Countach LP400 Vintage Photos

Lambocars666 · Dec 6, 2017

P300V8 said: ↑

In view of the resounding silence following my post
Click to expand...

Dear P300V8,
You know by now how deeply appreciated your inputs are.
Please allow me some time to acknowledge your posts, as there's a 8-hours time difference between our two countries.

joe sackey · Dec 7, 2017

P300V8 said: ↑

In view of the resounding silence following my post
Click to expand...

If this was aimed at me, I've been in the field all day on a photoshoot, that said, your post contains information entirely new to me, but it all makes sense.

Are there any illustrations or documents to underscore what you are saying that can be shared?

joe sackey · Dec 7, 2017

P300V8 said: ↑

I don't know if the date of these framed images is correct but they are part of Stanzani's collection. For me it is fascinating to see that the wooden buck was used as a template during the construction of Guerra's jig used to productionise the Countach.
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Very cool, thank you for sharing.

P300V8 · Dec 7, 2017

joe sackey said: ↑

If this was aimed at me, I've been in the field all day on a photoshoot, that said, your post contains information entirely new to me, but it all makes sense.

Are there any illustrations or documents to underscore what you are saying that can be shared?
Click to expand...

No, this was not aimed at you. I too had been out and about with overseas guests returning home around 11pm and I was simply surprised to see that nobody had any comment to make given the nature of my post.

My conclusions, and hence the words 'in my view', incorporated several pieces of supporting knowledge:
The hand written LP400 summary erroneously shows 01/1120002, 1/1120001, 2/1120004 whereas real time working documents correctly show 01/1120001, 1/1120002, 2/1120004.
The Silhouette where prototype chassis were numbered 001 and 01 as mentioned above.
The Urraco where the first five 'trial' production cars had three sets of roof vents, not two
The Miura where only the first chassis was a prototype and all the others were production chassis.
The Miura where the earliest production chassis were ordered five at a time.
The Urraco where the use of an odd numbered chassis in an even numbered chassis sequence appears to indicate a 'factory' car although please note that the only odd numbered SV is an aberration.

Lambocars666 · Dec 7, 2017

P300V8 said: ↑

In my view the 01 that precedes 01/1120001 in [some of] the records signifies a prototype chassis and a preceding consecutive number ie 1/1120002, 2/1120004 etc signifies a production chassis. This does not preclude 2/1120002 from being a 'production prototype' as this concerns manufacturing techniques. Further, the body panels would have been made over the same wooden buck and I would have expected there to have been up to five 'trial production' cars, explaining the variations in the roof panel vents.
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P300V8 said: ↑

I don't know if the date of these framed images is correct but they are part of Stanzani's collection. For me it is fascinating to see that the wooden buck was used as a template during the construction of Guerra's jig used to productionise the Countach.

View attachment 2474796
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The date is correct. I can even tell you it was October 22nd, 1973. Jean-Marc Borel wrote it in one of his brilliant Bible-like books.

Around September 1973, before Paris Motor Show, the red-or-green(?) prototype 1120001 was sent to Mr. & Mrs. Raniero in Orbassano near Turin.
They made the wooden buck, called "modellone", directly from 1120001. Took them a while to complete this extremely precised 1/1 scale model.
And on October 22, the "modellone" was sent to the factory to make the "cala", the gauge that would help position perfectly all the body panels on the chassis.
We can see both the modellone and the cala on those great pictures you shared.

#1120002 was built around November 1973, directly on the wooden buck (and so were all the other) and can either be referred as the "3rd Countach prototype" or the "first pre-series Countach".
We can't be too sure whether 1120004, 1120006... were built straight after 1120002, or much later before/around/after Geneva Motor Show in 1974.
As per the factory documents, I have reasons to believe they were written down after the Geneva show in 1974. Purposely choosing n°01 for 1120001 and n°1 for 1120002. (one of the copies shows first n°01 for 1120002 and n°1 for 1120001, but I believe it is a copy mistake, as I found several other mistakes on that particular document)
Note there is even a n°001 on top on a similar period document, for another early Countach that was crashed and later rebuilt in December 1975, and renumbered with another VIN (to not alter the prod n°/ VIN sequence). Anyway, this is only to prove the documents some lucky people here have seen are just period copies from the original material (production sheets). They still have an incredible historical value and must be deeply analysed, yet to be shared in the future, hopefully.

joe sackey · Dec 7, 2017

P300V8 said: ↑

No, this was not aimed at you. I too had been out and about with overseas guests returning home around 11pm and I was simply surprised to see that nobody had any comment to make given the nature of my post.

