The Reality of Driving a Countach
Discussion
Almost exactly 20 years ago , my first act after buying Chassis JLA 12399 ( an 88 1/2 5000 QV ) from HR Owen , the UK's then sole official Lamborghini concessionaire , was to ring Mike Pullen and ask him to service the car . For those who might not know , Mike Pullen has serviced Countachs for over 40 years now , and at some point in time has probably looked after just about every Countach in southern England .
Mike has looked after 12399 ever since , and a couple of weeks ago the car was transported up to Haywards Heath for an inspection and treatment session by its longstanding physician . Fortunately little more was needed other than a routine major service : the exhaust back box needed some welding , a clutch hose needed replacement , and we decided that all four brake calipers needed refurbishment .
The car was also running its original , Sant' Agata fitted rear brake pads ( 12399 is also on its original factory clutch ) - so we decided that after 33 years and 34,000 kilometres the time had come to replace them . More about the Countach's aerodynamics later , which partly explains the longevity of the brake pads .
For a multitude of reasons I hadn't driven the car for ages , and I was also missing it ( the service work was done very quickly , but the brake calipers had to be sent off , and there was a long delay before the calipers were sent back to Mike ) after its 2 1/2 week spring holiday chez Pullen , so immediately upon getting the call that 12399 was ready to be collected , I ignored the weather forecast and decided to pick it up myself .
Despite having had the car for over 20 years , and despite having driven it for almost 20,000 kilometres , it was absolutely not the case of jumping back onto the bicycle and gaily wheeling off into the distance . I drove up in my wife's elderly Mercedes CLS , and the contrast between the CLS and the Countach was total . And hence this thread - some owners might recognise a few things , and some enthusiasts might find what follows of interest .
As it was a Saturday , I picked the car up from Mike's home rather than from his garage . As usual Mike had performed his magic , and the car started immediately after the usual ritual - it was cold and raining , so 3 dabs of the accelerator pedal , clutch pedal in , turn the ignition key , and pray .
A slightly different procedure is needed if the car hasn't been started for more than a day , and yet another procedure if the engine is still warm .
12399 is of Mediterranean extraction and abhors the cold . Mike's driveway climbs fairly steeply upwards before intersecting with a very busy but narrow road . Which I had to cross ! Not an auspicious start to a four hour , 160 mile journey , when it is pelting down with rain - especially on a busy Saturday morning . To execute the move onto the opposite side of the narrow road without kerbing the nearside front OZ wheel demanded a 3 point turn .
2nd gear is out of bounds until the transmission oil is warm , so it was a case of using 1st gear and then short-shifting to 3rd . To give you an idea , max speeds in each of the 5 forwards gears are respectively: 60 mph ; 80 mph : 120 : 150 : 178 - or so Sant' Agata says .
To keep up with the Saturday supermarket crowd meant a hooligan like high rev scream in 1st gear , OR a bucking bronco ride in 3rd . Unwanted attention OR shaken and stirred - the driver's choice . What was definitely not yet on the menu was 2nd gear .
The Countach really , really dislikes low revs and low speeds . The drive up in the CLS was so effortless . In contrast the drive back home in the Countach was so full of effort .
One example - the car has no intermittent wiper setting ( cf the CLS with its rain detector facility !! ) , so each time the windscreen got sufficiently speckled to impede vision , you had to take your left hand off the steering wheel and depress the wiper stalk .
And with the huge windscreen set at 21 degrees to the horizontal , the pantograph wipers did an excellent job of clearing the vast majority of the screen but not the peripheral edges - which is unhelpful when there are pedestrians whom you don't want to run down in case they dent the Countach's delicate 1 mm aluminium bodywork .
The Countach's Bizzarrini V12 engine and its 5-speed gearbox carry vast volumes of their respective lubricant , so it takes forever , and many miles , before these fluids warm up , and before 2nd gear can be safely employed .
And right-hand drive Countach's accelerator cables have to negotiate a more convoluted path back to the engine bay than their left-hand drive counterparts , so there is an initial dead spot ( however well lubricated the cable is ) to the accelerator pedal which makes smooth and precise modulation difficult .
