Countach, the ultimate supercar

LHD is considered a premium status symbol in Japan, crazy as that may sound for a RHD country.

So given the choice, they will purchase LHD over RHD.

 

My understanding also.

 

Maybe a desire to be different in a very homogenized country/culture?

 

Correct.
They even drive LHD Jaguars and Rolls-Royce... I was quite amazed.

 

The Japanese are certifiable. They used to import the Chevrolet Cavalier, and re-badge it as a Toyota.

Not even kidding.

 

I bought this magazine when i was 11 years old because I loved the Countach. Today I STILL think the Countach is the sexiest car period!
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One of my favourites. Are these gold emblems original?
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Possible but likely not.

FWIW the "S" badge is upside-down, and the aerial is post-production.

 

Thanks for the scans Luis!

 

Hello Countachistas,

Just an ethical question: would it be considered acceptable if someone took an S and turned it into a periscopa or would you say that would be falsification?

I am certainly not involved in any such project at all but had a spirited conversation last night about this and wanted opinions on the matter: thanks in advance for your wisdom.

For what it is worth my opinion is that it would be entirely wrong but I am interested in what others think.

best regards,

Marc

 

That would be falsification. That would also be a financial train wreck. That also would have been unheard of from 78 into the 90's. BUT may have been done!
Joe would know if that has been done.

 

Thinking back years ago, I had the opportunity to purchase an early S that needed total restoration which was perfect in needs that an lp400 would have worked....then I looked at my financials.......

 

Thank you Peter, much appreciated.

Anybody else care to comment?

Thanks in advance.

best regards,

Marc

 

Reminds me of the 3x8 to 288 GTO conversion thread that’s bouncing around. It will always be a conversion but it’s your money

 

Unacceptable! I'm willing to buy the leftover S parts to help fund this bad idea.

 

It would be false. How could it be anything else?

 

Marc,

Great question.

As you & I have touched on before, you certainly cant stop anyone behaving in whatever way they wish to, but, on the other hand, they cant stop you calling a spade a spade.

In the instance you described, what you'd have would be a fake. I use the word fake because we all regard these cars as art, classic automotive art to be sure, but art nonetheless. To turn something into an item not originally crafted a certain way by the original artisans, and to make it into an imitation of another item of desire, would be the production of a copy, an imitation, and therefore a fake.

Now here is where the ethical bit comes in: if the car in question is always represented by the owning party as "an LP400S converted into an LP400", then the party can't be faulted per se, and it is what it is. However if no mention is made of the car's original guise, and the car is simply presented to all & sundry as "an LP400", then there is an ethical issue. I suspect the case you may be thinking of concerns a latter scenario, and in that instance you would be right in thinking it is wrong.

Yu can feel free to elaborate on this touchy subject with me privately, and I will be happy to give guidance.

 

Great idea! Making the best of a bad situation..

 

+1

As long as someone doesn’t misrepresent the goods then do what you wish, it’s your dime (or 1,000,000 dimes). When the time comes to sell, it’s a small community and the truth will prevail.

 

Always!

 

The famed August 1976 edition of Rallye Racing
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Thank you all for your comments.

Thanks Joe will do later today, just a bit swamped with work right now with final verifications on book #3 and other things: you know that feeling!

best regards,

Marc

 

what's the point?
in the end the LP400S is almost as rare as the LP400...considering there are also 3 different variants of them and with the options color variants etc.... any S car is almost unique.

to me it is a big mistake....because a fake is a fake and build one from a rare original car is even more silly. Even more considering 400S are climbing in value and today there are collectors with 2 or 3 LP400S in the stable.

i can somewhat understand more building one from a low cost later car in bad conditions (the 70k$ FI cars come to my mind) but...well it is still a mistake imo

and then who knows?
one day may be the wide S cars will be more sought after than now.... and may be not so far in value from LP400. So will we see an other convert back at a later time??

 

a fake LP400 worths by far less money than a true LP400S for sure, imho.

All Countach until 25th (worst looking Countach or, better, the less good looking one)
should have more or less the same value, in my opinion: i cannot understand why an LP400 should cost twice or three time an LP400 or a 5000S or a QV. Production numbers are more or less the same, the car is more or less the same and the look of the S and QV is by far better (my opinion) than the LP400.
May be one day people will learn this too: who knows.
If the part about the same value is just my personal opinion, the part about the fake LP400 should be not just my opinion: a fake car is a fake car, no more words.



ciao

 

Brace yourselves. Coming to screens everywhere soon!

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