My conclusions, and hence the words 'in my view', incorporated several pieces of supporting knowledge:
The hand written LP400 summary erroneously shows 01/1120002, 1/1120001, 2/1120004 whereas real time working documents correctly show 01/1120001, 1/1120002, 2/1120004.
The Silhouette where prototype chassis were numbered 001 and 01 as mentioned above.
The Urraco where the first five 'trial' production cars had three sets of roof vents, not two
The Miura where only the first chassis was a prototype and all the others were production chassis.
The Miura where the earliest production chassis were ordered five at a time.
The Urraco where the use of an odd numbered chassis in an even numbered chassis sequence appears to indicate a 'factory' car although please note that the only odd numbered SV is an aberration
Click to expand...

Thanks for this, interesting stuff.

Lambocars666 said: ↑

As per the factory documents, I have reasons to believe they were written down after the Geneva show in 1974. Purposely choosing n°01 for 1120001 and n°1 for 1120002. (one of the copies shows first n°01 for 1120002 and n°1 for 1120001, but I believe it is a copy mistake, as I found several other mistakes on that particular document)
Click to expand...

Factory records mistakes?

Lambocars666 · Dec 7, 2017

joe sackey said: ↑

Factory records mistakes?
Click to expand...

Yeah, sounds familiar.

Here to illustrate my previous post...

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Check the consignment dates above. I can tell you 1120258 was never consiged May 9th 1977 nor even went to Switzerland!
You can easilly spot the copy mistake here.

The black & white document is a copy of the color doc. Both written by the same person.
The first one happens to be more detailed than the second, however, we need both to understand some secrets! Like VIN #1120258 was not used, in fact.
And we even need a third list, older than these two, to fully understand the "true production order" as here it only shows the "sales order"!

Fascinating...

joe sackey · Dec 8, 2017

Lambocars666 said: ↑

Yeah, sounds familiar.
Here to illustrate my previous post...
Check the consignment dates above. I can tell you 1120258 was never consiged May 9th 1977 nor even went to Switzerland!
You can easilly spot the copy mistake here.
The black & white document is a copy of the color doc. Both written by the same person.
The first one happens to be more detailed than the second, however, we need both to understand some secrets! Like VIN #1120258 was not used, in fact.
And we even need a third list, older than these two, to fully understand the "true production order" as here it only shows the "sales order"!
Fascinating...
Click to expand...

I would venture to say that the discrepancies in Lamborghini records of the era are not all just innocent mistakes, IMVHO, of course!

Lambocars666 · Dec 8, 2017

#1120004, the "first Countach ordered".

Believed to have been ordered by Empress Farah Pahlavi of Persia, through S.E.A. dealer in Roma...
Believed to be the first Countach imported into the USA in 1974 (though denied certification / registration, and re-exported)...
Those two lines seem possible but haven't been confirmed yet.

However, it is pictured here with Joe Nastasi at some point during the 1970s. That's a fact. (black & white photo, year unconfirmed)
It was seen at Bob Wallace Cars in July 1980, modified to LP400 S spec. That's a second fact. (see color photos)

For the rest of the story, if anybody knows anything else we don't...

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P300V8 · Dec 8, 2017

Lambocars666 said: ↑

....And we even need a third list, older than these two, to fully understand the "true production order" as here it only shows the "sales order"! Fascinating...
Click to expand...

Absolutely!

Countach vins of all varieties were pre-allocated against the order number ie the sequence in which the cars were ordered. They were not built in the sequence they were ordered nor were they consigned in the sequence they were built. This may lead to anomalies in the year letter but this is of secondary importance. All numbering is strictly sequential, initially with even numbers in increments of 2 and with the introduction of the 17 position code in increments of 1 which rotated ie KLA 12997, 12998, 12999, then KLA 12000, 12001 etc.

joe sackey · Dec 8, 2017

Lambocars666 said: ↑

#1120004, the "first Countach ordered".
Believed to have been ordered by Empress Farah Pahlavi of Persia, through S.E.A. dealer in Roma...
Believed to be the first Countach imported into the USA in 1974 (though denied certification / registration, and re-exported)...
Those two lines seem possible but haven't been confirmed yet.
However, it is pictured here with Joe Nastasi at some point during the 1970s. That's a fact. (black & white photo, year unconfirmed)
It was seen at Bob Wallace Cars in July 1980, modified to LP400 S spec. That's a second fact. (see color photos)
For the rest of the story, if anybody knows anything else we don't...
Click to expand...

