Fantasy Junction

Description

1971 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV
s/n 4866 engine no. 30637
Dark Blue with Light Grey Leather Interior

Few cars have stunned like the Miura. Introduced in November of 1965 at the Turin Salon as just a naked chassis, the car created a sensation because of its radical mechanical layout. The sophisticated quad cam V12 was mounted amidships and transversely, creating a compact and balanced platform that went against almost all prior conventions about how to build fast cars. The press was sure Lamborghini was planning a race car, though in reality the car was a hastily conceived exercise to generate publicity. And generate publicity it did. Because of the huge response to the car, Lamborghini decided to build it, though they did not yet have a body. Bertone produced what is surely one of the most beautiful cars ever made and had a prototype ready just four months later, in time to show at Geneva in March of 1966. Orders poured in, and the plan to build perhaps fifty examples was soon scrapped. All told, over seven hundred and fifty Miuras would be built, effectively putting Lamborghini on the map, a shocking achievement considering that the firm was just three years old when the Miura was unveiled.

The car was then taken to Monte Carlo for the Monaco GP, drawing crowds five deep, despite the plethora of other exotic cars on hand and the jaded crowd at the casino. Legendary English journalist L.J.K. Setright took the car on a thousand mile tour of Europe for Car magazine, and called it a “supercar”, inventing the term that survives with us today to describe a very special automotive experience. The Miura was not dynamically perfect, but invented an entire genre of car and captured everything that was wonderful about motoring in the swinging sixties. Who really needs bumpers or proper rear visibility?

It was all about the colors, the style, the performance, and the noise. The response of the public and the press was almost universally effusive, but there were of course foibles, which in typically Italian fashion, would be ironed out as production proceeded. In November of 1968, the Miura became the Miura S, with the introduction of a number of refinements, including reshaping the combustion chambers and altering the camshafts and carburetion, for about twenty more horsepower. Build quality was improved, electric windows added, and a bit more chrome (on the headlights and window trims) was added. The rear suspension was revised, and on later cars, ventilated discs employed for the brakes.

The Miura SV, however, is the ultimate development of the Miura, with examples often commanding nearly twice the price of a comparable Miura S. Visually, the SV is more aggressive thanks to its flared rear fenders and wider rear track (the result of a revised suspension layout and 9-inch wide rear wheels). This provided more grip and improved the handling, while engine revisions to cam profiles, carburetion, and enlarged intakes provided additional power. The lighting was revised front and rear, and the famed eyelashes around the headlamps were also eliminated. The overall visual changes produce a more aggressive and less adorned look.

Around 150 Miura SV’s were built, and this particular car is one of the more famous examples. Equipped with AC, this car was previously owned by Rod Steward in Los Angeles during the 1970’s. This car was purportedly found to have marks in the headliner from the bottoms of high heels! The car was originally silver in color with gold wheels and rockers, and was delivered to its original owner by New York dealer Modena Imports. The original owner arrived at the dealer with his son in taxi cab, and drove the car back to Texas. The car later ended up with Mr. Stewart, and then passed through the hands of a number of owners before ending up with a Canadian collector, who had the car restored to high standards in its current dark blue color with grey interior a few years ago.

The car’s current owner bought this car in 2008 following a long and painstaking search for the right Miura SV. He had the car inspected by Gary Bobileff prior to purchasing it, and then sent it to Bobileff Motor Car Company to have a number of minor issues sorted. This work totaled about $8500, and included fixing some inoperable electrical components, correction of some incorrect interior hardware, adjusting latches and lamps, restoring the wheels, rebuilding the carburetors, tuning the car, fitting new tires, aligning the car, and many other items as well.

The car is currently in stunning condition. The paint and bodywork are excellent throughout with almost no signs of wear or damage. The wheels and chrome are also excellent. The wheels have been recently refinished and have the correct Campagnolo decals. The lights, glass, and trim are excellent as well, though there is a hairline crack in one of the rear turn indicator lenses. The car retains its correct twin stalk windscreen wipers.

The interior is extremely nice. The seats, dashboard, and door panels have been reupholstered in light grey leather to very high standards, and the carpets are high quality wool that also displays excellent workmanship. The remainder of the interior is in excellent original condition. This includes the instruments, steering wheel, and switches.

The engine compartment and trunk are both highly detailed and extremely clean. There are numerous correct details including the correct blue and green springs, candy apple red horns, and silk screened FIAMM airbox stencils. The chassis is nicely detailed throughout. The spare wears the correct Pirelli Cinturato CN12 tire, and in addition to the new BF Goodrich tires the car now wears, it comes with a full set of four unmounted extremely rare and valuable Pirelli Cinturato CN12 tires.

This is an outstanding opportunity to acquire beautiful example of one of the most desirable and beautiful cars ever. Equipped with desirable air conditioning and with fascinating and unique history, this SV is special even among SV’s. Furthermore, it has been beautifully restored in a sublimely elegant shade of dark blue and is mechanically sorted and ready to enjoy.

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