Countach LP400 Vintage Photos | Page 12 | FerrariChat

Countach LP400 Vintage Photos

Discussion in 'LamborghiniChat.com' started by Lambocars666, Jul 14, 2016.

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  1. Lambocars666

    Lambocars666 Formula Junior

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    #276 Lambocars666, Jan 2, 2018
    Wonderful!! Thank you so much John!

    Oh, that Blue LP400 with white interior! It could really be 1120134... said to have been owned by an "Oil Sheikh"...
    before being exported to the USA (through Panama) and receiving the modifications that made her (in)famous: the Mardikian/Giacobone targa conversion.

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  2. Lambocars666

    Lambocars666 Formula Junior

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    #277 Lambocars666, Jan 2, 2018
    Countach #1120236 was ordered by Japanese Lamborghini dealer SeaSide Motor late 1976.
    Here seen in 1977.

    The most recent known photos of this LP400 were published in 1978. Now 40 years we haven't seen nor heard anything about it...

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  3. Lambocars666

    Lambocars666 Formula Junior

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    #278 Lambocars666, Jan 3, 2018
    Those photos were posted in the main Countach thread 10 years ago...
    But here's a story about them, that I shared within a circle of friends already, but some of you here may enjoy it as well:


    My dream-car, in my hometown... I wasn't even born yet!

    It seems I've been surrounded by supercars during my childhood: Many Porsche and Ferrari to be seen every week, the neighbor was driving a rare TVR painted british-racing-green, RHD of course! There was a F40 around as well. Oh, and the two Lamborghini Diablo registered there would have made me late for school, definitely!

    But it seems I was born a little too late to enjoy the cars I love the most on the road...
    My uncle told me his friend used to have a Miura as a daily driver back in the days! Oh la la.
    Actually, I remember seing my first Countach being driven between Biarritz and Hossegor on the south-west French Altantic coast with my grand-father:
    It was a red 5000 S... with the huge rear wing... and that sound! (*o*)

    But I only got to know in the recent years there used to be a rarer version too: a white Countach LP400... a long time ago!
    Some people remembered it, though nobody seemed to have any photo... Until someone shared some in 2008.

    And since then, I was able to identify this particular Countach:
    It was a very early LP400 from 1974, the 9th production LP400 in fact.
    Originally delivered to french Lamborghini dealer Thépenier in Paris, it was the LP400 on display at Paris Auto Show in October 1974.
    It used to be painted 'Marrone', a classic brown non-metallic Lamborghini color, and in fact the only one of the whole Countach production painted this shade!
    Later, this LP400 changed hands and was repainted white by a small workshop in the countryside of south-west France (where it was registered too) during the late 1970s.

    After some deep investigation I could finally find the person who used to own that little garage, now long retired, and contacted them.
    When I mentioned the car, now 4 decades later, she could remember straight:
    "Ah, the Countach? Of course I remember it! We had ever seen only one there... No way to forget!"
    Then, she confirmed the car used to be painted brown originally, even before I would be asking!

    I got to know this LP400 is still in France, awaiting restoration. Hopefully, we may see it again in the near future... in its original classy brown-brown spec?


    Here is 1120018 in Biarritz parked near the beach, during July 1980.

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  4. em42

    em42 Formula 3

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    #279 em42, Jan 4, 2018
    Wonderful pictures and wonderful story!
     
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  5. Lambocars666

    Lambocars666 Formula Junior

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    #280 Lambocars666, Jan 6, 2018
    #1120264 Giallo Fly - Tabacco & #1120268 Rosso - Bianco were built one after the other on the production line, and were both consigned June 30th 1977.

    Here's a very rare photo of those two LP400 together at the factory, ready to be driven to the UK.

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  6. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #281 joe sackey, Jan 7, 2018
    Very cool, especially the last part of the last sentence.
     
  7. Lambocars666

    Lambocars666 Formula Junior

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    #282 Lambocars666, Jan 8, 2018
    And even cooler: Derek Hopkins from 'Berlinetta Italia / Portman' back in the days who can relate!

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  8. Lambocars666

    Lambocars666 Formula Junior

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    #283 Lambocars666, Jan 10, 2018
    The penultimate Countach LP400 #1120298, here seen wearing snow tires during the winter of 1978, on Quai du Mont Blanc in Geneva:

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  9. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #284 joe sackey, Jan 10, 2018
    By "snow tires", do you mean metal-studded tires, or simply tires with a winter pattern?
     
