Resurrecting Jalpa #359

I was told by the member of another forum that it is supposedly a reverse light? Perhaps 360challenge will let us know. I'm interested as well.

Motorized "Zaplight" as Q would do. Seems many exotic car owners objected to having brights on behind them. solution: Zaplight................

It does look the part but why would a license plate be in the way then; unless Lamborghini was thinking purely Euro-plates.

 

 

Motorized "Zaplight" as Q would do. Seems many exotic car owners objected to having brights on behind them. solution: Zaplight................

 

A what?

This is some freaky shit goin on. Tonight about 6pm i went in my garage to go to the gym. A big wind/rain storm had just blown thru. I had my garage door open. I keep in my garage some treasured scrap books & photos of much of our work. There on the floor, one picture and one picture only from a stack of photos was blown on the floor. check this picture out........ then i find this thread hours later.

A what?

Ever have someone behind you with their brights on ? the Zaplight (in various strengths) was the absolute bomb.

Ever have someone behind you with their brights on ? the Zaplight (in various strengths) was the absolute bomb.

 

So essentially, people got too close it was a, "BACK OFF BUDDY" kind of thing. Shine it at them?

Here she is, Jalpa #359 - 25 years ago undergoing surgery at Ultrasmith Systems Inc NYC (in good company next to my 25th anniv countach).

Wow. This is trippy.

Do you have more pictures? I'm intrigued. This is really cool.

Wow. This is trippy.

Do you have more pictures? I'm intrigued. This is really cool.

 

This is really cool!

from the archive. Circa 1989, there is alot going on here in this cockpit. Note Ultrasmith special project car production plate on rt side of dash. did drivers doorjamb have Ultrasmith Sticker??

from the archive. Circa 1989, there is alot going on here in this cockpit. Note Ultrasmith special project car production plate on rt side of dash. did drivers doorjamb have Ultrasmith Sticker??

 

 

Wow that's crazy. That looks exactly like my interior, minus the floor mats. Although I believe the car went through a respray at some point, so that may explain no sticker in the door. (I've seen some overspray in the fender area and runs on the spoiler, definitely has been repainted). The center console looks the same (I recognize the non-factory gauge pod on it and the switches in the middle). As well, the switches under the dash too with the POTs. And no doubt, that car phone too.

 

However, if you're talking about the "Custom built for" badge on the glove box. Yes, I have that. So this is actually an ultrasmith thing here? I thought for some reason it came from the factory. Never saw it before and didn't see it in other pictures of Jalpas so I had no idea what it was.

 

"It's a small world after all". This is awesome. Has to be a great feeling for both of you guys.

Super cool stuff

OK, That is not original owner of the car since new. initials CE. John C must have been a subsequent owner and a creative one at that. i had the production plates made and engraved with each commissioned project car. i also sourced the small lambo badges to make it authentic looking. that level of detail on just the badge went into every aspect of the customizing. Remember, since the mid 70's & 80's Ultrasmith was doing everything "no one needed" in porsches, F cars and lambos and doing it with fanatical attention to detail and factory type finishing work to integrate into the original decor of the car. We pioneered the electronics/customizing field and gave a unique personality to each owners car. John C took the Lambo emblem off the old plaque and had a new plate engraved with his name to cover up mark on dash with the plate from CE. very resourceful. I am really enjoying seeing this work surface after 2.5 decades.

I remember Piero from 007 Systems in Florida doing things like this as well.

Oh, i had a similar type of finding recently with a certain Ferrari 275 GTB NART spyder (1 of 10 ever built for Chinetti) that changed hands not long ago. i did all the custom work on this masterpiece in 1977 (in my fathers driveway, CB radio and all) and then my customer traded the NART ( and paid up $$....) for a new 78 930 turbo" WHOOSH" which we customized to the nines. imagine his surprise when he found out car went on to be worth 10's of millions. i remember driving the NART around LI to tune the SWR on the antenna i had color matched to the body. And no, i did NOT drill a hole in the alloy body back then, rather fashioned a discrete clip attachment. The Ultrasmith work survived even in that car for some time.......

I remember Piero from 007 Systems in Florida doing things like this as well.

Piero, learned his craft from me and was part of our team from the 80's both in NY and then when we opened Ultrasmith in South Florida. an excellent craftsman.

Piero, learned his craft from me and was part of our team from the 80's both in NY and then when we opened Ultrasmith in South Florida. an excellent craftsman.

Didn't you guys do an all black.Countach with night vision?

yes, i think it was a 5000s with many other james bond features as well. That was nothing compared to the cars we did for wolf of wall st gang.

Oh, i had a similar type of finding recently with a certain Ferrari 275 GTB NART spyder (1 of 10 ever built for Chinetti) that changed hands not long ago. i did all the custom work on this masterpiece in 1977 (in my fathers driveway, CB radio and all) and then my customer traded the NART ( and paid up $$....) for a new 78 930 turbo" WHOOSH" which we customized to the nines. imagine his surprise when he found out car went on to be worth 10's of millions. i remember driving the NART around LI to tune the SWR on the antenna i had color matched to the body. And no, i did NOT drill a hole in the alloy body back then, rather fashioned a discrete clip attachment. The Ultrasmith work survived even in that car for some time.......

 

I get the impression that the car has likely been touched several times in recent years. I noticed that some of the wiring in it that was not stock was ran with the stock harness, along the stock harness, very clean. Clean enough in fact that I had a hard time telling if it was stock or not (I would assume that's yours). There is other bits that have been ran and replaced with speaker wire instead of standard wire, a few self tapping screws for grounds, etc. I highly doubt those are from your company and likely a random shop of some sort. I'm uncertain as to when this was done on the car, but over the past 27 years I can only imagine it's probably seen a few other places.

 

This is pretty crazy to learn all of this about the car. I'm looking forward to getting it back on the road now more than ever!

That was nothing compared to the cars we did for wolf of wall st gang.

 

Awesome. Love this thread.

yes, i think it was a 5000s with many other james bond features as well. That was nothing compared to the cars we did for wolf of wall st gang.

 

You guys did a night vision countach!?!?!?

 

That is absolutely awesome.

Wow! A cool thread just became amazing! Former builder and present builder getting together! That could save you a ton of time in the future Derek!

Good luck and looking forward to the process

Wow! A cool thread just became amazing! Former builder and present builder getting together! That could save you a ton of time in the future Derek!

Good luck and looking forward to the process

 

 

I'd never have expected to run into someone who knows so much history on the car. My mind is blown. I'm headed out to work on getting the engine dropped today (hopefully). All I can think of is "Mind blown."

I remember the hideaway safes, smoke screens, 5 pronged jacks, disappearing license plates... even the mercedes that could hide an UZI in its steering wheel.

Derek, you are one lucky mofo. Have him send all the pictures he has or have copies made. Very important for your archives.