But once the car is fully warmed up , and once you have open roads , the Countach transforms from a recalcitrant brat to a thing of joy . This is such an imperfect car - it was imperfect in 1973 , and it is even more imperfect in traffic dense and speed cameras saturated 2021 . It needs wide , clear , unrestricted roads . Anything less and it is a minor nightmare .
It thrives on high revs and even more on high speeds - no , the two are not exactly synonymous .
It is not a car that anyone half sensible would choose to take to the supermarket -- why would you use a jewel encrusted microscalpel for a job that requires a bone-saw .
It was a good hour before I again felt really comfortable driving my old playmate -- so how could anyone reasonably ask a journalist to make a fair assessment of this very atypical car after just a brief half day acquaintance ?
I could go on and on , but what struck me most were the following points :
1) I would never choose to drive a Countach ( or for that matter any car ) for pleasure without first selecting the most quiet time of day and route . On this occasion i broke this cardinal rule , and the drive was hugely less pleasurable than it could have been . On a couple of very , very brief occasions the Countach had the opportunity of showing its mettle - and Wow , simply Wow .
2) This grande dame can still really pick up her skirts and move -- when given the opportunity to do so .
3 ) She is a demanding lover - The Countach wants constant attention at low speed ( to drive it smoothly , and without it screaming like a banshee at 10 mph ) , and it needs total commitment when at the other end of its performance spectrum .
4) The Countach receives so much unjustified criticism for the weight of its steering , clutch pedal , and gear-change . Once moving beyond 5 mph, and especially once the Countach's engine and road speeds are at respectable levels consistent with its 1971 design brief ( the '' ultimate macchina sportive stradale '' ) these barbs carry absolutely no substance . All 3 controls have a delicious mechanical heft , and there is a consistency of effort shared by all 3 controls .
The most pressing limitations to the Countach as a driving tool are its poor outwards visibility and its width .
5) The car's aerodynamics are dire . My wife who was following in the CLS said that for sometime she thought that the Countach's brake lights had failed because she didn't see them light up . In fact all I had to do was employ a modicum of anticipation , and lift off the accelerator pedal , and the car would slow down or come to a stop . The brake pedal is almost redundant - even in heavy traffic . A Cd of 0.42 coupled with a large frontal surface area explains a lot .
6) Driving this old car , with due respect to its age , but also without ignoring its performance potential , is literally life-affirming . I failed it on this occasion by driving it in less than ideal conditions , but in doing so I re-learnt the need to pre-select the timing and route of each drive carefully . The Countach deserves this minimum respect . It remains a very special car to drive , and a very precious ( from a historical perspective ) piece of automotive art .
Mike has looked after 12399 ever since , and a couple of weeks ago the car was transported up to Haywards Heath for an inspection and treatment session by its longstanding physician . Fortunately little more was needed other than a routine major service : the exhaust back box needed some welding , a clutch hose needed replacement , and we decided that all four brake calipers needed refurbishment .
The car was also running its original , Sant' Agata fitted rear brake pads ( 12399 is also on its original factory clutch ) - so we decided that after 33 years and 34,000 kilometres the time had come to replace them . More about the Countach's aerodynamics later , which partly explains the longevity of the brake pads .
For a multitude of reasons I hadn't driven the car for ages , and I was also missing it ( the service work was done very quickly , but the brake calipers had to be sent off , and there was a long delay before the calipers were sent back to Mike ) after its 2 1/2 week spring holiday chez Pullen , so immediately upon getting the call that 12399 was ready to be collected , I ignored the weather forecast and decided to pick it up myself .
Despite having had the car for over 20 years , and despite having driven it for almost 20,000 kilometres , it was absolutely not the case of jumping back onto the bicycle and gaily wheeling off into the distance . I drove up in my wife's elderly Mercedes CLS , and the contrast between the CLS and the Countach was total . And hence this thread - some owners might recognise a few things , and some enthusiasts might find what follows of interest .
As it was a Saturday , I picked the car up from Mike's home rather than from his garage . As usual Mike had performed his magic , and the car started immediately after the usual ritual - it was cold and raining , so 3 dabs of the accelerator pedal , clutch pedal in , turn the ignition key , and pray .
