Countach Downdraft 1985 to 1988.5

To use your words, regarding the small matter of etiquette, in my view it is a little disrespectful for you to say "Keep up Joe!" , as if I'm not.

It's your prerogative to contribute information on this forum or otherwise, however, as has been stated in other threads, when information is shared in a straightforward manner, it is always well-received. That said, questions are fair game, and I think mine was utterly straightforward.

I think I can speak for every single Countach owner in saying we all wish the factory kept more accurate & uniform records, and that expectation is a reasonable one. We should not all have to become detectives to find out what the original color was, that information should have been held in place by the manufacturer from day one, and the notion that sometimes there are too many ‘ifs’ to chase is far from disrespectful, it’s reality.

As an aside, bear in mind that I'm in touch with Jude privately outside of this forum, and I know he shares my sentiments.

Meanwhile, thank you for your expanded thoughts on this subject, quite helpful in fact.

 

Very much appreciated, and indeed you can see how that color covers the spectrum from grey to black.

 

Perhaps that happened because the person writing down the data simply did not know the official or full name of the paint color, and did not check.

 

Bianco/Bianco.

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Downdraft-engined Super Countach (Evoluzione) imaged with a standard production 88.5 Downdraft @ Sant Agata around the time of the FIA Homologation of the Countach.

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If you are a principal looking for a nice Downdraft, I have one available by Private Treaty from an existing collector client, please contact me offline at [email protected]

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Another image of the Downdraft available, Nero Tenebre/Champagne, gold wheels.

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I'm posting some of the cars we've touched on our new IG my son helped me set up, take a look:

https://www.instagram.com/joesackeyclassics/

I need more Downdrafts on our page!

 

Indeed, IMVHO, I think it's important to clarify for people who have not followed this marque closely since the 80s that source of a lot of the issues with accurate recording of car colors is the difference in the name of the car's color as referred to by the aforementioned Lamborghini Sales Department, versus the official name as assigned by the Paint Manufacturer (PPG).

Therefore, Nero Especiale as described and written down by the Lamborghini Sales Department might in fact be Canna Di Fucile as assigned by PPG, and as such might in fact be one-and-the-same.

I think the Sales Department's culture which existed since the 60s (as I discovered when I researched colors for my Miura book http://joesackeyclassics.com/authored-books/the-lamborghini-miura-bible/) to note colors in a somewhat generic or offhand manner is in fact the source of many dilemmas presented today. Proof of this can easily be seen as you go along lists of Miuras & Countachs, and it can be seen that whomever was writing down the colors did so with a certain amount of liberty, as sometimes the same color could be seen to be described somewhat differently a few lines or pages later. I'm certain the Lamborghini Sales Department often did not bother to use the correct paint manufacturer's assigned names, or indeed check with them for verification. Lets just say uniformity and accuracy was not exactly a guiding light at Lamborghini and their records were not a model of consistency.

In doing research for the true color of my Miura SV 4884 for purposes of restoration, I discovered that Bertone SpA used a dozen different shades of "red" circa 1971 spread amongst a few manufacturers, and they assigned different names for the same paint depending on the manufacturer. As if to confuse matters further, his seemed to follow in the footsteps of the original paint suppliers, who did the same thing! I also found that the names for paints changed from time-to-time, and Canna Di Fucile as used on the Downdraft IMVHO became Nero Metalizzato as used on the 25th (see below).

Paint names for Italian cars of the 70s and 80s is hardly an exact science for the aforementioned reasons, and more besides.

Personally, I have come to the conclusion that with Lamborghinis, if you get to the point of a repaint or restoration, the car itself will present the best clue of the true color for purposes of accurate replication (regardless of what you want to call the color!), some crevice under the windscreen or a panel somewhere will reveal the truth, especially if the car has not been restored before.

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The special-order ex-Gerald Caroll JLA12397

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HLA12174 in original well-preserved state.

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SMOG pump, what's that?

Hope you guys are well.

 

Triple white, does anyone recognize this car?

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GLA12997 in Newport Beach today

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Sunset with stablemate, spent the day driving with family

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A long but fun day

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