SE 30 thread

Instead of speculating about the HP difference between stock US and non-US SE, I think the best idea would be to just test it. There are American and European SE owners on this forum. Only way to find it out really.

 

Hey, how's it going?
I agree speculation sucks, but I don't think people will take their cars to a dyno since that is such a big deal. And even a chassis dyno would have to convert rwhp to engine hp which introduces errors, and one dyno to another introduces more errors in calibartion etc.. And testing acceleration, etc. on the street won't really give a quantified difference in hp from one engine to the other since their are so many variables, like elevation, wind, elevation changes during the run, temperature, humidity, etc. So, we'll probably never know for sure, unless we could pull a US and a Euro engine and run them on the same dyno!
Anyway, this is just fun talk. We'll probably never know!.......but what we know for sure is that we have one of the baddest aass cars in the world...especially your Jota! And I have run with an F40 (for the guy that made the sly F40 diss on the SE), and I know I could pull him at all and all speeds!!!!

 

FYI, I just got my Red 94 SE back from Steve at www.drivenexotics.com after going through a 2 year full nut bolt ge it right car.

On March 7th, the local F club here is having a dyno day. Cost is 75 bucks a car..I intend on taking the SE and a few other Lambos down to get them tested for the fun of it...I am sure it will not be the most acurate due to all kinds of thngs like Victor says...but it will be fun.

I will post results once it is all done.

 

Everything you state here is correct. The only thing I will argue is the valve size. I have been into 4 se engines, all us cars and all 4 had larger inlet valves then the standard Diablo.

 

True, it probably will never be accurate enough for a fair comparison. A 5-10 HP difference would be meaningless in that case. The only SE that I know of that has been dynoed recently is Placid's SE Jota.

BTW I am not sure what makes you think that I am a Jota owner, I wish!

 

Hi Mike,
If you've torn into some US SE30 cars and found the larger inlet valves, then that is real evidence of Lambo doing what they have always been known to do......they CHEATED!...They probably just used the Euro SE30 heads, with the larger inlet valves, knowing full well the US would never know the difference! Maybe they are all that way except for the one that they had to show the feds! That wouldn't surprise me at all. And that means at least the four you have seen, and maybe more (or all) of the 25 legal for the US have the FULL Euro motor!! That is cool to know, because I've heard some jerks talk down the SE30 saying " awe that's just a regular Diablo with some smoke and mirrors to make you think its special..."

 

Having purchased a new VT Diablo in 1995 and then trading it in for Joe's SE30, I can say without any hesitation that the SE30 is almost night and day different than the VT...Throttle response / HP to weight / overall heavy, racer feel in the clutch, steering / adjustable suspension / sound level / much, much stronger performance!
Back to the Jota conversion...I asked MotorCars, from whom I traded the VT in for the SE30 to find me a Jota Kit and put it on the car...I was told that it would diminish the value of the car to the point of not being able to sell it...well, for alot less I guess, interesting how that thought has changed! Anyway, loved that SE...

 

I checked with Steve www.drivenexotics.com tonight. He has just completed a two year full nut and bolt go through on my #15 Red USA SE30, which included motor out, chains, tensioners, cams, valves, you name it anyways..he clearly states that mine as well has the larger intake valves..

I would agree with Victor that Lambo cheated, maybe one that was tested for USA is all..no one would double check the other 24 cars to come here..no way..

not the first time and wont be the last time.

 

Is #004 a factory Jota or kitted? With the Jotas not being "US legal" is there difficulty in registering one or do they appear to the system as just a Diablo SE30?
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US cars = SE30 with jota kit

2 US jotas

not that it is much of a difference imo ( i know that factory jota do not always perform any better than SE + kits!)

 

Emilio, what was the place's name where the so-called 'factory' Jota's had the kit installed?

 

In the USA, two cars

Keiths and Christians

Both done by Steve at www.drivenexotics.com

 

Jonas,

my sources said some kits were put toegether at factory

 

correct about the 2 US cars
but i think he is talking about the kit put on the cars 14-15 years ago

 

Roy mentioned the term "Hogwash" regarding the driving of a GT on the street, suggesting collector car insurance and the lack of fed's checking collector car mileage can get around this.

Take it from someone that does pretty well at making a living over such issues, I would not be secure in such conclusions. If I got into an accident on a car never federalized for the US, on my collector car policy, the property damage portion of the policy would likely be covered. But the real risk is not the property damaged which may be limited to a few hundred thousand dollars, but rather the liability that you kill or worse, cripple someone with the car. You can bet what your worth that the defense attorney for your insurance company is going to hang your ass out to dry, claiming that the car was never federalized, was thus not safe for US road conditions, not legal, and contributed to the accident. If your speeding in a GT and cripple someone, then the attorney will likely argue the accident was partly the condition of the illegal non-compliance. If he won, you'd have no liability insurance.

