Miura, the original supercar

Joe, if you are not familiar with the development of Miura seats, then you certainly dont get the significance of this photo or this seat. This seat, in my opinion, is the most significant seat in the entire Miura community. 0706 is pure design prototype, unspoiled with chrome doodads, sensuous, low, fast, loud and a living history on wheels. Bow down as it drives by.

Colin's Miura was listed as a LHD Blue/White and now it is a RHD Red/Black? original?

I looked over Tony's 3288 interior and did not find much original, in fact many items missing - console trim, arm rests, door trim, weatherstriping, steering wheel, as a starter. The only original pieces were the headliner and switch pod. Most disturbing was the fact it had a fresh paint job and no DOOR STOPS, an accident waiting to happen, and it did.

Yes, thanks, we are all aware of the Espada perf reference, simply fair warning that the pattern was first used on earlier models and possibly other marques. Anyone have a photo of the tooling it takes to make this pattern? Sure would be nice.
Craig
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Please enlighten us as to why 0706's seats are better or more significant than any other seats in the Miura community. We would all like to learn...

Colin's car was created blue/white at the Grugliasco works and changed to red/black when built into a RHD car by the Sant Agata works. It left the factory with that interior, clearly my point.

3288 left the factory with those perforated seats and headrests - thats clearly my point. It still has those originl seats & headrests (the topic of our discussion) and they can be clealy seen in the pic I provided above.

A "warning" is hardly necessary that the perforated pattern was used on Miura seats first. LOL. Yes, tooling has been re-made to recreate that pattern.

 

Thanks for the input Joe,

The Pebble Beach 08 Concours will provide a great learning opportunity for all Miura lovers, myself included.

I agree the 3288 insert perf leather is most logically the original material.

Any pictures of the perf tooling?

thanks
Craig

 

Craig:

Please explain to our not inconsiderable viewing audience exactly why you have made the statements above.

WHY is it "the most significant seat in the entire Miura community"? Especially considering that there are 2 other Miura prototypes, 0979 and 0961, which both survive, and which were both completed before 0706. Whats wrong with their seats? Why are their seats less important? I would just like clarification as would everybody else so as their owners can understand why their cars are being slighted?

Why too must we "bow down" as 0706 drives by? Of course nary a soul would take such unnecessary & silly advice literally, but, the question is still begged.

We are all ears (or in this case, eyes)...


Joe

 

I'd like to take this opportunity to add that I'll be displaying the seats in my Miura at Quail as well. They are both rather ordinary, and not entirely comfortable. I advise having several drinks before coming over to see them.

 

The same seats, the same leather, the same structure that carried Ferruccio in 1966 and all of the
early Lamborghini Miura design and production team are still maintained as is and are in service
today. 1966 Salon de Paris show car, Bob Wallace, throw out bearings. The public was foaming
at the mouth!

Beyond remarkable, this is outstanding automotive history. Are the seats different in design and
structure from the Miura built just months later 0979 and 0961? Yes, quite different. Do they
appear different? Not when installed.

These bleu pelle Miura seats combined with the prototype giallo Miura, also in a state of simple
maintenance, not restored, original paint (with many blended repairs and they show, just barely)
make quite a significant Miura. The most significant Miura in existence by far? I think so.

Yes, 0706 was released for sale at a later date than its sister builds of 0961 and 0979, but that’s
41 year old news. 0961 and 0979 completed before 0706 is simply a misunderstanding of the
records, in my opinion.

This is all just one old guys opinion, who has big ears, blind in one eye and cant see out of the other, wanders about muttering Miura part numbers under his breath, plays with nos Mach1 mirrors on a daily basis for exercise and spends way too much time on ebay.

What would it have taken to motivate you to purchase your first Miura?
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There is even interesting provenance associated with that particular CAR and DRIVER magazine.

 

Craig it appears you are very close to JW Marriot, from the car and driver that you posted. Can you post any other pics of his Muira or the rest of his or his father's collection? Could you share any stories, in another thread of course?
Thanks,
Erik

 

Sorry Erik, i am not close to the Marriotts, simply an East Coast Miura fan with a passion. But i do have a photo of the most significant Miura vent in actual use today. A very important item for me to be familiar with since I fart a lot at high speed (and lo speed).
Craig
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Andy, you are correct and this particular issue is still owned and maintained by it's original reader. My copy is labeled Kermit W Williams, Winston Salem, NC.

 

Craig:

I have to give you 100% for Miura enthusiasm, and I have to recognize the invaluable effort you put forth in cataloging and documenting the cars.

BUT, you haven't acquitted yourself in your statement that 0706's seats are the most significant set of seats out there. I will suggest that they are the most significant set of seats that you have happened to encounter personally.

Also, 0979 & 0961 were completed the month before 0706 and the documentation below shows it. Production numbers meant little with Bertone/Lamborghini and the Factory Completion Date (which is not the "release" date as it seems you are suggesting) is the date on which the car was finished at the factory, and therefore available to the concessionaire, who often did not take delivery for a few days or weeks after that.
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Next 2 or 3 pages please!!

bax

 

Joe, October 1966 Bob Wallace drove a certain Miura to Paris for the Salon De Paris. He gave rides to propective customers, changed a few throw out bearings, displayed the Miura for all to see and drove back.
This was the Miura, number 0706. It is quite possible this was a significant event for Lamborghini and the new Miura. This Miura 0706 will be at Pebble Beach 2008, preserved history on wheels. My advice to all Miura fans - be there or miss the most important Miura showing in your lifetime.
Craig

Joe - the registro lists are wonderful, thank you for sharing them.
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Craig,

You indeed get high marks for being a P400 cheerleader (Even Molly Shannon isn't a bigger "Superstar" LOL!)

