My special trip to buy a Countach in South Africa
Discussion
I hope you don't mind me sharing my story but I'm now in the final stage to complete the purchase of an immaculate 4,000km LP5000S (red, champagne leather, no wing).
I will post photos over the weekend as well as a special video of a certain Valentino Balboni test driving my car. I got in touch with Valentino to come with me to Jo'burg to inspect the car prior to completion. As you can imagine, his passion for all things Lamborghini is infectious and he has so many interesting stories to tell.
The car itself was described by Valentino as incredible. It still has the original P7's and factory wheel weights, as well as all the stickers eg Ansa stickers on exhausts, yellow "turbo" stickers on top of each side mirror casing, transparent stickers on the side and rear view mirrors. The current owner hasn't fully closed the doors, bootlid, etc so as not to crush the rubber seals. It's a bit of a timewarp. Obviously I will be replacing what needs to be replaced (eg still on original oil hoses).
Well, that's it for now until I can get my camera hooked up to a computer and share some photos and the video. I'm sure I will have 100's of questions as a new owner - first one being where can I find stronger arm and leg muscles for the clutch and gearlever!
I will post photos over the weekend as well as a special video of a certain Valentino Balboni test driving my car. I got in touch with Valentino to come with me to Jo'burg to inspect the car prior to completion. As you can imagine, his passion for all things Lamborghini is infectious and he has so many interesting stories to tell.
The car itself was described by Valentino as incredible. It still has the original P7's and factory wheel weights, as well as all the stickers eg Ansa stickers on exhausts, yellow "turbo" stickers on top of each side mirror casing, transparent stickers on the side and rear view mirrors. The current owner hasn't fully closed the doors, bootlid, etc so as not to crush the rubber seals. It's a bit of a timewarp. Obviously I will be replacing what needs to be replaced (eg still on original oil hoses).
Well, that's it for now until I can get my camera hooked up to a computer and share some photos and the video. I'm sure I will have 100's of questions as a new owner - first one being where can I find stronger arm and leg muscles for the clutch and gearlever!
JonathanE said:
AndrewD said:
Thanks folks, will definately post pics, and change the tyres no question.
Anywhere I can buy a set of rims to keep the old tyres on? I'm attracted to the idea of keeping the original P7's even just as a piece of the history stored in the garage
Eurospares should be able to order the original rims:Anywhere I can buy a set of rims to keep the old tyres on? I'm attracted to the idea of keeping the original P7's even just as a piece of the history stored in the garage
http://www.eurospares.co.uk/searchResult_one.asp?S...
Make sure you are sitting down before you read the price!
Jonathan
Thanks though
carspath said:
congratulations on the purchase
the countach steering is very heavy until you get up to 5-10 mph , but the clutch and gearlever movement should not be
Thanks. It's all relative, all the controls are much heavier than my gto for example. VB was happy with gearbox and clutch, but did say they were heavy and that is normalthe countach steering is very heavy until you get up to 5-10 mph , but the clutch and gearlever movement should not be
As promised here are some proper pics of my trip last week to Joburg to inspect the Countach and seal the deal. I was extremely fortunate to be able to take Valentino Balboni along with me to inspect the car. He said it was one of the best he has seen, like new. A combination of the warm, dry climate there and the supreme fastidiousness of the previous owner. He drove it 500km in the last 14 years, got it serviced each year by Lamborghini who came to his house, and otherwise he used to polish it, apply wax and silicone to various rubber bits etc to preserve them, and just stare at the car in his garage. Everything on it is original, even the oil and water hoses (which will be replaced). He's changed the spark plugs to be fair (as well as oil and fuel filters) but has kept the original items - Valentino is going to clean them and reuse them. The original 31 year old tyres are still on the car, they are cracked in places between some of the treads, and the left rear has a bulge in the tread, but I was surprised they did not fall completely to pieces when VB took me out for a test drive. Fortunately, he decided not to drift it in Joburg traffic. There was one previous owner of this car, who bought it new from Lamborghini Portman Sq in London and shipped it out to SA. His name was Johan Meyer, a rather colourful character involved in shady nuclear bomb deals back in the day.
It was a total adventure and absolute pleasure to spend a few days with VB. He still has a huge passion for these cars, obviously they are a part of his life's work. When we met the owner of the Countach he said he hoped our trip all the way to South Africa wouldn't be wasted, and VB replied, quite genuinely "why would it be, we are coming to see a Lamborghini?". He has so many stories he shared about how he got a job with Lamborghini as a young lad (in the service dept) and how this job led to him becoming a test driver (he used to move the cars around the outside of the factory and drive somewhat enthusiastically which led to the secretaries complaining he was making a lot of noise and raising dust - to their credit the management said well you'd better be a test driver then!), etc etc. These days, he doesn't have much to do with the factory and 3 or 4 of his mates and him run their own version of Ferrari's "Classiche" dept. My car's going to him in Italy once I've imported it, as I want him to set it up exactly as it would have been back in the day in all respects. It was awesome listening to his first impressions when he saw the Countach many years ago. He said he was a little worried about the reaction of people in the little villages around Sant'Agata, but he needn't have worried as he was mobbed with smiling incredulous faces the first time he drove one. His favourite Lambos are the Miura and the Countach. He is still connected to the factory in some way, though not officially as he is retired. Hopefully the archive will let me have copies of the car's build sheets and also his test drive notes when he did the post-production shake down all those 31 years ago. Can't wait. He was also gracious enough to chat about his personal life, which is fascinating though obviously I would not relay that. I was so very fortunate he made the trip as his second son's wife was about to give birth to his grandchild.
