360 The Reality of Driving a Countach

Ref the accelerator on RHD, what I found is that very careful alignment of the tube (shimming to align it) that runs under the carpet in the footwell makes a massive difference to progression and effort required, the reality is when these cars were built the tube invariably got misaligned with the bearing in the outer chassis tube and this sets up quite a bit of friction, hence the poor progression and effort.

 

Path, your book will sit very nicely alongside Joe’s Miura Bible in my bookcase. I’m very much looking forward to getting it. Interesting write up regarding the cars foibles too!

 

Hi Path, Great writeup on the Countach. (I wondered if and when you would drive your Italian beast again) Hope that you left lots of energy in Mike to continue servicing our gorgeous cars?
Looking forward to reading your book and meeting up with both our 88 1/2 before very long.
B Image Unavailable, Please Login est wishes, Tadek

 

I edited the punctuation, spacing and type size to make more easily readable.

 

I drive mine all the time and I really don't find it that hard. I've brought it to the supermarket , rush hour traffic, and everything in between. I've had the car for about 10 years. Haven't had the accelerator problem you describe or the 2nd gear issue either. I really disagree with this write up. I think you picked the absolute worst driving conditions (cold, drizzling, and slow) and you're judging the car on that, even tho most of the time it does just fine. If you've driven it 20,000 miles and are still having this much difficulty maybe there's a few things you can do differently.

Any time it won't go into gear, just try another gear really quick and then go back to the one you want. This resets some of the syncros.

If you need to drive super slow, like 3mph, the car can do that. Press the clutch down a little and let the idle RPMs push the car with no foot on the gas. If it's getting too fast, push the clutch further down and you'll slow down. Once you get the hang of it you won't even be wearing the clutch that much. I only smell clutch burn when I'm doing this in a steep uphill location where I have to increase the revs. At low revs it doesn't seem to burn the clutch.

Those max speeds for the gears sound off to me, are those from a manual book or something? I wouldn't go over 35 in first. Certainly not 60. Usually I go to 1st to 3rd at like 20mph. 2nd gear is almost the same as 1st gear to me, so I skip it simply to preserve the clutch longer. 3rd is the most useful gear in this car. Very versatile. The point of 2nd gear is for fast acceleration when you want REALLY high revs. I use it once in a while getting on the freeway just for fun. But usually I skip it cause that's 20% less times I gotta hit the clutch pedal.

My temp gauge seems to come off the peg in 3 min or less most of the time, I haven't had the warm up issue you have but I live in a warm area.

IMO this is a car you should drive at least once a week, maybe more, and keep it for many years. Keep it long term and you will become one with the car. By the time you've driven it 10-20 times, it gets a lot easier than the first time. The first time is scary, and maybe that's why the journalists bash the driving ability.

I do agree that the rear visibility sucks and that is the absolute worst thing about the Countach.

 

Ditto.

 

I found it quite surprising to discover that in-period reviews generally tend to be (very) positive! The Countach is one of those iconic cars that gets retested every now and then and conclusions based on comparisons with a lot more modern cars seem to skew the opinion. This then is amplified and re-affirmed by journalists, maybe driving less than 100% specimens, looking to point out these flaws and forgetting the supercar-aspect the Countach is all about.

 

On social media, there are always those that comment the usual BS that the car is horrible to drive. I always ask have they driven one, answer is always no "but so and so journalist said so". I simply answer well, until you have driven one, you don't have a valid opinion. It's a bit like me criticising the handling of the Space shuttle . . .

It's a car designed in the early 70's. The tech is from the same era. Compare to modern cars which are more video games to me (IMHO) and not testing against contemporaries from the same era, the judgement is always skewed and negative.

I'm a short non muscular guy, I don't have a big hairy chest nor wear a large necklace and medallion. But seem to be able to drive mine no problem. I can even reverse it without sitting on the sill with the door open, I know, I must have magical powers right? And not any spandex in sight!

