Countach, the ultimate supercar

These pics by Zagari in the factory courtyard from the summer of 1973, probably just before Leimer took it over.

No In Rodaggio sticker...
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Emilio you will cry if you knew how much...

 

understood Joe...
better not to know it so

Raymond, consider it as i never asked

 

A higher res scan isn't available.

 

yes

 

Are the rear wheels slightly different in the spoke area also - I've never seen another set where the spokes completely meet the stepped edge of the rim. Most are set back maybe 1cm or so?

Joe, you keep coming up with some good images! I see all kinds of things...The muffler looks like the box style also.

 

compare the balance of the two sets of pipes - IMHO the ansa is a much better fit for the car
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"The Greatest Cars, 1900 to 2010, works of genius from every decade".

The Countach LP400 is on the cover...
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Looking at the two back shots reminds me that the seam compound is used on some cars for almost every seam, and not as much on others.

 

I remember an ad for the 1st Countach, green, for US$165,000.
I remember it was through someone in the Carolinas.
This when the lp400 were US$60-80,000.
I remember those prices because I wanted one but just could not come up with that money.

 

That figure in 2000 was a lot of money for an unrestored LP400. To the best of my knowledge that car sat unsold for a while whereas its special pedigree 'should' have been able to sell it for that money sight unseen and without advertising. Given year 2000 pricing that was about double of what you could buy an unrestored running driver for and before the recent spike in LP400 prices.

Hindsight is always 20/20 however I too was a little surprised that this car did not sell quickly to a really knowledgable collector. You would think that there was a lineup of people waiting for the owner to sell but that was apparantly not the case (or people wanted the car for nothing and the owner knew what he had).

Then again stranger things have happened and the yellow LP500 in my shop right now reminds me of that

 

Spoke with the Italian lead seal people via email and was informed that it was common practice for companies to use their own logo on customs seals, so it is possible that the stamp is in fact the lamborghini shield...Probably not very detailed given the technology at the time...
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Peter:

1120001 was not for sale for $165k, but much less.

The car you are speaking of is another car altogether, the only connection being that it was also green. Starting circa 2000, Jim P of Virginia began to advertise his LP400 1120008 for $165k. He (falsely) claimed it as the "First Countach" and even had the front bumper painted silver in its refurbishment by Ultimate Motorworks to perpetuate his myth. Over the next few years he steadily increased the advertising price, culminating at a heady $260k a few years later. I actually called him up and politely asked him to stop advertising the car as the first Countach simply because it wasn't. He agreed with me without much discussion, offering a rather interesting "but I thought it was" explanation. Anyway, long story short, a nice gentleman purchased the car in the en, and it resides today as the only Countach in Argentina.

Here it is below shortly after its June 1974 manufacture when being tested by England's Doug Blain for CAR magazine...
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And here is 1120008 today, completed by Jim P in a different shade of green, complete with "first car" silver trim...
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There is every reason to fit the Ansa F1 sport exhaust: it saves about 18-20 lbs, it sounds amazing at open throttle, and it looks much better without the awkward-looking "Suzy Haymaker" box!


By the way, everyone keeps describing the exhaust heat shield as 'balance' when it is valance...

 

I don't know anything about these (having never seen one) other than the fact that they existed on some new LP400. I must comment that it would look much better having it tied around the steering column as the Miuras were...

 

I am going to guess that the seal needed to be placed and crimped by an outside agency. something fitting of a tax man and easy to identify with the port or border agents
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1120008 was offered to me in 2005 for $125. Knowing the history and checking my wallet i decided to pass, but a beautiful Countach none the less.
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Shaun: keep your fingers crossed, there may be a NOS set left yet...
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$125k? That would have been after our phone call. At that point the "First Car" jig was up.

 

I did mean balance, as in proportional balance, but I understand now the error of the text in the pic...Didn't get that at first.

Joe, those belts sure are pretty...its a shame now all they make is car seats for kids.

 

i need one to!

 

Apologies! Yes I see your point, aesthetically speaking, those pipes look fantastic when they are snugged up to the bodywork at an upwards angle. Gotcha.

 

Thanks Joe. Good story. I'm glad someone else remembers that sale.

 

Something else to ponder: the pantograph unit with or without the end winglet? It seems the application of this high-speed device was totally random...
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