COUNTACH REUNION

Let me be a devil's advocate here. With the crazy values on so many cars, we need to be skeptical. I can't help but wonder why cars with "only" 4000 miles needed a $60K mechanical rebuild.

"with just 7,300km/4,300miles on the clock from new! Fresh from $60k US mechanical rebuild"

It reminds me of the mindless ads I mostly see for many muscle cars....something like: "Only 20,000 miles from new on this 440 'cuda, and subject to a full rotisserie nut and bolt restoration!...." That's why I think the muscle car bubble about to burst. People who fall for that nonsense aren't real car guys....probably just speculators, since a real original 20K muscle car doesn't need a full restoration, and is probably worth less after it since a car is only original once. So they are usually never real 20k mile cars to begin with. It is soooo easy to roll back odometers, or just call a rolled-over odometer not so. Back to the LP400. A car with miles that low, even if it has been sitting 30 years, wouldn't need a $60K rebuild . At most, pull the drivetrain out and seal it up, go through the brakes, rebuild carbs, and clean it up. Maybe $15K max. I know, as I've done it to an LP400.

I could be wrong, and maybe someone got taken and was convinced all that was needed, but what a shame. A truly virgin LP400 whose motor has never been messed with, and is still just like new, would be worth a fortune. What a shame if this car really did have such low miles, that it had its motor, tranny, diff, etc. all rebuilt for no good reason and only to lower its value.

Everyone beware of crooked shops who might do that! I just saw a guy pay $22,000 for a mechanical rebuild on a Mangusta. That has a Ford 302 in it by the way, that could be rebuilt to NASCAR specs for half that! Or $4K buys a 400 hp Ford Motorsport crate motor that bolts right in. Seeing so many non-car guys getting in the game worries me, since they will all run for the door when music stops, causing a potential rapid devaluation.

 

Hopefully I can satisfy your curiosity. Every car has different circumstances and in this case the owner purchased the car in 1982. He drove it a few times (around the block perhaps!) and parked it in 1986. Then it sat for almost 20 years. He then decided to totally rebuild brakes, suspension, trans & engine.The bill came to almost $60k. I know thats within reality because I have just had that done to an LP400 (mine), and frankly, having restored a few Miura SVs properly without cutting corners in recent times, I dont feel ripped off by the expense - actually, as I said in an earlier post, Im afraid to look at my invoices, but I know the numbers are similar. Thats what it costs to have it all done properly. Ive seen total engine rebuilds alone cost anywhere from $30 - $40k all depending if the work carried out to the unit was total, what damage was repaired and what parts were needed.
Now perhaps the owner of the red/blue car was taking unneccesary precautions with a total engine rebuild, but thats what he did. I suspect his was an: "I dont care, do it all" order, and judging by how many cars the owner has, I suspect the latter to be true.
Victor, I will suggest that a carburetted Lamborghini V12 that has been sitting for 20 years will often need a little more than just new seals and a carburettor rebuild as you suggest! LOL (you should be so lucky).
Many a Countach owner will confirm that cars have needed engine rebuilds after sitting for a lot less than 20 years. Remember, it doesnt just come down to mileage. Age is a factor too.
With determining mileage, I find it is relatively easy with proper books & records to peice the puzzle of true mileage together. Youd have to be a bit of a novice to be 'taken' in that regard, but yes, I agree it unfortunately does happen.

As for the muscle car market, I wholeheartedly agree. That IS madness, especially when you think of how many muscle cars are changing hands for more than the value of Lamborghini Miuras for example! That doesnt seem right.

Joe
www.joesackey.com
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

 

The previous poster has just made me think how much its cost me! Just when I wanted to forget about costs... but the pain of funding these things results (if the job is done right) with a lot of pleasure. As they say, no pain, no gain. I remember Walter B telling me 6 years ago of "walking through the valley of tears..." when he was having his LP400 mechanically re-commissioned. Remember Walter?

By the way Alberto, I would not trade your lightweight Miura P400 for the LP400....I dont think

Joe
www.joesackey.com
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

 

I had to rebuild the engine of my LP 400 when I bought it with 9,000 kilometers on the clock. Lamborghinis from the 70ies are fading away when not used....!

