From what I understand there were some 1987 cars made with the first design side skirts that did not have the strakes in them. If this is true does anyone know when they first starting applying them to cars and approximately how many they made ? I see some cars with them and always wondered if they are factory or aftermarket.
There was certainly a UK RHD car delivered in April 1987 like this. It is red and had side skirts without strikes, registered D111HUV. But, there was also an LP5000S delivered just before January 1983 which had side skirts without strikes as well. Again a red car registered AXI7836. Did this come under the title of "if you come up with the right money. The factory will build any option you like!"?
Robert, D 111 HUV (HLA12132) was not delivered with side-skirts, when supplied via Portman in April 1987. I personally saw it when it was new @ Castle Combe as a standard 1987 Downdraft, Rosso Siviglia with Nero interior, without side skirts and with black rear badges - as below. About 2 years later it reappeared at Goodwood looking quite different. By now it had pearl white wheels, white rear badges and AFTERMARKET side skirts affixed, these had nothing to do with the factory, who only ever supplied cars with the type of side skirts you see on 88.5 cars. Image Unavailable, Please Login
In recent times, D 111 HUV (HLA12132) has been returned to original spec. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Actually, I belive you are speaking of the first few cars fitted by the factory with side-skirts, which had a variation that had just one strake in the vent as opposed to two. An example is HLA12226, new to Alberto Garnerone in Turin, Bianco Perlato (Pearl White) with special leather piping, stitching & inserts, plus Burberry Tartan carpeting. Delivered September 27th 1987, the side-skirts are a rare factory application with single strake as assigned to just a couple of late 87 cars before the typical two-strake side skirt was applied in production from November 1987 onwards. I have images of a couple of other 1987 cars with this same side-skirt. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Here is another car with the same single-strake factory side-skirts application, this one based in Japan. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I checked the images more closely and it appears D 111 HUV had these aftermarket skirts fitted early on in its life, but rest assured they were aftermarket application that were seen applied to a number of cars from LP400S to QV, somewhere I have nearly-new images of the car without any skirts. There are 2 or 3 variations of aftermarket side-skirts applied to Countachs, none of which have any strakes.
This car was in my garage in Orlando, Florida, for about a month, before my father asked my friend, a mechanic, to come get the car! I was storing it while he tried sourcing parts to repair accident damage. Holy #@*^#*!! Over the Thanksgiving 2016 holiday, last month, one of my former neighbors gave me 4 or 5 photos he shot while the car was in my possession in 1984. I need to re-subscribe so I can post the pictures, as I've been at my limit for a couple of years. Here's the story about the car: The car belonged to a Kuwaiti-national, living in Winter Park, Florida, named Marwan, or Marwhan...something like that. The front number-plate reads " AXI (space) 7836 " I was told by the local mechanic, Joe Nitti, that this car was a Koenig-modified Countach. The side-skirts were not factory-installed. A relative of Marwan lost control of the car one night, striking a concrete light-pole with the right-rear quarter panel. The damage was extensive, as you will see in one of the photos. Holy cow! I've been wanting to post these photos after receiving them, but with the current discussion posting the registration number...I'm going to get off my a** and subscribe again so you can see these pictures. I've always wondered what became of the car! Did it eventually get repaired? Kevin Flankey (KevFla) Orlando, FL
By now it had pearl white wheels, white rear badges and AFTERMARKET side skirts affixed, these had nothing to do with the factory, who only ever supplied cars with the type of side skirts you see on 88.5 cars.[/QUOTE] So the factory never installed side skirts without strakes. Thanks for the info.
Certainly not as an official production variant, but its always possible they sublet some customization work. Generally-speaking though, there are many Lamborghinis that have left the factory and were modified very early in their life, leading people to conclude erroneously that it was a 'factory' modification. Another example would be the Pearl White/Blue & White interior Downdraft that was featured in the Pasini book. It was in fact modified immediately post-production by concessionaire Emilianauto, not by the factory. It had the same aftermarket smooth side-skirts which HLA12132 of which Robert speaks.
Not sure...it's been over 30 years and I never actually met him. I just knew of him as Marwan. I have a medium-format, super sharp 8x10 of the accident damage somewhere in my archives. Time to start looking thru the Kodak boxes! Car took a pretty good lick! Hope it wasn't parted-out. KevFla
That doesn't add up,,,Joe showed a car DELIVERED in Sept with side skirts and your car is later production with no side skirts ??
Whenever there was a production upgrade, it was never a seemingly precise transition. For example, his USA car could have actually have had the body completed in July, but for some reason was not ready and completed till October. I have seen this on occaision with USA cars, and this is reflected in out-of-sequence chassis numbers versus completion dates. One of the reasons for this was the logistics of making the cars for certain markets in batches, based on orders.
Joe, It´s JLA12226. I just saw this car one month ago. This particular car is getting an engine overhaul at the moment. It´s a stunning car, very special. I really like the effect of the pearl white. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Sorry Leo, too many numbers in my head! You are of course correct. And Emilio is right, this car is a stunner. I love the one-off interior.
It would be great to see these photos - wow, what a story. How did a right hand drive car end up in the U.S.? If you are having problems posting them here, PM me and I can do for you.
whats with the floor mat and carpeting trim, is this a big thing in the 80s? Saw it on a SEC Koenig Specials as well.