What is the current state of the market for Urracos? I'm primarily interested in project cars. What I have in mind is a complete running car that would be an ongoing restoration project (paint, interior, mechanicals). Not really interested in complete basket cases or rust buckets, but something driveable that could be fixed up as I go.

Price ranges? Thanks in advance.

53 looks and no one weighs in? RaymondQV - you must have some sense of these things, aren't you making one out of 2? Anyone here just want to offer up their experience hunting for and buying one? Thanks.

I can't speak as to pricing for the Urraco. I have heard of prices ranging from 20-35K.

I will give you this bit of advice. Do with it what you will........

Find the nicest, most complete, most mechanically sound car you can find even if you have to pay extra to get one.

In the long run this will save you time and a LOT of money and aggravation.
The concept of doing the restoration work is fine........for a Ford or Chevy where you can actually find parts. This may not be the case with the Urraco.

Just for the heck of it spend a couple of days trying to find a distributor cap and rotor for the car. Next, check into finding a clutch assembly. Now, if your a real glutton for punishment try to find an OEM brake master cylinder.
When and if you find the parts, check out the prices. You may get a little sticker shock.

Trust me when I tell you this, find a very good car and OVERPAY for it. It will be cheaper and you will be happier in the long run.

There is one for sale in Australia.

Used Cars for Sale | LAMBORGHINI URRACO drive.com.au

Thanks for the feedback.

Supergenius (love that handle!!),

off the cuff, pretty briefly, let's talk about the last say 7 years IMO ... Up until maybe 1 1/2 years ago, I would have said that a good driveable example of a P250 - a nice #3 car would simply not break $20K USD - maybe $17K USD would be typical. This is based on watching eBay auctions (I know, I know its difficult to distinguish real sales), Hemmings, other online sales venues, talking to sellers, talking to other owners on boards, and talking to a few dealers ... At that same time, I'd say P300s in the same condition were going for from $25 - $27K USD, some signifcantly lower, particularly on eBay, some higher to the mid $30K USD range - I don't follow the 300s as closely.

At maybe 1 1/2 years ago, I saw a bit of an an uptic in the market w/ several auction cars breaking into the low $20KUSD range. Over the last year, I've seen several P250s push into the $25K USD range (substantiated) and heard tell of dealer's selling a few (there are never many sales to draw upon) for close to $30K USD and I've seen some British eBay auctions go a bit higher (see earlier note about eBay). I haven't worked hard at substantiating these high end sales though - I'm not a buyer and don't plan to sell my P250 (now that I have it), so I'm not going to take someone's time fishing ...

So, based upon what I hear particularly from my European friends, my gut feel, the $25K USD range is very achievable for a patient seller - a buyer might do better. The Urracos are finally getting pulled up by the market/the exchange rate, but not as much as the Espadas or the Jaramas which, IMO have also been languishing until recently. My gut feel is the slow rise wil play out a bit longer ...

That being said quite a few of the Urracos I hear about that look good in selling pics (don't they all) and sound right according to the seller, end up requiring significant work - caveat emptor and get a true inspection w/ a leakdown check. I wonder about the value of an oil analysis since fluids are typically changed just prior to the sale ... You hear folks say, buy the best car you can afford and being in the middle of the resto route, I'd have to say as far as $ and cents goes ... they are SOOOOO right ...

I would think that in the current market, the right dealer could break $30K USD for a true #2 (or better) P250, perhaps the mid $30K USD range ... w/ a P300 higher if Jalpas are any indicator (of course I don't follow Jalpas religiously either, but my sense is there has been a big uptic in that market recently).

I think the prices we've been seeing from the dealer in Australia on eBay are just 'way out of bed' - 2 Urracos so far at $50K+ AUD ...

Where values will be say 5+ years from now when (hopefully) the US financial situation has had more time to play out ... I'm not sure ... I really like my car, but I don't think its an 'investment' Lambo ...

Good luck!!! I'm sure I've managed to 'tick a lot of folks off' and you'll hear contrary views on all sides ... ... Raymond, what do you think of the European market? I am far from an expert - I don't make a living selling cars, so take the above ramblings for what they're worth ...

