very early diablo are some of the quickest: Myth or Truth? | Page 2 | FerrariChat

very early diablo are some of the quickest: Myth or Truth?

Discussion in 'LamborghiniChat.com' started by EMILIO, Jul 5, 2016.

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  1. andecorp

    andecorp Formula 3

    Jun 5, 2005
    1,104
    Melb
    My '91 is certainly faster than my other Diablos. I always assumed this due to the fact it's a Middle East delivery and since they don't care about the environment there, it has bigger injectors, fuel rail, etc.

    VIN is MLA12326
     
  2. Lemacc

    Lemacc Formula 3
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    #27 Lemacc, Jul 7, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    An early presentation of the Diablo. You can see the unusual position of the side markers.
    This must be P12007 or later repainted P12008.
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  3. hashiriya

    hashiriya Formula Junior

    Feb 26, 2010
    351
    #28 hashiriya, Jul 7, 2016
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2016
    This thread makes me want to cry a bit, a mix of happiness and the memory. I was like 4 years old, when I saw a Diablo in a toy shop and parents got me that. Huge scale (when you are a kid), very detailed model. Of course, very early model 1990-1992, of course, yellow paint! Very very narrow side skirt inserts. The engine louvers and other stuff drove me mad about the beauty of the car. This was the first car I've ever drawn, and I've drawn it so many times I can easily do it once again after 20 years passed. At the age of 7, I took apart my Diablo scale model, to see how the cars were made, broke few things in the engine compartment, haha, and assembled it back again. I might still have it somewhere, although it's got some decent paint scratches.
    I know, this may sound odd for some older guys, but this design is very good and very pure. The rear is also extremely special out of all car designs! Nothing like the Countach, but more beautiful, more of the elegant 90s than shocking 80s.
    I admire the Chrysler's effort in making it more eye-friendly than the initial Gandini prototype.
    I don't really admire anything past the 1994 VT with new bumpers and etc., after I've seen them in real life. Not much love for 6.0 with 300ZX headlights. They are nice, but no. Pop-ups with 4 quad fog lights are better. For many years, it seemed like I'm the only one who loves early Diablos that much. Until they started to grow in price. :p Still haven't got one yet.
     
  4. EMILIO

    EMILIO F1 Veteran

    Feb 23, 2006
    6,852
    Italia
    thanks John,


    Now some points to think about:
    - MLA12158 is a USA car: less quick than the same period 91 european diablo (more power and less weight)
    - MLA12158 is not one of the first "50" diablos

    Now you got my point: if a usa 91 car, not in the first 50 cars production run is quicker than an USA SV....think how fast is an european early production one!
    again...these were FAST lamborghinis....built to compete with the F40 ;)
     
  5. raymondQV

    raymondQV F1 Rookie

    Aug 22, 2007
    4,009
    Switzerland
    Full Name:
    Raymond S.
    Just a memory, the half shafts of the Diablo 12007 broke during a test, they used the same as in the F40...
     
  6. EMILIO

    EMILIO F1 Veteran

    Feb 23, 2006
    6,852
    Italia
    #31 EMILIO, Jul 7, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    99% agreed, with a little exception

    my 2wd diablo came with yellow mirrors and yellow base, (body color).
    confirmed by the family of first owner and mechanic that took care of it for many years: mirrors had always been yellow.
    the car is VERY original, since the first owner had huge respect and love for the car, senior guy that enjoied driving it with his granson on the passenger seat, 0 interest in modding it (luckily!).
    As a sample is probably the only diablo i have driven or seen in person with all stock silencers and cats, Original stereo, lenses, wing, badges, etc... i personally could not resist a sport exhaust sistem on my roadster

    BUT mine is NOT a early car, is a mid to late 93 car, a ibrid 2wd-VT, one of only 35 around cars built that way, so it makes sense it has mirrors like a VT
    So this is not a reference for the older cars, even the engine compartment looks more like a VT than a 91.
    i add a pic to show the color matching mirrors on mine

    i think ALL the cars before, so till 92-early 93 had originally grey mirrors and grey base: personally i like the grey mirrors! as Mikael said grey mirrors show better the side look-design
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  7. EMILIO

    EMILIO F1 Veteran

    Feb 23, 2006
    6,852
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    #32 EMILIO, Jul 7, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    an other book i higly suggest to purchase to any diablo lover is the huge and detailed Jurgen Lewandowski volume
    featuring probably an other very early white red car in its cover
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  8. Diablo_4_Ever

    Diablo_4_Ever Formula Junior

    Nov 9, 2004
    949
    Netherlands
    Doubt it, there are period pictures of pre '92-'93 2wd with painted mirrors in exterior color. There is probably no clear-cut distinction in terms of production year, except for the very early 2wd cars which had these grey mirrors. It is also interesting that some Diablo had the base painted and some don't, as you mentioned. Personally I like the grey mirrors as well, it gives a cleaner look, I also prefer the narrow positioned lights.
     