A slightly different procedure is needed if the car hasn't been started for more than a day , and yet another procedure if the engine is still warm .
12399 is of Mediterranean extraction and abhors the cold . Mike's driveway climbs fairly steeply upwards before intersecting with a very busy but narrow road . Which I had to cross ! Not an auspicious start to a four hour , 160 mile journey , when it is pelting down with rain - especially on a busy Saturday morning . To execute the move onto the opposite side of the narrow road without kerbing the nearside front OZ wheel demanded a 3 point turn .
2nd gear is out of bounds until the transmission oil is warm , so it was a case of using 1st gear and then short-shifting to 3rd . To give you an idea , max speeds in each of the 5 forwards gears are respectively: 60 mph ; 80 mph : 120 : 150 : 178 - or so Sant' Agata says .
To keep up with the Saturday supermarket crowd meant a hooligan like high rev scream in 1st gear , OR a bucking bronco ride in 3rd . Unwanted attention OR shaken and stirred - the driver's choice . What was definitely not yet on the menu was 2nd gear .
The Countach really , really dislikes low revs and low speeds . The drive up in the CLS was so effortless . In contrast the drive back home in the Countach was so full of effort .
One example - the car has no intermittent wiper setting ( cf the CLS with its rain detector facility !! ) , so each time the windscreen got sufficiently speckled to impede vision , you had to take your left hand off the steering wheel and depress the wiper stalk .
And with the huge windscreen set at 21 degrees to the horizontal , the pantograph wipers did an excellent job of clearing the vast majority of the screen but not the peripheral edges - which is unhelpful when there are pedestrians whom you don't want to run down in case they dent the Countach's delicate 1 mm aluminium bodywork .
The Countach's Bizzarrini V12 engine and its 5-speed gearbox carry vast volumes of their respective lubricant , so it takes forever , and many miles , before these fluids warm up , and before 2nd gear can be safely employed .
And right-hand drive Countach's accelerator cables have to negotiate a more convoluted path back to the engine bay than their left-hand drive counterparts , so there is an initial dead spot ( however well lubricated the cable is ) to the accelerator pedal which makes smooth and precise modulation difficult .
But once the car is fully warmed up , and once you have open roads , the Countach transforms from a recalcitrant brat to a thing of joy . This is such an imperfect car - it was imperfect in 1973 , and it is even more imperfect in traffic dense and speed cameras saturated 2021 . It needs wide , clear , unrestricted roads . Anything less and it is a minor nightmare .
It thrives on high revs and even more on high speeds - no , the two are not exactly synonymous .
It is not a car that anyone half sensible would choose to take to the supermarket -- why would you use a jewel encrusted microscalpel for a job that requires a bone-saw .
It was a good hour before I again felt really comfortable driving my old playmate -- so how could anyone reasonably ask a journalist to make a fair assessment of this very atypical car after just a brief half day acquaintance ?
I could go on and on , but what struck me most were the following points :
1) I would never choose to drive a Countach ( or for that matter any car ) for pleasure without first selecting the most quiet time of day and route . On this occasion i broke this cardinal rule , and the drive was hugely less pleasurable than it could have been . On a couple of very , very brief occasions the Countach had the opportunity of showing its mettle - and Wow , simply Wow .
2) This grande dame can still really pick up her skirts and move -- when given the opportunity to do so .
3 ) She is a demanding lover - The Countach wants constant attention at low speed ( to drive it smoothly , and without it screaming like a banshee at 10 mph ) , and it needs total commitment when at the other end of its performance spectrum .
4) The Countach receives so much unjustified criticism for the weight of its steering , clutch pedal , and gear-change . Once moving beyond 5 mph, and especially once the Countach's engine and road speeds are at respectable levels consistent with its 1971 design brief ( the '' ultimate macchina sportive stradale '' ) these barbs carry absolutely no substance . All 3 controls have a delicious mechanical heft , and there is a consistency of effort shared by all 3 controls .
The most pressing limitations to the Countach as a driving tool are its poor outwards visibility and its width .
