Miura, the original supercar

[joe sackey]

Originally Posted by spadge1976

Hate when they put those stupid stickers on the cars at this sort of event. Totally ruins them if you ask me. I'd never allow it.

Agreed.

It only serves the purpose of identifying which cars the Carabinieri should pull over!

[SAB]

Just found a nice Miura video, don't know if it has been posted before as it's some months old.

http://vimeo.com/31873678

[miurasv]

Interesting link for P400 restoration. Joe Macari in London who is an Official Ferrari Service Centre. 175kg less with the same power!!!

http://www.joemacari.com/Restoration...ra-P400_25.htm

[RHS]

Originally Posted by miurasv

There are some other pics of this car in this thread. It has/had what look like alloy wheels from a mid '60s Ferrari on it. I don't know if this car belonged to the Shah but he had a blue SV which Joe sackey later owned as well as an SVJ.

Hi,

This is the famous Miura which was apparently found buried under a green house. I talked to the guy who claimed to have discovered it as he was later employed by the local museum, and only retired a couple of years ago.

The owner was apparently trying to hide the car to avoid confiscation. I can't say if this is 100% correct, I am just repeating what I was told. Perhaps that explains the damage to the underside of the car.

The wheels on the car belong to a late 60's 365 GT. Based on the license plate of the 365, it was registered in 1969. It was damaged at some point in time and is sitting in a warehouse behind the museum. As it is not displayable, the wheels of the 365 were used on the Miura as they were closest in look and fit that the curators could find.

If I remember correctly, someone in the Miura thread (Joe Sackey ?) said something to the effect that the Miura was pictured in a 1976 (December ?) pictorical of Iran in National Geographic. Maybe I am wrong. If there is such an article, can anybody scan this article. I would love to see the car in its past life.

Regards,


Ramin

[RHS]

Originally Posted by RHS

Hi,

This is the famous Miura which was apparently found buried under a green house. I talked to the guy who claimed to have discovered it as he was later employed by the local museum, and only retired a couple of years ago.

The owner was apparently trying to hide the car to avoid confiscation. I can't say if this is 100% correct, I am just repeating what I was told. Perhaps that explains the damage to the underside of the car.

The wheels on the car belong to a late 60's 365 GT. Based on the license plate of the 365, it was registered in 1969. It was damaged at some point in time and is sitting in a warehouse behind the museum. As it is not displayable, the wheels of the 365 were used on the Miura as they were closest in look and fit that the curators could find.

If I remember correctly, someone in the Miura thread (Joe Sackey ?) said something to the effect that the Miura was pictured in a 1976 (December ?) pictorical of Iran in National Geographic. Maybe I am wrong. If there is such an article, can anybody scan this article. I would love to see the car in its past life.

Regards,


Ramin

Hi, I forgot to add that when the car was found buried, the wheels and tires were already removed. Perhaps as a further effort to avoid the car being taken ??

Regards,

Ramin

[miurasv]

Fascinating, Ramin. Thanks for posting.

[joe sackey]

Originally Posted by RHS

If I remember correctly, someone in the Miura thread (Joe Sackey ?) said something to the effect that the Miura was pictured in a 1976 (December ?) pictorical of Iran in National Geographic. Maybe I am wrong. If there is such an article, can anybody scan this article. I would love to see the car in its past life.

Ramin, sorry I cannot access my actual copy to scan, but there are several on EBay right now in case anyone wishes a copy.

* January 1975 National Geographic, "Iran - Desert Miracle" by William Graves, see page 14, there you will see an image of UCLA-educated Dr Kaivan Saleh & his wife showing off Princess Ashraf's white Miura P400S.

The caption incorrectly refers to the car as Saleh's, but when I tracked Kaivan down when doing research for the Shah's Miura SV 4870 during my ownership, he cleared this up. FWIW Kaivan Saleh assisted the Royal family with their car collection etc.

The car looked pretty nice in late 1974

Hope this helps.

[joe sackey]

Tricolore.

[wbaeumer]

Originally Posted by joe sackey

Tricolore.

Thats a very nice shot!!!

[joe sackey]

Originally Posted by RHS

Iran in National Geographic.

Here you go.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NATIONAL-GEO...-/130579844402

By the way this issue is very evocative of life in Iran in that era and I daresay it will be a sentimental read for those that remember how the country was at that time.