That's Bob Rusie's former car.

You probably already know this, but this is first-hand knowledge from someone who was familiar with it:

"Bob Rusie was the owner of Aetna Products which if I remember correctly was the company that made high tensile printer ribbons that were used in high speed Dot Matrix printers and made a fortune when desk top computers first hit the market in the 70s.
According to the Late Jas Rarewala he had 6 Countachs and one Ferrari Boxer - which car he used on what day remains a mystery. Only other thing I remember was that he lived on an island somewhere near New York and kept his cars on the mainland. He used ot airfreight the Countachs to Phoenix for Bob Wallace to work on them.
This car was always believed to be the first production Countach and was modified extensively by Bob Wallace. Bob had to work the whole way through the drive train strengthening everything from the bottom end of the engine to the drive shafts. Took him about two years in all to do and get it right to Bob's satisfaction. Bob once told me that the engine was producing about 700 bhp. Also if any of you have ever been in Bob Wallace's office it's the car in the picture behind his desk.
Also the car was converted to S suspension properly, hub carriers were re-machined, brakes were changed, suspension arms were changed, coil springs and dampers were changed etc."

joe sackey · Dec 8, 2017

Here is a vintage LP400 image I like https://www.instagram.com/p/BbQscFYHbGp/?taken-by=joesackeyclassics

joe sackey · Dec 8, 2017

Victor here is a vintage photo on IG today of an LP400 that you probably know.

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joe sackey · Dec 8, 2017

Another vintage image from 1976 shows this 1120166 inside Kiel's Pharmacy in New York which you posted this one before, but note the interesting exhausts!

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Lambocars666 · Dec 9, 2017

joe sackey said: ↑

That's Bob Rusie's former car.

You probably already know this, but this is first-hand knowledge from someone who was familiar with it:

"Bob Rusie was the owner of Aetna Products which if I remember correctly was the company that made high tensile printer ribbons that were used in high speed Dot Matrix printers and made a fortune when desk top computers first hit the market in the 70s.
According to the Late Jas Rarewala he had 6 Countachs and one Ferrari Boxer - which car he used on what day remains a mystery. Only other thing I remember was that he lived on an island somewhere near New York and kept his cars on the mainland. He used ot airfreight the Countachs to Phoenix for Bob Wallace to work on them.
This car was always believed to be the first production Countach and was modified extensively by Bob Wallace. Bob had to work the whole way through the drive train strengthening everything from the bottom end of the engine to the drive shafts. Took him about two years in all to do and get it right to Bob's satisfaction. Bob once told me that the engine was producing about 700 bhp. Also if any of you have ever been in Bob Wallace's office it's the car in the picture behind his desk.
Also the car was converted to S suspension properly, hub carriers were re-machined, brakes were changed, suspension arms were changed, coil springs and dampers were changed etc."
Click to expand...

Wow! Thanks!
I knew this story in a much shorter version, with less details.
Bob Rusie had also "TurboWallaced" his LP400S #1121008 the same way... but the bastardization went the extra mile with a Countach 25° Anniversario body kit!
I really wish to know what other Countach he used to own. I heard some of them were 4.L Countach.
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G. Pepper · Dec 9, 2017

What a fascinating thread!

joe sackey · Dec 9, 2017

Lambocars666 said: ↑

Wow! Thanks!
I knew this story in a much shorter version, with less details.
Bob Rusie had also "TurboWallaced" his LP400S #1121008 the same way... but the bastardization went the extra mile with a Countach 25° Anniversario body kit!
I really wish to know what other Countach he used to own. I heard some of them were 4.L Countach
Click to expand...

I almost purchased one of the late Bob Rusie's cars around 1991 or 1992, it was an LP400S S2 in beautifully-original and unmolested condition, perhaps the only car he did not subject to automotive bastardization, er, I mean, modification.

Can't tell you the chassis number, that was a period in my life where I failed to write everything down.

P300V8 · Dec 9, 2017

Lambocars666 said: ↑

#1120002 was built around November 1973, directly on the wooden buck (and so were all the other) and can either be referred as the "3rd Countach prototype" or the "first pre-series Countach". We can't be too sure whether 1120004, 1120006... were built straight after 1120002, or much later before/around/after Geneva Motor Show in 1974.
Click to expand...

In the second of the two photographs taken in October 1973 that I posted earlier, a tubular chassis can be seen to the right. Presumably this was the chassis photographed in November 1973 on Guerra's jig, also from Stanzani's collection. Would this would have been 112002? And what about the body under construction below in March 1974?...

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Lambocars666 · Dec 10, 2017

joe sackey said: ↑

Here is a vintage LP400 image I like https://www.instagram.com/p/BbQscFYHbGp/?taken-by=joesackeyclassics
Click to expand...

This is #1120120, a Countach with quite an interesting story...
Built during June 1975, it was ordered by Lamborghini's main UK dealer, Berlinetta Italia, for a member of the Saudi royal family.
Derek Hopkins of Berlinetta Italia told me they had to cover the car with sponsorship stickers and make it look like a racing car, to overcome import restrictions in California, and it was sold to a Mr. K. Payne who was connected to L.M.R. Racing enterprises in California.
Countach 1120120 was indeed shipped to the US... but failed to be accepted there.
It returned to the UK to be re-invoiced to another UK dealer, Maltin Car Concessionaires, still listed as "new", on November 4th 1975.
But right before that, they used it for the London Motor Show in Earls Court, October 15 - 25.
Soon after the show, 1120120 was tested by MOTOR magazine (week ending November 1).
Later between 1976 and 1977, this LP400 was exported to Japan, where it was used just a little.
Still in Japan nowadays, but kept out of sight with another hidden LP400 for the past four decades.
Funny how some cars have spent more time in the air than on the road!

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Lambocars666 · Dec 10, 2017

joe sackey said: ↑

Victor here is a vintage photo on IG today of an LP400 that you probably know.

View attachment 2475751
Click to expand...

Excellent! Beautiful picture!
This was #1120220 "Blu Metallizzato", one of my favorite Countach with its unique two-tone "Senape - Blu" interior!
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Lambocars666 · Dec 10, 2017

joe sackey said: ↑

Another vintage image from 1976 shows this 1120166 inside Kiel's Pharmacy in New York which you posted this one before, but note the interesting exhausts!

View attachment 2475753
Click to expand...

The warehouse of Kiel's Pharmacy looked like Ali Baba's cave!
"Open Sesame!"
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Lambocars666 · Dec 10, 2017

P300V8 said: ↑

In the second of the two photographs taken in October 1973 that I posted earlier, a tubular chassis can be seen to the right. Presumably this was the chassis photographed in November 1973 on Guerra's jig, also from Stanzani's collection. Would this would have been 112002? And what about the body under construction below in March 1974?...

View attachment 2476083
Click to expand...

Yes, the tubular chassis must be 1120002.
About the body from March 1974, considering the rocker panel painted half black, I daresay it's 1120002 right before Geneva Motor Show.
"The night before the eve of the opening of the Motor Show, the car was still at Sant'Agata with the team bustling about putting the finishing touches to the car. However, around 02:30am, the car was finally ready for Switzerland."
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Lambocars666 · Dec 11, 2017

So... Is a Countach "Periscopio" with no Periscopio, still a "Periscopio"?? Image Unavailable, Please Login

Well, Countach #1120098 is the only LP400 ever built with a flat roof.
The reason for such an exception was this special optioned TV installed into the dashboard.
The antenna on the roof was the reason this Countach could not have the normal "Periscopio" design.
This LP400 appeared briefly in the Italian movie Cattivi Pensieri in 1976.
That boomerang-style TV antenna is long gone, but 1120098 still has its original TV nowadays. However, I doubt you could switch it on!

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P300V8 · Dec 11, 2017

Lambocars666 said: ↑

So... Is a Countach "Periscopio" with no Periscopio, still a "Periscopio"?? Image Unavailable, Please Login Well, Countach #1120098 is the only LP400 ever built with a flat roof.....
Click to expand...

Nothing was ever wasted, so do you think this might have something to do with the periscopo roof on 1121030?...

joe sackey · Dec 11, 2017

Lambocars666 said: ↑

1120098 still has its original TV nowadays. However, I doubt you could switch it on!
Click to expand...

It could be made to work, as with anything electronic, we made the elaborate Alpine system in the Mimran Downdraft work, with not inconsiderable difficulty!

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