Details:
Oldtimer Australia is delighted to offer for sale this 1974 Lamborghini Jarama S (GTS).
The documentation on file details a rich and interesting history of this car dating back to its birth in Italy in 1973. According to a copy of the build sheets on file this left hand drive Lamborghini Jarama S was completed at the factory on 2nd October 1973 and was sold to its first owner, Mr Camnasio Bianca Maria the co-owner of Hotel Bianca Maria in Milan through Achilli Motors in Milan on 6th March 1974. The car was delivered in grigio londra (a silver/grey) with a beige interior.
The original Lamborghini libretto di assistenza e garanzia (service and warranty booklet) and factory records both confirm that the car retains its original matching numbers engine.
Bianca Maria owned the car for a few years, selling it on the 22nd April 1977 to Charles Curtis Jones, otherwise known as Chuck Jones, the co-owner of the Ensign Formula One racing team. Jones left the car in Europe and used it occasionally. It is understood the car was also used by one of his drivers, Swiss Formula One ace Clay Regazzoni.
Around 1980 Jones imported the car into the USA, but never registered there it in his name. The car was given to classic Lamborghini specialist Gary Bobileff in San diego, California to be federalised. It was then sold to Terry Tusher in June 1981. At that time the odometer read 34,999 km. It was in his ownership the car was repainted in its current colour, though it is not exactly known when it was done. In correspondence on file, Tusher describes the colour as silver metallic brown which apparently was a Mercedes Benz colour of that period.
Tusher used the car as a daily driver. He initially lived in the San Diego area, but later moved to Honolulu, Hawaii and he took the car with him. Tusher was a long term owner of the car and after some 27 years of ownership engaged the services of classic car specialists Fantasy Junction in California to sell the car for him. They sold the car in April 2008 to John Bauer from Libertyville, Illinois. Bauer intended to completely restore the car but unfortunately life got in the way and he ended up selling it to Lamborghini enthusiast John Britton from Solihull, UK in October 2010.
In Brittons ownership the car received a major refresh, which included a repaint, all the bright work was replated, the bumper rubbers were replaced, the interior was retrimmed in the best Connolly leather hides complete with Wilton carpets, the gearbox was rebuilt, a new clutch was fitted, the differential was overhauled, the brake servos were overhauled, a factory original sport exhaust was fitted, all new light lenses front and rear were installed to comply with the UK regulations, new rubber seals were installed, the badges were all replaced and the under bonnet area was meticulously detailed. In total about GBP 20,000 was spent on the car.
The current owner acquired the car from Britton in October 2022 and subsequently imported it into Australia. There is an import approval on file dated 6th December 2022. At that time the odometer read 21,900 km (121,900).
The car has hardly been used since it arrived in Australia. Today the odometer reads 21,983 km.
First impressions of this car are really good. The car is presented in the unique and stunning colour of sand metallic, which really suits the car highlighting its unique Bertone styling. Whilst the paint has retained a high gloss and a strong depth of colour, closer inspection reveals humidity blisters on all panels. It is most likely that the car was not properly prepared when it was last painted.
The bright work on the car presents well along with the rest of the external trim, including the trademark Lamborghini and Bertone badges. All the glass presents well with no cracks of chips present. It all appears to be original to the car.
The car retains its correct and original Campagnolo wheels which are shod with period correct Michelin 215/70/ R15 XWX tyres. They are date stamped 3522 (week 35, 2022) and are in very good condition. The wheels themselves are also in good condition though the centre caps are faded.
Open the door and you are presented with a unique and very good looking interior. It is immediately obvious the car has not been driven much since the interior was retrimmed. The seats are in excellent condition and provide ample support. The rear seats are similarly well presented and appear to have hardly been used if at all. The carpets are also all in good condition with minimal wear shown.
The dashboard is in good condition, however, there is some discolouration to the alcantara.
A rather unique feature of the Jarama is the positioning of the radio. Contrast to most cars where it is usually mounted in the dash, on this car it is mounted against the roof above the rear view mirror. Currently a period correct Motorola AM radio is fitted.
The boot presents well and is carpeted with the same material as the interior. In the boot you will also find an original spare wheel. There is also a hidden switch that will isolate the fuel pumps.
Open the bonnet and you will find a well presented engine bay. Everything looks neat, clean and tidy. With the exception of the chrome plated cooling system overflow tank, everything looks to be finished correctly. The underside of the bonnet is neatly trimmed with diamond patterned insulation to keep the heat of the engine away from the paint.