Finding Kaivan was an interesting experience to say the least. Its good to have friends in the intelligence business! He was very nice & helpful.

[RHS]

Originally Posted by joe sackey

Ramin, sorry I cannot access my actual copy to scan, but there are several on EBay right now in case anyone wishes a copy.

* January 1975 National Geographic, "Iran - Desert Miracle" by William Graves, see page 14, there you will see an image of UCLA-educated Dr Kaivan Saleh & his wife showing off Princess Ashraf's white Miura P400S.

The caption incorrectly refers to the car as Saleh's, but when I tracked Kaivan down when doing research for the Shah's Miura SV 4870 during my ownership, he cleared this up. FWIW Kaivan Saleh assisted the Royal family with their car collection etc.

The car looked pretty nice in late 1974

Hope this helps.

Dear Joe,

Many, many thanks as always. I was wondering if Dr. Saleh has any insights on the "greenhouse" story ? As the other Iranian Miura's have been well documented, it would be great to see if there are any other interesting points about this car, especially given the most interesting life that it has led.

Regards,

Ramin

[joe sackey]

Originally Posted by RHS

Dear Joe,

Many, many thanks as always. I was wondering if Dr. Saleh has any insights on the "greenhouse" story ? As the other Iranian Miura's have been well documented, it would be great to see if there are any other interesting points about this car, especially given the most interesting life that it has led.

Regards,

Ramin

Assuming my contact info for him is still current, I'd be happy to ask. He had some great stories about the cars!

[joe sackey]

Originally Posted by RHS

Dear Joe,

Many, many thanks as always. I was wondering if Dr. Saleh has any insights on the "greenhouse" story ? As the other Iranian Miura's have been well documented, it would be great to see if there are any other interesting points about this car, especially given the most interesting life that it has led.

Regards,

Ramin

I am thinking that perhaps one of the reasons the wheels may have been changed on Princess Ashraf's Miura might have been that the original sand-cast mag factory items had become porous and no longer held air very well. Just a thought...

[joe sackey]

I did not know she was a twin sister of the Shah, os it makes sense that if her twin was such a car nut...

FWIW she was painted by Andy Warhol as this portrait depicts.

[ZAMIRZ]

^Joe, you probably know more about the ex-royal family than most Iranians from the post-revolution era. We should go to Iran, you'd love the food. LOL

[RHS]

Originally Posted by joe sackey

I am thinking that perhaps one of the reasons the wheels may have been changed on Princess Ashraf's Miura might have been that the original sand-cast mag factory items had become porous and no longer held air very well. Just a thought...

Dear Joe,

I seriously doubt that would be the case. The museum is using tubes in some of the tires of the cars which are facing similar issues. The car went on display with this wheel and tire combo in 2001 when the museum was opened. I will try to check when exactly these wheels and tires were added to the car. When I talked to the gentleman who "discovered" the car in "buried" condition, he was adamant that the wheels and tires had already been removed, apparently to make it more difficult for the car to be removed. I will check again anyway, as anything is possible.

Warmest Wishes

Ramin

[joe sackey]

Originally Posted by ZAMIRZ

^Joe, you probably know more about the ex-royal family than most Iranians from the post-revolution era. We should go to Iran, you'd love the food. LOL

Oh do not get me started on Persian food! LOVE IT!!!

[joe sackey]

Originally Posted by RHS

Dear Joe,

I seriously doubt that would be the case. The museum is using tubes in some of the tires of the cars which are facing similar issues. The car went on display with this wheel and tire combo in 2001 when the museum was opened. I will try to check when exactly these wheels and tires were added to the car. When I talked to the gentleman who "discovered" the car in "buried" condition, he was adamant that the wheels and tires had already been removed, apparently to make it more difficult for the car to be removed. I will check again anyway, as anything is possible.

Warmest Wishes

Ramin

I think you are right, then. So it stands to reason that those Miura rims are somewhere. If you see a taxi with Miura rims running around Teheran, you have the answer!

[joe sackey]

Originally Posted by ZAMIRZ

the ex-royal family

Clearly, they loved cars........

[joe sackey]

The Shah's SV at a recent Concours D'Elegance in Kuwait.