5000s

Jim, the 5000S with carbs is really the ONLY way to go. The engine is for the most part a 4 ltr with more cu in. The carbs are Weber, just like any of the earlier V12 Lambo cars.
It is as reliable as any Lambo, depending on how you take care of it, like any machine/car.
The valves, you would have to put lots, like 20,000 miles on it before you would have to even think about valve adjustment.
I have been working on/buying and collecting Lambo V12 cars for over 30 years and have yet to own a 4 ltr or any for that matter that needed a valve adjustment.
There are a few people out there that have cars with 50,000 plus miles on them and have done an adjustment.
The carbs, again keep filters clean and you should go thousands of miles with no worry.
Like I said before, it is how you take care of something, as to the service you will get from it.
Chadbourn Bolles
803 532 6257
803 798 3044 cell
[email protected]

 

Hi Jim, i own a 5000S. That's a fantastic car, with a marvellous sound. You have to change the radiators fans with the 25th model and there will be no overheating. That's a problem ALL Countach have, LP400, 400S, 5000S and QV, bust just change the fans and you can go throughout a long taffic jam with no problems.
5000S (4754 cc) engine is less powerful than the four valves 5167 cc but has the best mid low rpm thrust of them all and pulls by far better than the 3929 cc.

Take it!

Valve adjustment is the last Countach problem...

ciao

 

On the topic of carbed Countach reliability, I know the mantra is "drive them, never let them sit". I live in an area that gets a lot of snow in the winter, so for 6 months out of the year, my sports cars are confined to battery tenders in the garage. Is this a deal-breaker for owning a carbed Countach (or any Countach, for that matter), or can they sit for 6 months at a time and still be relatively reliable?

 

Jim,

The LP500S is a great Countach. The last variant fitted with the oh-so-cool side-draft Webers, in the very same visually impressive configuration as the original Countach design. The first of the 5-litre Countachs.

I agree with Chad & Albert-LP's thoughts.

To answer all the questions about reliability, it is like any other mechanical device in life and there is one simple premise: take care of it and operate it correctly and it will take care of you. It doesn't have any particular Achilles heel, but, knowing the cars and conferring with fellow owners who actually own & operate one will bring in all the received wisdom you need. Case in point: Albert-LP's suggestion about the fans.

As a matter of fact, 25 years ago my first Countach was an LP500S in the 80s, chassis #12515. I drove it thousands of miles and drove it so fast I don't think it could go any faster! (at night on the highway). Incredible car with the ultimate in carbureted Countach sounds. Years later I also owned another LP500S, #12562, also a great experience in the years I owned & operated it in all manner of conditions, including driving in insane traffic on California's 405 freeway. I overheated (well,almost), the car didn't!

There are one or two people I am aware of who bought one new, and still use them including rallies & expeditions on the track from time-to-time. Once you invest the time & resources to get one sorted, they are a blast.
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Picked up my QV DD yesterday had the AC fixed. Instead of converting to R134 kept the R12 intact ( blows colder they say). I than drove 25 miles in 100 degree weather with AC full blast often in stop and go traffic. The car stayed cool the entire time! It's how these cars are tuned and maintained really...

Geno

 

none

 

Looks like a great deal. The seller is reputable. I have no idea how it is still sitting for sale at such a low price.

 

LP500S is the official designation. But as with Lamborghini of the period, the marketing department probably thought that LP5000S looked more impressive. So the cars were badged thus, and called that by some. As you wish.

 

i dont think it will be sitting much longer...

 

I guess it looked better than LP 4754 cc.

 

The 5000s ac is marginal, there are upgrades for this if it's a concern. Run the Stabilize fuel additive, especially when you store it. During really cold winters mine can sit, sometimes for a few months if it's really cold. No problems from the carbs. Tires are out dated on many, so check that out for your own safety.

 

i call LP500S the three special "Walter Wolf" cars, an improved LP400 narrow wheels with 4754 cc engine, big P7 tyres, Bravo's wheels, big wheel arches and rear wing.
LP5000S is a later evolution of LP400S with 4754 cc engine instead of 3929cc engine and some interiors upgrade.

Countach model from the beginning:

Countach LP500 (1971 prototype, never produced)
Countach LP400 (1973-1977)
Countach LP500S (1974-1977 three "Walter Wolf" cars)
Countach LP400S (1978-1982, three series)
Countach LP5000S (1982-1985)
Countach Quattrovalvole (1985-1988)
Countach 25° Anniversario (1988-1990)

But usually the three Wolf cars are called in a different way and most of people do not agree and call LP500S the LP5000S 1982-1985 car, as Lamborghini did the same doing a big mess.

Who knows more, please add

ciao

 

Trasaxle and differential are among the few parts never give problems...

Change/check main battery and starter electric cables.
Change all fuel lines immediately. Have the carbs full serviced, with all new gaskets and proper tuning.
Change the spark plug cables.

133 k USD looks to be a superprice for that car, but i should see it in person to be sure of this.

Countach is not a very reliable car: that's not a Porsche... it won't explode, but there will be always small problems.

Be sure fuel tanks do not leak gasoline: it's a very expensive problem...

A small leak of oil from the clutch housing is normal.

If i were closer to you i would inspect that car for you: i know ALMOST all the problems that car can have...

ciao

 

I thought I read somewhere that cars destined for the U.S. were badged 5000S ...anything to that?

 

No, all 321 worldwide (including USA) production cars were.

FWIW, 2 prototypes were badged "5 S".

 

I made a few minor 'tuning' adjustments to your post

I can agree that the LP500S should be called LP5000S, that's an easy one.

But I removed the Wolf cars, because they are prototype LP400 cars, strictly speaking, and besides 1121002 (which had a 4.8 liter engine), his previous cars were not 5 liters at all, they simply had 4 liter engines mildly tuned by Dallara. The "LP500S" moniker they received was after-the-fact when the rumor was citrculating that all Wolf cars had 5 liter engines, something which both Wolf & Dallara confirmed to me was not true.

 

I guess I've never given it much thought. So what were these models officially called by Lamborghini?

 

Thanks Joe: your writing suggested me to check my Countach Bible, alias Jean Marc Borel "Countach" book, ed.1985.

You are right, the LP400 modified cars with big wheels were just tuned a bit (no air filters and so on). Just one car (the Wolf blue one, i think) was 4,8 liter.

On my Lamborghini factory official paper (2010 released) there is just written "LP112C" model, no LP500S or LP5000S.

A small mistery... ;-)

ciao

 

LP112 is the internal code for the Countach model and I think is the for third iteration/variant of the Countach. LP400 being A and LP400S being B. Perhaps someone else can confirm this?

PS - Thank you for your PM, you are a man of character & integrity.