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  9. EMILIO

    EMILIO F1 Veteran

    Feb 23, 2006
    6,852
    Italia
    answering to Mikael 82 that all 2wd had grey mirror and all 2wd with color matching mirrors had repainted mirrors i told the late 93 2wd, with VT engine already all had color coded mirrors. of this i am pretty much sure

    now, you made me think about the cars before ...like late 92-early93 ...i am still studing on this and you may be right

    i have seen the rosso sun VT proto on a period magazine test: the magazine came out in March 1993
    car had already the color matching mirrors when it was tested.
    if the magazine came out in March, it is reasonable to think the pics were made few months before...can we say January or February?
    so it is entirely possible, at least some, diablos 2wd already wear color matching mirrors early 93
     
  10. EMILIO

    EMILIO F1 Veteran

    Feb 23, 2006
    6,852
    Italia
    #35 EMILIO, Jul 7, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    grey mirrors on this very early car
    from Autocapital magazine - December 1990
    tested by the italian lamborghini writer, and Ferrari chat member, Stefano Pasini
    this is a rare 1990 car and should be without any doubt one of the GOFAST diablos

    99% the same car featured in the Diablo book from same author
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  11. EMILIO

    EMILIO F1 Veteran

    Feb 23, 2006
    6,852
    Italia
    #36 EMILIO, Jul 7, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    an other italian "rwd" diablo, awesome looking in its white-red livery
    this time not one of the early stupidfast ones

    AFAIK this is a mid to late 1992 one STILL on grey mirrors
    I have no definitive answer on the grey mirrors topic yet...

    p.s. car now for sale, advertised for an optimistic 370.000 euro
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  12. Diablo_4_Ever

    Diablo_4_Ever Formula Junior

    Nov 9, 2004
    949
    Netherlands
    #37 Diablo_4_Ever, Jul 7, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    I have this book by Pasini. It has a series of pictures of what appears to be the same yellow car that Lambodriver posted, with the weird side reflectors. I do wonder if there were any production cars with the narrow positioned lights, or only prototypes.
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  13. roytoy2003

    roytoy2003 F1 Veteran

    Jul 30, 2004
    9,591
    Full Name:
    Roy L. Cats
    I just bought a 91 Red/Tan Diablo. It has the grey mirrors as a referred to here. It also has been upgraded with 2003 Murcie 18" wheels, (original OEM stock are still with the car as well).

    The previous owner also changed the transmission to a later Diablo one that is now a push style clutch instead of the pull...makes a vast improvement on the drive-ability. (the original tranny is included as well).

    To be quite frank, I have never really driven a 91 Diablo, so with all this talk about the power etc etc...I will be excited to put it to the test when it lands here at my store.
     
  14. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ
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    May 23, 2006
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    #39 joe sackey, Jul 7, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    No question about it, the early cars could keep up with the F40 in a straight line
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  15. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ
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  16. hashiriya

    hashiriya Formula Junior

    Feb 26, 2010
    351
    Yep, it seems that the reviewed US-spec is just about a 1 second slower than the early euro spec one.
    Though they mention the very worn clutch and "launching from a stop was difficult."
    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOhTOOtYT9U[/ame]
     
  17. Lemacc

    Lemacc Formula 3
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    #42 Lemacc, Jul 8, 2016
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  18. Lemacc

    Lemacc Formula 3
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    #43 Lemacc, Jul 8, 2016
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  19. mikael82

    mikael82 Formula Junior

    Nov 18, 2007
    869
    Finland
    Full Name:
    Mikael
    last picture front red car has 2wd front spoiler and yellow behind it got VT spoiler. Is that time Italian summer break? is line stopped and masking tape over red car is to keep visitors from sitting in car that has light color interior.
     
  20. EMILIO

    EMILIO F1 Veteran

    Feb 23, 2006
    6,852
    Italia
    my car is VIN PLA12861...a bit older but close i think?

    delivered 23.07.1993 at Factory by Lamborghini sales man Paolo Amadelli
     
  21. EMILIO

    EMILIO F1 Veteran

    Feb 23, 2006
    6,852
    Italia
    Joe,
    i bought a bunch of old diablo USA-UK magazines from a former diablo owner from the States YEARS ago with some other memorabilia and diablo stuff.

    well before owning my 2wd diablo.

    diablo was my dream car when i was 12 years old. i collected so much stuff on them.
     
  22. EMILIO

    EMILIO F1 Veteran

    Feb 23, 2006
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    #47 EMILIO, Jul 8, 2016
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  23. Lemacc

    Lemacc Formula 3
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    #48 Lemacc, Jul 8, 2016
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  24. Total Recall

    Total Recall Formula Junior

    Aug 21, 2014
    324
    East Yorkshire, UK.
    Full Name:
    Dominic Bradley

    Hi, cool photos!

    My chassis is RLA12892 on my 93 RHD VT, so I wonder if it was further along that line somewhere - I read they took 17 weeks to make and i`m fairly sure it was completed mid October `93.

    I think my car was actually registered in September in anticipation of it being built lol.

    The warranty card chassis number was filled in with 2 different types of pen (the sequence number probably entered afterwards once they actually saw the finally completed car nearly a month after registration!)


    btw hopefully this link will work - this looks like a prototype - but unfortunately I can`t understand what they`re saying and the music is masking the engine sound!

    I`ve got the Duke video and seen the Diablo / factory documentary but this seems to be part of a different one....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaqNvs47RP4


    Dom.
     
  25. Lemacc

    Lemacc Formula 3
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    Mar 16, 2008
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    I read it took 500hours, so if we calculate with 40hours per week around 13 weeks. But anyway back to these days it was all a bit slower so 17 weeks could be possible ;)

    Interesting video, i saw it some years ago but forgot to save the link.
    It seems this is Prototyp 12005 but i have some doubts because of the black interior.

     

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