Countach Downdraft 1985 to 1988.5

Dino's very early 1985 Downdraft, you can tell it's an early car from the lower position of the front fender turn-signal lights

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Mike P takes to the Goodwood track for some fun in his Blu Tahiti car originally delivered to Bahrain

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FLA12824 from the Artcurial catalog a few years ago showing French-spec yellow headlamps

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Why did French cars have amber headlights? I wonder the government’s logic

 

Yellow, not amber, the latter = orange.

This tradition of the French using yellow lamps started during World War II so that the French civilian cars would stand out from foreign & enemy vehicles. Apparently the Government enacted a law on the November 3rd 1936 stating that all vehicles put into production in 1937 onwards were required to have yellow headlights, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Some people are of the opinion that yellow light produces less glare and works better in fog and rain, I don't know if that's true but I do think the yellow lamps are cool.

It appears that yellow headlights were mandated until 1993 when the French forced by the European Union into conformity, so, today, it is illegal to drive in France with yellow headlights unless your car is a 1937 to 1993 car.

 

Do you know the VIN of this example?

 

Not yet, although if someone cares to stop by Carrera Sport in Haywards Heath in the UK and make a note of it we'll all be much-obliged!

Mike is old-school and writing down chassis numbers is perhaps not his thing

 

Probably like many of you, when I was a tween and teen in the mid-late 80’s, I became obsessed with the Countach. I loved all exotic cars, but it was the Countach I was obsessed with. I used to get a auto books catalog in the mail on a monthly basis. If I recall correctly it was from a company called Motorbooks. One catalog in had this this book featured, which I quickly ordered. I was obsessed with it. I had virtually every Lamborghini and Countach book and magazine published but this was my favorite, and still is. When I read it I would position it between two pillows so as not to break the binding. Even today, the binding is still fresh. The downdraft was sealed in my head as the ultimate car. If you love the downdraft and you don’t have this book, I recommend you get it.

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This also is superb, though much of the detail and photos are from the previous book (same author). This was a series of books released in the late 80’s which I purchased. Waiting for each volume is very exciting. Still, this was the best in the series, in my opinion. I’ll post the other covers when I have a moment.

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I recall Motor Books and remember many trips to it's base @ 45 St Martin's Lane, WC2N, London, unfortunately closed for good, the mention does bring back a flood of fond memories!

Looking at those covers I must say, in the late 80s I owned a 1986 Downdraft in pure European specification, and even back then I knew that any USA DOT & EPA application to the fabled model was so wrong as it subverted the essence of the Countach and would not stand the test of time. I also knew that the European QV or what we now call the Downdraft was the ultimate Countach, and reading the esteemed Dottore Stefano Pasini's words on that book only served to underscore this feeling


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Pasini's book which covered all the variants from Prototype to 25th featured Nuccio Bertone's Downdraft on the cover

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This version of the Marchet book featured a pre-production or very early Downdraft on the cover.

Books were important in the era in which they were published because they contained the stuff of dreams

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Magazine compilation books are good too although I personally prefer actual magazine articles

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Continuing the search for the identity of individual cars, I'd love to learn the number of the Rosso/Bianco 88.5 Downdraft that John Lamm shot for Road & Track magazine on the famed test plates BO 1067

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One thing that always perplexed me about this book, and your posted quote only reinforces this, was why Pasini would allow the use of an altered Countach QV to be the subject of the books illustrations.

 

As is often the case with many special cars, in the production period, people didn't care as much about varying details.

Fast forward 30 years later with the cars becoming both collectible & valuable, it's a different story.

 

I have this one.. in fact VB signed it for me .. I was shocked because he asked me “what is this book? I have not seen this one before” .. that was 18 years ago so I doubt still a good gift idea for him.

 

Said to be the long-lost and recently rediscovered all-original Rosso/Bianco FLA12874

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One more of FLA12874, unmistakably a Downdraft even from the front

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Cool, where did it stay all the years?
So far I had only a Picture of the Warranty Certificate.
First Owner Heinz von Arx, Feldmeilen, delivered by Bobnar first registred 5.5.1986

Heinz was principal of the swiss Club and used to own 1121020 before Emilio!

 

ZA9C005A0FLA12874 was registered in Belgium from 2011 till 2016. I saw the car at a restoration shop in The Netherlands two months ago.

 

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Thanks Kevin, If you happen to have some more Pictures or Details about the Registration, more than welcome.

 

Thanks for confirming Kevin.

This car was brought to my attention just over @ 4 months ago when it was headed to that shop and I posted about it on June 21st https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/posts/146054253/

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This was one of the first books on Lamborghini I ever bought, except I had the first edition published back in 1981.

Mike




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