Countach Downdraft 1985 to 1988.5

Just a bit more information on Alpine Stereos. I wrote to the factory to ask what the letter designation indicated at the end of the model number. For example, I've seen 7273, 7273M, 7273E, 7273J, etc...

Here is their response. You learn something every day!

The letter in the model names is related to the tuner part.
7273 was sold in f.ex. the US and had a 2-band tuner with 0.2 steps scale (like 91.1 - 91.3 - 91.5 etc.).
7273M was sold in Europe and had a 3-band tuner with SDK.
7273L was sold in Europe and had a 3-band tuner.
7273E was sold in f.ex. New Zealand and had a 2-band tuner.
7273J was sold in f.ex. Japan. It had a 2-band tuner with the typical Japanese FM-range of 76-90 MHz and a built in clock.

Later on RDS-models were ending with "R".

The numbers also told something about the component. For example:
79xx, 78xx - Radio with CD player (9 to deck)
76xx, 75xx, 72xx, 71xx - Radio with cassette player (6, 3 is the deck)
5xxx - 1 DIN decks without radio (CD-59xx, cassette)
13xx - controller with built-in radio
3xxx - equalizers (33xx), DSP processors, amplifiers (35xx)
4xxx - accessories: remote controls, magazines, pockets

Anyhow, just thought I'd share.

Mike

 

On the red one I fixed an electrical issue in Bologna within a few minutes the official technical support was not able to cure... it was simply the fuse.
The white one is owned by the same man who had Miura SV 5054 since new till a few years back.

 

It appears to me that 5th gear is the only real difference, being a lower gear (higher numerically) than the previous year. Possibly the reasoning was it would allow a higher top speed by letting the engine rev out a little further. Isn't the earlier transmission made by ZF?

 

That is correct. after much research my French grey market 85 imported car is supposed to have the 7148L or 7148.

Great thread way overdue by the way! that is quite an effort to do this.

 

The 5th gear ratio is a typo (it should represent reverse) as it would be the equivalent of downshifting from 4th to somewhere between 2nd and 1st, 14,000 RPM's / BOOM!

 

Ratio's as listed in the 5000QV owners manual

Mike
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unit also appeared in some 1986 euro DD cars

 

When digging into my Dutch car's history, I was pleased to find that the first owner was a Mr Francois Koopal, who had taken part in WRC for some years. I came across an old website of a Netherlands Ferrari meeting from 1988.

VICTRACE RETRO MEDIA: Ferrari alla Limburgia 1988

Francois, who was also a Ferrari man, turned up in the QV to ruffle some feathers! There are also pictures of Dries van der Lof turning up in his 250SWB (stunning). Dries raced in the 1952 Dutch F1 GP in a HWM 52.

Small pictures, as you would expect from this era.

Wonderful to see the car as it was then. The only visual difference is that my car now sports body coloured wing mirrors. The original were black.

Rob
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It looks exactly the same but no. The car was never with NY plate from what I have. Was a PA car from the start and remained there until I bought it. Wil try to find a good pict to match the quality of this thread.