Another funny moment from the trip: we were in an Italian restaurant having lunch on the final day when we heard a couple talking about cars and the bloke said "Lamborghinis are just tractors". He had no idea Valentino was there, until VB jumped up and rushed over to his table and started making theatrical "what did you just say" etc. He said to the guy "if I wasn't in such a good mood I would take you outside for a fight". But he said it with a smile and it was very good natured. The guy looked gobsmacked. Turns out he used to own a Daytona and is a Ferrari fan. That'll teach him
Anyway, here are some photos as promised:
It was a total adventure and absolute pleasure to spend a few days with VB. He still has a huge passion for these cars, obviously they are a part of his life's work. When we met the owner of the Countach he said he hoped our trip all the way to South Africa wouldn't be wasted, and VB replied, quite genuinely "why would it be, we are coming to see a Lamborghini?". He has so many stories he shared about how he got a job with Lamborghini as a young lad (in the service dept) and how this job led to him becoming a test driver (he used to move the cars around the outside of the factory and drive somewhat enthusiastically which led to the secretaries complaining he was making a lot of noise and raising dust - to their credit the management said well you'd better be a test driver then!), etc etc. These days, he doesn't have much to do with the factory and 3 or 4 of his mates and him run their own version of Ferrari's "Classiche" dept. My car's going to him in Italy once I've imported it, as I want him to set it up exactly as it would have been back in the day in all respects. It was awesome listening to his first impressions when he saw the Countach many years ago. He said he was a little worried about the reaction of people in the little villages around Sant'Agata, but he needn't have worried as he was mobbed with smiling incredulous faces the first time he drove one. His favourite Lambos are the Miura and the Countach. He is still connected to the factory in some way, though not officially as he is retired. Hopefully the archive will let me have copies of the car's build sheets and also his test drive notes when he did the post-production shake down all those 31 years ago. Can't wait. He was also gracious enough to chat about his personal life, which is fascinating though obviously I would not relay that. I was so very fortunate he made the trip as his second son's wife was about to give birth to his grandchild.
Another funny moment from the trip: we were in an Italian restaurant having lunch on the final day when we heard a couple talking about cars and the bloke said "Lamborghinis are just tractors". He had no idea Valentino was there, until VB jumped up and rushed over to his table and started making theatrical "what did you just say" etc. He said to the guy "if I wasn't in such a good mood I would take you outside for a fight". But he said it with a smile and it was very good natured. The guy looked gobsmacked. Turns out he used to own a Daytona and is a Ferrari fan. That'll teach him
Anyway, here are some photos as promised:
Thanks chaps. I'm getting excited, hopefully it will be in the UK within next 5-10 days. I'm putting the plate 50OOS on it too. Then it will go to Italy for Valentino and his associates to service and prep it so that it is set up exactly as it was when it left the factory, with some new P7's we have managed to source.
carspath said:
andrewd----that is a truly stunning 5000s, with an equally stunning life story
every countach, seems to have a story that comes with it, and we have a duty to record that , if only verbally or on the web
it is the same colour combination as mine, and I always use a newly washed set of clothes when I get into mine ,in an attempt to preserve the interior
(I have much less control over the exterior, so I call it patina, and am proud of it, especially since as of last Monday , i have owned and driven 12399 for longer and further than its first and only other owner)
my other cars all have black interiors, so one can afford to be just a little less precious with them
I look forward to seeing it at one of the shows
if valentino is still with you, please say hello to him from path, and thank him from me for lunch last year
Thanks! Good point about clothes. Maybe I should invest in 1980's white jeans and shirt every countach, seems to have a story that comes with it, and we have a duty to record that , if only verbally or on the web
it is the same colour combination as mine, and I always use a newly washed set of clothes when I get into mine ,in an attempt to preserve the interior
(I have much less control over the exterior, so I call it patina, and am proud of it, especially since as of last Monday , i have owned and driven 12399 for longer and further than its first and only other owner)
my other cars all have black interiors, so one can afford to be just a little less precious with them
I look forward to seeing it at one of the shows
if valentino is still with you, please say hello to him from path, and thank him from me for lunch last year
I will pass on your best wishes, and hope to see you and your car at some point
Pork said:
Seems to be a lot of love for these at the moment....and I'm guessing the one the OP has is of unrivalled condition.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Valentino, in his report to me on the car, has described it as "a reference for originality" and "it gave me immense joy". That's enough for me!http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
FartKong said:
Beautiful car and great story. Have the new P7's you've sourced been manufactured recently or are they a set of unused tyres the same age as the car as surely the rubber will still have deteriorated even if they havent been used?
Indeed, we have sourced more up to date manufactured tyresandrew said:
AndrewD said:
Pork said:
Seems to be a lot of love for these at the moment....and I'm guessing the one the OP has is of unrivalled condition.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Valentino, in his report to me on the car, has described it as "a reference for originality" and "it gave me immense joy". That's enough for me!http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Anjum said:
Hi AndrewD
Would these be a new(er) set manufactured in Turkey, by Pirelli? I believe that Harry Metcalf did an article for EVO - and even tried to help with the production of his own tyres!
Anjum
Hi Anjum, not sure where the tyres are from, VB has sourced them. Will try to find more infoWould these be a new(er) set manufactured in Turkey, by Pirelli? I believe that Harry Metcalf did an article for EVO - and even tried to help with the production of his own tyres!
Anjum
Mr Trophy said:
Sorry for the bump, hows this coming along?
The car is with Valentino in Italy for a recommissioning service, since it has not driven much in the last few years. It will be back shortly and I will post some pics. I went to visit him and the car recently, just fantastic attention to detail by guys who probably assembled it in the first place.
Gassing Station | Lamborghini Classics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff