Countach, the ultimate supercar | Page 158 | FerrariChat
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Countach, the ultimate supercar

Discussion in 'LamborghiniChat.com' started by joe sackey, Aug 21, 2007.

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  1. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

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    #3926 joe sackey, Oct 16, 2009
    Andrew:

    A total of 237* LP400S were built. But you really ought to consider them as three distinct versions of the variant.

    Series 1 - 50 built
    Series 2 - 105 built
    Series 3 - 82 built

    Values are starkly different, and I have gotten us much as $300k for a Series 1 in the heady days of early 2008 (more like $200k today, or even a bit less), Series 2 cars should be worth $150k for a no-needs example, with the Series 3 cars trailing behind at circa $100k. These are just broad outlines and numbers will vary very much from one car to another. Which is really what it is all about with Countachs: they vary so much in condition from one car to another.

    Hope this helps.
     
  2. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #3927 amenasce, Oct 17, 2009

    Thanks Joe ! Which one is the one that sits the lowest and looks the purest ? Usually they have the telephone dial wheels. My dad is looking for a Countach and he has his eyes set on another 25th but im trying to direct him towards a 400S.

    I love the one NSXER has, is that a S1 ?
     
  3. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

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    #3928 joe sackey, Oct 17, 2009
    The Series 1 sits low, and has the telephone dial wheels.

    The Series 2 also sits low and has the smooth-face wheels (NSXER's car).

    I think Countachs in general are HUGE fun!
     
  4. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

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    #3929 joe sackey, Oct 17, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
  5. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #3930 amenasce, Oct 18, 2009
    He already had a 25th a few years ago.I didnt really like it :). Thanks for the comparo pics, the 400S is just much better looking !!

    Any one the market right now ?
     
  6. S_A

    S_A Formula Junior

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    #3931 S_A, Oct 18, 2009
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2009
    Yep, LP400S is the most perfect Countach also to me. Of course the LP400 is the most classic one, people just does not know the LP400 very well. All my friends just think that Countach has allways been a "spoiler" monster straight from the begining.
     
  7. ken qv

    ken qv Formula 3

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    #3932 ken qv, Oct 18, 2009
    The general public does only seem to know the "spoiler monster"
    version that's for sure. The smooth, non-aggresive/bicycle tire version
    just wasn't picked for the poster. Even back in the day, I have to think that it wasn't
    preferred once the mods were made because otherwise so many wouldn't have been
    converted to look like the S model.
     
  8. S_A

    S_A Formula Junior

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    #3933 S_A, Oct 18, 2009
    Hmm could be yes.
    How many of those have been converted to S-models?
    Personaly I think that's quite strange, I understand if you convert a 10 000 units made car to look like version, but not these volumes.......
     
  9. ken qv

    ken qv Formula 3

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    #3934 ken qv, Oct 18, 2009
    Oh, for a number on that we will need someone smarter than me to say.
    Luckily, it seems to be the trend to reverse them back to their proper
    place in history.
     
  10. S_A

    S_A Formula Junior

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    #3935 S_A, Oct 18, 2009
    Yep I have notised same thing! Fortunately!
     
  11. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

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    #3936 joe sackey, Oct 18, 2009
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2009
    S_A:

    You are correct that the LP400 is considered the classic Countach, no question there. But they really are all classics at this point.

    However, if your friends think Countachs appeared with spoilers, then they are familiar with the variants from 1979 onwards, 8 years after the prototype Countach LP500 appeared in 1971, so they are missing 8 years of Countach history and 4 years of production existence. Even the production LP400 was in all the magazines from 1974 onwards. A little research should help them make amends! However I think there may be a generational thing going on, where people focus on the variants of a model that come to prominence at the point in time when they start noticing the car.
     
  12. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

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    #3937 joe sackey, Oct 18, 2009
    I agree that bringing an LP400 back is a good thing. Perhaps 25 were converted between the factory and privateers. Maybe 10 are back, or on their way back...
     
  13. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

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    #3938 joe sackey, Oct 18, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    Ken:

    So many LP400 were converted just because the "S" was simply the 'latest & greatest' new thing, a situation you see throughout the automobile world. I would say that the industry also saw ways to re-sell cars and many of the conversions were simply commercially motivated. Obviously, the fact that the conversions are being undone and the cars brought back to standard LP400 speaks volumes for the fact that perhaps these conversions were done in haste, and that in fact at the end of the day, the LP400 is the one preferred.

    If you look at the fact that astute collectors pay 2 or 3 times more for an LP400 versus other Countachs, you have a clear indication of what is preferred that speaks for itself.

    If you were a fan in the early 70s, the LP400 was on as many magazine covers as later variants, but, if you were not paying attention to the Countach in that decade and only came to know the cars in the 80s, its quite likely that the spoiler'ed cars became the focus of your attention.

