Vehicle Description
This LS3-swapped 1995 Lamborghini Diablo VT (VIN#
ZA9DU07G6SLA12320) started life with the factory V12, 5.7L engine,
and 5-speed transmission. Sold new in Canada in Sept 1995, the
Diablo ultimately suffered the fate of an engine fire in late 1999
/ early 2000. It was then issued a Salvage Certificate from Canada
MoT. Little is known of what happened in the subsequent years other
than the car was stripped of its engine, transmission, ECUs, and
interior. Imported to the US as a roller, sometime in the 2000's,
it began its restomodification in 2008. The builder, an owner of
another all-original 1995 Diablo, wanted the same car but without
the worry of Lamborghini service and OE parts acquisition worries.
He sold his all-original Diablo to fund the LS3-swapped build. This
1995 Diablo is registered in NV with a clean US title, an
agreed-value insurance policy for $200k, and currently sits at
16,500 miles since the rebuild. BODY: Body panels are OE
Lamborghini on the majority of the car. The rear decklid is a later
model Diablo SV replicated panel with an SV-style wing of unknown
origin. The grill between the taillights is fabricated and
currently serves, in part, as the exhaust outlet. During the
restoration, the panels were removed when possible to assist in the
comprehensive color change. Originally Diablo Rosso red, the car is
now presented in Orange Pearl. The paint retains great color and is
regularly polished and ceramic coated. Some notable blemishes now
exist due to age and mileage since finishing. The front end has PPF
on the lower forward-facing areas and there is a painted,
protective band across the bottom of the splitter that can be
removed if desired. Some rock chips are now present above the PPF
areas and on the side mirrors as well as a few paint cracks. Paint
flaws are shown in pictures with scale when possible. The
windshield is covered by Clearplex protective film and remains in
excellent condition. ENGINE/TRANS/COOLING: The LS3 engine was
purchased new in 2008 from Don Hardy Engines. A larger cam was
installed to increase hp and torque. Tuning was performed and
current hp rating is 550 at the crank. Originally a V12 car with
AWD, the LS3 V8 is now mated to a 5 speed Porsche G50 transaxle and
is RWD. Sold by Renegade Hybrids, the heavy-duty transaxle built by
California Motorsports (CMS) has a side shifter conversion, a
billet nose plate, and Wavetrac LSD. Taller 4th and 5th gears were
installed to make highway driving more pleasurable and lower RPMs.
The drivetrain install was conducted mindful of existing mounts and
load-bearing frame construction. The effort was so the car would
handle and operate as close to stock as possible. The engine
electricals are not integrated into the Lamborghini OE wiring
harness and has their own ECU with an OBD plug in the cabin. The OE
ignition mechanical operation was retained and it operates with an
OE Diablo key (2 included). The car also has power steering and AC
/ heat. The cooling system uses factory radiator mounting and
custom cooling lines. Radiators are all-aluminum, high-performance
custom units built by C&R Racing of PWR, from the blueprinted
factory Diablo radiators. Electric fans are mounted to radiators
and are controlled by temp sensors. The engine, transaxle, and
cooling system operate as intended and have no leaks. Wheels are
OEM Hercules from a later model Lamborghini Murcielago and have
newer Pirelli tires with full tread. INTERIOR/ELECTRICAL:
Lamborghini OE interior was purchased to replace the missing
interior pieces whenever possible. Italian leather was procured
along with matching Alcantara to provide the new interior surfaces.
Deviated stitching with orange thread was added to match the
exterior of the car. The custom interior fabric used on the center
console, seats, doors, and dash is a show-quality finish. Accessory
switches were mostly replaced with contemporary aftermarket
switches. This was done for reliability and the existing OE panel
was incomplete and nonfunctional. Hidden cup holders were added to
the console as well as seat heaters to each seat that offer
high/low settings. Door hydraulics have been upsized to OEM
Murcielago spec to handle the extra weight from speakers and sound
deadening. Additional sound-deadening material was placed on many
surfaces under the fabric to insulate the cabin from road noise. A
high-output stereo is also installed using factory and tasteful
custom locations. The Diablo has an effective heater and A/C system
with switches and fan controls hidden inside the ashtray. The A/C
system also utilizes the OEM climate control interface. Body
electric items such as exterior lighting, windows, and wipers use
the original Lamborghini wiring and fuse box. Dash gauges are VDO
and have been recreated with a factory appearance to integrate with
the custom drivetrain ECU. Speedo also shows MPH prominently rather
than KPH. This 1995 Lamborghini Diablo will arrive to it's new home
with spares that include the following: OE front axels (2), extra
interior fabrics, spare pre-programmed ECU, spare pre-wired fuel
pump, spare radiator, OE motor mounts that were removed, among a
few other extras that are proprietary to this car. The original
engine, trans, and ECUs are gone with whereabouts unknown. This car
is currently driven by the owner as nice weather permits, call to
make arrangements before coming to see the car.