Countach, the ultimate supercar

What were the mods for this specific car ?

 

Only the plate "Especially built for Mr.xyz", in fact they built so few cars that you could name every single like this...

 

Not so. Raymond, its easy to be dismissive, but you are incorrect. Typically the factory only put plaques on the cars of VIP clients with significant mods. This car was the replacement for the car Valentino crashed & destroyed, and it had a number of factory mods, which Johl had the factory install.

- Competition fire-extinguisher system (which Johl later upgraded in Germany).
- Adjustable-from-the-cockpit rear wing (which Johl had the factory install after seeing pal Walter Wolf's 1121002).
- Special Seeger leather (provided by Johl whose company made leather goods)

It was totally unique, and the plaque was just a commemoration for him. Armin Johl was/is head of the 100+ years old Offenbach-based Seeger leather goods company, and both he and his brother Fred had Countachs with special mods commemorated with factory plaques. The Johl brothers, Walter Wolf, Albert Silvera etc kept the factory alive during those dark days of 1978 & 1979, and the factory was only too proud to make sure the cars they built them were noted for their special build. The sense I have from cars I have encountered with genuine period factory plaques (such as the Silvera LP400), is that it was not a customer request, but rather something the factory felt that they should bestow upon the car because of its special nature.

Of course, as we all know there is at least one classic Lamborghini that exists with a fake non-original plaque (Miura SV 5110) misrepresenting the car's true status.

This is Armin today and a card dating back to 1913 of the Seeger leather goods company..
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Joe,

The mods for Johl were not so special, since they modded a lot of cars, the is IME more of an excuse because Vale crashed his former example.
With hand built units in the range of 20-100 examples a year almost every car had it's specialties, but you're right these special customers helped Lambo to survive in it's darkest period. But does that make their cars more valuable? I doubt... so far I got no substantial offers for my Patrick Mimran QV...

 

Good points, but remember the LP400 and LP400S S1 command much more than most Countachs, and I can tell you from personal experience that one owned by Wolf, or Silvera commands a significant premium over the already strong value. Being in the market for these cars, I can tell you collectors take notice. True, Johl's mods did not include something as significant as a special engine for example, but the whole interior was done in Seeger leather and the electronically adjustable wing is a pretty cool factory mod.

QV DD values are nowhere near the level of an S1 or LP400, but, I definitely think that your car with its one-off Chianti metallic color plus the fact that it was owned by an ex-factory Boss is definitely worth more than some QV DDs with no particularly unique provenance and in a normal color. You probably have not received any offers because you are perceived as an enthusiast who uses the car all the time and will never sell!

 

well, you know every good has it's price... I don't plan to sell but if someone arrives who has too much money...

For me the 3 Wolf countachs are the ones to have, the Johl cars are of no interest, from silveira I admired always the blue-gold one, the other "one-offs" had been modded but... (like the Rod Stewart targa or Miura #4808).

 

i would not mind one of Johl's cars

 

Dont sell at any price.

 

I believe everybody has its own preferences... here is my top 5 Countach as I don't care about Wolf's 3 CC :

1. #1121164 the only one Ferruccio's CC, belonging now to a good friend.
2. #1120001 Muletto, development car sold to René Leimer - factory boss, belonging to factory Museo.
3. #1120002 1st car sold to a customer
4. #1120012 1st car sold to France, belonged for quite a while to my friend Neldo Lévy.
5. #1120028 1st car sold to Belgium, belonging to a good friend, under restoration.

 

I would expect that the Dallara-Wolf cars, 0148 and 0202 would value higher than "The First S", Wolf's 1002... but what are we talking for a premium over a "non-name" S1?

I have visions of low 7 figures for the Dallara-Wolfs... at least I'd go there to have one if I had the means...

 

I have a soft spot for #1120082, the brochure car. Thats in my opinon, beside some of thoose cars mentioned before an premium price Countach.

 

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Nice list!

 

I agree with #1120001...

 

Raymond: will it KILL them to paint the front bumper in silver?

I mean, really.
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Thanks Eric for the best Christmas card yet ...

Merry Christmas !

 

apparently it kills as they didn't paint it in silver...
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The thing is that the bumper was already wrong in 2000 when I found the car, so Joe is completely right, it should be repainted in silver...

When you compare the pictures 2000-villa d'este you can see that they overpainted the swiss number plate exchanger in black, so why not do it correct?!
http://www.countach.ch/History/LP400/index.html

 

Damn factory. Looking at the intakes below the bumper......look so ratty.

 

lazy... lazy guys... or because they don't believe in the history they kill the spirit !

 

LP400 1120144, now "LP500R"
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Its been this way for about 25 years. A Rock Star amongst Countach in Japan. For some reason.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-svOG59l3w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1ysBnqBGQA

 

Early 80s..
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Well, the "LP500R" is difficult to look at, but man it makes delicious noises.

 

How to explain this? Same owner?
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