The Lamborghini Miura. Even the name itself evokes images of speed, beauty, and Italian automotive artistry. For car enthusiasts worldwide, the Miura is more than just a classic car; it’s a legend. We were fortunate enough to uncover the remarkable story of a 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400, not just any Miura, but a cherished family heirloom with a fascinating “barn find” history, thanks to the lens of the talented photographer Jeremy Cliff. This is the story of William Nielsen’s Lambo Miura, a car that has remained within his family since 1970, a true testament to its enduring appeal.
Lamborghini Miura P400 Barn Find Family Heirloom
To truly understand the significance of this particular Lambo Miura, we need to delve into its origins. William Nielsen begins the story, “It’s a 1967 Lamborghini Miura P400 that has been in my family since 1970. It was my grandmother’s cousin’s car, and he lived in the same town I grew up in, so we were the closest family.” This personal connection adds layers to the car’s narrative, transforming it from a mere machine into a tangible link to family history.
The setting for this story is Evanston, Illinois, a somewhat unexpected location for such an exotic Italian sports car in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Ted Gushue, in the original interview, rightly points out, “It’s a pretty bold move to live in the middle of Illinois with a Miura back in the Seventies.” William explains the original owner’s personality and circumstances: “He was an electrical engineer for an alarm company and he didn’t have any family, he wasn’t married, so he’d always been a car guy from 16 onward. Him and his buddies were into buying cheap cars, working on them. As his career developed, he was shopping around for a better car. He had his eyes on a Ferrari, but his boss bought a Ferrari, and he was like, “I got to get something else”.” This desire to stand out and own something unique led him on the path to the Lamborghini Miura.
1967 Lamborghini Miura P400 in Garage
The story of how he acquired the Lambo Miura is as intriguing as the car itself. William continues, recounting the tale of a race set up by the Ulrich brothers, who ran a local auto shop: “His buddies, the Ulrich brothers, they had an auto shop. They initially tipped him off. “Hey, we know this guy from Wisconsin. He’s going to be in town with this Lamborghini Miura and another gentleman that has a Maserati Ghibli”. They set up a race between these two cars. “You should come out and watch these two cars race.”” This impromptu race between an Italian icon and another exotic car is a classic car enthusiast dream scenario.
According to the family lore, the Lambo Miura emerged victorious in this unofficial competition. “The Miura won, the story goes, and that settled that. It turned out the guy who owned it was interested in selling, so over the next few months they worked out a deal.” The Ulrich brothers, instrumental in the purchase, even offered their support after the sale, demonstrating the camaraderie within the car community: “The other funny part was, he bought the car and the Ulrich brothers, after he bought it, they felt kind of bad because they were like, “We knew it kind of needed some work. Now that you have it, we’ll help you work on it.””
Lamborghini Miura P400 Engine Bay
The original owner didn’t just keep the Lambo Miura as a garage queen; he used it as intended. William describes its daily driver status: “He had it, and the next town over in Skokie, and that’s the town he worked in, and he would drive it to work every day. Obviously not in the winter, but he enjoyed working on it, making his own modifications.” Being an electrical engineer, he even incorporated his professional skills into his passion: “He worked at an alarm company, so he put a car alarm on it, put it together himself. I don’t know if you’ve seen pictures, but he modified the covers to the carburetor, fabricated his own, so those are a cool feature that I think looks better than what Lamborghini did.” These unique, period-correct modifications are part of what makes this Lambo Miura so special.
However, like many classic cars, this Lambo Miura eventually faced a period of inactivity. William recalls, “Around late ’80s, ’88, ’89, he pulled it into his garage to work on the brakes, and I think he was doing some clutch work too, and the project got stalled. I’m not sure if it was getting parked, I know his mom passed away around that time. It was maybe for a variety of reasons it got stalled.” Life happens, and projects get put on hold. For this Miura, that “hold” lasted for decades, transforming it into a true “barn find” waiting to be rediscovered.
Dusty Lamborghini Miura Barn Find
For William, the Lambo Miura was a constant presence throughout his childhood, a fascinating object in the garage. “For the rest of my life it was just this thing in the garage that as a kid I’d always want to go see it.” As time passed, the family considered the car’s future. “About two years ago his health was deteriorating. His siblings were trying to take care of things, he’s still alive now, but they were trying to prepare for his potential passing in the coming years. It would be easier to take care of a lot of that stuff, like how things get divvied up, while he’s still around. They were trying to figure out what to do with the car and thinking about selling it, and I spoke up for it. “Hey, this is a really special thing that’s been in the family. It’s important to me. Let’s not just sell this to the first guy who walks by.”” William stepped in to ensure the Lambo Miura’s legacy within the family continued.
Recognizing the car’s potential value and sentimental worth, William sought expert advice and collaboration. “I reached out to my friend Cam who I’ve been friends for a while, I know him, he works on cars and stuff. I reached out to him and, “Hey, my family’s got that car.” In-laws reached out to him, the family’s kind of like, “Hey, if you want to deal with it, the car is yours. We’re trying to unload his stuff.” They gave it to me and Cam and I worked out a deal. I wanted to stay involved in the process. “Hey, I don’t want to just sell this. I don’t even want to just sell this to you. I don’t know a ton about cars, but I want to bring this thing back to life.”” This marked the beginning of the Lambo Miura’s revival journey.
Lamborghini Miura P400 Interior Barn Find
Crucially, the decision was made to preserve the Lambo Miura’s originality rather than undertake a full restoration. “We eventually we decided, no, we don’t want to do that. It’s worn here because he drove it. We wanted to leave all that stuff.” This approach respects the car’s history and the patina of time, making it even more unique in a world of perfectly restored classics.
The Lambo Miura’s unveiling at Car Week was met with enthusiastic appreciation. “Oh, it was great. I had no idea. I’ve never been to car week before, so just being there was great. But then also, the reception, people love the car. We were there, you saw, I can’t remember how many other Miuras there were there, ours was the only one that had a pretty consistent crowd around it.” Its unrestored condition became a point of attraction, setting it apart from pristine examples. “With the fiftieth anniversary, you’re seeing a lot of them everywhere and it was kind of cool to see ours stood out compared to all these more perfect ones. People were really appreciative. The execs from Lamborghini were there, and some of those guys we talked to were there in ’65 working, so it was cool to talk to them and see how excited they are that these little pieces here and there are intact and the way they remember them.” Even Lamborghini executives recognized and valued the car’s authenticity and originality.
Lamborghini Miura P400 at Car Week
Driving this iconic Lambo Miura is, understandably, a thrilling but slightly nerve-wracking experience. William describes it vividly: “It terrifies me. We haven’t replaced the tires yet, so always concerned something could go wrong at any moment it’s kind of squirrel-y. But the noise, I’d say, is the most standout thing to me. I haven’t been in a ton of other cars, but it has a pretty unique purr and cadence to it. Even starting up takes a while to turn over.” The raw, unfiltered driving experience of a classic Lambo Miura is a sensory overload.
Ultimately, for William, owning this Lambo Miura is about sharing its story and beauty. “Anybody that wants to see it or come have a ride in it, I’ve been trying to set that up for them… That was probably the best thing about taking it to car week. Being able to share it, seeing people enjoy it is really special.” This Lambo Miura is more than just a car; it’s a piece of family history, a survivor, and a testament to the enduring allure of the Lamborghini Miura. Its story, beautifully captured by Jeremy Cliff’s photography, is one that resonates with car lovers and anyone who appreciates a unique and authentic piece of automotive history.
