Miura S 4170: ordering a new car

OK, so the second chapter in the Shah of the Iran Miura thread, is that 4870 has been sold and is back in the middle east.

Selling this car allowed me to chase a childhood dream of owning the Miura I pictured as a child. That Miura had eyelashes and was green.

Years ago, that image was further after seeing pictures shown to me by Jim Spiro, who is a collector friend in New Orleans (Jim's garage has included a Daytona Coupe, the 62 LeMan winnier 330 TRI 0808, and F50 GT1, two daily driver F50s, a Dino 206P, and countless others). Jim and I had long discussions about wanting a Miura. We both agreed it was the most beautiful road car built.

Jim did his research and came up with the top two Miura guys in the US. One was the most famous Miura restoration guru, Gary Bobileff, the other the guy setting up the 2000 Miura Reunion, Joe Sackey.

One day Jim shares with me photos of the Miura he wanted. It was owned Joe Sacky apparently Joe had two, 4870 the Ex Shah of Iran Car, and this car: When I saw the photos Jim and I died. Here it was, a green miura, with electric blue interior! I will never forget those photos. I studied them for weeks. I was 29 at the time and could not yet afford a miura but one day! I vowed.

Months later, Joe brought the car to auction in Monterey. I flew there to see this car. I was transfixed seeing it in person. I went the the auction and saw it sell for a world record price. I heard it was sold to a very weathly collector and would likely never be for sale again. My heart sank.
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Later, I went to concorso italiano and walk by Joe. I didnt say hello, but I saw him standing before and talking about his Ex Shah of Iran Miura. While very impressed, it was not green, and for me that mattered.

Years later, Jim bought the Ex Shah of Iran Miura, and later sold it to me. I was 32. The car grew on me and it was obviously very cool to have the car that the Shah owned. As the years past, Gary Boblieff and I became friends. Gary went on to restore many cars for me, as I started to compile a collection of vintage lamborghinis. Whenever a car would come for sale, I'd tell Gary and Joe (who I talked to over the years), "someday, I want you to build me a green miura" Over the years I became friends with Joe, and told him the same. I want a green muira! And over the years I looked at several cars.

At this point my heart had been set years earlier. My car had to be green and I wanted one with blue interior.

So as those following the Shah of Iran Miura thread know I just sold this car, and just purchased a Miura S, s 4170.

My intention is to transport myself back a year before I was born to 1970 and order the car I dreamed of my green miura. I will order it in period colors available at the time:

Miura S 4170 is pictured here arriving last week from Gary Bobileff.

Purists of original cars will love it and hate me. The car is nearly a one owner car, perfectly preserved, totally original. The only problem is that it is not in the colors I want to order it in. Also as beautiful as it is, it is not a 100 point brand new car, which is what I want to order. Sorry for those I offend.
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interior of 4170, totally original.
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"Joe I'm going to ask for a repost of those pics"

Happy to oblige John! Complete with telegram, slightly amended...

DEAR SIR. STOP
DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES THERE IS A PRICE INCREASE FOR THE BLUE LEATHER YOU SPECIFIED. STOP.
THE SUPPLIER WANTS EXTRA 60 MILLION LIRE FOR THIS SPECIALE COLORE. STOP
SO WE MUST CHARGE YOU EXTRA AMOUNT. STOP
WE TRUST YOU UNDERSTAND. STOP
MEANWHILE CAR COMPLETION IS SEVERLY DELAYED DUE TO ITALIAN LABOUR UNION STRIKE. STOP
BALANCE OF INVOICE FUNDS NEEDED. STOP
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Now the question I anticipate is this. John, why restore this car? Its a beautiful original miura. If you want to restore a car why not take one that needs a restoration and do that one, why do this one?

The answer, I guess is a bit selfish. First, I want the best possible car I can buy, when its done. Anyone who restores a car knows that the better the car is to start with the better it will come out in the end.

Second, I am allowing myself the liberty of changing original colors because this, while and amazingly beautiful example, does not have any particular history to its color choice other than that was the whim of the first non-descript owner. I would never change a car that was well known or noted in the collector car world as being a particular color. I think it would be wrong to change the color of my previous car the Ex Shah of Iran 4870, because there was significance and fame attached to the particular car, and because the colors were chosen by the Shah, one of the most important car collectors ever to exist. If the car was one of two, three, or ten, and the color was of particular note, then I would respect that aspect of the history.

Third, as a student of lamborghini collecting I have noted that it is common among collectors to change colors providing the colors were factory options when new, unlike man collector car such as vintage ferraris or corvettes.

Therefore, I am allowing myself, as I said to transport myself to 1970, a year before I was born and order a new Miura S. As my guide will be the factory options available at my time.

As Joe has prompted, I might even send a telegraph of my order to the factory.