5) The car's aerodynamics are dire . My wife who was following in the CLS said that for sometime she thought that the Countach's brake lights had failed because she didn't see them light up . In fact all I had to do was employ a modicum of anticipation , and lift off the accelerator pedal , and the car would slow down or come to a stop . The brake pedal is almost redundant - even in heavy traffic . A Cd of 0.42 coupled with a large frontal surface area explains a lot .
6) Driving this old car , with due respect to its age , but also without ignoring its performance potential , is literally life-affirming . I failed it on this occasion by driving it in less than ideal conditions , but in doing so I re-learnt the need to pre-select the timing and route of each drive carefully . The Countach deserves this minimum respect . It remains a very special car to drive , and a very precious ( from a historical perspective ) piece of automotive art .
Edited by carspath on Monday 24th May 18:07
Hi Scrump ,
Thanks for replying .
I've just written a book on the Countach and in that I have compiled a list of Cd figures for all its contemporaries , and for the saloon and supercars that pre and post dated the Countach .
The 0.42 figure stands out as being awful even within that list .
And bear in mind that this 0.42 figure was taken from a scale model of the LP500 prototype which was the sleekest of all the Countachs - so the production Countachs almost certainly had a much poorer real-life Cd than even 0.42 !
And in period ( although not compared to today's supercars ) the Countach had a gigantic frontal area , so its CdA was really bad too .
Aerodynamics was the Countach's Achilles heel , and I have devoted a chapter to this topic because it was a major reason why Dallara and Alfieri had to keep refining and updating Stanzani's work just to keep up with the competition .
Gandini's bodywork was a masterwork of haute couture , but it was not aerodynamically efficient .
Thanks for replying .
I've just written a book on the Countach and in that I have compiled a list of Cd figures for all its contemporaries , and for the saloon and supercars that pre and post dated the Countach .
The 0.42 figure stands out as being awful even within that list .
And bear in mind that this 0.42 figure was taken from a scale model of the LP500 prototype which was the sleekest of all the Countachs - so the production Countachs almost certainly had a much poorer real-life Cd than even 0.42 !
And in period ( although not compared to today's supercars ) the Countach had a gigantic frontal area , so its CdA was really bad too .
Aerodynamics was the Countach's Achilles heel , and I have devoted a chapter to this topic because it was a major reason why Dallara and Alfieri had to keep refining and updating Stanzani's work just to keep up with the competition .
Gandini's bodywork was a masterwork of haute couture , but it was not aerodynamically efficient .
Thank-you everyone for replying .
Not having driven the car for sometime , I was just so excited after this '' first '' drive that I wanted others to share in the excitement , and simply had to apply finger to keyboard .
Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of JLA12399 coming into my temporary custodianship , but last Saturday's drive brought back all the emotions of my first drive from H.R. Owen's School Road workshop back home in 2001 -- the only difference being that we had a scorching hot and dry May in 2001 , and this year .... well , .....
In my hands , you work so hard for so little forward progress in the Countach , until you hit an inflection point after which everything abruptly changes - the car suddenly gels with itself , and the car's whole personality changes .
Mark (Sir Humphrey Appleby ) , of course i remember you , in fact I remember our 4.30 AM drive like it was yesterday , and I remember apologising to you at the start , and warning you that until the car was thoroughly warmed up you might feel that your 3 AM start was a totally wasted endeavour . We were lucky with the weather , the roads and the traffic that morning , and I think you will agree that 12399 at high revs in the higher gears is simply glorious .
But what I learnt from last Saturday's rain-sodden trip was just how engaging the car is at low speeds too . For many years now , I have only driven the car in the very early hours of the morning , and she is always tucked back in by 6.30 AM .
So Saturday's trip was almost a new experience for me ( in the old days I used to drive 12399 across the Channel on holiday , and so had to use her at all times of the day and night , in all weathers , and for very mundane trips -- something I no longer do ) - and I re-learnt a side of 12399 that I had completely forgotten : just how enjoyable it can be to frantically balance throttle , wiper stalk and clutch pedal at low speed , while always remembering to push the gear-lever back into neutral when stationary .