What did you mean by "changed a few throw out bearings", as each car has one and they last quite a while.

I was in attendance at the most important Miura showing in my lifetime, perhaps you missed it.
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I think many missed "0706"'s debut showing at Quail in 2000, but glad you & Betsy were there Tim!

But I am filled with remorse because even though JW Marriott himself told me the car's full story as he stood next to it, I forgot to bow to either him or the car :-0

 

Your welcome about the Registro lists!

However, at the risk of being redundant, I am compelled (especially for the sake of the uninitiated) to point out that your description of 0706's early history (perhaps just as you wish it to be) is wrong.

In 1966, the Miura that Bob Wallace took to the September (not November, by the way) 1966 Salon De Paris was Miura number one, chassis number "0502" (often mis-identified as "0509").

It was not "0706" as you erroneously state. AUTOCAR magazine ran a piece on November 11th 1966 featuring images of 0502 and you can see its distinctive prototipo interior, hood-mounted mirrors that it wore at that point, distinctive smaller three-eared spinners that this first car wore, and its lack of extruding faux exhaust tips. Absolutely, clearly, the one-and-only 0502, clutch problems and all.

Furthermore (although you seem to want to ignore it) I have already posted factory documentary proof in both raw notes, and official registry form, that 0706 wasn't even completed until the 26th of April 1967. There is no misunderstanding about this. The records clarify this in black-and-white. To suggest that a car was completed and driving in September 1966, and yet was not marked down as completed until April 1967 which is seven (7) months later is pure fiction, even for Lamborghini!

If you have any interest in 0706's correct provenance, it is as follows:

Upon completion on April 26th 1967, it was supplied to longtime Ferruccio Lamborghini friend and Rome-based Italian Lamborghini Concessionaire Roberto Carpanelli (Autosalone Piemonte).

Carpanelli used it as a demonstrator and the car was featured in at least one contemporary magazine article wearing Roma plates.

In September 1967, it was supplied as the featured Miura at the 54th Salon de l'automobile de Paris, still with its trademark wipers parked on the driver's side.

As JW Marriott himself told me, he had approached Lamborghini directly wanting to buy the first available Miura, and they sent him on up to Rome to visit with Carpanelli.

The month after the Paris Salon on the 21st of October 1967, Autosalone Piemonte issued an invoice to one John Willard Marriott Jr of Maryland USA and for the princely sum of 7,710,200 lira, Miura telaio 0706 fitted with engine 1016 was his!

The rest, as they say, is history...
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Hi Joe,
Looks like Lamborghini had both irons in the fire, marketing at several shows during the same period.
Maybe 0502 went to the London show and is therefore in your “Autocar” magazine? Would be interesting to
see a scan of your mag showing dated material and photo of 0502 from the 53rd Salon de Paris.

Here is what I see in the documents I have -- as I stated above, the 1966 Salon De Paris was attended by
0706. The French magazine “L’Automobile” issue for November 1966 has a full spread on the 53rd Salon de
Paris and clearly includes a photo of 0706 representing Lamborghini at that show. The Coltrin book also
refers to this same Paris outing.

0706 was modified many times during its first 6 or 7 months of its existence. As I’ve stated before, the
throw-out bearing was a high failure item and was revised to eliminate this problem. Suspension
modifications were made in order to eliminate body roll by adding the now well-known rear sway bar.

Chances are, there were a host of other changes that you would expect in any prototype made during the
same time period. My interpretation of the registro is that in April 1967, the factory decided that 0706 was
ready for release to a dealer (since the definition of the Italian “consegna” literally means “delivery” or
“handing over”). But 0706 was definitely already built by Fall of 1966.

Hope to meet you at Quail and am looking forward to a great Monterey week.
Craig
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Torino 1966... (AUTO-Italiana magazine).
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Fabulous GIOTTO! That is 0862 built late 1066 and supplied to Lamborcar/ Gerino Gerini.

 

Chasing (or killing?) a Daytona in the rain...
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An amazing shot!

 

Imagine doing that today.

It would never happen.

 

Saw the Miura Roadster and the SVJ being restored at Bobileff's today. The Roadster's a bit further along than the SVJ, but both are well on their way to completion (as you would expect, it being less than a week away to the shows). Not sure about the raspberry color on that SVJ, but the roadster paint is very unique, stunning really and befitting of a show car. Unfortunately, the SVJ could not be started but Gary and others at the shop told me it sounds fantastic with its straight pipes. I wish I had been able to hear it. Both cars will look fantastic when completed.

Alberto

 

posts #9 picture is great,really shows how wide the car is in the rear

 

Perhaps someone would be so kind as to ask Bob Wallace himself if he can recall which car he drove there. Such a memorable event may still be fresh in his "old" mind. lol