Restoration of Miura 1021

Had that done myself on a set of carbs. Any information on how well it works to prevent problems?

 

Careful now or it may end up like a Pantera LOL .

I bet a lot of issues would be cured except it would affect the resale value unless it was all easily reversible like it was never there. It's been done on some Espadas already as I'm sure you already know.

 

Since my last posting most chassis is completed except for the finishing touches on the new fabrication on the firewall (which I will post new photos later next week). I'm waiting to find out how Alberto wants to handle his fire extinguisher system for the motor. He wants to hide most of the pipe behind the firewall so it will make it less conspicuous.

I've also posted a few shots of prepping the inside roof for primer and touch up on a few welds from the factory. These photos will show you how crude these cars were put together back in the day. Pininfarina was an incredible automobile designer, which is the main reason these cars are so worth restoring. It sure isn't the way they were constructed. That's why styling and design are one of the main reason why people love these cars. We also dug a little deeper where the media blaster can't get to and ended up exposing a little Italian Fallout. I guess it accumulated through the roof louvers after so many years but we got in there without having to remove the roof skin, which shows no evidence of bad sheet metal. We were able to clean and seal the inner roof area. It is one of the great benefits to restoring your car on a rotisserie.

The two last photos will show how differently these cars were assembled. As you can tell, there's a considerable difference in pop rivet assembly. I will post more in the next couple weeks as soon as Alberto comes down to the shop to approve the mask off for the Lizard Skin coating. The goal here is to apply the Lizard Skin only to areas where it will be effective for sound and heat but yet when somebody sees the car after it's been finished and reassembled the Lizard Skin will not be detectable and hidden behind firewalls, rockers, and interior.

Peace,
Steve
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

You are going to get roasted over your Pininfarina reference

Pete

 

Nah, the Lamborghinisti are such a forgiving bunch ...

 

Here are a few more pictures of Alberto's Miura. It's a work in process but it's now taped off for Lizard Skin and a new firewall has been pre fit. Now we're waiting on word for the fire extinguisher system. Keeping in mind that we would like to hide as much pipe as possible so we haven't fastened it in yet.

Peace,
Steve

Steve Kouracos | Fine Craftsmanship In Automotive Restoration & Resurfacing
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Steve, you clearly have been working on too many Dino's. The one with the big engine and the popup headlights was designed by Bertone. The one with the small engine and the fixed headlights was designed by Pininfarina.

 

I deserve to get roasted after that... I meant Bertone... I'll blame my wife ...She typed it.

Ha Ha.

 

Dog house.

 

Nah, it'll just cost you lunch.......

 

What's up with the clumps dirt? in photo three.

 

LOL!

Although a thread like this can be TMI and bite you in the ass later, in this case it will only add value to the car. This is an outstanding restoration and pretty much no expense spared and very well documented. While the car had some fairly extensive damage which is not good it is clearly being rectified in the best way possible. This will only add value to the car in the future, which (admirably) has nothing to do with what Alberto is doing.

Alberto, I think it is great that you have the ability to restore this car the way it needs to be done. Clearly not inexpensive and you are fortunate that you can undertake it even though I am sure you are wondering what you have gotten yourself into!

 

I finally got my long-awaited Lizard Skin spray gun today!! The Miura's been taped off and waiting to have the Lizard Skin sprayed. This is the first stage -- which is a sound deadening material. Tomorrow, after it dries, we will top-coat with the ceramic heat resistant coating. This should help keep the cockpit a lot cooler.

... We definitely need to find Beau a Lamborghini cap!!

Steve
Steve Kouracos | Fine Craftsmanship In Automotive Restoration & Resurfacing
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

With all that sound deadening I wonder if Alberto will still be able to hear the engine ...

 

That dirt was junk on the roof, in between the top panel and the folds towards the rear of the roof. (Not sure if I explained that so anyone can understand it, LOL.)

Thank you Doc. This has certainly not gone the way I had thought it would. In almost every way except the amount of money and the amount of time it has taken, it has been pretty much been a positive experience. I've met some great people, and some that I already knew I have gotten to know better. I've learned a LOT about restoring cars. Unfortunately, I'm having fantasies about finishing this one and getting something else to restore. I think I'm sick in the head or just plain stupid.

Bob: I'm more focused on heat than noise. That said, given that air conditioning control consists solely of lowering the windows, I think I'll hear it just fine!

 

It's funny to see you write this because the Miura is also one of the reasons I went into engineering as well. It has always been my favorite car since it was introduced.

I am really enjoying your restoration and the closeup photos.

Charley

 

Here are a few more pictures of the lizard skin application (this is the noise coat, heat insulation coat to be applied as well). Apologies for the poor photo quality, but what was on hand was phones, no camera.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

As I previously posted, I dropped off the interior. The other day I went over to talk about a few details and we took one of the head rests apart and also found what appear to be original chalk marks on the head rest. 1021 is build No. 9 for Bertone, so, if this chalk part is original, I wonder which car has No. 9 head rests? That said, I don't know if the chalk mark is original (somehow doesn't look like a european figure "8" to me, but maybe I'm over analyzing. Foam is original, as is embossed stamp shown. Upholster says we should keep the foam as it's in good shape and it is hard to recreate the firmness of the original foam with modern foam.

Also found chalk marks on the seat bottom, which if you look closely enough is white and looks like a 9 with an underline beneath it. This is original.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Sorry, I missed your question previously. I don't really know how well they work. Perhaps Jeff can chime in.

 

Cel phone pics of the dash and seats. Upholsterer tells me that this is the first Miura he's seen with metal dash. Typically they are fiberglass. I think the next prior early car he did was 1066. Number 9 stamps on dash parts is good to see, since it means that the dash must not have been damaged much previously. Driver's seat foam is mostly replaced, while passenger's seat is mostly original. Tack strips are on relatively early P400 cars only. At some point they did away with the tack strips and used a loop and wire set up, where the wire runs the length of the seat (I'm not explaining this well, but where the tack strip is, a wire would be inserted into the fabric and then hog clips used to attach it to the seat, which has a bracket where it would attach. Kind of hard to explain.
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

The sound and heat Lizord Skin coating have been finished. We had a chance to pull the rotisserie off today and mount-up the 4-wheel cart. Also we hung the doors,front and rear clips today as well. I would say we have about 60% of the fit and finish done. We also have some aluminum to replace in the trunk compartment as well as a little more Tig welding. Once this is all finished then we will start the surfacing on both front and rear clips.

Steve Kouracos
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Just come across this thread ,and just have to say wow what an awsome job thats being done by all involved .The Miura was the first supercar to catch my eye and its great to see one being put back right and also very interesting to see how it had been constructed.

 

WOW !
Nice work Alberto.
I'm jealous

 

It's insane the amount of work you've put into this car and to only be 60% done with one aspect. This is a stellar build. Congrats!

. . . and thank you for keeping us updated. I truly enjoy watching this build come along.