Claudio Zampolli tells me that the works engine men would apply Red Cam covers to indicate a 'tuned' engine. Ferruccio Lamborghini's 6201 also has them. Of course, this is received wisdom from just one person who was there at the time they were built, but, his information has been pretty darned accurate thus far! But beware, there was nothing to stop any privateer also painting them red just because they thought it looked cool.
Here we go, Red cam covers as on Ferruccio's car. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
My pleasure... Next time I'm flying to USA I will pass by your place to have a look at your toys... BTW, that's one more Lambo leaving USA...and this one will be close to me...
If I clearly understood Joe, you did sell Ferruccio's Islero ? If this is correct, did you shoot detailed pictures of it ? Shared yet ?
I did. And yes I posted pics somewhere. But this car should be restored soon and I know with the owner's collaboration it will have a fine galleria for us all to share. Just a matter of time.
As I was expecting infos from my "people", I've not collected confirmation of red cam covers for "tuned engine"...of that era => 350 GT, 400 GT 2+2, Islero and Jarama. One of the factory person I've got info from told me he never built a "tuned" engine for the aformentionned models. But he remembered that among network there were a demand for tuned engine even if factory never supplied that. So, I will be very interested to have Gary's feedback (assuming he rebuilt totally that #6201 engine) in order to discover which differences were fitted inside compared to a standard Islero V12 (pistons, camshaft, valves diameter, and so on) ??? As well as it will be interested to know if #6288 engine was rebuilt for the same questions... I also know that #6300 Edmundo's Islero was a little bit tuned without the red cams cover...isn'it Edouard. Starting from all these questions, I saw personnaly close to 35x Islero, 26x 400 GT, 39x Jarama and about 15x 350GT, none of them have red covers...leading me to thing more about Joe's conclusion : only privateers painted them red just because they thought it looked cool... comments are welcome as well as demonstration of factory "tuned engine" WITH red cams cover !
With regards to 6288: the engine was never rebuilt at any time over the 30 years the selling owner owned the car, and it still runs like a jewel. Top end servicing & tuning was of course done. Some of these blueprinted engines will run like clockwork for a long time if carefully maintained. Neat story - the selling owner of 6288 got into Lamborghinis because his classmate, and NBA legend, Bill Russel had a 350 GT! As soon as he started his dentistry practice and could afford a Lamborghini, he bought 6288.
Indeed Olivier, 6300 was tuned at the factory but without those red cam covers. During the rebuild Mr. Ciclet found that it had a higher compression ratio than standard and that all moving parts were equilibrated. Moreover, the factory build sheet that I have states a power of 386 bhp at 7000 rpm which is much higher than standard.
I know very well your engine Edouard that's the reason why with such an example that passed throught my own hands... this is absolutely the opposite story : a real tuned engine without red cams cover... Joe, even if #6288 engine was never rebuilt, it doesn't mean that once in its life the covers were taken off head engine and could have been resprayed in red between back 41 years to 35 years ago ??? If one day, its new owner - my ducth fellow - plan to have it open I hope he 'll ring me in order to make some measurements ! So what about #6201 rebuilt by Gary ???
Of course I agree anybody could have sprayed them red. But according to someone who was there at the time who has given consistently credible information, it was done by the works.
I've nothing against Claudio that I hope once to meet in my next USA trip, but my witnesses are also Lambo period mechanics : Camillo, Oracio in addition to Marcel, Antoine and Edmond period Lambo importer mechanics. That's the reason why I want to know the truth with a red cams covers engine openned, measured and compared to a standard V12 front engine. As Edmundo's engine was tuned without red cams cover...
Oh yes I agree with you - with Lamborghini in that era there was no consistency, and unless you have documentary proof, or have physical proof, its hard to be definitive.
The little card comes with the model - there are a number of these Islero Politoys ads for sale on ebay at the moment (from France)
Hi Guys! Lamborghini Market Conditions Just a quick comment. Look at the Lamborghini cars compared to the Ferrari cars. The 350, 400, Islero, Espada, and Jarama sell for fractions of the money that the Ferrari cars bring. Are the Ferraris that much better? Most reviews show the Lamborghinis more advanced. They are not more expensive to work on. I have spent most of my life owning, and working on collector cars as a hobby. I am very proud to have rescued many very important cars from turning into parts. With the current market attitude I really believe that we all will look back and be very sad to see that many of these wonderful works of art are gone. This can be changed immediately. Sometimes respect can be demanded. If all vintage Lamborghini owners said Hell No to current market attitudes, then if these cars really are important, the market will generate the respect, that these wonderful cars deserve. It will also ensure the survival of many vintage Lamborghinis. Just a thought. I hope all of you have a safe and Very Merry Christmas.
Hi Guys, FWIW, I've never seen the red valve covers before, which doesn't mean anything. Ferruccio's personal 350GT #265 had a hot motor, so if anybody has photos of that engine it would be interesting to see. There are so many stories about what was done at the factory, my only guess is if it was standard procedure one year, it was forgotten about the next. But then, again, just a guess. It might be like seeing Ferruccio's Islero with the wooden gas cap and saying "Oh! Look! There's something special about this car, I wonder what that means? I wonder if there are other Isleros with wooden gas caps?" And they were just playing around with that particular car because Ferruccio wanted it that way. He seems to have been quite a free spirit, so my guess is there were a lot of "non-standard" mods to all these cars. I still never see two 350s or 400s that are exactly the same. Balboni once told me that all engines that were rebuilt (when he was there) got black valve covers. That might have been a code too, but then my 400GT 2+2 had black valve covers when I got it, and hadn't been rebuilt, that I know of. I repainted them black... I'm not a big believer in hard and fast rules when it comes to what was actually done at the factory. I'd use the words "generally" or "typically" or "sometimes" instead of one like "always." my .02! Happy Holidays, Fred
There is a local P400 Muira (white with Black interior) with an original 26,000 km on the clock having a full restoration (motor and paint only). It has red valce covers too. Alex
Islero #6000 had candy red cams cover, for sure this is the only one to be 100% factory built with that color instead of black/polished/red cams covers. But we don't know if that engine was factory tuned ???