Ferruccio Lamborghini loved the Jarama and it was his favourite model. He was quoted as saying: I preferred the Jarama to all the others, because it is the perfect compromise between the Miura and the Espada. The Miura is a sport car for the young at heart who wants to go like hell and love to be seen. Myself, I considered the Miura too extrovert after a while. In turn, the Espada was my Rolls Royce: still quite fast, but also large and comfortable. The Jarama is the perfect car if you just want to have one car.
We were keen to see first hand what Ferruccio was talking about and get this Jarama out on the open road for our test drive and photo shoot.
The car starts easily from cold if you follow the correct procedure. The Weber carburettors do need some time to be primed before you can start the car when the engine is cold. The correct procedure is to turn the ignition on, wait for at least 15 seconds for the fuel pumps to do their work, then pump the accelerator pedal a few times and turn the key to start the engine. Once the engine catches you have to initially feather the accelerator to keep the revs up and then patiently allow everything to warm before you take the car out on the road.
Out on the road this Jarama performed well and the more we drove it the better it got. The engine pulls well, though we suspect the carbs are way out of balance and the car would benefit from a tune. The gearbox is tight and the changes up and down the box are direct and smooth. Whilst the car handles well and it felt tight on the road, there is a slight knock coming from the suspension.
During our photo shoot the car attracted plenty of attention. A Lamborghini Jarama is a rare car anywhere, but incredibly so on Australian roads. Most people came over to ask us what it was!
Lamborghini only built 351 Jaramas of which there were only 152 Jarama S. They are a very unique car and those get it, will get it!
There are no issues to register this left hand drive car in any state of Australia.
Accompanying the car is an excellent file describing its full history and ownership as well as a copy of the original build sheets, the original Lamborghini libretto di assistenza e garanzia (service and warranty booklet) in its original leather pouch from Achilli Motors and a copy of a drivers handbook.
Highlights:
- A very rare car, being one of only 152 Jarama S ever built.
- Matching numbers example.
- Interesting ownership history.
- Unique colour combination.
- Use as is or repaint and bring up a level or two.
- Competitively priced for a quick sale.
Price $199,950.
Background:
The Lamborghini story is fascinating in itself, but for the company to have survived all these years and indeed celebrate its 50th Anniversary in 2013 is quite amazing. Ferruccio Lamborghini was an entrepreneur, a very successful businessman and a lover of the finer things in life, including sports cars. He was fortunate enough to own some wonderful cars including Ferraris however, he found fault with them all. According to the legend following a meeting with Enzo Ferrari to discuss some of the short comings of his cars Enzo dismissed Ferruccio and he subsequently decided that he could build a better car.
Not long after, in May 1963, Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini SPA was established and the small town of SantAgata Bolognese, located between Modena and Bologna, was chosen as the location to build the factory. Born under the Zodiac sign Taurus Lamborghini chose the raging bull as the emblem for his sports cars.
Lamborghini knew what he wanted and he put together a highly skilled team. His first car the 350 GTV was shown at the Turin Motor Show in October 1963. This car received mixed reviews; however, Lamborghini was not deterred and made a number of improvements and design changes to the original concept. The first Lamborghini production car the 350 GT left the factory in mid-1964.
The 350 GT evolved into the 400 GT 2+2 and later the Islero. In parallel to building these classic front engine V12 GT cars Lamborghini wanted to build a super car, enter the Miura first shown as a rolling chassis in 1965, and also a GT car that could comfortably seat four people, enter the Espada in 1968. The mid to late sixties were good times for Lamborghini and his cars were revered the world over.
In 1970 Lamborghini introduced the successor to the Islero at the Geneva Motor Show. The Jarama. It wasnt a simple redesign of the Islero but rather a brand new car using a shortened Espada chassis. The Jarama was powered by the same 3,929cc V12 as was used in the Islero and the Espada. It produced 350hp. Lamborghini produced 179 standard Jaramas.
In 1972 Lamborghini introduced the Jarama S, also known as the Jarama GTS. The exhaust system, the cylinder heads and the carburettors received an upgrade and the engine now produced 365hp. The exterior of the car also received some updates as did the interior. Lamborghini produced 152 Jarama S models before production ended in 1976.
In a interview published in Thoroughbred & Classic Car in January 1991 Ferruccio Lamborghini stated I preferred the Jarama to all the others, because it is the perfect compromise between the Lamborghini Miura and the Espada.
His personal Jarama S is on display at the official Lamborghini museum at the companys factory in SantAgata Bolognese, Italy.
