As Frank Sinatra once said "You buy a Ferrari when you want to be somebody. You buy a Lamborghini when you are somebody."
Lamborghini is synonymous with sophistication, class, and luxurious lifestyle. The company began with humble beginnings. Lamborghini took his own Ferrari to get fixed and was insulted by Ferrari for being a simple tractor driver knowing nothing about sports cars.
In response, Lamborghini vowed to make a car that could compete (or outshine) Ferrari. With much dedication, he eventually accomplished this feat that many people previously laughed at.
Lamborghini grew from a small company to an international empire. Many luxury car enthusiasts jump at the chance to purchase a Lamborghini and enter the exclusive club of Lamborghinis. But owning this prized vehicle is one thing. Restoring one is completely another.
Restoring a vehicle is an ambitious venture. You will pour blood, sweat, and maybe even tears into nursing a broken down old shell of a car back into its former glory. The time investment is almost always more than you expect it to be.
But as the many car restoration enthusiasts who came before you will say, the payoff is well worth the struggle. Seeing that beauty in your garage, knowing you transformed it, is a point of pride for many Lamborghini fanatics.
Before you embark on this endeavor, there are a few key points to know about undertaking a Lamborghini restoration.
Choose a Vehicle From the Right Time Period
Lamborghini is a company known for its quality. Except for the dark period during the 1990s.
Chrysler briefly enjoyed success in the late 1980s and early 1990s with the Jarama and Urraco, but it was short lived. The other models produced failed to meet the high Lamborghini standard and the struggling sales led to Chrysler selling the company to Indonesian investors.
Under their leadership, the vehicles released during this time lacked the company’s iconic quality (and advanced aesthetic design).
True Lamborghini enthusiasts will hesitate buying models from this dark period of time. These vehicles are not typical Lamborghini and they tend to be more prone to issues.
Focus instead on choosing vehicles from the early period or late period of the company’s history.
The earlier models maintain a sense of nostalgia, since those projects were overseen by Lamborghini himself and released at a time when Lamborghini still owned the company.
The later models offer a sense of innovation, when the company was sold into the hands of Volkswagen. Their leadership led to the release of many iconic cars, such as the Murcielago and the Gallardo.
Consider as well what type of engine you want to be driving. Fans of Lamborghini enjoy driving models with the iconic Bizzarrini V12 engine. This engine, of course, was designed by an old Ferrari development chief Giotto Bizzarrini. Given the feud between Ferrari and Lamborghini, enthusiasts enjoy owning a car built with an engine from a former Ferrari employee who saw the light and joined team Lamborghini.
Consider Availability of Parts
Different Lamborghini models will be easier to find replacement parts. The Lamborghini Miura, for example, tends to be more difficult to find parts for since there are just simply less parts available on the market. Most of the classics, like the Countach and 350GT, are in the same boat.
Before investing in a model of car, do some research to see how difficult it will be to obtain parts. You will want to know going in whether you need to include buying expensive difficult to obtain parts into your budget.
Check Out the Archivio Polo Storico
Lamborghini offers many resources to restoration enthusiasts. The Archivio Polo Storico provides vehicles enthusiasts of documents of their classical models, including information like their precise colors, leathers, and other useful details. These are full of drawings, pictures, and publications published on the topics.
Those interested can obtain this information in a paper format or a digital format, whichever is more convenient. Current owners and fans can request this information.
The Archivio Polo Storico even maintains a supply of authentic spare parts for people to purchase. This can be a great way to obtain that necessary piece while enjoying the guarantee the part is authentic.
Underestimate the Time Commitment
Restoring a car will take a significant amount of time, often more times than people anticipate. One expert Lamborghini enthusiast, for example, embarked on a restoration project for a Diablo. The vehicle was in great quality, with solid compression and it passed the leak test leak-free. The restoration took around fifteen months.
Not only does it take time for the manual labor in fixing the car, it takes time waiting around for ordered parts to arrive. Before you can order the parts of course, you need to identify what parts you need and then find them within your budget.
And that is assuming everything goes according to plan. With restoration projects, there are almost inevitable setbacks.
Consider Investing in Changes
Generally speaking, you want everything to be restored to its original quality. The more original the restoration, the more authentic it is deemed to be.
In some cases, however, it is actually a wiser move financially to depart from the original design and install an upgrade.
For example, when restoring the Lamborghini Miura, there are a few upgrades you would be wise making. You will want to consider improving the chassis, adding vented brakes, and split engine sump. Various engineers use their knowledge to upgrade the vehicles, such as lubricating the transfer gears by adding oil sprayers. These upgrades can improve the quality of the car and make driving more pleasurable. If you intend to sell the vehicle, these upgrades can bump up what asking price you set.
Let the Experts Help
Restoring a Lamborghini never needs to be a solo effort. You can rely on the insight and experience of those who already restored these precious vehicles. The project will still be yours, of course, but you can bump up your efficiency by outsourcing certain tasks. Here at Autosprint, we offer you stellar services and ASE certified technicians. We can assist with any aspect of restoration that you would like help with, helping you work smarter not harder. Contact us!