Discussion
Fessia fancier said:
rat rod said:
While outside my local chippy in the 400 S everyone came out to watch me
take off up the road including the cooks ,it completely emptied the shop
only to find it wouldn't fire, I was lucky there was so many of them to push it
out of harms way, how to go from hero to zero in minutes,
The village were still talking about it a week later.
Was something to do with the ignition, Mike fixed that as well amougst other things
while it was there.
That reminds me of a similar failure to start in my Espada outside a wine bar, luckily I was with three friends who could give a push!take off up the road including the cooks ,it completely emptied the shop
only to find it wouldn't fire, I was lucky there was so many of them to push it
out of harms way, how to go from hero to zero in minutes,
The village were still talking about it a week later.
Was something to do with the ignition, Mike fixed that as well amougst other things
while it was there.
when things go pear shape, not so easy with two if that happened in the Countach .
cgt2 said:
thegreenhell said:
Bravo for letting Jayemm drive it.
I remember seeing that car at Portman when new. Didn't the owner also get Valentino to sign the centre console?showroom in George Street but it was still at the workshop in Brentford , Mike Perry had just sold this 5000 S to a
African prince and needed to get it to the workshop so he threw me the keys and said perfect ,you now got transport to
collect your car. Straight into the deep end driving someone else's Countach across central London that has just been sold ,
No pressure then ,Not that famillar with the car or route it was the most daunting drive of my life with all that responsibility
heaped on my shoulders, must admit to not wanting to take the left hand slip road to Brentford but take the ramp leading me
on the M4 but with the petrol light winking at me i didn't think Del what be to amused getting a call that i had run out of petrol
on the motorway, But that was it ,made my mine up that one day i would have to own one even if it meant selling my sole to the devil .
With one divorce behind me and one on the way , kids at school i just had to be a bit more patient than i had imagined on that day..
Couldn't imagine that situation happening in todays world but things were more relaxed back then , shame it's got so corporate.
Edited by rat rod on Saturday 2nd July 21:07
cgt2 said:
I remember seeing that car at Portman when new. Didn't the owner also get Valentino to sign the centre console?
Thanks, it was a positive review and JM was pretty enthusiastic (and very professional). I'm glad people liked it. For my part, it is a nice thing to see your car on film, even if one can just pop to the garage and see the same car anytime.I don't see any trace of a signature from Valentino today, and the interior is original. He did inspect the car in the past, though (for the previous owner).
rat rod said:
That reminds me ,the first Countach i ever drove was a Acapulco blue 5000 S ,Went to collect my Jalpa from Portman's
showroom in George Street but it was still at the workshop in Brentford , Mike Perry had just sold this 5000 S to a
African prince and needed to get it to the workshop so he threw me the keys and said perfect ,you now got transport to
collect your car. Straight into the deep end driving someone else's Countach across central London that has just been sold ,
No pressure then ,Not that famillar with the car or route it was the most daunting drive of my life with all that responsibility
heaped on my shoulders, must admit to not wanting to take the left hand slip road to Brentford but take the ramp leading me
on the M4 but with the petrol light winking at me i didn't think Del what be to amused getting a call that i had run out of petrol
on the motorway, But that was it ,made my mine up that one day i would have to own one even if it meant selling my sole to the devil .
With one divorce behind me and one on the way , kids at school i just had to be a bit more patient than i had imagined on that day..
Couldn't imagine that situation happening in todays world but things were more relaxed back then , shame it's got so corporate.
That sounds like a stressful experience! I think there is still a 5000S in that colour knocking around in England somewhere, perhaps the same car.showroom in George Street but it was still at the workshop in Brentford , Mike Perry had just sold this 5000 S to a
African prince and needed to get it to the workshop so he threw me the keys and said perfect ,you now got transport to
collect your car. Straight into the deep end driving someone else's Countach across central London that has just been sold ,
No pressure then ,Not that famillar with the car or route it was the most daunting drive of my life with all that responsibility
heaped on my shoulders, must admit to not wanting to take the left hand slip road to Brentford but take the ramp leading me
on the M4 but with the petrol light winking at me i didn't think Del what be to amused getting a call that i had run out of petrol
on the motorway, But that was it ,made my mine up that one day i would have to own one even if it meant selling my sole to the devil .
