It's great that you're smiling in those pictures.
Gentlemen, Please recall the ninth commandment of collecting cars: THOU SHALT NOT COVET THY NEIGHBOR'S CAR. LOL! Thanks for "the lust". Trust me, both Lamborghini and I earned it. A lot of prep went into that car.
Hi Everyone, Have you looked at your sway bar lately or are you afraid what you will see down there? I'm sure that your mount is not as bad as this one as it was hit hard. This is pretty self-explanatory as I included many pictures; 1.This photo shows the front frame rail damaged and also the sway bar mount with the bolts askew. 2.Started to cut around the thin mount plate trying to save the frame rail flanges. 3.After removing some spot welds and then cutting as carefully as possible, I saved the flanges. 4.As you can see, the actual plate that the sway bar bushings rest on is not a plate but is in fact thin sheet metal masquerading as a plate! 5.I needed to pull down and forward because of the angle of the mount flanges so I hooked to chain to the rack and then hooked the post on to the middle of the chain and then pulled forward. 6.Normally you would on a typical car pull the repair then cut off the damaged material. In this case on the Espada the frame rails are rather weak and this car was not designed to be repaired as today's cars. The main rail /cross-member had been pulled into position previously and was square now so by removing the sway bar plate I did not have to pull so hard as to the point of moving the cross-member that was already straight. 7.After pulling the frame horn I used a hydraulic spreader to hold it where I wanted it and then used a hammer to straighten where needed. 8.After the worst side was completed I did not want to damage it so I used a thick plate plus the spreader and that way I did not damage the repaired side. 9.This is a shot with it just about ready to accept the front thin plate that covers the entire horn. 10.These bolts are hard to find as they are a fine thread and also they are perfectly good so having the Scottish blood in me, I decided to reuse them. 11.After I cut the sides there was just a small part of the weld to break so I used the air tool. 12.The factory puts four spot welds per side and I thought that that might be on the skimpy side so I put in a few more weld points. 13.I also decided to use plate steel as it would be much stronger. The trade-off is that there is a few less threads for bolting the sway-bar but there are plenty of them left so there should be no problem mounting the bushing. 14.I needed clearance holes as the factory to clear the bolt heads I happen to put a smaller hole than the factory although I guess I could've gone a bit larger but I was getting close to the flange so I opted to make them smaller. 15.I made careful measurements (measured twice weld once) so as to get the bolts in the proper location. 16.She's now stronger than ever but I hope never to have to test it. Bob Huber 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
Thanks for this ! The same thing happened to mine over the years and was rewelded such that I is a little off on one side maybe a half an inch or so but the oil filter cartridge is now easier to access. Lol Gary Espada 8394
Robert I would have thought maybe you would look for or try to fabricate steel euro bumpers I mean why not looks to me like your building a car here anyway! Btw good work ! Must be fun. Gary Espada 8394
Hi Gary, I was thinking about that but this car being a dark color the rubber bumpers actually are okay. Also this is a rubber bumper car so I guess it just deserves rubber bumpers. Roy Cats had a set of bumpers so with purchasing the bumpers I really started working on the car seriously. Well as many people have asked this question... I will ask it once again. Anyone have a series 3 wiring diagram late-model? I'm working with three wiring diagrams well actually Mike Trivich is working with three and he is deciphering things actually pretty well. There was quite a bit of damage, there's some missing wires. Also there are many new wires have been added over the years...the usual stuff. But again it would be nice to have a wiring diagram that's close! Just let you know this car originally had twin alternators and an air pump. I have the air pump diagram and I have a pretty good wire schematic with a single alternator but there are few wires that just seem to not be there... It's part of the challenge. Robert Huber Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Anyone got or know where there is a Prop shaft and flywheel for a manual Espada? thinking of changing my Auto to manual. Have a gearbox and pedal assembly, just need these! Am based in UK. Paul
Hi, I know that there is less room for your feet with the Auto. I would think that a 1990's GM 4 sp trans with lock-up 4th would be nice. The electronic ver. 4L60E can be dialed-in on shift points with an after market controller. I can take photos of the petals in Blue S4. Robert
To leave factory auto or convert to non oem manual.....that is the question. Are you increasing value, decreasing or just really keeping the same? Not that value has anything to do with it......it should always shift via your hand. imo
The auto isn't that bad as is very relaxing to drive. There is a massive heavy torque convertor to spin about so less power. The GM unit shifts up very early although can be kicked down or more easily switched manually. Not sure about value and effect on value. Either you want an auto or you dont! I think I would prefer a manual car and having spent fortunes on a very solid car which I have owned for 19 years, the change over isn't a big cost, comparatively! Switching the other way would cost more as would need new exhausts and manifolds and would be very short geared with manual diff as opposed to long geared other way about. The engine tuning and timing changes shouldn't be a problem. Happy to listen to views. I thought there were only 6 RHD autos. Turns out must be about 10 between Australia and UK as another 3 have cropped up here in the UK Paul
Paul, I've never driven an automatic Espada or Khamsin. I should think that the torque of the Maserati is better suited to an old fashioned automatic like these than that of the Lamborghini. I think Robert was giving some hints about a more modern 4 speed automatic that can be cheaply tuned, at least over here. That might make for a nice change in the Espada. I know of someone who did that to his Khamsin in the late 1980's. He put a Mercedes 4-speed automatic in it. The Lamborghini 5-speed is rather agricultural in nature. Have the 1st, 2nd and maybe even 3rd gear synchros replaced before you put it in. Then don't speed shift it. The Khamnsin's ZF 5-speed is a lot nicer. Someone recently posted that they thought 55 were made.
I really think the video is going to work against them. Not sure why they would add a video when the motor sounds like that. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1975-Lamborghini-Espada-Seires-III-Low-Miles-Automatic-/221068700546?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item3378b8ab82
Hi Thanks for the views. My Khamsin is a manual car although I have also driven an Auto Khamsin. The gearbox is easier than than the Countach I have. I read various threads about converting the Torqflite box in the Espada to a 4 speed, but seems a lot of work for not too much benefit. If it was simple to put a modern gearbox in, then I would consider that. Depends on the amount of work. The gearbox I have is fairly robust but not been rebuilt. Paul
FYI I looked at the auto S3 car and the series 1 & 2 at the shop. There is 3 inches less room across for your feet. It does not sound like a lot but 15.75 vs. 18.75 is a large %. Robert Huber
Especially if you have big feet like me! I'm guessing it's a big deal to recover that space Robert? Wouldn't that make installing the pedals from a manual car a real SOB?
Didn't realise there was any difference between the two in the tunnel. That could make a difference to moving to manual! Will have a look and check possibly next weekend at Silverstone as will be manual and possibly my auto there as well. Paul
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Sweet-Running-and-Driving-Largely-Original-and-Showing-Just-33-000-Miles-/120951711857?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item1c2948a871
first one ive seen on ebay in years that looks ok to buy> too bad about the autobox. these guys might have a 60 to 70k reserve however?? Gary
So that car would be OK for you guys if it weren't an automatic? It just has zero appeal for me. It's an interesting thing about the automatics. There are so many of them popping up right now. $60-70K for that car Gary? I hope you're right.
I like the condition. But not the non original seats and non factory stripe and color combo...please tell that stripe is not factory!
Perhaps it doubled as a Good Humor truck ... I like Laurie Stern's Pink Lady a whole lot more than this car but it's just a bit too "poof" for me. LOL
