Page 34: A New Toy and Miura updates.
June 2022

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6/20/22: The big automotive home news is that after nurturing the Urraco for 30 years I made the difficult decision to trade it in on my second teenage dream car. It was hard to watch the Urraco loaded into a trailer and driven away but in its place is a beautiful 1973 Maserati Bora with just over 10,000 miles on it!

I first saw the Bora at the San Francisco International Auto Show at Brooks Hall with my dad. It must have been 1973 or 1974 because I remember seeing the FIAT x1/9 for the first time. It had everything: A two-seat, lightweight, mid-engine sports car with Italian Bertone styling and a Targa top! I wanted one, but I was in high school and couldn't afford the $4000 price tag. (I wound up getting a 1967 MGB a bit later and still have it.) The other two cars I saw for the first time were from Ferrari and Maserati who both showed their answers to the Miura. The 365 Boxer looked beautiful but it was the Bora that captivated me. I couldn't take my eyes off the lime green model in the center of a circle of white plastic chain. I probably walked around it for 30 minutes. It was stunning from every angle and I have wanted one ever since. I love the Urraco, but I have always lusted after a Bora so when the opportunity came up I had to take it.

I wondered if the odometer reading of 10,400 miles could be correct, but I believed it after one of the original 1973 tires blew up as soon as I took it up to freeway speed. I don't know the history of the car prior to the last two years when it was sold at a couple of auctions, but I'm amazed someone thought it was a good idea to leave 49-year-old tires on it! The next day I ordered five new XWXs and those original tires are GONE! Anyway, I have a new car to experience and learn. Everything works, so this will be maintenance instead of restoration (like the Urraco).

Back to the Miura. It has been gradually making progress but I haven't been posting anything because a Miura sanded to 200 grain looks a whole lot like a Miura sanded to 1000 grain. There have been many details to straighten out, but none very photogenic. But the car has finally reached a major milestone. After being in the shop about 16 months it's finally ready for color. The plan is to return it to Brambilla Blue. Hopefully these will be the last pictures of it in some shade of primer.

Final gap checking. This can't be done after color, so gaps have to be correct now!

Final sanding. I hope.

The next shots should show a blue car! I expect to post updates in a month or two, as progress is sporadic. Bobileff is getting in to the August/Monterey crunch. Unfortunately my bodywork went WAY (WAY WAY) over budget/time and it can't be ready to take to Monterey this year, but I do have the Bora to enjoy.

I feel incredibly fortunate and privileged to own the two cars I dreamed of as a teenager. I suspect not many can say that, so I'm counting my blessings.

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