I think youre correct about the yellow one being #40038. Only 4 Silhouettes were delivered in yellow (Giallo Sole). #40092 & #40098 are RHD and #40056 has the US blinkers. #40038 was delivered to Japan when new and the picture also appears on a Japanese website. The red CG looks like #40000.
I can tell you with great certainty that the white car pictured with the white interior is definitely not 40002. 02 still has its original interior which is black/dark grey with mouse fur dash. Hope this helps you. Cheers
I agree with Raymond and Kevin. This is without any doubt 40018. This is one of three images on the same page of the aution catalogue. One of the other images clearly shows the small roofs on the engine cover vents.
Stefano, I know you are a Bristol owner now but welcome to the Silhouette thread! It is a long time since we met at Silverstone when I owned 20200 - my wife gave you a lift from Weston Manor Hotel in a black Alfa 75 3.0, perhaps to Silverstone, I cannot recall, and my emails must also have been consigned to your junk mail! If you are willing I would sincerely welcome the opportunity to discuss Silhouettes with you. Your "modest research" provides the starting point for all the work that I and several others have recently been conducting together in earnest. I am in London and the current custodian of 40006. I will send you a PM tomorrow...... regards Ivor Davies
Hello Stefano welcome to the Silhouette thread, Im happy to see youre willing to share some Silhouette stories with us. Thanks for the story about #40054, this explains why this Italian car was described as an US model, and it also confirms that not all Silhouettes were delivered with the stripe seats.
i dont know what "US model" really means. i do know that a handful of P300 and silhouettes did make it to the united states during that period. most had full usa bumpers from the P111 while others didnt. DOT side marker lamps used are different on nearly all the cars. the placement of these lamps and type used wasnt very consistent between each car. officially i believe the silhouette wasn't certified by the EPA other the gray market cars the were redone by the independent shops. i dont know of any USA specification parts on the 3 liter cars besides the ones poached off the P111 cars. so what was the official emissions solutions added to the 3.0liter motor to usa smog requirements? there isn't 2 cars that have the same smog equipment from the factory i reckon. if there was one silhouette that comes close its most likely was the 40076 Car&Driver ex-chinetti car with fasten seat belt warning lamp. this car had the a manufactured plate stating it Federalized by the DOT but nothing indicating its was EPA approved. whats is odd is i do recall a Michigan plate gold P300 in that had manufacture plates stating that it was a usa car also? this is all very puzzling to say the least. a disproportionate large numbers of urracos and silhouettes in got diverted to canada because of the problems of importation to the usa by the north American distributor as i was once told. cheers hf
Wow.. a true legend of the history of Lamborghini walks amongst us.. I still have the magazine article (somewhere) decribig the restoration of the 350GTV you oversaw...
Stefano, It is a great moment to read your post, as your books in my personal libraly compiled all together represents 15% of them. It is sad that all your archives disappeared or were lost. I'm estimating you very much for the fact you lived the '80s era as a "factory family member" and I do understand your feeling about the nowadays spirit... I will be glad to meet you for my next visit in Italy, 1st week of March. Olivier LCB President
Bad news - I didn't get any reply to my PM to Pasini. Why am I not surprised? Good news - I got an immediate reponse from Valentino about the seats in 40006. "As far I remember (there are no special notes on our files) this car has been shown at Paris Motor Show and the interior was special for this purpose. The pics looks to me original, even if the quality and the color are definitely changed due to the timing. I would consider this as original and I would insist recovering seats with the same materials, if still possible for you to find." So 40006 was not just the first production car but the Paris show car as well - the delivery date of 1/10/76 ties in with the Paris show exactly. I also learned recently from Edmond Ciclet that 40006 could not be registered by Thepenier because of lack of type approval. Sold new and unused to Regis Bothorel it was eventually registered in 1980. Many thanks to those Silhouette enthusiasts that are willing to help with valuable information!
Ouch! Well, you should not be surprised that I'm not surprised as I have previously sent at least two emails to you before to the very same email address without receiving any reply. As you suggest I will make the effort and try once more (though it might just be easier if you were to read the PM).
Stefano I'm interested in the latest book and will buy immediately to add to my collection. Will you share some details please? Also I can vouch for P300V8. You need not take comments the wrong way...he is an absolute enthusiast who perhaps just relishes the opportunity to have your contribution and was disappointed. Dai Stefano
Now that I have discovered that 40006 was the 1976 Paris Show car my belief is that 40010 (RHD and the third production car) was probably finished in gold specially for the 1976 Earls Court show which ran from 20th to 30th October. 40010 was collected in Italy on the 16th (not the 15th) and driven to UK by Doug Blain etc - see Convoy article. It also sounds like a good reason for having three gold cars (Countach P300 and Silhouette) delivered together. There was a Lamborghini stand at Earls Court in 1976, right next to the Warwick Road entrance, but I do not know what was displayed. Can anyone shed any light on this?
that is great to read you are here, Stefano i have a lot of your lambo books we have few italian enthuxiasts here and one is our common friend Alex
Early Silhouettes have a P111 style front bumper with inset single colour (clear or amber)sidelight lenses. These bumpers/lights also appeared on some P250 and P300 cars and were also used on the early Pantera with chrome front bumper. One lens on my car was cracked and I have found a (clear) replacement from http://www.panterasbywilkinson.com/
i wonder what cars the lamps they really came from ?... most likely its some mundane part from lancia, fiat or alfa parts bin that lambo and detomaso pillaged. can anyone ID those lamps?