Ciao!
Walter

 

Engine technology has changed since these cars were built. There are a few internal upgrades that make sense. There are a lot of variables to consider regarding how the car was used (in ancient times) and what has happened to it since. If you need to disassemble to reseal and inspect, there will be parts replaced and it may constitute a full rebuild when you're done. It doesn't make sense to do half a job.

It's not a small-block Chevy. There's no good way to do it "on the cheap".

 

No way that is going to happen.

Alberto

 

My point exactly.....from lots of experience (the hard way!).

Joe
www.joesackey.com
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

 

Thats a releif.

Joe
www.joesackey.com
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

 

What you mean is they deteriorate with lack of use. Absolutely correct. Perhaps the worst thing for those V12s is to have them sit for 5, 10 or 15 years. Knowing the cars as I do, if I were sold a car that had not turned a wheel in 20 years, I would classify mechanical rebuild as 'essential'. Properly maintained, these are not inexpensive cars.
Also, the fact that many of them were simply not driven speaks to their low mileage.
Joe
www.joesackey.com

 

Some of the expense, actually a good part of it, is in the labor. I recently had a bad leak on the lower valve/cam cover. The three gaskets cost $26.00. Not bad at all, but the time it took to replace it was. I had to remove the air cleaners & housing which was a pain. Then remove three carbs, a smog pump line, drain the coolant because the front cam cover has two studs on it & won't come off until the hose was removed. I had to remove the wing/decklid so that I could sit in the trunk area so that I didn't damage any paint. You have to lay over the engine to work on it.

 

As they say: "Countachs are like Pelicans. They come with big bills"

The notion that you can run one on a 'shoestring budget' is inaccurate.

Joe
www.lamborghiniregistry.com

 

wow, anybody else notice that the C/T is LOWER than the Dino 206 its next to? holy crap thats a telling profile to how low ( and cool
) these are.

( bear in mind i have not seen a C/T in person in years! )


great pics Joe!

 

Youre welcome.

Joe
www.joesackey.com

 

it's good Joe, tks
i was too busy enjoyng the drive and i did not took any pics, i am going to a meet or 2 next 2 months: i'll promise i post some pics
i have driven the countach only once-twice a month lately, becuase of the lack of time and this cold winter

had taken it out on sunday: a sunny morning and some almost empty nice roads: it feels good
i still remember the face of the child next to me at the gas station: his fother asked politely if they can look at it
i can assure boys still love countach!

it doesn't matter who or where you are when you drive a countach: you get A LOT of attention, not for the shy man
i can assure you that i have never heard a negative comment on it, though

 

You should be proud and clearly you are.

Joe
www.joesackey.com

 

Auto Roman imported both these cars to Japan in the late 70s.

Joe
www.joesackey.com
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Apologies for the red dipstick handle, we will fix that tomorrow.... note the starter's heat shield.

Joe
www.joesackey.com
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I like the red handle, a little visual interest for something that always seems hard to find.

Shiny new heat shield. Repro or NOS?

Nice Jet-Hot on the headers. A big improvement but not original. LOL

 

Anybody who has tried to restart a hot engine in a LP400 or 400S knows that originality be dammed, a starter heat shield and Jet-Hot coating is a necessity. There's not a whole lot more embarrassing than to make a stop in the middle of a drive, attract a crowd, get back into the car, turn the key, and nothing happens due to a hot starter.

Somtimes you have to modify small things to make the car more livable and reliable.

 

Calm Down!!!

I'm with you 100%

Just poking a little fun.

 

Well-taken points (& ribbing 2NA) all round.....Euro QV, 2NA, you can see I know my Countachs then?

Joe
www.joesackey.com

 

Barry's new house (former Johnny Cash) near Nashville burned to the ground today.

Lucky the Countach wasn't in the garage.

 

If properly cared for, the interior in a 22-year-old Countach can hold up very well indeed.

Joe
www.joesackey.com
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