P300V8

The Silhouette had spacers inserted between the top mount and the strut housing to compensate for the lower ground clearance of 15" wheels shod with P7s compared to the Urraco with 14" wheels and XWXs. Can anyone tell me whether Jalpas delivered with Bravos as original equipment also had similar spacers?

FYI I recently had my LHD Silhouette cornerweighed with a full tank of fuel. Total weight was 1423 kg or 3137 pounds Left front 295kg right front 307kg total front 602kg = 42.3% Left rear 403kg right rear 418kg total rear 821kg = 57.7% Total left 698kg 49.1% total right 725kg 50.9% Crossweights 710 kgs 49.9% and 713kg 50.1%

I understand that Yokohama no longer make these for general sale. However I managed to find a pair of recently manufactured Yokohama 285/40 15. I understand supplies are very limited, so for anybody interested here is the link. Sorry Lambopower if this breaks any rules! http://www.matramagic.co.uk/page25/page25....;product=370740

Perhaps I should begin by saying that I found both cars to be very different! And this was not helped by the fact that my P300 was RHD and the Silhouette is LHD. But for the period I owned both and drove both on the same day I was always struck how very different they were. The appearance of the P300 is "pretty" compared to the "brutish" Silhouette and especially so as mine had the early dainty chrome bumpers. But appearances can be deceptive and the P300 was much harsher and noisier inside than the Silhouette and it got really hot inside as well. The apperance of the Silhouette is so different, surprisingly achieved with relatively few changes to the overall body shape. Yet the Silhouette is so much quieter and refined. The noise difference can probably be attributed to the existence of an engine cover between the engine and the rear window. The accelerator travel feels longer and smoother and (probably because it is LHD) the gearchange is much easier to use. It somehow feels so much more modern than the P300 and this probably reflects the development that went in to it. My P300 was shod with XWXs to preserve originality. More recently production of the 195s used on the front ceased and I had to use 205s on both front and rear. This definitely increased understeer and suggests that Lamborghini must have made this change originally for good reason! But don't underestimate XWXs, the car steered and handled very well. XWXs were one of the best tyres available at the time and the Urraco was designed to use them. I was just about able to live with the dashboard layout (perhaps at the risk of becoming a Marty Feldman lookalike) as forward visibility was excellent, but I struggled with with the flat unsupportive seats. Side visibilty was much beter than the Silhouette though rear visibility was a bit of a challenge. Overall easier drive and to place on the road than the Silhouette. My Silhouette does not have P7s! I'm not sure when production ceased but I now have Yokohamas all round. It is very hard to preserve the rigidity of a coupe in a convertible and without doubt the Silhouette is more flexible than the P300. This is not an issue on decent roads but can be worrying when the road is sufficiently dippy and uneven to twist the car. It is not as pretty as the Urraco but it certainly turns heads much more. When it was introduced at Geneva in 1976 I can only imagine the reaction to those wondeful wheels and rear tyres, the spolier, the flat topped arches and the fantastic looking side vents - way ahead of its time. While the seats are much better that the P300 one sits very low in the Silhouette and this combined with the perhaps irrational fear of kerbing those low profile rear wheels makes it more difficult to place when driving in town. Visibilty over the shoulder is non existent but is good through the rear window even if it does suffer badly from reflections with the roof off. The handling is definitely softer than the P300 but overall it feels more sophisticated and modern. That said it is probably more of a poseur's car than the P300. So, for a raw noisy taut and somewhat uncomfortable experience pick the P300 but for rarity, comfort, sophistication and showing off in the sunshine pick the Silhouette! My ideal would be a fixed head Silhouette. This would provide the appearance and advances of the Silhouette with the rigidity of the Urraco. Dream on...

I checked the width of the rear wheels on my Silhouette. They are the original Campagnolo items and the external width is 12". I was not able to measure the internal width but this looks to be around 11" The rims on sale appear to be Tecnomagnesio items.

I seem to remember that the Scotti site was showing #40042 as "sold" before the "for sale" postings (ie was not for sale since there is no stock number like the other cars) but I stand to be corrected. http://www.johnscotti.com/en/preowned/index.html

Sorry I don't do pictures! Worth is subjective to Buyer and Seller. Buyer's worth > Sellers worth = Agreed Selling Price. Agreed Selling Price Agreed Selling Price > Buyer's Worth = Expensive. Just buy the best car you can afford, but beware cars that have not been regularly used and particulary so if they still have sodium filled exhaust valves fitted. If you are serious about buying I know of at least three cars for sale - there may well be others! #40088 http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C79723/ #40004 http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C136283/ #40042 http://www.vast.com/cars/used-for-sale-Lam...location-Canada BTW this Silhouette stuff is all way of topic (remember those wheels?) so i'm going to end it here (not to be taken literally of couse)

I suspect the production date was often the same as the delivery date. Contemporay magazine articles "Convoy" (#40010) or "Sadness of Sant'####" (#40096) were both witten by Mel Nichols who had to wait for each car to be completed before taking delivery! As far as I know #40002 is in Canada #40006 was factory maintained with full factory body restoration in 2002. Sold to UK in 2005 and now maintained by Colin Clarke. This car is used regularly as intended when the UK weather permits and necessary work is all kept up to date. Very original car apart from wheels which used to be gold. The handbook quotes curb weight with oil and water as Kg1375 (3035lbs)

The first four cars were #40000 prototype #1 production #001 (modified P300) red delivered 18/9/76 #40002 prototype #2 production #01 (modified P300) white delivered 17/11/76 #40004 production car #2 red delivered 8/10/76 #40006 production car #1 red delivered 1/10/76 source: ILR Also kindly note that Bertone serial number for #40006 is *1060*1* This is stamped on to the bulkhead next to the engine cover strut The *1060* series numbers were also used for Urraco irrespective of model Series re started from 1 with Silhouette See Colin Clarke Engineering site for more pics under "projects" http://www.colinclarkeengineering.co.uk/site_map.htm FYI #40004 is currently for sale in Switzerland http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C136283/

I have just discovered that there was a thread in Discussion Group "Countach" about some gold Bravo wheels for sale in 2007. I have posted my comment there to bring it to the top of the Countach list of posts.

Perhaps these gold wheels (for sale on ebay in 2007) are the same ones as currently on ebay. I cannot speculate on this but the comments from Silhouette are relevant.

Tahiti Blue P300 photos taken for Auto Italia magazine http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelwardph...in/photostream/ Silhouette photo taken at Auto Italia Brooklands http://www.flickr.com/photos/7977458@N08/4138431735/

It seems I spoke too soon. Seller has posted amended description quote " the rims measure 8 1/2" front rims and 12" rear. witch means they are series 1 Countach. I have the same rims on my 1988 Jalpa #408 and my 1977 Silouette #40026. factory details on Silhouete rims show 8" front rims and 11" rear rims." Curious. My Silhouette handbook says 8x15 and 11x15. I will measure my rims over the weekend and revert.

Did you mean Classic and Sportscar? Here is a link to their website and the issue in question http://www.classicandsportscar.com/newsarc...asp?date=2010_1

Silhouette/Jalpa Bravo wheels were 8x15 and 11x15 whereas Countach S Bravo wheels were 8.5x15 and 12x15