glasurit paint. As limited production sportscars go, a confirmed first-of-a-series/prototype status is as significant as it gets, and perhaps this by itself warrants that the historic 34-year-old Miura SV 4884 should receive a complete restoration, returning it to its former glory just as it departed Sant Agata on June 18th 1971. This is the third Miura SV restoration carried out by Bobileff & Sackey (5064 & 4870 were the first two), and it is intended to complete 4884 to the highest SV standard yet, both in terms of its finished quality (to Pebble Beach standards) and its adherence to original specification. Bobileff Motorcar Co. has carried out half-a-dozen of the world's best Miura SV restorations, and 4884's restoration will mark the very first time that an SV's original production specification will be faithfully adhered to. Pebble Beach coachwork specialists Advanced Auto Refinishing have been retained to complete the bodywork to the desired standard. December 11th 2005 - The 71-year-old retired Lamborghini importer Ingegnere Alberto Pedretti speaks with 4884's current owner: "I founded Modena Racing Car Co after working for Ferrari as a race car engineer, finally working with Chinetti in the USA. My company Modena Racing Co. was the official Lamborghini importer from 1970 to 1974, after which I gave up. I then became a Ferrari dealer. In early 1971, factory chief engineer Stanzani asked me to help the factory homologate a 'prototipo' USA SV for limited production for the USA. I remember the red 'prototipo omologato' SV (4884) very well. I went over to Sant Agata and personally took delivery and drove the first SV with a new 'sperimentale speciale' engine fitted with an air pump that they had prepared for the USA's new requirements. Stanzani wanted to know if the car's air pump configuration would pass DOT & EPA standards in the USA. It was decided that the car should be shipped to the USA where it was immediately sent to the Ann Arbor (Michigan) testing center to determine if we could succeed in getting the car to conform to USA standards. 4884 underwent 10 days of testing in the hands of the EPA. This was also in the presence of a factory engineer sent over with the car - I can't remember his name, but that's immaterial. Finally after some adjustments at my direction, the car was USA type approved and the paperwork to that effect was released from Washington. I personally collected the car from Michigan and drove it back to New York in the fall of 1971. There was no performance difference to the European SV, except that the USA car ran much smoother than the standard European SV. I forwarded the specification adjustments and the official homologation approval paperwork to Stanzani at the factory (by way of the assigned factory engineer) and this was used as the type approved standard production specification for all the USA production SVs, some 15 cars or so (actually, original USA production totaled 21 cars). Since we missed the New York Auto Show, I showed 4884 at the 1971 Boston Auto Show (staged in November) as the official importer. It was the first Miura SV seen on display by the public in America. The USA cars are better engineered in many, many ways when compared with the European cars, because safety standards were much higher in the USA at the time. I affectionately remember Miura SV 4884 simply as "The Homologation Car" and I am proud to have been a part of making it possible for Lamborghini's legendary Miura SV to become homologated for America." December 15th 2005 - Ownership transferred to Scuderia Povero LLC. January 7th 2006 - Original Bertone seat insert material sourced - a dark blue velour cloth with a corduroy texture. Bertone's original PPG paint color matched, using a surviving 1968 - 1973 Bertone color chart, and a paint sample from underneath the rubber trim on 4884's windscreen lip, found after it was removed. The original paint in that area having not seen daylight in 34 years remained perfectly preserved for matching. Restoration of bodywork, interior, chassis and engine all progressing - chrome brightwork sent to legendary Pebble Beach plating specialists Christensen's in Vernon, CA, Jaeger gauges sent out to be recalibrated & reconditioned, all lights & respective lenses restored to 'as new' condition, original A/C components being overhauled ...the list goes on. The coachbuilder confirms that upon close examination of the stripped bodywork, it is clear that the car has not been involved in any kind of accident or collision, and fortunately no corrosion exists anywhere upon the entire chassis. The correct production body marking "729" is seen stamped in the jambs of both doors, on the lips of the front and rear hoods (rare for an SV to still have both its front and rear original hoods 34 years later), under the trunk, under each of the 6 engine-bay slats, under the passenger side front windscreen lip and several other places besides. The aluminum trim panels for the interior's upholstery are also stamped "729." March 9th 2006 - Restoration of 4884 progressing with relative ease, perhaps due to its previously unmolested and incident-free condition. After completion, the first USA SV will debut sometime in 2006 - 35 years since it was last seen in public at the 1971 Boston Auto Show where it was shown by official USA Lamborghini importer Alberto Pedretti. March 29th 2006 - Chrome finished by Christensens, plating specialists since 1923. New interior upholstering completed by Bobileff leather maven Luis Meza. Bodywork completed with undersides currently being refinished, paint to follow soon. April 7th 2006 - After 6 months continuous bodywork and preparation that involved: stripping the old paint, repairing dents, adjusting gaps and panel fitment, restoring the crispness of seam lines, primer, sanding, more