by Mike –
Recently we sold two cars – the Porsche 911 and the Iso Grifo. While I am almost always sad to see a car leave I am always happy to welcome a new one.
This is a 1971 Lamborghini Espada series 2 model chassis No. 8155. It was acquired from the daughter of the second owner who took great care of it for 43 years.
This Espada has spent its entire life in the San Francisco Bay Area and has won many awards at several concours in the area as well as Concorso Italiano in Carmel. I will write more about the history in a future post.
One of the awards earned by this Espada is the People’s Choice Award at the Hillsborough Concours d’Elegance in 1981. My former Bizzarrini GT 5300 was awarded the Owner’s Choice Award at Hillsborough in 2011. And both cars are silver with black leather interior – coincidence?
I believe the fog lights are factory installed because an auxiliary switch on the dashboard that the owner’s manual says would be used for fog lights is indeed used for fog lights with the appropriate icon on the switch. And I have photos from the ’70s showing fog lights on this Espada. Are factory installed fog lights rare on an Espada? Let me know in the Comments if you know.
I am registered to show this Espada at Hillsborough in July and Concorso Italiano in August. If you are there stop by and say hello.
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
Looks like a real beauty Mike – just as I would expect! What mileage has it done?
Thanks Pete, the mileage is 49,900 – a little over 1,000 miles per year.
Looks fantastic! Congrats.
Mike,
Thanks for this and all you send. The cars are very interesting and you are appreciated! Please keep up the good work.
Please note change in email reflected below.
Respectfully,
Jim
Congratulations Mike !!!
Wow! It looks new. Very cool.
That Baby has been babied! Good luck Mike!
How does this car compare to your other cars, in terms of driving experience? I used to think that these cars were rather odd and gangly looking, but over time I have come to love their styling and boldness. and there is no other 4 seater like them.
Philip,
The style also grew on me over the years and now I think the Espada is absolutely beautiful. The interior is very comfortable and elegant including the back seat!
For an idea of the drive take a look at this new video from Jay Leno about his Espada which he has owned for 30 years and it was his daily driver for many years. Check out the video at this link below – go to the 12 minute mark to see the driving start.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YBYpWmMi9-A
Congratulations Mike. A real beauty! Excellent purchase.
Dear Mike, What a great car! I owned an early Espada thirty years ago and loved every aspect of it, and despite the supposed ‘pecking order’ within the collector car community I found the car to be superior to the Ferrari 330 GTC I also had at the time. In fact I thought the GTC was great until the Espada arrived! Good luck and enjoy it as much as you can, Anthony Moody
Anthony,
I think the Espada is way under appreciated and there seem to be fewer around than Miuras!
Hi Mike,
Have fun with your new baby! I think it is a one of a kind body style that is a real beauty and head turner!
Cheers,
Doug kneis
Congrats on your new car Mike. At first I was not a fan of the Espada, however now it is starting to grow on me.
Have fun…
a thing of beauty is a joy forever
The best part about it is you can take four people in it and give your passengers the thrill of being in a purebred 12 cylinder grand touring car, which you couldn’t do in the GTC.
Ironically aren’t Espadas about half the price of a 330GTC so there’s a good argument for selling a car if you can find a car you like better at half the price.
I never read how Ferrucio liked the design. Was he happy with it?
I remember looking at one for $30,000 some decades ago when Bob Grossman, the former racer and car importer, was selling it. He used that old trick of driving fast in an alley where you are always worried what’s around the next corner so it seems like you are going really fast
Beautiful car Mike – looks like one of the best examples out there. Espadas always looks best in silver or lighter metallic colors, which contrast against the large, dramatic glass. The Espada has to have some of the most amazing glass work on any car ever built, regardless of the era. Add to that the glorious Miura wheels, the unusual vents and scoop details, and (of course) the V12 and you have one of the most stunning cars ever built.
Enjoy it!!
Thanks Raffi – from the side view doesn’t it look like it could have been called a shooting brake?