Btw, what exactly are you looking for in a car? Driveability wise, hands on maintenance wise, acceleration, handling, condition, price?

Regards,

Bryan
'74 P250S S/N 15622
Indianapolis Indiana USA
blissinindy@yahoo.com

Also posted on DICKHEAD LAMBO SITE LAMBO POWER.

Owner for last 2 years - excellent cars - you'll not see another & they roadhold like a go-kart. Gloroius exhaust note and unusual styling/design.

On the downside - resto costs for these cars are not significantly behind cars worth 30 times as much - body restorations can easilly run past $15,000 - $20,000 - if done well at well known body specialists - engines can absorb at least another $10,000 and maybe twice that.

In the end you could end up paying $15,000 purchase costs plus three times that to get a car that looks and drives as it did when it left the factory.

Even in perfect fettle these cars wouldnt sell at the moment for more than $45,000 and most would go for far less - one in the UK needing work recently sold for less than $10,000 (£4,900).

Folks have done it for less and with considerable success (kim & michelle& others) by using their skills and patience to do much of the work themselves and using local tradesmen where possible.

Still I hope you do it but go into it with your eyes open - no rust protection from day one means the bodywork should be your first concern - factor in a bid margin on your purchase price to reflect any works needed on body/engine & interior. Basically if you can get the car for free you've still got a long journey ahead in most cases.

The "S" cars have air/leather/power windows & unusually for lambos of this vintage the air actually works. The "S" cars have no greater engine power.


I hope that I havent put you off - pm me if you need more info as I never tire of talking Urraco.


LAST WORD FROM UK SITE PETROLHEADS - a good urraco is a stunning sportscar that represents fabulous value for money in today's inflated market - a bad one will break your heart.


bAX

'a good urraco is a stunning sportscar that represents fabulous value for money in today's inflated market - a bad one will break your heart.'

I wrote that a year or so ago, and I stand by it. I have owned Urracos for most of the last 25 years. I am on my 5th. I would echo most of the advice given previously on this thread - it is unquestionably more sensible to spend the extra money to buy a good one than to get a 'cheap' Urraco with a view to upgrading it over time. If you can't afford a good one then you certainly can't afford a bad one.

I have watched Urraco prices carefully over the last 10 years. Until a year or so ago, prices were flat as a pancake. Since the beginning of 2007 values have started to creep up, largely in sympathy with the general increased interest in classic Lambos across the range, and in particular as a consequence of rising prices for previously under-appreciated models such as the Jarama, Islero and Espada.

A year ago you could still buy a respectable P250S for £10,000 ($20,000). Now £12-15,000 is more the mark. You can broadly double those figures for the P300.

The Urraco will probably never be the investment that a V12 is, and is probably not the place to stick your money if capital appreciation is your main priority. As a driver's car however, there is nothing that comes close in its price range.

I would offer 3 pieces of advice above everything else (all standard rules for sportscar purchases, but especially relevant to acquiring a Urraco):-

1) NEVER buy a Urraco (or any other Lambo for that matter) without having it thoroughly checked by a true specialist
2) Do not buy a 'project' car. The difference in purchase price between a good original car and a 'running restoration' is a fraction of the cost of bringing the latter up to the standard of the former
3) Do not buy a car with unknown history

I would also strongly recommend paying the extra money for a 3 litre car if you can afford it. It is considerably superior in terms of both performance and reliability. Buy the Coltrin/Marchet book on the Lambo V8 series and digest it thoroughly before you even go to look at any cars for sale. You need to be aware of some of the problems with the early cars (sodium-filled valves, poorly designed cambelts etc) and this book explains the principal pitfalls clearly and succinctly. View as many cars as possible at club meetings and car shows before you put your money on the table. Many Urracos have been modified during their lifetimes and some cars have bizarre alterations from their original specification. For instance, the Australian car referred to earleir in the thread has a botched interior - the seats, steering wheel and dash are all completely wrong.

If you ever need to see pictures of a 'reference car', you are welcome to pm or email me and I will send you photos of my own car which I acquired in Switzerland from the very first owner and is in perfectly correct and original order. There are a few decent shots of the car on the Lamborghini Registry website - chassis no 20128.

Good luck

David Sherman (London)