primering, and finally block-sanding - 4884 received a new coat of "Rosso Miura" this past week, with both coachbuilder and owner delighted with the outcome. A brand 'new' set of unused Pirelli CN12 tires (dark-stored and jealously guarded for 25 years), has been set aside for 4884, these unobtainable original specification tires undoubtedly a priceless asset to the car's total restoration. April 28h 2006 - Newly-painted bodywork inspected: As per the goal of this restoration, 4884's bodywork has been beautifully yet sympathetically restored, retaining its original hand-formed Carozzeria 'character', rather than a typical high-gloss over-restoration... it is simply perfect, just right. The extensive effort to duplicate the true original shade of red (Bertone paint code number 1-444-507) has paid off with a rather shocking shade of the color that is rarely seen to remain on Miuras of the present. The period (1968-1973) Bertone color chart that was sourced to assist with duplicating the original color revealed that Bertone used seventeen (17) shades of red in the period! The correct color was noted by Bertone variously as "Rosso" or "Rosso Miura", but Lamborghini noted this same hue on their records as "Rosso" or "Rosso corsa", alas, a completely different shade of red from Ferrari's traditional racing red! Nonetheless, 4884 now exists once more in the same shade as it was first painted at Carozzeria Bertone in Grugliasco in 1971. As the golden evening sun sets and casts long shadows, so the raw beauty of the bodywork's stunning lines and voluptuous shape becomes apparent, and the blood-orange hue takes on a seductive glow. I can only stand back quietly and stare. Car shipped back to Bobileff's in enclosed carrier for complete restoration - chassis, suspension, brakes, clutch, electrics, mechanicals etc. Interior, chrome and lights are already completed and awaiting installation or reassembly. Bobileff re-plates every last nut-and-bolt, be it cad or nickel plated as appropriate. Engine number 30642 has had its top end completely rebuilt. Per the Bobileff Motorcar Co. work-order dated November the 17th 2005: "remove cylinder heads, replace all valve seats, recondition cams, replace all cam followers, perform valve adjustment, install new valve guides, set valve adjustment, degree camshafts, assemble heads, rebuild carburetors". An inspection of the 19,500-mile engine's bottom-end and engine bearings revealed negligible wear. The carburetor air-boxes on engine 30642 were originally finished in wrinkle-black paint (as seen on one or two other SVs) and this is being faithfully replicated as are the original egg-shell white tops complete with FIAAM stencils. 4884's air-pump equipped engine, the first P400SV unit factory-prepared to meet USA standards, will be run with the air-boxes mounted as has been the case from the beginning of its life. A period Magnetti Marelli battery has been sourced and the twin Bendix fuel pump setup is being replicated, with all fuel, oil and water lines throughout the car being replaced. A NOS rare original mild-steel SV exhaust system that had been in storage for decades has been acquired to replace the old hollowed-out unit, and both tanks (fuel & overflow) are being replaced with new aluminum items. All surfaces throughout the chassis are being refinished to correct spec, and new upper and lower aluminum engine bay firewalls are being installed. Yes, Bobileff actually takes care to use original-spec copper rivets throughout! June 22, 2006 - Restoration completion scheduled for July 2006 and dedicated to the memory of Alan P.Brown. July 1, 2006 - 4884's front & rear ends (both hoods) finished by master coachbuilder Alan McCormick. The assembly of lights, grilles, badges and trim is 'bellissimo, just beautiful. The original New York dealer plate has also been restored and remounted complete with its genuine October 1971 sticker, as has the original Modena Racing Car enamel badge. The chassis is almost complete with the suspension assembly on all four corners looking better than new with their powder blue springs in the rear and oak green ones up front. Engine and interior go in next, the excitement builds and many fingers are crossed. Stay tuned. August 3, 2006 - Restoration completed. The engine was successfully started, run, then test-driven by Gary Bobileff. Final fettling and detailing are all that remain before the car's debut at the 2006 Concorso Italiano. August 20, 2006 - Following a total ground-up restoration at the hands of Bobileff Motorcar Co. et al, the Factory Publicity and USA Homologation Prototype SV debuted at a public show for the first time in 35 years, the 2006 Concorso Italiano. 4884 was in fine company, shown together with 4968 & 5096, both also completely restored by Bobileff. Judging by the admiration bestowed upon the cars, the trio of restored Miura SVs were clearly the undisputed stars of the event. With Automobili Lamborghini's rank-and-file in attendance, the Miura display rounded off celebrations for the 40th anniversary of the car hailed as "The Most Beautiful Postwar Sports Car." After meeting with legendary test driver Valentino Balboni's approval, "4884" drove away with First Place in Class honors, underscoring its authentic restoration. November 2006 - Studio images by ace lensman Les Bidrawn for a major upcoming publication. March 1st 2007 - 4884 featured in CLASSIC & SPORTSCAR magazine's 25th anniversary issue, and the Miura SV is voted as the number one Dream Car ahead of the Ferrari 250 SWB, 289 Cobra Jaguar XKSS, Alfa Romeo 8C-2300, Ford GT40, Bugatti T 35B, McLaren F1 and the Mercedes 300SL Gullwing. June 1st 2008 - 4884 wins First Place/Best in Class at the Los Angeles Concours D'Elegance held in Pasadena. The class was open to all Lamborghini models from 1963 to present. |
|
|