The OP had a bad day at the office. Wrong time, wrong place, wrong weather. These cars are wonderful but won't be for everyone. It's an analogue car in a digital age and it's all the better for it! Drive it well in better conditions and the reward is immense. But at times, rain, darkness and traffic do play a role. Ask me, I live in London, ave speed less than 10 MPH.

R

 

Also a lot of the driving environment can also be adjusted fairly easily , e.g. pedal heights to tune the car to a specific user. The only thing I really do not like is the handbrake position, for the main the car drives like a big go kart with a V12 soundtrack

 

I think Path really does love his Countach and his write-up is more about getting to know her all over again after 20 years in inclement weather.

The way I look at driving a Countach is, if the general perception is that they are not easy to drive, then I must be a really good driver!

In truth, I'm an ordinary driver and they are not hard to drive at all if you have reasonable expectations and treat the car for what it is, as I have posted before, the fastest I have ever been in a Countach (as fast as it would go) was at night, and I have done a fair amount of nigh-time driving, it's not ideal to be honest, it it's not what I would call difficult.

Neither is driving it in the rain, as I have also posted before the worst weather I drove one in was the rally from Zurich to St Moritz over the Alps years ago, not difficult, but it required your attention at triple-digit speeds in the wet. It was more difficult trying to catch Raymond in GLA12997! Always fun times.

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

 

On some things , you need to make your own mind up. Last C&C a guy was very enthusiastic about my Countach. He quickly went to reviews on the car. He got stuck on a video, I think it was James May's review of the blue one. Never meet your hero is what he said multiple times. I told him my position, that I've owned the car for almost 15 years & it has been the one car I kept over dozens, and still yet he repeated the phrase. SMH

 

If there are only 2,000 people in the world who can master a Countach, that makes us special

 

Some vids from the past, under my stepsons account: Lamborghini Countach driving training up a slippery ground - YouTube

 

Incredible, already 16 years ago with the new Koni Sport struts on the Track, AdR 09 10 05 Countach - YouTube

The reality of driving a Countach is a priviledge and the dozens of journalists complaining about the car are simply idiots with a big mouth - As I have written many times the clutch and brakes on my 1992 Audi S2 were heavier - that much to this BS the pros always complained.

 

Raymond I did the same mods with the koni dampers, much improved over standard

 

I found the opposite, Raymond's mod was great for the track, for the road, the factory Way Assauto units rebuilt to optimum spec are much better, add the new Pirelli Cinturato P7and it is a driving delight, there is a reason why the result of factory engineering as tested and developed by the design source is often best.

Good driving, you nearly lost it a couple of times there!

 

I wanted a much tighter car the konis are far superior in this respect. The oe dampers can be easily bolted back on.

 

A tighter car than the factory optimum spec for the road? The ride must be very harsh on the road bearing in mind that most road surfaces are not the best in reality. Raymond put the Konis on for his intended track days and used them accordingly, so if you are planning on the same, I can see the point.

When I received GLA12997 from Raymond, the Konis were still on (and the Way Assautos were also supplied) and I drove it on the road. With my extensive Countach experience, I found the ride far too hash, so when we restored the car we went back to the factory Way Assuatos and the result was the factory spec items are far better for the road, especially with the new P7s. Valentino Balboni test-drove our car on the road immediately post-restoration and stated how well it drove.

Of course the OE units can go back on.

 

I can only support Joe's Statement for the road the original are much better than the Konis.
Having experience of 14 years ownership covering 60t km with the Mimran QV - everyone has to chose what he uses the car for - I used it around 2004-2008 several times on the track, but later I felt as well for the road keep the original setup except the toe in at the rear - here us the 25th setup - much better what Munari did than the QV setup - although a small change it has a significant impact on handling, much less understeer.

BTW Joe, the situation in the video was also understeer at apex entry.

 

Can't believe you did not overtake the Mini

 

Depends on the tires... on the straight line now issue - but in the turns with regular street tires against slicks - no way.
My other car that day was the 944 Turbo Cup, 2nd place in Turbo Cup Season 1989 driven by Jörg van Ommen.

 

Experience is important.