Everyday is a school day , and Saturday's lesson was that juggling at 10 mph can be fun .
jodypress - I'm a total luddite with computers and haven't the faintest clue about how to upload photos , but Mark ( Sir Humphrey Appleby ) has very kindly done so in the past , and may be kind enough to do so again .
Hi again Bob the Cop , and thanks again for all the info , the photos , and the write-up -- I'm saving all that truly precious material for the combined Countach-Diablo-Murcielago book . To have a first hand 1970's description of driving the Earl's Court Jarama and sitting in its contemporaneous Countach prototype sibling is very special , and will be appreciated by many readers .
P5BNij -- Thanks for asking . I sent the final manuscripts to Evro Publishing on 31 / Jan / 21 . The original plan had been for about 50,000 words , but information just kept pouring in , and I felt that we could not leave out vitally important things . So we have ended up with about 140,000 words , 28 chapters and 468 photos . I wanted the book to be more than just about the Countach the vehicle ( and I am sure that some reviewers will be critical of this ) , but also wanted the book to be a vehicle for setting the Countach in its period and present context , and for examining how motoring , supercar ownership , car manufacturing and the road safety and climate change agenda has evolved or has forced evolutionary change , over the last 50 years . Many publishers might not have played ball , but Evro and my hugely experienced and knowledgeable editor Mark Hughes saw some value in all this and have obliged . In March we decided that we would make the book more accessible to more readers by having detailed captions , so that the really interested could read the whole text , while those less interested could read just the captions and still get a flavour of the Countach . That was another steep learning curve . Valentino Balboni has written the Foreword , Tonino Lamborghini has written a chapter , and there are excerpts from my very informal interviews with Stanzani ( in 2001 ) , Dallara , Loris Bicocchi and Maurizio Reggiani . Its all been great fun , and the book should be available by late June ( see Evro Publishing or 9781910505632 ) . ( jodypress , there is a photo of the car here )
456mgt : Yes , there were moments when a car transporter would have been grabbed onto like a bottle of scotch by an alcoholic . Driving through Worthing on a Saturday morning at 11 AM is not a joy .
rat rod : the first time I had the joy of experiencing the Countach's windscreen steaming up was at about 5 AM about 60 miles from Cherbourg's ferry terminal , and with little time to get to the ticket booth . I learnt to set the alarm clock less optimistically after that , and now always carry a small towel in the glove box . Your comment about the pangs of walking into an empty garage really touched a nerve -- my sentiments entirely . I've just cleaned the interior and put the leather conditioner on -- the outside will have to wait for kinder weather .
footsoldier : I was very lucky , as for about 15-20 seconds on 3 separate occasions , i had safe , dry , clear roads ahead of me . Never miss an opportunity for an Italian tune up .
PurpleTurtle : I waited just under 30 years to get one , so can entirely empathise . And my Countach poster got more and more dog-eared each time I moved -- I bought it aged 14 and had it for 24 years -- I still miss it now .
And re your son and his 1:64 model - i've written a chapter on Countach Automobilia
I still get a real kick looking for scale models at autojumbles and market stalls , and period Countach models can be found in flea markets everywhere except the in the old Communist bloc countries .
cgt2 : yes , a very narrow footwell . The one big Countach omission , in my opinion , is the lack of a left foot rest . You have nothing to brace against when cornering , and even shuffling up the hammock seat on a long drive is a difficult ( and slightly dangerous ) manoeuvre without a left foot brace .
Hi Ferruccio : I'm pivoting to the Diablo now , so will be in touch again shortly . Take care meanwhile .
Not having driven the car for sometime , I was just so excited after this '' first '' drive that I wanted others to share in the excitement , and simply had to apply finger to keyboard .
Tomorrow is the 20th anniversary of JLA12399 coming into my temporary custodianship , but last Saturday's drive brought back all the emotions of my first drive from H.R. Owen's School Road workshop back home in 2001 -- the only difference being that we had a scorching hot and dry May in 2001 , and this year .... well , .....