    I would disagree that the general public only seems to know the 'spoiler monster'. Having owned all variants of the Countach, I am surprised how many people, young & old, will recognize the LP400 and say: "Cool, thats an EARLY Countach!". However, I might concede that among some generations, the 'spoiler & wheel-arch' cars are more popular. But Ive never experienced the public ever mistaking an LP400 or failing to identify it.

    I should mention that the LP400 has 9-inch rear wheels, so although that's a far cry from the 12's of the later cars, its still fairly wide amongst automobiles today.

    Lastly, should say I have stacks of magazine articles from the 1970s, and the LP400 was considered the undisputed "Fastest Car" of its era, something which later versions with all their wing, spats & spoilers, never were. Just going through some of them reminds me of how stunned the world was when production started in 1974...
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  14. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

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    #3939 joe sackey, Oct 18, 2009
    Andrew, let me check...
     
  15. SMS

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    #3940 SMS, Oct 19, 2009
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  16. EMILIO

    EMILIO F1 Veteran

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    #3941 EMILIO, Oct 19, 2009
    no, it is an S2

    S1 have bravos and are 78-79
     
  17. paul328

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    #3942 paul328, Oct 19, 2009
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    After driving my car into a ditch a few months ago and breaking the front n/s spoiler I decided to do a virtually complete respary on the car. A few questions though.

    In front of the radiators there are some studs which look as if there was some form of mesh or grill attached. There wasn't any on my car. Was this standard? Assume it would be to protect the radiators?

    I am having the 'black' seal lines put back on around the arches etc. Were these meant to extend all the way around the front of the car along the top of the bumper and under the bottom of the front boot?

    Has anyone put in any filters in line for the ventilation system? I know it's pathetic at the best of times and don't want to hinder air flow too much. However a lot of dust and dirt accumulates there and when you open these at speed the dash gets powder coated! Ferrari used a basic in line filter in the 308GT4 and was thinking of copying it?

    Attached a few pics of before and after
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  18. paul328

    paul328 Formula Junior

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    #3943 paul328, Oct 19, 2009
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  19. S_A

    S_A Formula Junior

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    #3944 S_A, Oct 19, 2009
    Yes! Of course they all today are true classic, and rare ones! I meant that the LP400 is to me, the most classic one. It's hard to find so incredible looking car, narrow wheels and incredible looks. And the sound.

    Yep, I didn''t really knew so much about LP400, before I started to search things on the Net and so on. And the biggest kick to me was to see LP5000S at Finland, the car what I never expect to see, the old love flamed again. But very early I falled in love the LP400 also, it's so clean and so incredible looking peace of art.

    And some effect of my lack of information about this is that I have born 1980, and when I was around 10 years an old, I saw the Countach, and Diablo, and that time early of 90's there wasn't any more the LP400, there was that LP5000S and QV and 25th Anniversario. That's why most of my friends the very first, the most classic Countach is very unknown case. :/
     
  20. hyenahf

    hyenahf F1 Rookie

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    #3945 hyenahf, Oct 19, 2009
    the LP400 may have been arguably the fastest car in the world but i reckon its a far cry from (190 plus?) top speed road and track and motor magazine claimed estimated at the time.

    people say the cleaner aerodynamic daytona had a faster true top speed?

    its all a moot point, the LP400 change the way we perceive exotic cars forever.
     
  21. Redlambo

    Redlambo Formula 3
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    #3946 Redlambo, Oct 19, 2009
    The studs in the front of the Radiators are for the additional cooling fans used on the 4 valve Countachs.

    As far as the black seal lines. Yes they go on as you stated, see picture below.

    [​IMG]

    Your on your own on the filters. Best of luck, Vic
     
  22. paul328

    paul328 Formula Junior

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    #3947 paul328, Oct 19, 2009
    Hi Victhanks for that. Mine is a QV and didnt think it had 4 fans? Were they standard when the car came out?
    Thanks for the pics of the sealant. To be honest hadn't remebered mine like that but it does make sense!
    Paul
     
  23. EMILIO

    EMILIO F1 Veteran

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    #3948 EMILIO, Oct 19, 2009
    a recent test performed by italian magazine on a yellow and supposedly stock italian LP400 got the car to a real 299 Km-h ... not sayng ALL LP400 go 300 but it is a believable top speed for the best cars

    sure the LP was a serious fast machine and quicker than a (stock) daytona
     
  24. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

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    #3949 joe sackey, Oct 19, 2009
    I believe it.
     
  25. joe sackey

    joe sackey Five Time F1 World Champ

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    #3950 joe sackey, Oct 19, 2009
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    This man told me personally that he saw 300 kph in a Countach. Electronically timed. Of course they have to be in fine fettle and have ideal conditions to do that....
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