Miura, the original supercar | Page 464 | FerrariChat
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Miura, the original supercar

Discussion in 'LamborghiniChat.com' started by joe sackey, Dec 5, 2006.

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  1. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

    May 23, 2006
    57,525
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    Joe Sackey
    #11576 joe sackey, May 8, 2013
    I just received this fascinating recount from someone who owned Lamborghinis at the time, and still owns a beautiful Miura S to this day:

    "Following on from the current chat on the Shah's Miura and your observation regarding the opening sequence to the original Italian Job the following story might amuse you.
    During the period when the film was being readied for distribution it was discovered that there was no actual soundtrack for the Miura being driven on the mountain roads before it went into the tunnel.
    So they asked Lamborghini Concessionaires if they could provide one and this they did by 'borrowing' an unsuspecting costumers Miura and going off to one of the many WWII aerodromes dotted around London. With a sound engineer sitting in the boot and a microphone dangling over the exhaust pipes they then proceeded to roar up and down the former runway recording on tape the engine note one hears alongside the dulcet tones of Matt Munroe."
     
  2. -K1-

    -K1- Formula Junior

    Jul 10, 2008
    699
    Northern Italy
    Full Name:
    Ken
    #11577 -K1-, May 9, 2013
    I just read this old thread and had to repost for those that didn't read it the first time.



    VINTAGE MENTALITY...

    The Miura to me epitomizes the vintage car experience. Just sitting in its oh-so-low tub with legs splayed, you get a sense of heightened anticipation. The smell of the cabin is a mixture of leather, a slight whiff of fuel and the smell of fear, especially as you turn behind you and view the magnificence of four triple-choke Weber carburettors that feed twelve greedy cylinders... the visual effect of being able to see the throttle linkage moving as you depress the accelarator is enough to put anyone over the edge!

    The difference between a well-fettled Miura and one that has issues is the difference between driving a well-sorted period race machine and a fright pig from hell. They have to be "on", and then, there is simply no automotive experience like it. Im not talking about performance numbers or logical statistics, but rather the visceral experience. It takes me an hour to come 'down' from the adrenalin rush of piloting the Miura, and I am literally trembling when I exit the car.

    Twist the key far enough to ignite the Bendix fuel pump and the loudness of that staccato chatter always catches you by surprise. There is no turning back now (if you don't want to flood those Weber bowls) and after hundreds of Miura drives Im as nervous as nuts and still have butterflies in my stomach every time. Twist the key further, activate the starter - which itself has a melodious vintage whine savored every time - after pumping the long-throw throttle pedal precisely four times fully, and ease off to a quarter throttle as you ignite the engine which barks to life with with a "whoop'" and settles to a lumpy idle until warm up. Only then do I realize I have been holding my breath throughout this entire starting process, the overall experience of which and satisfaction of executing properly I can only describe as utterly intoxicating - every time.

    Thats the vintage owner's mentality...

    As the block warms through, the sound becomes deeper and the idle smoother. Move off and a well-tuned Miura is dead easy to drive. Through the gears till its safe to explore 5,000 then 6,000... the sound of a Miura's shriek upon open throttle is like nothing else and a set of downdraught carburettors feeding 12 cylinders and running off open pipes creates sound that can only have been produced by The Great Engineer In The Sky himself. Run it to 7,000 rpm and listen intently - youll need open road because at those rpm youll be flying... literally.
    The gears are whizzing like a dentist's drill (scary), the carbs are whistling like an over-boiling kettle, and the cam-chains sound as though they are about to commit a Texas massacre. The wall of sound needs to be heard to be believed. In the cabin it is so loud you cannot even hear yourself think. Talk about a decompression chamber or alternative therapy! There are times when I have arrived at my destination only to simply decide to sit in the car for another ten minutes just soaking it all in...

