A friend bought a used Diablo. He likes the aluminum ball style shift knob from the VTs more than his leather knob so he wants to swap it out.

The response he got from his dealer was this:

QUOTE

The shift knob that you are describing is the knob for the 6.0 Diablo.  I have one here and will check and see if they will interchange just for a test fit.  If it will interchange and give enough clearance for the shift gate, the knob is $412.50.  Based on being able to fit, would you like me to order you one?

Hee hee!

Wait a minute!

There are people here that can tell me if a Chevy, Subaru, Audi, etc. engine will fit in a 914. Yet, a Lamborghini Dealer can't say if a gear shift knob is interchangeable.

A engine rebuild for a Contach is $15,000-25,000 USD "A guy who had one at a car show last year stated".

My 308 has two distributors; each cap was $400 and rotors were $135 each.

Timing gear set was $1500 and repro flywheel $1000. Brake M/C came in at around $600 and brake rotors were $200 each.

Rebuildable core engine blocks could be found for about $5000.

My 914 - even by Raby engine prices - seems such a bargain.

QUOTE (Steve Thacker @ May 3 2005, 08:31 AM)

A engine rebuild for a Contach is $15,000-25,000 USD "A guy who had one at a car show last year stated".

About the same for airplanes. You can buy a $7k Cessna or a $20k Cessna. Same plane other than the first one needs a $13k engine overhaul.

-Ben M.

My boss has a 92 Diablo - a year ago he plunked down 13K for a new clutch install.

Now he needs a complete engine overhaul - it started to lose power around 5800 RPM - looks to be in the 12k range.

I love the look but the mechanicals are that of a race engine - you have to pay to play.

M

QUOTE (Engman @ May 3 2005, 01:39 PM)

My boss has a 92 Diablo - a year ago he plunked down 13K for a new clutch install. Now he needs a complete engine overhaul - it started to lose power around 5800 RPM - looks to be in the 12k range. I love the look but the mechanicals are that of a race engine - you have to pay to play. M

Yikes! how many miles are on it?

The italians can really build some of the most beautiful bodies on the planet, too bad the good stuff underneath is junk. If you ever get a chance crawl up under an F360 and look at the undercarriage. Looks like Mario hacked it together in the back of a barn.

Its got about 45000 miles onit - he has had it for the last 20,000 miles - has been pretty gentle with it - no extreme lauches, only had it to 205mph once.

Its well built, just to get that level of performance it is essentiaally a race engine.

M

QUOTE (Engman @ May 3 2005, 02:19 PM)

...has been pretty gentle with it - no extreme lauches, only had it to 205mph once.

That HAS to go in the famous quotes thread.
-Ben M.

My uncle has a 328 that he flies a guy out to tune up 2X a year...the spark plugs are like $35ea.

Crazy stuff...