94 SE30 Jota IT LIVES!!

Well get ready to read a long story here..but one I wanted to share. So grab you hot cocco and sit back.

Some years back a member here bought the LAST 1994 SE30 made for the YSA, $#25 in Purple over black with under 4000 miles on it. It was then in PERFECT condition and a stunning example of a always to be collectiable car from the Lamborghini factory. Only 25 of these cars ever made it to the USA..since some have left and by count maybe 21 remain here.

As Keith, the previous owner fell in love with this car, he id what we all do at one time or another to a favorite car...put more mone into then we have brains LOL. So up came the chance for Keith to aquire one of the LAST TWO JOTA kits from the factory to place on the car #25. NO USA cars ever came equiped with the JOTA Package.

At a cost of over $75,000 and almost 6 months of work, Keith had the JOTA factory OEM system installed and tuned correctly to turn the other wise standrad SE into a JOTA monster. The second kit was also installed by the same work shop on another Purple SE30 here in the USA owned by Christen of Chicago till this day.

The day came to take delivery of his new SE30 and all its JOTA specialty works...off in a truck it went to him in SOuthern California. It''s first real showing would be at the Irvine Cars and Coffe, which for this weekend was honoring the Lamborghini mark in the corral. It was an important enough event, that I loaded up my Lamborghini Diablo GT here in Seattle and made the trip down for the special event and to see the first public appearance of this special JOTA SE car.

The morning was great, and many enjoyed the JOTA as it rumbbled into the lot. Pictures abound, the quailty of work reviewed by many and all ending with thumbs up and great smiles. It was truly a master piece to have a REAL JOTA on a USA street, let alone driven in the flesh on California approved and passed emissions test plates!! WOW

As the event ended, many gathered as multiple bulls lined up to exit the parking lot. It was an event that was just now getting started for the "Bulls" to continue on a day long drive, lunch and seperate get together for all of us to enjoy all the special cars that had made the extra effort to appear for this once a year event.

As we exited the parkway, we traversed onto the on-ramp of the freeway..with intentions to head out East for a sprited drive amongst great cars and great friends. Sadly, this is where the day turned a bit bad for one person in special and allof us that day. As I was turning the sweep onto the freeway, I noted Keith behind me in the AWE in-spiring JOTA. Traveling at a more then normal speed, I could hear the downshift of the powerful RWD only JOTA as it got ready to fly by me out of the apex of the straigh away onto the freeway.

With the blink of an eye, I could see the JOTA first swing its drivers rear tail off to the left, striking the metal guard rail, then while trying to correct the postion, move out and re-stike the guardrail with its driver front fender...all at a speed of less than 35mph. The incident was a sad case of cold tires, cold pavement and unbelievable power applied to the rear wheels from this new JOTA car that lived up to it's name of being a "Beast".

The exceptionaly good thing of the morning was that there was no injurys and it was just CF and aluminum damage..that could all be easily repaired. So after a brief speak with the California Hiway Patrol..the limbing JOTA was loaded onto my trailer I had in the area and taken back to the Lambo Hospital for a view offer and decision as to the next move.

With in hours, the nes had hit all boards and you tube as well..the rumors ran rampid of high speeds, crazy driving, bent frames and broken wheels..total loss vehicle..on and on and on..to the point if you had not been there and seen this all first hand...you would think the car was being driven by a cracked out speed freak at 100MPH and crashed through barriers bending the car in two beyond repair...LOL

So we move ahead a few weeks. After a complet dis-assemble of the vehicle for the insurance company..it was found no frame damage at all and that it was totaly re-pairable, but at a GREAT cost due to the rareity of the 94SE30 parts. The insurance "business minded" calculations showed that it was more cost effective for them to provide a pay out, then auction the car off as Salavge when the cost was greater then 55% agreed value on the car.

After much thought and input...and looking back now..Thankfully Keith told the insurance the car was to rare a piece of history to salvage off...and the issues was not the money but to preserve the greatness of this super JOTA car. With that, Keith embarkled on a "no exspense" added out of his pocket to get this car back to better then when it left the factory. All NEW OEM parts were used, pain taking time to send one fender back to Italy that did not meet the fine exact lines of the body..time was spean to get everything perfect, going so far as to "import" the correct PPG "oil based" paint for the repair. This paint was no lnger available in the USA due to EPA and tree hugger standards. LOL

With the car being completely brought back, the time was taken at extra exspense to go the extra mile and truly bring this car back to its Euro standards of a true EURO JOTA. All side markers where removed from the rear quarters, the front markers where done away with by the simple order of EURO style OEM ones from the factory. The JOTA was further enhanced with the removal off the USA Headers and Cat converters, brought to it's TRUE JOTA breathing power of "straight mainifold and through" pipes as it was intended from it's birth.