    Get out of the car when you can finally bring yourself to do so, and stand back and take in the aluminum bodywork's achingly beautiful shape. Oh. My. God. My wife is jealous :)

    Like many vintage cars, Miuras are fragile, cantankerous, needy, unpredictable and horrendously expensive to live with. Nobody in their right mind should own one.

    God I love that car...!

    Joe


    Last edited by joe sackey; 05-21-2008 at 08:26 AM.
     
  3. miurasv

    miurasv F1 World Champ

    Nov 19, 2008
    10,763
    Cardiff, UK
    Full Name:
    Steven Robertson
    #11578 miurasv, May 9, 2013
    ^^^ That man should write a book. :)
     
  4. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

    May 23, 2006
    57,525
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    Joe Sackey
    #11579 joe sackey, May 9, 2013
    :) Thanks for the long-forgotten trip down memory lane.
     
  5. CK7684

    CK7684 Formula 3

    Oct 19, 2011
    1,000
    MN
    Full Name:
    Jason
    #11580 CK7684, May 9, 2013
    Really great write up, that is. I may never have a chance to drive a Miura, but it evokes all my blissful gearhead experiences. Must be times ten in one of these tho... :)
     
  6. RWP

    RWP Formula Junior

    Oct 30, 2008
    579
    HK
    #11581 RWP, May 10, 2013
    A friend spotted a dark blue Miura here in Hong Kong recently (right hand drive). Can't be many of them around! I assume it has an interesting history. Any Miura aficionados here know of it?
     
  7. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

    May 23, 2006
    57,525
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    Joe Sackey
    #11582 joe sackey, May 10, 2013
    Sir Michael Kadoorie's P400S which he ordered in mid-1969, picked up at the factory himself, and still owns. The ultimate one-owner-from-new Miura with a great story.

    Hong Kong-registered AC 7.

    Michael Kadoorie - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

    Chassis number 4311, fitted with engine number 30416, prod. number 446, finally collected by Sir Michael (after a few delays!) at Sant Agata Bolognese on the 19th of August 1969.

    Still resplendent in its original Bleu Notte and Naturale (tan wild boar) leather, accented by silver wheels & sills.

    Michael graciously Fedexed it from HK to our Miura Reunion in Monterey, California in 2000.

    I sent him a few ignition parts to help it run better shortly thereafter.

    He told me a wonderful story of arriving at the factory early in August 1969. Sales Manager Ubaldo Sgarzi was full of apologies saying that his Miura was in fact not ready! Sir Michael checked into a local hotel and duly arrived at the factory every day for the next 10 days, literally walking the car down the assembly line as they put final assembly and finishing touches to it! Accordingly, it has some unique features, such as Islero door-open illuminators which he found in a box over on the other side of the factory. He came over to the guys on the 'line as asked if they wouldn't mind installing them: "Sure, no problem" was the reply. Bob Wallace duly took it out for a fast run upon completion, Sgarzi assigned a set of EE plates and provided the relevant docs, he got in and waved goodbye to his new-found friends of the past 10 days, drove out of the factory gates, and has owned it ever since. Great car, great story, great owner.
     
  8. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

    May 23, 2006
    57,525
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    Joe Sackey
    #11583 joe sackey, May 10, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    It may have been spotted coming home from the service center, at any rate, this is what 4311 looks like today.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  9. CK7684

    CK7684 Formula 3

    Oct 19, 2011
    1,000
    MN
    Full Name:
    Jason
    #11584 CK7684, May 10, 2013
    Beautiful!
     
  10. RHS

    RHS Formula 3

    Nov 9, 2010
    1,173
    #11585 RHS, May 10, 2013
    Ditto !
     
  11. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

    May 23, 2006
    57,525
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    Joe Sackey
    #11586 joe sackey, May 10, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    A very early production Miura SV, as evidenced by the headlamp surround plates.

    All the way from Japan and on the 50th Tour.