In my hands , you work so hard for so little forward progress in the Countach , until you hit an inflection point after which everything abruptly changes - the car suddenly gels with itself , and the car's whole personality changes .
Mark (Sir Humphrey Appleby ) , of course i remember you , in fact I remember our 4.30 AM drive like it was yesterday , and I remember apologising to you at the start , and warning you that until the car was thoroughly warmed up you might feel that your 3 AM start was a totally wasted endeavour . We were lucky with the weather , the roads and the traffic that morning , and I think you will agree that 12399 at high revs in the higher gears is simply glorious .
But what I learnt from last Saturday's rain-sodden trip was just how engaging the car is at low speeds too . For many years now , I have only driven the car in the very early hours of the morning , and she is always tucked back in by 6.30 AM .
So Saturday's trip was almost a new experience for me ( in the old days I used to drive 12399 across the Channel on holiday , and so had to use her at all times of the day and night , in all weathers , and for very mundane trips -- something I no longer do ) - and I re-learnt a side of 12399 that I had completely forgotten : just how enjoyable it can be to frantically balance throttle , wiper stalk and clutch pedal at low speed , while always remembering to push the gear-lever back into neutral when stationary .
Everyday is a school day , and Saturday's lesson was that juggling at 10 mph can be fun .
jodypress - I'm a total luddite with computers and haven't the faintest clue about how to upload photos , but Mark ( Sir Humphrey Appleby ) has very kindly done so in the past , and may be kind enough to do so again .
Hi again Bob the Cop , and thanks again for all the info , the photos , and the write-up -- I'm saving all that truly precious material for the combined Countach-Diablo-Murcielago book . To have a first hand 1970's description of driving the Earl's Court Jarama and sitting in its contemporaneous Countach prototype sibling is very special , and will be appreciated by many readers .
P5BNij -- Thanks for asking . I sent the final manuscripts to Evro Publishing on 31 / Jan / 21 . The original plan had been for about 50,000 words , but information just kept pouring in , and I felt that we could not leave out vitally important things . So we have ended up with about 140,000 words , 28 chapters and 468 photos . I wanted the book to be more than just about the Countach the vehicle ( and I am sure that some reviewers will be critical of this ) , but also wanted the book to be a vehicle for setting the Countach in its period and present context , and for examining how motoring , supercar ownership , car manufacturing and the road safety and climate change agenda has evolved or has forced evolutionary change , over the last 50 years . Many publishers might not have played ball , but Evro and my hugely experienced and knowledgeable editor Mark Hughes saw some value in all this and have obliged . In March we decided that we would make the book more accessible to more readers by having detailed captions , so that the really interested could read the whole text , while those less interested could read just the captions and still get a flavour of the Countach . That was another steep learning curve . Valentino Balboni has written the Foreword , Tonino Lamborghini has written a chapter , and there are excerpts from my very informal interviews with Stanzani ( in 2001 ) , Dallara , Loris Bicocchi and Maurizio Reggiani . Its all been great fun , and the book should be available by late June ( see Evro Publishing or 9781910505632 ) . ( jodypress , there is a photo of the car here )
456mgt : Yes , there were moments when a car transporter would have been grabbed onto like a bottle of scotch by an alcoholic . Driving through Worthing on a Saturday morning at 11 AM is not a joy .
rat rod : the first time I had the joy of experiencing the Countach's windscreen steaming up was at about 5 AM about 60 miles from Cherbourg's ferry terminal , and with little time to get to the ticket booth . I learnt to set the alarm clock less optimistically after that , and now always carry a small towel in the glove box . Your comment about the pangs of walking into an empty garage really touched a nerve -- my sentiments entirely . I've just cleaned the interior and put the leather conditioner on -- the outside will have to wait for kinder weather .
footsoldier : I was very lucky , as for about 15-20 seconds on 3 separate occasions , i had safe , dry , clear roads ahead of me . Never miss an opportunity for an Italian tune up .
PurpleTurtle : I waited just under 30 years to get one , so can entirely empathise . And my Countach poster got more and more dog-eared each time I moved -- I bought it aged 14 and had it for 24 years -- I still miss it now .
And re your son and his 1:64 model - i've written a chapter on Countach Automobilia
I still get a real kick looking for scale models at autojumbles and market stalls , and period Countach models can be found in flea markets everywhere except the in the old Communist bloc countries .
cgt2 : yes , a very narrow footwell . The one big Countach omission , in my opinion , is the lack of a left foot rest . You have nothing to brace against when cornering , and even shuffling up the hammock seat on a long drive is a difficult ( and slightly dangerous ) manoeuvre without a left foot brace .
Hi Ferruccio : I'm pivoting to the Diablo now , so will be in touch again shortly . Take care meanwhile .
Hi raymondqv , I hope you are keeping well , and the 2 Countachs too ( greedy , greedy )
Like Bob the Cop , you too are acknowledged in the book , but I am reserving both your contributions for the Holy Trinity ( Countach , Diablo , Murcielago ) work . Thanks again for all your help .
Bermy Boy .... it would be great to hear the repainting and interior refurbishment saga of your QV in detail .
And of course the buying process , and the imminent Scottish trip .
And as rat rod says photos would be great
Safe and enjoyable travels
Like Bob the Cop , you too are acknowledged in the book , but I am reserving both your contributions for the Holy Trinity ( Countach , Diablo , Murcielago ) work . Thanks again for all your help .
Bermy Boy .... it would be great to hear the repainting and interior refurbishment saga of your QV in detail .
And of course the buying process , and the imminent Scottish trip .
And as rat rod says photos would be great
Safe and enjoyable travels
Hi Ferruccio ,
If I,m still alive and kicking that,s for the next but one book .
With the Holy Trinity book I would like to examine the evolution of the Bizzarrini engine , and the Marchesi space frame chassis in isolation . ( + how the wedge shape and Stanzani,s South-North engine-gearbox orientation changed )
Most publishers only allow a certain number of pages and I think that a comprehensive look at these topics , and how they changed over the 1971 to 2010 period , will take up all these pages and more .
I would not want to cut corners and do a coffee table type book
Once you bring in the Aventador , there is so much more new stuff , so you could either do a book on the Aventador alone or you could do a book on the Aventador and contrast it with its 3 immediate predecessors .
Thanks for all the suggestions ... PH , LamboTalk , LamboChat etc members have been really helpful , and a guiding light throughout , and I have made sure that I have acknowledged everyone of them . It’s been a collaborative effort with all of us working towards a common goal . With the Countach book we have had contributors from 6 continents , with input from Stanzani through Dallara , Marchesi , Valentino , Tonino , Pagani and Loris to Maurizio Reggiani . Meeting these greats and fellow enthusiasts has been the best part of this project . The acknowledgements page takes up half the book ... I.ll do a count up of the names tomorrow !
If I,m still alive and kicking that,s for the next but one book .
With the Holy Trinity book I would like to examine the evolution of the Bizzarrini engine , and the Marchesi space frame chassis in isolation . ( + how the wedge shape and Stanzani,s South-North engine-gearbox orientation changed )
Most publishers only allow a certain number of pages and I think that a comprehensive look at these topics , and how they changed over the 1971 to 2010 period , will take up all these pages and more .
I would not want to cut corners and do a coffee table type book
Once you bring in the Aventador , there is so much more new stuff , so you could either do a book on the Aventador alone or you could do a book on the Aventador and contrast it with its 3 immediate predecessors .
Thanks for all the suggestions ... PH , LamboTalk , LamboChat etc members have been really helpful , and a guiding light throughout , and I have made sure that I have acknowledged everyone of them . It’s been a collaborative effort with all of us working towards a common goal . With the Countach book we have had contributors from 6 continents , with input from Stanzani through Dallara , Marchesi , Valentino , Tonino , Pagani and Loris to Maurizio Reggiani . Meeting these greats and fellow enthusiasts has been the best part of this project . The acknowledgements page takes up half the book ... I.ll do a count up of the names tomorrow !
Hi JonathaniTall and raymondqv - I hope that you are both keeping well .
Jonathan if you ever find that a full size Countach was actually tested in a windtunnel at MIRA or anywhere else , please do tell me .