  10. Lambocars666

    Lambocars666 Formula Junior

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    #285 Lambocars666, Jan 10, 2018
    That is a good question! The pattern on the tire border seem deeper to me. Unfortunately I don't have any better photo, thus I can't be too sure how they really look.
    This photo was probably taken eather by Peter Coltrin or Jean-François Marchet. I'll try to ask Marchet if he remembers...
     
  11. wbaeumer

    wbaeumer F1 Veteran
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    #286 wbaeumer, Jan 11, 2018
    Well, when I had my LP400 I clocked over 30,000 km in it...within 2 years!
    And I can tell you driving it in the snow is a real handful....
     
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  12. Lambocars666

    Lambocars666 Formula Junior

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    #287 Lambocars666, Jan 11, 2018
    Which LP400 did you own?
    Do you have some old pics of it to share? :)
     
  13. raymondQV

    raymondQV F1 Rookie

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    #288 raymondQV, Jan 12, 2018
    the one which is now in the VW Museum in Wolfsburg

    1120118 ~ ~ Red Black Leather Walter Baumer, now exhibited in the "Volkswagen Autostadt" in Wolfsburg, Germany.
     
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  14. wbaeumer

    wbaeumer F1 Veteran
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    #289 wbaeumer, Jan 12, 2018
    Yup, that one! Race mechanic Steve Hart in the UK made a "wonder motor" of it!! Its one of the 3 most remarkable cars I have ever owned...and I had a lot!
     
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  15. wbaeumer

    wbaeumer F1 Veteran
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    #290 wbaeumer, Jan 12, 2018
    Raymond,
    yes, I have and I think you can find them on the Countache-thread.
     
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  16. EMILIO

    EMILIO F1 Veteran

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    #291 EMILIO, Jan 12, 2018
    which are the other 2?
     
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  17. raymondQV

    raymondQV F1 Rookie

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    #292 raymondQV, Jan 12, 2018
    That's Victor, not me.
     
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  18. Lambocars666

    Lambocars666 Formula Junior

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    #293 Lambocars666, Jan 12, 2018
    OK, great!

    I could find some photos of 1120118 when new in Japan circa 1975 - 1977.
    Mr. Tomita of Tomita Auto was the first owner.

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  19. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ
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    #294 joe sackey, Jan 12, 2018
    A number of images of 1120118 have been posted in the main Countach thread over the years.

    Excellent period images, thanks for sharing.
     
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  20. wbaeumer

    wbaeumer F1 Veteran
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    #295 wbaeumer, Jan 12, 2018
    The other two cars were the 2nd BMW M1 I owned and the BMW 3.0 CSL lightweight I purchased new when I was 23 years old in 1976. I forgot the a 4th car - the 911 2.7 RS I had also in 1976.

    Those were the days...
     
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  21. wbaeumer

    wbaeumer F1 Veteran
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    #296 wbaeumer, Jan 12, 2018
    Last edited: Jan 12, 2018
    Fantastic!!! I never saw those images of my ex-#118! Many thanks for posting.
    A funny story:
    Someone in Japan had ruined the clutch. The boys in Japan tried to repair it. But this needs to get the entine/gearbox out of the car. They tried but for somehow reason they were unable to finish that job.
    The car went then with broken gasket to the UK and it spend there approx. 10 years in a garage. Then it was sold by its unknown UK-owner to Belgium - still with non-working clutch and the broken gasket.
    After some years in that country I traced it and bought it with 8,000 km on its clock. The owner at that time was a private investment company in Luxembourg. My mechanic took out the engine and replaced the gaskets. Then he called me and showed me some Japanese writing between the cam covers obviously done by the mechanics (at Tomita Auto?). I was unable to read it as I do not speak the language of the rising sun. Some weeks later I met a young woman from Japan walking by in front of my house. I asked her to translate the words. She looked at it and started laughing. The writing meant "F***king Lamborghini!"

    I couldn`t stop laughing!
     
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  22. wbaeumer

    wbaeumer F1 Veteran
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    #297 wbaeumer, Jan 12, 2018
    ooops - sorry!
     
  23. cnpapa24

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    #298 cnpapa24, Jan 13, 2018
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  24. Lambocars666

    Lambocars666 Formula Junior

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    #299 Lambocars666, Jan 15, 2018
  25. ian copley

    ian copley Rookie

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    #300 ian copley, Jan 15, 2018
    Attached photographs of the 1974 London Motor show held at Earls Court, published in Autocar magazine.

    The posted shot with Islero and Miura ( neither in production in 1974) , is I believe from a recent Goodwood event.
     

    Attached Files:

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