Countach, the ultimate supercar

Marc: that is the well-known RHD LP400 1120106 which still has that "3 DUU" registration. Good for you for risking life & limb to get this image. Thats what proper enthusiasts do, although Im sure the English constabulary would have confiscated your camera and placed you in the back of a squad car had they apprehended you! Bread & water only for the next 2 weeks!

Perhaps the Frenchman you met was one Herve Gachon, and if that is the case, the RHD LP400 he in fact owned as 1120026. Oh BTW, 8 Countachs sounds to me like he is just getting warmed up

 

hi Marc

good to have you here on the lambo section !

yes, Cesare worcked with G B for some time, i think you are correct that they do not any more


do you were present at countmiu?? i was there sat to sunday


do you know Giancarlo? he is an other caracter: a cool guy and knows these cars as his own pockets!! i have seen some 4-5 countach at the shop at the same time! surrounded by younger new age lamborghinis

you HAVE to make a visit there when you will return to Emilia! i will do my best to arrange a meet with G B

about the austrian S car: yes, is the red car just behind mine in the pic! this S2 was before in Spain or Portugal i think and the car that is going to have some worcks peformed by G B

 

and Cesare is the other man just came out from the countach

 

You guys rock with the historic photos and who's-who. Post more factory and period S1 pics, I'll be here to view them.

 

Ok I have more questions than pictures unfortunately. But i have to ask because I have not seen these coming yet. What is the deal with the Mardikian 400 conversionto 400S?
Specifically how many cars do you know the factory converted to 400S?
Was there a specific intention from the factory to do a 400 s pre-run using 400 chassis or was it more like on customer demand (which I believe)?
How many cars did Mardikian get fron the factory?
How many cars did Mardikian converted and where are they? I heard (but UNVERIFIED!) of possibly 10.

This appears to be the little know tribulations of some 400.

 

Countach is the only Car from Lambo, that remains a bull.
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I think privateers (like Mardikian, Wallace, Achilli, the Germans, the Japanese and the Aussies) conerted as many as two dozen LP400 into LP400S of varying specification.

I think the factory itself converted another similar amount.Please don't ask me for a certified document that proves this as it doesn't exist

This is what I have 'found out' over the past 25 years. Others may have found out differently.

 

Walter Wolf recently, hanging out with pal Bernie Ecclestone...
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After the oil fortune, came a cigarette fortune...
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The parallel-linked suspension at the rear of Wolf's Formula One car that he told me personally was responsible for him taking an LP400 and having the same type of upgrade performed by Dallara. That pit lane observational idea is what led to the LP400S...
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The prototype by John Lamm...
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think nobody has the answer
as Joe said we can get an idea, but the real numbers are impossible to get (at least for the non factory converted!)
it is even more difficult since some cars have been converted and later put it back to LP400 .....

you forgot how many LP400 were cutted as targa top and converted to S "lookalike"?

a red one for sure by Markidian but i know there are more
a black-red targa S looklike was sold a couple of years ago ( in Germany i think )
it will resurrect as an LP400 sooner or later, it is likely in South Africa now

 

cool

may be the same goes for the arrow countach wing to!

 

amazing

 

Can someone not affected by the current financial turmoils give charity to the factory to restore it like it was here?

 

Emilio, I dont think the black targa (stolen history) was a Mardikian. That was discussed a while but not being one the other site i beleive. Yes there was that red car with the top off which prompted my questions. I dont think anyone here has seen that car or if they did they never spoke about it. Its a ghost car so far. Is Markidian still around? He was during diablo times. May be he could shed some lights.

I know the 400 cutting and moding was a bit out fo control. if at least we could ID the car moded by the factory then that would be a start.
My feeling is that if the factory converted the car prior to delivery then the owner should leave it that way or have a non original car. For those done at the factory after delivery then it could be returned to 400 status.

So from Joe it sounds like quite a bit of lp400 (not 400s) got modified from various source to 400s or other one off. I dont think we have seen too many of thoses.

 

That..............is the real deal! SUPERCAR................ it doesn't need wings, flaps, spoilers, fairings, curb feelers, high heels or stripes. Perfect.

 

I even had Walter Wolf after shave in the early 1980's,
not that is was that nice smelling, and there was not much to shave yet,
but I had Countach S heritage on my face!!!

 

That IS how it exists now. John Lamm shot that series a few years ago. Every Countach looks great from 20 feet

 

Joe: the way it was restored is not to the exact same shade of the original paint, correct? Also the interior was also a different shade of leather? The factory had previously sold the car and it was later found in Switzerland. Certain liberties were taken with the 'restoration' work...and even getting it done was a 'hard sell' at the time.
CH

 

I have photos on the Registry site of this car when it was found and I do believe it still looks the same. The factory did not do a total restoration but rather tried to keep it as original as possible, if I remember correctly. They got the mechanicals back up and running and basically touched up the paint. Raymond, if you're out there, chime in here. Am I wrong?

And FYI, the original color of this car was Red for the 1972 Geneva Show. It was repainted its current green for the 1973 appearance at the Paris Motor Show. Raymond confirmed the color change when he spotted the original red in some corner or other of the engine compartment.

 

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The way it was...
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The way it is...

I chose this picture from Lambocars because it illustrates the car's most obvious differences. The ones I have noted are:

- The car has been repainted in a brighter shade of green at some point from its original "Verde Medio" which was more olive-tinted...
- The interior has been re-trimmed in the typical reddish-brown color that is referred to as 'Tabbacco' from its original sandy-colored trim, and the spaceship seats have been exchanged for standard LP400 items.
- The front bumper has been painted black from its original silver.
- The satin blackout as applied fills the entire NACA duct whereas in the period the doors section remained green.
- The Lamborghini and Countach badges have been added whereas in the period they were originally stickers.
- The wiper has been changed.
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Emilio is this the man from Austria? The frontal pitch is a bit exaggerated. Nice LP400S...
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