One to Buy: rare right-hand drive 1972 Lamborghini Miura P400 SV (SOLD)
Five years after the Bertone-bodied Miura was unveiled (at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1966), Lamborghini chose the same event to launch the ultimate series production version of their legendary mid-engined pioneer.
Unfortunately, the Miura SV’s arrival was completely overshadowed by another Lamborghini: the radical Countach LP500 prototype that stole the headlines but was still far from production-ready.
Lamborghini went on to build 150 examples of the SV between 1971 and ‘73. These last-of-the-line iterations were by far the most accomplished Miuras to leave Sant’Agata and featured an array of enhanced equipment to include a more powerful 385bhp engine, reworked suspension and wider rear wheels with flared arches.
During the autumn of 1971, buyers could further upgrade their new car by way of an optional ZF limited-slip differential and dry-sump lubrication system.
Currently on offer at the Classic Throttle Shop in North Sydney is SV chassis number 5002 which was one of two new cars purchased in Italy by the Australian Lamborghini distributor, Peter Mitchell, and then sent back to the factory for conversion to right-hand drive.
Chassis 5002 was sourced from the Righetti dealership in Vicenza.
Presented in its original colour scheme of Rosso Corsa with a Bleu interior plus gold sills and matching wheels, chassis 5002 was also configured with the optional dry-sump lubrication system and has remained in Australia ever since its arrival back in the early 1970s.
Today the car is offered fresh from a major recommissioning and represents a rare opportunity to buy a factory built Miura SV in right-hand drive.
Reprinted below is Classic Throttle Shop’s description for this wonderful Aussie-domiciled Miura SV:
• 1 of 150 Miura SV built
• 1 of 11 Right Hand Drive SV’s
• 1 of 2 Australian delivered SV’s residing in Australia for its entire life
• VIN 5002 – being a late build car built with the desirable split sump configuration
• Production number 702 (last car made is 762)
• Body number 802
• Engine number 30707
• Matching engine, chassis and all original body panels
• Original colour – Rosso Corsa
• Original interior colour & material – Bleu fintapelle/panno
• 5 documented owners (with only 2 owners in the past 35 years)
The Australian importer of Lamborghini in the 60s & 70s Peter Mitchell traveled to Italy and purchased 2 new SVs from the Brescia and Vicenza dealers and had them sent back to the factory to be converted to RHD before bringing them back to Sydney. They were then to be sold by the Lamborghini Sydney dealership run by a Richard Cook which was located on Williams Street, the dealership's workshop was located in the same building under the Harbour Bridge but on the other side to our Classic Throttle Shop showroom.
Peter had to source these Miura SV’s in this way due to their limited production numbers and Australian legislation requiring all cars to be RHD for registration; this was not uncommon for Lamborghini due to the tough economic times and their “anything for a sale” mentality. Chassis 5002 was then sold in 1973.
The first owner was Andrew Brown of Adelaide who owned and ran a high-tech engineering company. He was also a known car collector with other top-level classic’s including a Ferrari 275 GTS, 300S Maserati and a Aston Martin DBR 1. The SV was enjoyed by him for the next two years before being purchased by Don Ash and wife Cynthia of Burns Rd, Turramurra who purchased the car circa 1976 and drove it from Adelaide to Sydney. In a time where speed limits were merely suggestions and the average Police car was a HQ Commodore with no chance of keeping up with the 300kph top speed of an SV, old stories told to us during our research has confirmed the Miura was enjoyed as it should be… “she was no slouch”.
Surprisingly Cynthia was the car enthusiast amongst the couple, frequently seen either driving her Avorio white 246 Dino or SV through Kings Cross, Sydney's colourful red light district.
Don and Cynthia parted ways and as a result the car was sold. Rumor has it that Cynthia had left him for a younger man from down road in the leafy North Shore suburbs of Sydney. He had been mowing lawns for the couple and was attracted to her topless sunbathing antics. He was 18 years younger…
The car was purchased in October 1978 by Ken Neil who was a Radiologist from Bathurst. As the third owner, he had Henry Nehrybecki “The man with the golden pen” of Lolita Automotive the official dealer, service and maintain the car which is confirmed by the original dealer sticker located in the engine bay.
He owned it till 1988 when then Dr Iain Ross of South Australia purchased the car. Dr. Ross religiously had all the service and maintenance work carried out by Italservice of Bowden Adelaide South Australia. He also had the carburettor modifications to prevent any thermal accidents.
Rory Johnston and business partner Bruce Goddard of CTS purchased the car from Dr Ross in 2007 and drove the car back to Sydney with Rory describing the drive as “Exhilarating, hair raising and wiper raising” (above an undisclosed speed wipers are known to lift off Miura windscreens).
Bruce Goddard has owned this car since 2007 and for a few years it was in good company in a garage alongside a RHD 1960 Ferrari 250 SWB and also the only RHD alloy bodied Ferrari 275 GTB/4 long nose ever made. For a few years the car was in professional storage and undriven. In 2018 it was taken out of storage and recommissioned by world renowned and respected classic Ferrari and Lamborghini specialist in 2018 and since then it has be driven and enjoyed by the family.
The no expense spare recommissioning of this special SV Miura included but wasn’t limited to:
● Major service carried out including all oils and coolants filters and spark plugs
● Carburettor rebuild
● Valve clearances set
● Total brake system rebuilt
● Front wheel bearings replaced
● Fire extinguisher system fitted
● Rebuilt steering rack
● Petrol tank refurbished
● All shock absorbers replaced and all suspension bushings replaced
● Both rear drive shafts were rebuilt
● Cam cover and sump gaskets replaced
Since then regular maintenance has been carried out such as a water pump rebuild,carburettor rebuild, distributor rebuild and tension leads renewed as well as electronic Ignition fitted and the fuel pump being replaced.
Offered with the car are its original SV wallet, handbooks along with its spare keys and original Lamborghini fob. In addition there is a comprehensive history file confirming the car's originality and low mileage.
Set aside to be preserve are its set of original Campagnolo Magnesium wheels, currently the car is running a set of alloy Campagnolo copies from Eurospares UK and fitted with the now available period correct Pirelli Cinturato CN12 tyres.
The Miura retains its superbly unrepeatable original interior as per the day it left the factory, further confirming its low mileage and careful long term ownerships. So often original well maintained 70’s supercars get restored unnecessarily and incorrectly and as they say it's only original once.
This is an opportunity to purchase a wonderfully original rare RHD SV Miura…. The Mystical Medical Miura!