With one divorce behind me and one on the way , kids at school i just had to be a bit more patient than i had imagined on that day..
Couldn't imagine that situation happening in todays world but things were more relaxed back then , shame it's got so corporate.
Edited by rat rod on Saturday 2nd July 21:07
Fessia fancier said:
That sounds like a stressful experience! I think there is still a 5000S in that colour knocking around in England somewhere, perhaps the same car.
The 5000 S i drove had blue seats with white or could have been magnolia inserts, can't quite remember,it was more years than i care to remember,
Yes it was very stressful but i wasn't going to say no ,
As i said once clear of central London traffic i was that much away from disappearing up the M4,
Similar thing happened to me when i gave my friend Paul Baber a hand to clear his Ferrari's from the Earls Court
show and take them back to his Kensington garage, After begging him to let me drive the ex Clint Eastwood 275 GTB,
i was sitting at the Cromwell road lights with my indicator to go right to Kensington then noticed the fuel tank read half full,
i was very tempted to go left towards Richmond being probably my one and only chance to drive a 275GTB but not
knowing if it was an Italian half full and with Paul infront of me in a Daytona i thought i'd better behave myself,
The 275 was everything i thought it would be ,well at least in 1st and 2nd gear that is,
Edited by rat rod on Sunday 3rd July 10:32
cgt2 said:
I remember seeing that car at Portman when new. Didn't the owner also get Valentino to sign the centre console?
I could be confusing it with another blue Countach, possibly a pre-QV. It's also interesting that some cars had the CD player and equaliser in a pod on top of the dash.Anyway great to see and hear it on film, that sound really is completely unique in the Supercar world.
Thanks cgt2. It is the only RHD QV in this colour as far as I am aware (and Rob W above is a mine of info). It is possible the centre console could have been signed and then cleaned, I suppose. I love these stories of the cars in period. Apparently Joe Sackey lived down the road from the first owner and used to see it then, for example.
Fessia fancier said:
Thanks cgt2. It is the only RHD QV in this colour as far as I am aware (and Rob W above is a mine of info). It is possible the centre console could have been signed and then cleaned, I suppose. I love these stories of the cars in period. Apparently Joe Sackey lived down the road from the first owner and used to see it then, for example.
I'll ask Del if he remembers.Rat rod, was this your car?
https://www.luxclassics.com/vehicle-details/Used-L...
(no connection to me).
https://www.luxclassics.com/vehicle-details/Used-L...
(no connection to me).
Fessia fancier said:
Rat rod, was this your car?
https://www.luxclassics.com/vehicle-details/Used-L...
(no connection to me).
Didn't think it would take long before you or someone would spot it ,https://www.luxclassics.com/vehicle-details/Used-L...
(no connection to me).
yes, doesn't look like much has been done to it ,a little tidy up on the paintwork here and there perhaps,
The question is do you leave it as it is and drive it like i did for 13 years or now do a full restoration
and while doing so put it back to the original colour, the fear is it could become another garage queen,
Surprised the seller hasn't mentioned that the first owner was Ted Toleman of Toleman Formula one
team back in the 80's, then Tim Dutton of Dutton Cars,believe there was only two previous owners before me besides the for mentioned,
Steve Ashton then Colin Howard after that ,think Steve bought the car back from Colin but not 100% sure about that.
The car is well documented in most of the Countach books in all it's three colours,
I knew the car would raise it's head one day but was expecting in it's orginal gold not yellow.
,
Edited by rat rod on Monday 11th July 08:47
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