I too love the style of my Series 1 with the prototype dash and the great wheels. Mine, however, came with a GM 350 and Tuned port injection and a Borg Warner 5 speed. Everything else is stock including the exhaust and all the gauges and other running gear and equipment. It has about the same power as the original engine but lost about 300 pounds of front end weight. It drives like a dream and I don’t worry about expensive engine problems so it gets driven often.
Yours is a beauty. Enjoy!
David,
I love the Chevy small block engine – send in photos if you like.
I have the same thing in 1/18 by AutoArt sitting in front of me right now.
Thanks for the pics for comparison.
I always loved the design ever since they were new. (I’m 62 y.o.) and have Italian Automobile blood running in my veins.
What a car. It’s only rival in styling is the AMC Pacer.
Alex,
You are consistent – you mentioned this same opinion before here – https://mycarquest.com/2016/02/lamborghini-espadas-were-all-over-monterey.html
Like a fine Islay Scotch whisky the Espada is sometimes an acquired taste that is worth the effort and the wait for the evolution of the discriminating palate.
At least this time I was brief.
I’ve also tried many “fine” single malts and others and they rank with the Espada on my hit parade.
A fine, vintage, small block Cobra or a 65 GT350, and Tito’s on the rocks with a lime are my favorites.
OK, now we are getting somewhere I like the small block Cobra and the GT350 and my wife loves Tito’s but I still like the Islay Scotch.
These are so much fun and not really all that bad to work on if you have to… I for one have always loved the styling on these cars and agree with Raffi, the Miura style wheels are a real plus. Looks like this is a well kept example and likely well sorted.
To find out on the fog lights you can use the new service of the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum offering works photos from broschures.
Kind Regards
Martin Schroeder
Fabulous car. I always loved the styling. I think it looks best in that light metallic turquoise blue. I considered one at £35k about a decade ago, but it was black and just didn’t look right in that colour. The Miura wheels do look great, but while its wheels are not quite so pretty, the series three has the very welcome advantage of power steering.
In the mid 70’s in Sydney I sold a maroon one to the Kings Cross Mafia for $10000 . We removed the compliance plate to make it appear newer ( I still have that plate ) . About 2 months later , the guy comes back in the car with a cracked windscreen , torn leather & bullet holes in the body . He says “Can you get me out of this thing , its too recognisable ? ” . So I eventually swap it for an old 280SE Mercedes sedan . We then recommissioned it and sold it again . Just wonder if it is still alive . In a straight line is was great to drive but , a pig to park coz from memory it did not have power steering .
Wayne,
Wow, you live an exciting life.
Will be interesting to see how the maintenance goes after owning Grifo’s.
Scotty,
I believe I know the Grifo will win (lower maintenance costs) but I am willing to take the risk.
Check back in a year.
Hello Mike from England, it’s strange that time changes perceptions? I had always thought the Espada an ugly mismatched series, but now, I like it, is that just time or greater appreciation?
Ciaran,
I had the same evolutionary experience with the Espada. I think it is a maturation of taste and refinement.
Mike,
I have been a fan of Espada’s since they were new. I lusted over one 7-years ago when it was parked next to my Pantera at an Italian Car Show in Houston.
Fast-forward 7 years – We had an Iso owners meeting in Houton Texas a few months ago and one of the 4 fellows who attended was the owner of that Espada which had been parked next to my Pantera. Unfortunately he no longer owns the car.
Fred from the Iso trip to Milano in 2013.
Hi Fred,
It is good to hear from you. I hope you and your lovely wife are doing well and still traveling. How is the Iso coming along?
It is a beautiful car. I lived in Italy from 1970 till 78 my dad purchased a 1969 teal blue Espada then traded it in for a 1971 silver Espada and then traded it in for a 1972 metallic Brown Espada which I inherited from my father when he passed away in 2001. He got to know everyone very well at the factory in Bologna and often brought the car back there to have work done on it. In 1978 when we left Italy he had the car brought back to the factory had a Countach engine Dropped in and the entire car redone. Unfortunately the car was sideswiped on our way back from a trip in 1981 and my dad spent the rest of his life fixing it up until he passed away in 2001. It is a very rare one owner car with only 6,900 miles on it. I intend to restore it and get it back on the road soon. Hopefully it will look as nice as yours
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