Fantasy Junction

Description

1965 Lamborghini 350GT Superleggera
s/n GT3500361 Engine no. 0319
Red with Black Leather

Legend has it that Ferrucio Lamborghini set out to build his own sports car after a disagreement with Enzo Ferrari. Whatever his motivations, the Italian industrial magnate was soon producing the 350GT, a car that was better built, more technologically sophisticated, and better performing than contemporary Ferraris. The technical specifications were impressive, including a quad cam V-12, fully independent suspension, disc brakes, and a five-speed gearbox, initially made by ZF, and then in house by Lamborghini. In contrast, the contemporaneous Ferraris, such as the 250 GT Lusso, still employed single cam motors, live rear axles, and four-speed gearboxes. The contemporary press reveled at the refinement, build quality, performance of this newcomer, and was pleased to find that the 350GT was also more luxurious and less demanding to drive than Ferraris, while still remaining equally involving and capable. This was an impressive achievement for what was Lamborghini’s very first production car, and in all, just 120 examples were built.

This particular car is a fundamentally superb matching numbers example from relatively late in the production run. This car has an alloy body, compared to the later 400 GT 2+2’s, which featured steel bodies. In 2002-2003, the car received much work at Bobileff Motorcars, including head gaskets, full service, new Borrani wire wheels, and new interior. The car was then sold to a new owner at the RM Monterey auction in August of 2003, and then became part of a massive and significant collection.

The car is in very nice cosmetic condition, with an extremely solid and dry body. The common areas of corrosion, including on the undercarriage, are in superb order. The bottom of the spare tire well, the battery tray, and the areas below the brake boosters are also excellent. The body is straight and very solid, with no evidence of significant structural damage. The paintwork is presentable and attractive, though close inspection reveals some small chips and an area of inattentive preparation on the right rocker panel. The chrome ranges from very good to excellent throughout, and the wheels and Michelin XWX tires are excellent. The glass and lights are excellent as well, including the side windows, whose pronounced curvature means that they are often scratched by improperly adjusted mechanisms.

The interior is excellent, with superb upholstery and carpets. Both the materials and the workmanship are superlative, and remainder of the interior is also very nice. The headliner and dashboard are also excellent, as are the switches and instruments. The instruments appear never to have been restored and are excellent considering this, but do have some patina to the pointers. All instruments appear to work properly, as do the turn indicator and fuel level lights. The steering wheel is also excellent.

The engine compartment is very tidy and nicely detailed. The airboxes are correctly finished with silk screened FIAMM logos and correct knurled keepers. The inner fenders and firewall are very clean, and the firewall has the correct quilted insulation on it. The trunk is also very nice, with excellent carpet and correct Borrani spare with XWX tire. The underside is extremely nice, with unusually crisp and solid frame members, with no thick or lumpy undercoating to hide the condition of the chassis. The suspension components are free from jacking damage, and the overall impression from the underside is of an impressively dry and solid car.

The car drives extremely well, and has a coherence and wholeness that is unusual. The car is a pleasure to use and immediately puts the driver at ease. The visibility is excellent, the gearbox is a sweetheart, and the engine is tractable and well-tuned. The engine displays excellent oil pressure and sounds great. The chassis is solid and reassuring in feel, as are the brakes.

This is an excellent opportunity to acquire a superb example of this rare and desirable car. As Lamborghini’s first production car, the 350GT, with its alloy body and sophisticated mechanical specification, was an impressive achievement. The car was refined and well-developed, particularly compared to the cars coming from other manufacturers. Today, the 350GT is particularly appealing compared to a Lusso at twice the price, this before mentioning that nearly three times as many Lussos were made (350 examples built compared to 120 350GTs). The 350GT is not quite as mainstream either, ensuring that the car appeals to the sophisticated collector who is seeking something a little bit different. This particular example’s combination of structural solidity, excellent driving experience, and attractive cosmetics (but not so much so as to discourage actually using the car) makes this an ideal event car or weekend driver.

The above vehicle information is complete and accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time it is posted to this website. Corrections or additional information is always appreciated. All advertised prices exclude government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer document preparation charge, and any emission testing charge. Vehicles are subject to prior sale. All advertised to be true but not guaranteed. We assume no liability for errors or omissions.

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Fantasy Junction  •  510-653-7555  •  1145 Park Ave, Emeryville, CA 94608