Miura, the original supercar

The car is a P400S.

Chrome (film)-on-plastic Vitaloni Sebring door mirror.

The upright brackets seem to have simply had the satin black finish burned off (as evidenced by the top of the unit), and the expansion tank appears to have had the satin or wrinkle black finish burned off (as evidenced by sections of it where black paint remains).

 

You can also tell a true SV with its original equipment from the front wheels. They are not P400 or P400S wheels, and they are distinguished by their smooth rather than buttressed lips.

 

Eric:

This is the 187th Miura. In essence, it is chassis number 3516, with engine 1974, delivered new on the 17th of June 1968.

Therefore, it is a P400.

In 1986, the UK-based specialist Omicron restored it and modified it with many SV features.

I remember this restoration and the car's conversion was covered extensively in the magazine SUPERCAR CLASSICS. It had the UK registration "VAB 11 G".

Prior to that in the 70s it was used in the UK as a club-racer.

I think Brooks sold it in 1989 to the Swiss collector Monsieur Renaud, and he donated the entire collection of cars that you see there to the current museum when he died. It was lime green when Omicron restored it, but it appears to have been now painted yellow.

 

They must be good-luck charms!

 

Ive often wondered myself how illustrious deceased people made the official factory new-car sales list...

 

Speaking of illustrious Brits, have you heard the story of one of the Miuras that Drummond imported into the UK?

 

Lore has it that young Drummond was the son of a very wealthy man. He imported an early Miura P400, as you will see from the register, in typical European jet set pick-it-up-at-the-factory-and-drive-it-straight-home style...

Anyway, a few years go by and young Drummond's naughty business in the latter Swinging Sixties causes the old man to pull the financial plug. What is a young swinging hip dude to do? The new Lamborghini P400S is here now and one just has to be seen with the latest & greatest.

Long story short, he manages to finance his lifestyle by alternative methods *cough*. Actually lots of coughing. Picks up the new P400S at the factory and drives it home to blighty. A sharp-eyed (& keen-nosed) Customs officer notices nervousness and a strong smell, which he determines is definitely not Castrol motor oil. Car is impounded, owner gets thrown in the slammer, and customs spend weeks removing all the floor panels and disassembling the chassis. The stuff is everywhere, including a completely-filled spare tire! Im afraid "personal use" wasn't a viable explanation.

The car's current owner told me this story in some detail, handed down as it has from the previous owner who purloined it from Her Majesty's Customs & Excise.

Of course I cant vouch for the details of the story, but I'm surprised it isn't more popular in the UK? By the way, this person never takes the Miura anywhere so its never seen out and about. He contacted me out of the clear blue after reading the Miura book I authored...