The storied birth of Lamborghini Automobiles and Ferruccio's metaphorical middle finger to the Ferrari establishment is the stuff of legends and that raucous go getter attitude can still be seen in the brand today. What many people forget about this story however, is the actual car that came out of this fabled interaction, the 350 GT. Borrowing many design cues from fellow Italian automakers of the time, the 350 GT featured a fantastic V-12 engine wrapped in stunning Touring coachwork and was truly a fantastic first offering from a company better known for agricultural equipment at the time. A total of 120 350 GTs were built before the new and slightly revamped 400 GT was put into production.
When the 400 GT was first introduced, it was at first, essentially the older 350 GT with an enlarged 4.0 Liter V-12 engine. Only 23 of these models were built and these are now commonly referred to as “Interim” models. The true 400 GT, as most people know it was introduced at the 1966 Geneva Auto Show and was called the 400 GT 2+2. Built on the same chassis as both the 350 and the 400, the new 400 GT 2+2 featured a 320 horsepower 4.0 liter V-12 wrapped in similarly styled body work by Touring but almost all of the body had been reworked. The floorpan was lowered and the roof was raised, allowing for more interior room and creating a more airy and spacious cabin. The most iconic change however was the addition of the quad style headlamps, a now distinctive mark of the 400 GT 2+2. In total, only 247 Lamborghini 400 GTs were produced between 1966 and 1968, including the 23 “interim” cars, which can be considered a respectable number for a still relatively new auto manufacturer at the time. The 400 GT would go on to be replaced by the entirely new Islero in late 1968.
The 1967 Lamborghini 400 GT 2+2 on offer here, chassis number 01054 and engine number 1037, is a numbers matching example and is a well preserved car showing just 31,459 miles from new. The car was maintained under single-family ownership for a remarkable 48 years. As it currently sits it appears as mostly original paint and interior and features fantastic patina throughout the entirety of the car. From the provided service records we know that the car spent a good portion of its early life in California and it still wears its California black plates. Going all the way back to 1975, records show the car living and being maintained in California. At some point in the late 1970's or early 1980's it is believed that the clutch gave out in the car at which time it was parked and placed in storage. Included with the service documents is the California registration slip from 1989, the last time the vehicle was actively registered. Sometime in the early 1990's the car made its way to New Jersey where it was stored carefully covered indoors. A number of the more easily damaged parts were removed from the car and placed carefully in the trunk, such as bumpers, mirror, some trim pieces etc. More recently the car was purchased from the now deceased owners family at which time the car was cleaned, reassembled, and the engine found to be turning freely but the car was left in essentially as found condition. Currently the car remains highly original with mostly original paint and very original interior. There is fantastic patina throughout the vehicle and it appears that the car is entirely complete, including the spare Borrani wire wheel stashed neatly in the trunk. The car could very easily be brought up to running and driving standards with a thorough mechanical sorting. Once sorted, this car is sure to be hit in the preservation class at any major Concours event as well as being a fantastic vehicle to drive and enjoy without the fear of damaging a restored example. Included with the sale of the car are the spare Borrani wire wheel, jack, and available service records.
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