Countach, the ultimate supercar

Ah ha!, Many thanks for this, I don't know who's done what to which car, so that's one of the reasons why this post is so interesting, I've learnt so much from it!
On another note, I finally got ahold of a copy of your Miura book the other day and am already enjoying it. Very pleased to have got a copy at last. I'll send a PM shortly about the Countach articles as they're ready to be shipped.
Finally, as you asked for more from my archive, I found this old photo from an article in the March 1 1980 issue of the British magazine 'Motor'. Sorry about the poor quality, but the scanner doesn't like old magazine articles. I thought it was interesting as it is, (I think), 1120202 at the head of the Countach production line. Seems a slightly strange place for it to be, but there is no explanation in the text. It is also an interesting caption for the picture. 'built by robots' ????!!!!
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More interesting than 1120202 is the next car which seems to have the regular S-Type fenders...

 

Not only that.... but are those Canadian Flags on the headlight buckets? Walter Wolf car?

Mike

 

Two excellent observations! ^^^

 

Looks like that is the Blue Wolf's Car

 

Yeah, but the LP400s 1120202 not the first LP400s which was built years later, looks like somebody mixed them...

 

Indeed, I remember seeing one of them, I just found it interesting that the car is at the head of the production line of regular 'S's, (you are right Raymond, the original picture is clearer and the next car is definitely a LP400S), as I would have thought that it would have gone to the service department instead. However, your explanation makes sense, particularly as I understand several Miuras made their went through the factory more than once and, (correct me if I'm wrong), went down the production line like a 'new' car.

Now, for everyone's amusement, I include a picture as a test. See if you can spot what is wrong with it. I'll give you a clue, it's something to do with the silver car ;-)
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ferruccio.... and of course the car

 

Nothing screams LAMBORGHINI more, than a Maserati Bora!!!! hahahahaha.... classic!

 

Guys
having a wee issue with my cooling fans. I put in upgraded ones a couple of years ago when i bought my car and had no real hassles. dealt with the mild temp we have here in UK without issue and lots of traffic problems.
However recently been a problem. A month ago a relay in the engine bay burned out whilst I was at a racing circuit. Had to let car cool and then a nice slow cool drive home. Wiring was fixed. Fuse looked a bit black but wasn't blown.
On Wednesday last week drove the car to London for a service and to have the carbs adjusted. Was quite hot for UK but car was fine whole way. I had the feeling the fans were on a lot of the time due to voltmeter readings but just assumed it was due to hot weather.
Car serviced and today when driving up it blew two fan fuses. One was quite black and obviously hot. As the road was generally quite clear I just cruised along about 70-85 and it seemed to keep the temp slightly above average. Problem seems to be when I start car up possibly with fans running. As the car is going the only way to know if fans on is voltmeter and water temp not staying fixed at 80
Got a call out for the auto electrician.

Any views or tips?

Paul

 

Clean and inspect ALL the wiring connections (particularly the grounds). If you have a significant voltage drop it could cause the fan motors to draw more current.

If you "upgraded" the fans they likely were higher amperage motors to start with.

 

The way the wiring is made the fans shouldn't have an influence on the voltmeter, do you have the relais box in the trunk or are the relais locating behind the radiator on the inside of the fender?
Generally these relais and fuses should withstand several hours of driving unless the contact in the connectors is bad which leads to overheating.
It had my fuse box redone, because that plastic box was italian crap until MY 1987.

 

Here is a picture of what Raymond is talking about. The relays and fuses get so hot inside this "unvented" plastic box, it warps like crazy!!!
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Hi
Raymond I followed your advice when I ought the car from your countach.ch website and put those fans in. There is a voltage drop on my car when the fans come on. the needle usually sits about 3/4 way into the grey and drops to 1/4 way into the grey when they come on and just above the red if I have other things on eg the lights. Neither applied when I was starting the car.
Mine is a very early QV from 86. The relays are above the fuse box in the front passenger foot well ( mine is RHD) The fuse holder itself for the fan fuse looked a bit burned but not sure how long that had been there.
I recall from your web site you had rewired the whole system. Any advice short of that?
Mike is your pic taken in the footwell looking up to the dash?
Thanks for the input
Paul

 

Paul,

I have the same fans in my car, the ones of the 25th, they don't consume significantly more current than the old ones, what the car electrician can do is replacing the 30A relais with 40Ampere relais.

What you describe is a typical bad ground connection, I had the same symptom with the lights, you have to add an additional ground wire from the instrument pod to the chassis and this is gone.

The black wire with the red connector is attached additionally to the voltmeter, since then I have no voltage drop anymore when I turn on the lights.
http://www.countach.ch/Dashboard/P1050095.JPG

Additionally I suggest to check all the ground wires for good contact, typically italian their size is too small...

 

Raymond
Thanks for that and will give those ideas a try out
Regards
Paul

 

Paul:

That is the box that is in the trunk ("boot" for you Brits) behind the left hand panel. It contains the fuses and relays for the Cooling fans, starter, fan cut-out when you start the car and starter.
;-)

Mike

 

I have an '86 QV with the old style dash (without the side air vents) and the only electric component I have in my trunk/boot is the power antenna. No fan issues either.

Regarding my volt meter, when I turn on my head lights it falls in the red. However I have driven my car for about 6 hours with the head lights on and no problems. I think it is the gauge that indicates an error and not the actual battery situation. However I do not have extras on the car either. You start installing additional lights or high power bulbs, sophisticated alarm systems and stereos and you can affect other electronic issues IMO.

Grounds, I had funny issues happening, brake lights blinking, blinkers that would stop when I hit the brakes, etc. I replaced the ground wires and cleaned the grounds of the rear lights and everything went back to normal.

 

Same for you Alex, install an additional ground wire from the voltmeter to the chassis and this is gone, it's not the gauge but the small black ground wire which has to take the entire load of the dashboard gauges and light switchs!

 

Does anyone know when that motor was built? Just curious, as in comparison the work appears to be much better quality on this one versus 1120004's conversion. For example, rods are polished much better and look more robust and the turbo and injection system plumbing looks more refined....the work on 004 was done between '80 and '83. Perhaps he modified his approach afterwards?

BTW, our motor is almost complete and should be running this week. Still trying to reverse one last bit of re-engineering, a modified oil pump & cover assembly. Anything look wrong with this picture?
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Other than the obvious of the threaded port for the oil discharge and the welded housing.
The pump housing has a shim plate between it and the block.

I would speculate that the oil pump gears were remanufactured extra wide, then the internals were reworked to increase the volume of the chamber to accomodate for the increased oil needs of the turbo chargers, just my 0.02

 

A little increase in oil flow could be a good thing. It's a long torturous path to the cam bearings.

The threaded flange looks to be from an Espada or perhaps Miura.