Lamborghini Miura Restoration Log
Week 57, 10 April 2008:
SV conversion ramblings: I think we have decided to cosmetically convert the car to SV specifications. The car already had an SV front clip (no eyelashes, larger turn signals) and was wishfully badged by the previous Italian owner as an SV, so this was something we’d given some thought. The SV rear lower control arms somehow ended up with the car (long before I was born so don’t ask me), and will be installed, along with 9″ rear wheels. My understanding is that these two components together contribute to the wider rear track of the SV, which will in turn necessitate the widening of the rear flares, something the body man said he would be able and willing to do. Therefore, the SV conversion makes sense, assuming that the proper SV tail lights can be located. I had long known about the difficulty of finding the correct Altissimo rear lamps, but had not realised just how difficult it was.
Over a year ago, I saw a set go on Ebay for $1200, but this was before having properly decided whether to do the SV conversion. I subsequently saw a NOS set available for no less than $8,000 on Ebay, which was just preposterous to me. That`s more than twice the cost of my first car! So, I contacted Gary Bobileff, and he apparently found the same set because he also quoted me $8,000. So, I rolled up my sleeves, dusted off my French and Italian skills and began scouring the world, trying all possible permutations, including the fact that the same lamps were used on a lesser Italian car (one which I also admire). Surprisingly quickly, I found a set of new lenses in Italy. With enough patience, I found a right side housing in France, and then a left side housing in Hungary. Shipping for the one from Hungary was to be $170 (compared to 20 euros for the one from France), which also seemed ridiculous to me, so I had a friend in Prague pick it up and bring it back to the States with him. So, I have managed to assemble a complete set from three different European countries, and save over $6,500 in the process.