As far as the 2500 miles. If you cripple someone on mile 2501, your insurance will likely not apply.

Simply put, drive an unfederalized, non-road legal car on the road and you will likely have property damage coverage for the car, but no coverage if your sued for hurting someone.

"Caveat Emptor"

 

Agree with you 100%. That is why in my ad says..CHECK with your local law as well as your insurance agent.

For me, it took two insurance companys till I found one that was willing to provide the FULL COVERAGE to 3 million I needed on the car, of course it is not cheap, but what toys are..? My lot, Dealers insurance would not even cover it...so I had to go outside the book. It is the same coverage as out of the Country, such as Mexico and Canada and visitors of 6 month car visas have...as many of their cars DO NOT meet USA legal standards and are required to carry seperate and explicite coverage...also done quite often with out of the country consulat Generals and their staff and cars brought here from out of the USA..hard, trouble, time consuming...YES..but for me, worth every bit....

THIS is not a car for someone to buy as their ONLY exotic and drive around to enjoy it day in day out...IT IS a collector piece and needs to be treated as such. GET the correct coverage AND get it properly licensed and titled in your State, such as mine. HOWEVER, I know for a fact that YOU can not get it titled or plated in NY, California, Florida, Arizona...and I am sure others that I have not checked..YOU can get it plated and titled in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Nevada, Texas, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio.. ALL of Canada and Mexico to name a few..

This is an exspensive toy and should only be purchased with a knowledge that it has risks as all toys do, this more than others...and that may also go towards the fact of its rarity and enjoyment...AND no matter what you have, if you have an accident and deep pockets...REGRADLESS of the insurance coverage, a LEGAL challange is a given!! Not just this toy, BUT all deep pocket toys..

OR wait till 2024 (when it will not matter at all) and you can drive it here all day long...NO WORRIES..

 

This SE30 owned by qvpower is perfect.
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Thankyou for the complements. But we both know ur se30 by color by quality is the best out there... Just thankful that we all have these special cars and of course special friends who share their love for this model.

 

Here's some Italian info on the Jota:

"Ai clienti piu esigenti viene offerto un kit (non omologabile per l'uso stradale soprattutto a causa degli scarichi liberi) che la trasforma nella versione Jota, nome ben noto agli appassionati Lamborghini, riconoscibile esternamente per le due prese d'aria supplementari che dai tetto vanno verso il cofano motore. Un sistema ingegnoso di doppia aspirazione a geometria variabile, unito a un'analoga soluzione anche per i condotti di scarico portano la Jota alla potenza esagerata di 600 CV a 7300 giri/min, capai di lanciaria a 340 km/h."

Scheda tecnica
Diablo SE Jota (1994)
stesse carattereristiche della SE tranne:
Motore: potenza max 600CV a 7300 giri/min - Coppia 640 Nm a 4800 giri/min - Condotti di aspirazione e scarico a geometria variabile.
Prestazione: velocita max 340 km/h

Diablo SE (1993)
Motore: potenza max 525CV a 7000 giri/min - Coppia 580 Nm a 5200 giri/min
Prestazione: velocita max 330 km/h

 

I had my #15 out this morning for our local Cars and Coffee...
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It's great to see that car on the road.

 

Thanks...I know this will kill you..BUT I put almst 85 miles on it today...

 

LOL...I still believe that you have the lowest mileage SE30 in the country.

 

Your car is the best! We can still trade cars if you like?
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I must say, I was not "super" thrilled with a 94SE when I first got it, (almost two years ago) #15. But since I got it back from Steve's shop www.drivenexotics.com
this last weekend...

Well I think it is one of my new favorite cars. Been playing with the traction control and the suspension adjust..and they do make a difference. The car is so comfy to drive, extremely responsive. The extreme quick pick up and down power is head throwing. The exahust notes are music to the ear, dont know why they bothered putting a radio in the car?. It is just a sleeper note till you give it some gas and I mean just "some" gas, otherwise your spinning those rear tires no matter what gear your in...CRAZY..but then it hits RPMS fast and the exhaust opens up, like a Tiger low growl to a full on ROAR!. The steering is just right, so darn responsive, no over or under but just right.

This car was the Sh**s in its day...and after driving it this weekend and learning it, it still is the Sh**s TODAY!!...15 years later.

Now all I have to do is wait for Steve to finish my Purple one #8...maybe done by summer time?
Can't wait to drive it and see the differences.

One way or another I think and SE30 is going to become a Permanent part of my collection...

Just have to wait and see if it will be Red #15 or Purple #8...?

Hell if it is to close to call, keep them both...LOL