 

Joe:

Can you get Gary to send that telegram to me with the same price quote!!!!

 

I am getting all the original paperwork for the car. Which I believe even includes the original order forms and communications from the factory.

I will post them.

beware I may also repost photoshoped "changes" in the letters and order forms!

Joe

before I make my order:

are those photographs of your interior? It is original? was the stitching white like that? It that white? Don't you also have blue cloth? It that still available?

 

Oh man... this is going to be an awesome thread. Watch this one close kids and you're likely to learn a lot. Thanks for this John, an early Christmas present for the forum!

 

17/12/69

DEAR SENIOR SACKEY STOP
CAN YOU INQUIRE WITH YOUR FACTORY CONTACTS STOP
ON THE AVAILABILITY OF NEW EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE FROM FACTORY STOP
ON RALLY MASTER CHRONOGRAPHS FROM HEUER FIRM STOP
I UNDERSTAND CUSTOMERS CAN ORDER STOP
EXAMPLES OF FACTORY ORDERS TO FOLLOW STOP
ALSO INTERESTED IN WHERE THE FACTORY MOUNTS THESE STOP
I HAVE LOCATED 1969 HUER CHRONOGRAPHS NEW IN BOX STOP
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John the stitching is actually light grey. Yes, Luis has this, and many Miuras originally had this light grey stitching.

Here are the period order documents for 4170 in small form, but you will have the originals that you can post. Telegram included.
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DOTTORE JWH. STOP
NORMALLY RALLY CLOCKS ARE SUPPLIED TO SPECIAL VIP CUSTOMERS ONLY. STOP
BUT IT IS POSSIBLE TO SUPPLY ONE (1) SET FOR YOU. STOP
HOW MUCH DO YOU WISH TO SPEND? STOP

 

Ok I'm impressed!

 

John yes the blue cloth is available but what a royal pain. You get lint on it everywhere, and it can easily stain (then you're screwed).

 

John,

Congrats on fulfilling your dream; you're an inspiration to the rest of us that are still chasing ours.

Time to update your avatar.

 

A fantastic color combo - I was seduced by the very same pictures of the Green/Blue SV. Green/Blue must be the new hotness for Miuras. Congratulations - I'm looking forward to seeing the results.

Here's my Green/Blue which I've been working on for 2 years now (looks yellow thanks to cheap camera). Even though I have a 2 year head start, I wasted a bunch of time getting color samples, and looking into fitting a custom A/C. So even though I have a head start, mine will probably *NOT* be ready by March!
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Fantastico!

If you get photos with a better camera let me know.

How did you decide on the shade of blue.

Much different shade than Joes current car. What accounts for the difference?

 

John:

Here is a pic of 4884 from a large series taken by the late great Peter Coltrin, in June of 1971, near the Sant Agata factory. You can see that the blue in 4884 was a deep blue. Not the very dark blue as seen in many Miuras originally. Yes there is a difference, but with Lamborghini and its supplies problems its hard to say exactly why, so I wont even attempt to speculate.
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Did you redo your Interior Joe or was it done before you bought?

Did you ever have a scrap of original?

 

A new Miura S, headed for Inglewood, CA? Definitely a different world back then!

Congrats John - I read the other thread from start to finish a few days ago - I am really looking forward to this one!

 

I redid the whole car. I have a scrap somewhere, as should Luis.

 

John:

Here is the link to the entire files: http://www.400gt.com/estes/Miura_4170_Graham/Miura_4170.htm. Contact Fred Paroutaud or Jim Fox for original scans. They probably could make color copies of the original documents for you, I assume. That's great history that they have documented.

Looks like a great car you purchased. I had originally wanted a P400S with air, which is exactly what you have. I think these are the ultimate versions of the Miura, better than the SV's as they retain the original styling and truer to the original design vision than the SV's, with single distributor, air and since they are later in the production cycle, have the upgrades and improvements implemented over and above the P400's and the earlier P400S's. This would be my choice as a starting base. I wish it could be kept original, but completely understand and respect your desire to "order a new one".

Alberto

 

Joe, Do you have before photos? Was the grey stiching original or was that done to your taste? (I like it)

 

Louie Meza has the fabric. It was also used on BMW's he tells me; he has it or may be able to still source it. I assume Gary's still using him, but have not checked lately. You won't sweat like a hog with it (specially important where you are located) nor will you slide around like you were wearing pants that were 4 sizes too big when you get frisky with it. I think it would be a good choice, as it is in the original car too. I don't know how it would wear over time, but given that it was used on BMW's it's probably pretty decent in that area. To Joe's point, you would want to Scotchguard it to protect it from stains.

 

I do have original photos, actual photographs, not scanned yet. Yes the grey stitching was original, although a bit yellowed and frayed in places.

 

Alberto

thank you. Wow. That is amazing to read.