1977 LAMBORGHINI ESPADA 400GT SERIE III

"1977 LAMBORGHINI ESPADA 400GT SERIES III Chassis number 9826 Engine number 51416 Breathtaking line Old restoration Same owner since 1986 French title Geneva Motor Show, March 1958, Lamborghini presents its first four-seater GT. Named Espada and designed by Marcello Gandini, it completes the range between the 2+2 Islero and the already mythical Miura. The fastest four-seater in the world at the time of its release, it carries a now legendary V12 engine under its huge front hood. In November 1969, the Espada Series II was presented, with changes to the dashboard, new brakes and a power output increased to 350 hp. At the 1972 Turin Motor Show, the Series III brought a number of improvements, including a useful power steering system as standard, a more conventional dashboard and new wheels. Produced until the end of 1978 in only 1224 units, the Espada is an exclusive, high-performance and stylish car. The car we present to you deserves attention. Carrying the chassis number 9826, it was bought by Mr. Krotoff in 1986 in Belgium. The car was then registered EST 404 and was in an accident. While tracing the history of the car through the numerous documents and invoices, we came across an expertise report made after the accident that affected the car. The car had been damaged on the whole left side of the body. There is no mention of the right side of the car which does not seem to have been affected. During this accident, the left front axle was damaged as well as the left side rail. The report also states that the car was originally green and was repainted in brown (current color) before the damage. At the time of the purchase of this Lamborghini, our collector had also bought a second Espada from the same owner as our model. He sold the other one in 2015 with the number 9486 registered on 20/08/1975. After the accident, a long restoration will start in 1986. Transported on August 4, 1986 from Huy in Belgium to Ruel Malmaison, place of residence of our collector, the customs certificate issued for the import of the Lamborghini in order to carry out the community transit was kept by the owner. As reported in a letter received by the prefecture of Hauts de Seine following a letter of August 18, 1986, the owner imported from Belgium these two vehicles which require repairs and could not be passed to the mining department. A considerable quantity of brochures and other original manuals were gathered in order to restore the car. Letters were also exchanged with the Lamborghini factory. Concerning the 3929 cc V12 engine developing 350 HP, the engine plate present on the body indicates that it is the 51416 engine, the number of the engine on the bench. The engine present in the car has been refurbished by the owner during the restoration and now bears the number 51416. It is however not the engine corresponding to the car and must certainly be the engine of the other Espada with the chassis number 9486. Both engines work correctly and will be sold with the car. The collector had undertaken the complete restoration of the engine himself by purchasing the necessary parts for the restoration from the manufacturer, as evidenced by the extensive file of invoices up to 2018. The car was maintained for a long time in the P3 Automobiles workshops in Cannes. Appraised in 1986 by J.M. Cérède, a great automotive specialist and pioneer in the world of collecting, it is interesting to underline the concordance of the description of the interior, in the report, with its current state. We find the driver's seat slightly damaged at the level of the seat, with some tears on the backrest and the seat. The interior is relatively clean. It may be the original one preserved by the owner when he bought the car in 1986. Floor carpets, Havannah color, were changed in 1999 but are not the original ones. The car started to be insured for rides at the end of June 1998. For the record, Mr. Krotoff was initially the only one insured to drive the Espada. The following year, his wife was added to the contract so that she could also enjoy driving such a car. A true gentleman driver!