Countach Downdraft 1985 to 1988.5

Wow, these are such amazing cars. I had a poster of Downdraft along with my Ferrari posters in the 80's. Thought it showed I had class when in reality I was just a dreamer with big dreams.

 

Being a dreamer with big dreams is a good thing, and yes you definitely had class!

 

@ the 30th Anniversary year of the famed 1987 CBS 60 Minutes program on Lamborghini, this may be a good time to go down memory lane.

The CBS film is especially relevant to this thread as it reviews the Downdraft at a point when it was being built.

I am learning of some details of the multi-day filming of the episode, the use of helicopters and fitted CB radios etc.

You'll see excerpts of this episode in another film upcoming, but in high-resolution from now digitized film.

A few stills below which can only be captioned thus:

"We do not advise anyone to drive at these speeds on public roads, Valentino Balboni the test-driver is licensed to do it, and
does it brilliantly" - the late great Morley Safer, CBS.

Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

One more, showing the bug-spattered CBS camera screen.

"This is no special effect, this is one hundred and eighty miles an hour" - Morley Safer, CBS.

Speaking with Valentino about the filming, apparently the CBS helicopter shooting the autostrada scenes from above could not keep up, and he says he truly took Morley as fast as the car would go.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Great post, Joe. As a teenager, it was a dream to watch this piece when it first aired. I still enjoy it today online. And yes, Morley Safer was great.

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login

Nemore Barbieri (factory blue overalls) making some final adjustments to the carburetors. He was a great mechanic.

 

He came over to the USA, did he not? I recall Trefor Thomas saying he refused to work on Rod Stewart's Mardikian-chopped LP400.

Anyway I see a manometer behind the gentleman on the other side so this is likely new-car setup ready for Valentino to test-drive, or after his 1st test-drive.

That's possibly Mimran's Miura Jota in the background.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

He was, he always got the essence of the story, remember he was one of the first to convey to the world what was really going on in Vietnam in the 60s.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Back on track, warming up Pirelli P7Rs

Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I have the same unit, it's for sale if anybody is interested: http://www.countach.ch/HeadGasket/Step23/index.html

 

Thats correct, he did live in San Francisco with his wife for a period of time. His brother Giorgio had a shop locally which was Maserati's official service center. Both brothers started off working at Maserati as mechanics.

By the early 80s Nemore was back at the Lamborghini factory working on the Countach. After moving to Modena he never came back. It's entirely possible Rod dealt with him in the late 70s or shortly after. However, Nemore was very nice; I could see a ticked Giorgio telling someone off though!

 

PM sent.

 

Joe and others, is the VIN known of the car in the CBS doc?

What a great piece of history if the car used belonged to someone on this forum?

R

 

I wish I knew.

 

88.5 Downdraft with rear lens caulking drains per factory, very original.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Very cool, we were able to secure a NOS factory dealer-service unit last year as posted in this thread.

 

It's reserved and most likely sold.

 

Period image by Snapper Seven showing Vic S's Rosso Siviglia/Blu Downdraft sporting recent Ferrari road conquests...

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Bianco Perlato Downdraft which met an unfortunate demise and no longer exists, pics by Snapper Seven

Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Bianco Downdraft with big wing which came to be owned by Rod Stewart, the 2nd image shows F 926 OYR which also met
a tragic ending and no longer exists - all images Snapper Seven.

Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Dino's baby back in the good old days - image by Snapper Seven who we owe a debt of gratitude for these period images.

Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Blimey, that was quick Joe! I only uploaded them today... but you are more than welcome. Good to see them being shared.

By the way, who is Dino?

Cheers
SS

 

I'm a Flickr member as you can see from my link below, so I get alerts.

Dino is the current owner of that Downdraft, discussed earlier in the thread.

 

Do you know the VIN of this car?

 

This is JLA12299, do you know the VIN of F 926 OYR?