Countach Downdraft 1985 to 1988.5

I'll ask my shop when things quiet down a bit. Meanwhile, Raymond, can you help Ken?

 

Thank you for your kind words Roy.

 

All I can say is that its insured for at least that and Ive got the documents to prove it!

 

Raymond, this car's excellent disposition pre-restoration is the sum of your excellent stewardship for 15 years, so what can I say?

Its a lucky car, and we are grateful for your tenure with it.

I do like this image!
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Its mega.

I do have plans to do a proper magazine article so that this stuff no longer remains "not common knowledge", it should be out there, which is my mantra with everything that helps the community. I was lucky to discover it, I did a bit of digging, and there it was in my hands. I'm humbled by having the opportunity to share it.

Another equally fascinating thing is that this has lead me to become the only person in almost 30 years to ever conduct a full-length interview of Patrick Mimran himself about Lamborghini, since he sold the company to Chrysler almost 30 years ago. I'm saving the contents of the interview for the article, and all I'll say at this time is some of the details are fascinating stuff.

 

True, in the Ferruccio era, the reason for the no-racing policy was personal.

In the Mimran era, he let the engineers start the Homologation process giving some hope to the idea of racing, but, before any definite plans materialized, he had sold the company to Chrysler.

 

Raymond, we are saying the same thing regarding the Homologation of the QV, as confirmed to me by both Mimran & Marmiroli, in person.

As regards the QVX, it had nothing to do with the Homologation process for the Countach, Lamborghini simply provided an engine to David Joliffe for a World Sportscar racing as used in a Spice chassis. The only reason David got factory support as regards the engine was because he was also a Lamborghini concessionaire. When I interviewed Marmirolli last year http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/144273809-post10.html he detailed the spec of the QVX engine.

As an aside, note that Mimran allowed the supply of Lamborghini engines for World Class 1 offshore racing, in which Lamborghini were to eventually become World Champions.

 

Thanks Rob, I'm starting to put together a set of new P7s as well.

Of course I'm biased, but the P7 is the most iconic sports car tire ever made!
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A foreign VIP lady visitor to GLA12997's restoration project this past week.

We have another overseas visitor with a past connection to this car due in just over 10 days.
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A minor delay has occurred with the installation of the light units.

The rectangular bezels were deemed less-than-perfect, so they were stripped off the units again (not easy!) and sent off to be refinished in satin black.

A number of details such as this have been refinished a second time to get them where they should be, so in that context, this has been an expeditious process!

Its teamwork, and the guys take all the credit.
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Yes, often-touted story is that Lamborghini was an 'absolutely no-racing' company, and this is true from Ferruccio Lamborghini's tenure through to the 1980 bankruptcy period.

But under Patrick Mimran's tenure he allowed an engine for World Sportscar racing (QVX), he set up a division to build World Class 1 Offshore racing engines, he green-lighted the design development building & testing of the Countach Evoluzione (Super Countach) towards a GT1 car, and he allowed the application process for the FIA Homologation in that regard.

 

Speaking of time, it would be impossible for most entities to carry out the kind of work we have done from total disassembly to restoration to reassembly in well under 1 year.

It all comes down to planning & management.

What we have done is we have collapsed the typical process by having goals and trying to meet them, impossible without the aforementioned planning & management. So far there have been no major setbacks, just a few challenges.

Raymond I can't wait to show you the car again when it is finished.

 

The red Downdraft on top is the ex-Oman Royal family HLA12094, but which one is the white 88.5 DD?