nautoncall

The car is all stock except motor and Hoosier R7's. No added aero, etc. What's amazing is this car was designed over 15 years ago. Mark and M2K have been after this since 2008 or 09. Motor is still the stock Ford 5.4 beefed up by AccuFab.. Trans is still the Ricardo H pattern with just built internals. Hit over 300 in 5th gear at 8900 rpms shifting with just one hand on the steering wheel. Freaking amazing. Congrats Ford and M2K!!

No slip on hard shifting. It is Kevlar replaced about 2000k miles ago. I know I freaked out but I’ve just heard so many horror stories about clutches!! Thanks guys!!

No alleging!! Because the transporter said it!!! He said the parking break is stuck so it was hard to unload!!! Then blamed it on Evans for not telling him how it worked. Problem is if the clutch doesn’t slip now no way of proving how much damage.

So, I sent my 1997.5 Roadster to Evans for just a few things, one being fixing my parking brake . Well my usual transporter was unable but he arranged for someone else. ( I assumed he would get a reputable transporter bc he is really picky with cars). I am out of town but a local dealership was going to store it this weekend. So car arrived. I called my manager friend at the dealership to make sure everything went ok. He said the guy had unloaded the car before he got out and he just instructed him which bay to put it in which was around the building. I said.. so no problems. My friend said.. transporter said parking break is stuck. I went ballistic (not at my friend). I asked him did he smell the clutch.. he said just faintly. I then explained to him that NO.. the parking break is not stuck. He drove it about 1000 feet. My friend said he wondered why he was reving so high just to pull it in the bay. So what should I do to know how much he messed up the clutch?? Evans checked it this visit so I know it was good. I’m thinking of sending it back up and making this transporter pay. What do i do?? ]

A 20 Yr old lambo with no little records and driven rarely is going to have a massive bill with any use. If one is maintained by Evans, you are golden. I've got 72,000 Km and Evans just finished a little refresh.

Photos

Also, not sure why the photos are not upright. They were when I posted from my phone. I'm sorry. I can't edit either for some reason.

Just making sure nothing went in the wheel!! Looks funny!!

Is this what it's supposed to look like??

Am I reading this correct....you purchased a 360 2 years ago and just drove it for the first time? I hope its been exercised periodically by someone.

Call Tim at Evans Auto in OH. They are always happy to help.

Just reading this makes me think about all of you scared of a 2wd gallardo. RWD is still safe and easily drivable at this hp. Not sure why Lambo continues to push the AWD platform. Seems the Huracan crowd is learning to love the 580-2!

Awesome Glen. Does that mean they will sell individuals too??

A kit?? Bet it's over $20k!!! Great news Glen!!

If you haven't had them checked, probably just rough from the bushings. It's amazing a difference little rubber/poly pieces make. Have them checked. I'm sure most of our cars are starting to wear if they have never been replaced. Ain't cheap. There are a bunch of those suckers!!!

How many of you with later model cars with the adjustable suspension are running around with shocks that mechanically have failed? I know the "shock" portion can be rebuilt however, the electronic portion cannot be and I know many have failed and are failing. My car drove fine on the Auto setting without this "fancy" feature (very advanced for 1997) however, since my car was getting a "once" over at Evans, I bought the one shock available as my shock was not functioning correctly. According to them, Glen at AMH, etc, there are none available. Again, my car drove/rode fine without it but I'm anxious to feel the difference as Tim at Evans tells me there is a pretty significant difference on the "firm" setting. They are hoping Lamborghini or Koni releases some shocks in the future otherwise this will eventually fail on all of our cars. Evans has had a few people come up with repair of this part, however, to date it has been unsuccessful.

You are correct. Some parts are already unavailable. IE, in the later cars the shocks have electronics that allow them to adjust to suspension settings. They are no longer made so as these fail, you just lose the ability of the computer to adjust the suspension. Car still rides fine but this feature is lost. How many with later Diablos are still able to adjust your suspension settings? I just bought the last shock from Evans. (mucho dinaro). They said they can't find any and have tried for someone to reman a shock but all have failed. Shocks can be rebuilt but this feature is not. I found two used shocks but both needed rebuilt but no guarantee if the electronic worked. I think about the "rudimentary" guts of these cars and think how hard will it be to repair a Aventador, new Ford GT, Mac, etc in 20 years. All the electronic nannies...age and electronics are not compatible.

If Roy has a black 99 Roadster for sale, it's not on his website.

Love the color Dave. If possible I want you to give a good review/comparison to the "old" car....or to one of the other exotics you have driven. Hoping for 2018!!

That is not necessarily true. There are "cheaper" cars that won't have the issues that a very little used car will have. I bought my 97.5 Roadster with 72,000km. I plan on hitting 100k km. Like the mechanic and guys who did the ppi said, if it has 72k km then its been taken care of and everything that could/would go wrong has been replaced. Car had just had an engine out, major service and new clutch prior to purchase. I have driven the heck out of the car for the last year with no issues. I put about 3000km on it the first 2 months. Yes, the car has some imperfections (computer for the adjustable suspension stays on Auto) and little things like auto release for the convertible top inop, bushing all starting to show their age, but none of this made the car unusable or unreliable. I got all this in a ppi and knew that over the next few years it would need some of these basic things that probably every 20 year old Diablo would need. If someone is buying a car to use and drive then find a higher mileage car thats been taken care of. Granted that may be harder said than done, but just because you buy a 5000 mile car doesn't mean its not almost 20 years old and things are going to fail. If it's going to sit in a garage or show room, then by all means go for the "pristine" "low mile" car. For me a car no fun unless I'm behind the wheel. I think everyone needs to have an intended use before just saying "get this or that car". If you plan to buy...put a thousand or two miles on the car in a few years then sell, you do want to purchase a more "perfect" car. I think if you look at a cheap car and get a PPI from someone who knows the Diablo, then no matter what the price you will know what you are buying. It's worth $1000 or more to have some fly to look at the car or pay to get it transported to a person who knows Diablo's well and give it a once over.

Thanks and love such a review from someone so fortunate to give a good real life experience and to compare to "normal exotics". Bravo!!

I agree with that fully. I do think the "low mile/pristine" cars aren't always the "best" and people have this false impression that the car won't have problems. My car was purchased with 72km, had just had an engine out service, new clutch, shocks rebuilt, etc. I drove it a year without a single problem. It has some road scuffs and some "use" imperfections, but still a 97.5 Roadster, original paint, pristine interior. Now, all these cars are going to have issues that arise no matter. Bushings (these are 20 year old cars and old rubber deteriorates no matter how little use), shocks will leak, things will fail as these cars are getting old!! If someone will pay 100k more low mile (whatever the definition of that is) for a car to sit in a warehouse with their other collectibles, then it may never even be noticed that these things will be issues. I think I'm in the minority that a drive well sorted car serviced regularly car will have fewer issues in the long run. My $.02 worth!!

I agree the newbruno. Too bad I bought in early 2016. I've been watching the market too and I think you are right. I follow the FGT market and the Diablo and both have dropped. I think 250-260 for a 99 is WAY high, unless its a very rare color and pristine collector condition. Plus, lower mile Diablo's or "old" car for that matter doesn't do too well from little use. I drive my cars so no garage queens for me.

Dave ,great info as always!!! I agree no color is bad.. but that Ford rendition of Arancio Borealis. Wow!!

Ford knocked it out of the park!!! MERICA!!!