    Pic by Nicola Serboli.
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  12. bellabarbas

    bellabarbas Formula Junior

    Dec 28, 2008
    772
    Italy
    Full Name:
    Corrado
    #11587 bellabarbas, May 13, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  13. bellabarbas

    bellabarbas Formula Junior

    Dec 28, 2008
    772
    Italy
    Full Name:
    Corrado
    #11588 bellabarbas, May 13, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  14. SimonSays

    SimonSays Karting

    Sep 14, 2005
    192
    SoCal
    Full Name:
    Simon
    #11589 SimonSays, May 13, 2013
    Harald in Frank Sinatra's Miura... Such a great guy, he drove it down to Italy from Norway, and back!
     
  15. raymondQV

    raymondQV F1 Rookie

    Aug 22, 2007
    4,061
    Switzerland
    Full Name:
    Raymond S.
    #11590 raymondQV, May 13, 2013
    Since the restoration this car was for sale at Lamborghini Geneva, means since 2009.
     
  16. eb911

    eb911 Karting

    Dec 3, 2009
    94
    #11591 eb911, May 14, 2013
    Last edited: May 14, 2013
    Is the Italian job Miura Arancio or Rosso Miura ? Can someone tell the diference between the two colors ? #3303 is sometimes listed as red (Rosso Miura ?) with white interior.
    BTW, the Italian job one seems to have only the seats in white leather, the dashboard being black, as well as the door panels.
    Is there any picture of the interior of #3303 out there ?
     
  17. Julius H.

    Julius H. Formula Junior

    Feb 25, 2013
    713
    Europe
    Full Name:
    Julius
    #11592 Julius H., May 14, 2013
    Sounds that it was long but beautiful trip from Norway.respect
     
  18. spadge1976

    spadge1976 Karting

    Nov 1, 2010
    87
    #11593 spadge1976, May 14, 2013
    Tremendous to see so many Miura's out in the wild over the last few days - albeit with those horrible stickers all over them.

    It looks a million miles away from the abominations that Lamborghini have been inflicting upon us over the last few months (Gallardo update, Veneno and Egoista).

    If the Egoista is viewed in the same esteem as the Miura is now in 50 years time - well, I'd be very surprised.......
     
  19. velocetwo

    velocetwo F1 World Champ

    Dec 11, 2006
    12,545
    Left Coast
    #11594 velocetwo, May 14, 2013
    Low chance of a fire on that delivery
     
  20. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

    May 23, 2006
    57,525
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    Joe Sackey
    #11595 joe sackey, May 15, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Thanks for sharing, awesome.

    The Sinatra Miura was the first Miura I got involved with from a commercial standpoint. It took me a year to discover its whereabouts after several people had told me it either no longer existed or had left the USA. A great car, symbolic of the swinging sixties.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
  21. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

    May 23, 2006
    57,525
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    Joe Sackey
    #11596 joe sackey, May 15, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  22. nima mojiz

    nima mojiz Karting

    Mar 3, 2013
    66
    Tehran, Iran
    Full Name:
    Nima Mojtahedzadeh
    #11597 nima mojiz, May 15, 2013
    I've found some information about some mysterious Miuras which were imported to Iran before the Revolution.
    As soon I become completely sure about them I'll tell you.
     
  23. SimonSays

    SimonSays Karting

    Sep 14, 2005
    192
    SoCal
    Full Name:
    Simon
    #11598 SimonSays, May 15, 2013
    That Miura Jota sounds great... Here's some footage of it at the Grande Giro:

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cawajw9yGyY]Lamborghini Miura Jota @ Concorso d'eleganza in Bologna - YouTube[/ame]
     
  24. Miura1960

    Miura1960 Karting

    Apr 25, 2008
    144
    #11599 Miura1960, May 15, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  25. bellabarbas

    bellabarbas Formula Junior

    Dec 28, 2008
    772
    Italy
    Full Name:
    Corrado
    #11600 bellabarbas, May 15, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
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