Also , where did you get that frontal area figure from ?
I've never done a high speed run at night - that must really add an a big extra dose of excitement to the whole affair ?
I remember one period journalist writing in a group-test report that the Countach and the Testarossa automatically and immediately dropped down his rankings compared to the 911 Turbo , simply because their pop-up headlights bobbed up and down at speed , making driving difficult .
I must say that this has never been a problem on my fast night time runs , but I was obviously going a lot , lot slower .
raymondqv - lovely picture of the QV engine on a dynamometer in that auto motor sport article .
I really love the precise and technical way in which that magazine , and Autocar and CAR magazines analyse , test , and write up their articles .
The editor of Car has given me permission to use excerpts from his magazine ( as have Autocar and EVO ) , and I feel very lucky to have just got a full collection of CAR from 1990 to 2001 off e-bay .
Hi MerciEnFrance : I haven't checked , so I might well be wrong , but off the top of my head i think that you might have made a slight typo - for the 6192 cc L 535 Murcie engine the output and performance figures were , I think : 571 bhp ( 580 hp ) for 201 mph for the coupe and 199 mph for the roadster .
I am really keen to find out more about the real life joys ,trials and tribulations of running a Murcie in France for a book on the Countach-Diablo- Murcielago line , so it would be great if you could write to me on : murciebook@gmail.com if you have the time .
Jonathan if you ever find that a full size Countach was actually tested in a windtunnel at MIRA or anywhere else , please do tell me .
Also , where did you get that frontal area figure from ?
I've never done a high speed run at night - that must really add an a big extra dose of excitement to the whole affair ?
I remember one period journalist writing in a group-test report that the Countach and the Testarossa automatically and immediately dropped down his rankings compared to the 911 Turbo , simply because their pop-up headlights bobbed up and down at speed , making driving difficult .
I must say that this has never been a problem on my fast night time runs , but I was obviously going a lot , lot slower .
raymondqv - lovely picture of the QV engine on a dynamometer in that auto motor sport article .
I really love the precise and technical way in which that magazine , and Autocar and CAR magazines analyse , test , and write up their articles .
The editor of Car has given me permission to use excerpts from his magazine ( as have Autocar and EVO ) , and I feel very lucky to have just got a full collection of CAR from 1990 to 2001 off e-bay .
Hi MerciEnFrance : I haven't checked , so I might well be wrong , but off the top of my head i think that you might have made a slight typo - for the 6192 cc L 535 Murcie engine the output and performance figures were , I think : 571 bhp ( 580 hp ) for 201 mph for the coupe and 199 mph for the roadster .
I am really keen to find out more about the real life joys ,trials and tribulations of running a Murcie in France for a book on the Countach-Diablo- Murcielago line , so it would be great if you could write to me on : murciebook@gmail.com if you have the time .
Hi Bob The Cop ,
On the subject of Countachs on front covers , last Saturday I had the pleasure of seeing in person the white Countach which fronts the Jeremy Coulter book -- a car that i had looked upon in print , and in admiration , for decades .
It is in pretty immaculate condition and still has the original blue stickers on its Carello driving lights .
Even more impressive than its Diablo and Aventador SV stablemates were the stone tiles on its garage roof -- simply beautiful .
On the subject of Countachs on front covers , last Saturday I had the pleasure of seeing in person the white Countach which fronts the Jeremy Coulter book -- a car that i had looked upon in print , and in admiration , for decades .
It is in pretty immaculate condition and still has the original blue stickers on its Carello driving lights .
Even more impressive than its Diablo and Aventador SV stablemates were the stone tiles on its garage roof -- simply beautiful .
Hi CGT2 - The book's ISBN is : 9781910505632 , and its available from Amazon or direct from EVRO Publishing .
Some of my friends have received their copies , but I still haven't held a hard-copy in my hands yet !!
Ferruccio - I'm relieved that you felt that it was half-OK on your preliminary glance through .
Some of my friends have received their copies , but I still haven't held a hard-copy in my hands yet !!
Ferruccio - I'm relieved that you felt that it was half-OK on your preliminary glance through .
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