There are cars you expect to see hot-rodded, and there are cars you don't. 1930s Fords, yes. Old pickups, too. Lamborghinis, not so much. Modified, sure. But not hot-rodded.

That's what makes this project so unique. It's a 1970 Lamborghini Espada – a model which is now celebrating its 50th anniversary, and which may soon see a spiritual successor. This one's been extensively modified – not by an American company, but a couple of French ones. Danton Arts Kustoms and Carrosserie Hervé partnered on the project to transform the four-seat Lambo in the way you might a '32 Ford.

The result, as you can see, is pretty badass. Details are a little scarce, but most of what there is to say about the project is what you can see. Like the V12 that sits exposed up front. The Espada packed a 3.9-liter engine with six Weber carbs, 24 valves, and dual overhead cams. In period it produced as much as 321 horsepower (in ultimate Series III spec), which may not seem like much today, but even the Porsche 930 (the original 911 Turbo) that came out towards the end of the Espada's life cycle only made 256 hp.

We suspect Danton and Hervé might have toyed with the engine a little further. But output aside, the Lambo-rod's creators redid the bodywork to better channel the spirit of the matador's sword after which the Espada was named, and further hone the shape originally designed by Marcello Gandini. They also stripped out the interior to what looks more like military-aviation standards. And they coated it all in matte black with the tricolor stripes of the Italian flag – like you might expect to see on, say, a Veneno, but applied here to a very different Raging Bull altogether. And glad we are they did.