Now complet and it prime glory beyond factory specs and waiting to be driven and shown again..the sad reality of the American buying Public started in. The car isnt worth anything, it has a car fax history, it had an accident, it had bent frame...on and on, mostly all false rumors of damage that was exagerated and of no bases. After all we know that not a single Miura, Countach or any car prior to CarFax records has ever had an accident, been repaired or re-sprayed. Just think if we had carfax back then, so many Miura's and other cars of the days would not be worth anything LOL.

Of course this critisism brought great stress to the owner. After a few attempts of selling the car with nothing more then the opportunitys of the possible buyer to bash the car and it's value, I stepped up and bought it..I wasnot concerned with its carfax, its repair, its re-paint. I KNEW what happened to the car, I saw what happend to the car and I had the great privledge of watching it be brought back to all its glory and then some at a no exspense re-creation to all OEM factory parts and specs.

I, having three SE cars and being in the business began to market the car myself..and running into the same wall of its beenwrecked, it is carFax..it is only worht $125K..I did not aggree. I took it to Monterrey last year, ran it through auction where it recieved a high bid of only $165K..still way under valued for the car IMO. I took the car home and just started to enjoy it and placed it at a price I thought was fair..if it sold gret, if not great as well as I was enjoying a rare and one of akind piece of art work that rolled on 4 wheels.

As time passed..an offer came in that was acceptable. It was contingent ona FULL inspection to be done by the buyers choice of George Evans at his cost for inspection and transport cost from Seattle to Evans. If the PPI was not successful, or not what the buyer wanted, it was their csot to transport the car back to Seattle..a more than fair deal.

The car arrived and george went to work straight away. The three of us communicated daily. The possible buyer went for a very very detailed inspection, not a run of the mill PPI. In the inspection some very good news came to me..it was confirmed that there was no frame or suspension damage at all, which had been rumored. We now had documented independant expert evaluation to this. It was further stated that the "body" repair work was of exceptional quailty and the paint as well.

All in all the quailty of the car and the JOTA was exceptional and a "keeper" as George put it. With this inspection, there was found to be a weak cylinder as well as few other minor items, such as a sticky throttle cable, in-correct rear coil over springs, out of date tires by date code, in-operative partial electronics in the dash...the possible buyer made a reduced offer on the car based on these findings..estimating a fix of these items in the $30K range.

I stayed up most of the night going over it and over it. I spoke with multiple experts with knowledge of the car, its needs and its costs to get it 100% correct. I still just had a gut feeling the car was something special and was not at the point of a give away price and walk away from it. I declined the reduced offer, refunded the possible buyers deposit and gave George free hand to make this car as perfect as possible.

The healing process started the first part of January 2011. We are approaching its last stretch of it's glory and re-birth. Nothing was left un-done..cost, I did not care any longer. I wanted the best possible 1994 SE 30 out there..AND to top it off a PERFECT JOTA rare car here in the USA. From, full motor out rebuild ground up, clutch, brakes, tires, electronics, shoscks, coilsm leather inmterior repair..EVEN going the extra mile and securing the TRUE OEM 1994 SE 30 EURE seat belts..which allowed me now to part with the STUPID as hell and useless USA "electronic Mouse" version roll back and forth seat belts..

The point came when I finaly had to tell George..George..dont call me for anything..you have a blank check..pretend this is your car..and when it is complet you will get to drive it the last 500 miles of your life prior to leaving this eart...it will be your last horrrraaaa!!

So, with only days left, I am in "little boy" mode, cant wait to get behind the wheel of this assume 1994 SE30 car..I am so thankfull that Keith made the correct choice after the accident...and I had my eyes opened to take it just that one step further to complete it to a car of concourse quailty and a vehcile I am extremely proud to own and call mine.

here are a few pics of the car along the way.

 

Congrats Roy! Can't wait to see new photos!

At some point you need to put ALL the Diablo variants together for a photoshoot, 2WD, VT, Roadster, SV, SVR, GT, GTR, SE30, 6.0, 6.0SE...

 

Excellent read, thanks for sharing.

 

It has been an honor to say the least to be involved in this project.

 

Coolest Diablo ever !

Roy, Any chance of changing the black leather to blue alcantara?

 

Great story Roy!!! Can't wait to see it.

Mike

 

Back in the day of this car...94/95..the Alcantera was standard option on the cars..and the Leather was "extra charge" option. Most all USA cars came with Leather..I dont know why, maybe US folks had not caught on yet..?

Same with my 2000 Diablo GT #74 car, it also came with the quite rare option leather instead of Alcantera.

As far as changing it to OEM Blue Alcanteraa..yep, pretty darn easy to do..I will not be doing it, but it can be done.

 

magic Roy
How much to change from LHD to RHD

 

We looked into the for another customer a while back on one of my 6.0 cars..I would think it to be about the same...but same to approx $25,000 USA funds a year and half back or so.

 

Nice job keeping a very special lambo on the road!

 

Hey, to think that you actually offered me a deal on this very car as well! Well done mate. It looks damn good

 

That's gonna be one helluva ride Roy So happy it found a good home