|
Post by alex on Aug 7, 2023 17:44:29 GMT -5
I picked this up for a few bucks on ebay. I drove one of these for a weekend back when they were new. The model sat too high but that was an easy fix.
Since these photos were taken I've widened the stance a bit in the rear. I may do a few more tweaks such as new plates and some detailing of the tail lights.
|
|
|
Post by WallOfCars on Aug 7, 2023 18:36:09 GMT -5
I picked this up for a few bucks on ebay. I drove one of these for a weekend back when they were new. The model sat too high but that was an easy fix.
Since these photos were taken I've widened the stance a bit in the rear. I may do a few more tweaks such as new plates and some detailing of the tail lights.
Tell us more about your behind the wheel adventures? I've read about the experience but would welcome yours too. You must have some friends in high places
|
|
|
Post by DeadCanDanceR on Aug 7, 2023 19:34:17 GMT -5
Cool! Yes, Alex, please tell us about your adventures driving a Countach!
|
|
|
Post by oldirish33 on Aug 7, 2023 21:20:12 GMT -5
Was that the weekend you were arrested? 😆
|
|
|
Post by alex on Aug 7, 2023 22:43:31 GMT -5
I didn't get arrested but I did have a good time. Here is how it came to pass. My dad owned a salvage yard, an insurance appraisal business and quite a few rental properties (the old man had money). He was a car guy and was good friends with most of the owners of the local car dealerships and was the founder of the local Lions Club (which was a big deal back in the day). So he had a lot of friends and I was breathing pretty rare air. When I was at college I was in the SCCA in Pittsburgh and made some friends of my own. When I got out of school I kicked around a bit (because I could) until dad said that I needed to find something to do for a living. I was really into stereo equipment and spent a lot of time at the local HiFi shop. To make a long story short I started doing car stereo installations and that business took off. I developed a reputation for being the go-to guy for people with exotic cars because I was very detail oriented. It didn't hurt that I had a few "ins".
Anyway, one of the local guys who's dad owned a plant that made snow plows (if I remember correctly) got the Lambo and wanted front and rear remote radar detectors installed. I told him I could do that. He bought the parts and dropped the car off at the house on a Friday. He said "I'll pick it up Monday night, drive it if you want to, but try not to bust it up".
The install was a bit of a PITA because the carpet was all glued down and that made it hard to run the wires to the back. It really felt "hand-built". I got the stuff installed and working by Saturday morning and on Saturday night I was single and on the circuit in Harrisburg in the Lambo. All I can say is that if you can't get laid driving that car you must have really bad breath.
What I remember most about it was how damned uncomfortable it was to drive. It feels like you are lying on your back. Your legs are kicked over to the right to reach the pedals because of the wheel well, but the pedals were flat so you need to skew your hips to the right and your ankles to the left.
I'm not sure if it was the fastest car I've ever driven, but it certainly felt that way. It felt edgy and unsophisticated...violent.
The only thing I can compare it to that some of you may have experienced is one of those mid 60's Rat Motor Chevy's. Not in terms of speed but in terms of feel. I've driven a Ferrari Testarossa and a 348. I rode with Barry Wilburn in his RUF turbo. I took a ride in a Group 3 Turbo Carrera. But the only cars I ever thought might just kill me were a 600hp 1965 L78 Impala and that Lambo.
|
|
|
Post by DeadCanDanceR on Aug 7, 2023 23:50:49 GMT -5
Fabulous story, Alex! Thanks for sharing it with us!
|
|
|
Post by GBOAC002 on Aug 8, 2023 4:05:45 GMT -5
x2.
|
|
|
Post by bertone on Aug 8, 2023 7:15:33 GMT -5
The Countach seems to be a car that's better to look at than actually drive and that's a good reason to simply have a model of it! Yours looks good - what make is it?
|
|
|
New Stuff
Aug 8, 2023 7:46:32 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by reeft1 on Aug 8, 2023 7:46:32 GMT -5
Excellent model and great story
|
|
|
Post by Tom on Aug 8, 2023 11:56:05 GMT -5
You don't need a reason to add a Countach model, but your reason is about as good as they come.
|
|
|
Post by alex on Aug 8, 2023 12:04:46 GMT -5
The Countach seems to be a car that's better to look at than actually drive and that's a good reason to simply have a model of it! Yours looks good - what make is it? It's one of those unbranded models that come in blister packs. It is surprisingly good for the price.
|
|
|
Post by WallOfCars on Aug 8, 2023 16:12:48 GMT -5
Alex, that story was even better than I had hoped for!!! Your place in the stereo installation world and knowing the 'right' people certainly would be the formula back in the day. Your driving experience also mimics just about everything else I've read, which makes me not so jealous after all, hahaha! Nonetheless, they are mesmerizing to look at, even 50 years on. Your runner up experiences would be fun to know more of too?
Anyone here ever drive an Aston Martin, say from the 1970s to mid 1990s? That's another one that keeps me up at night.
|
|
|
Post by alex on Aug 8, 2023 16:42:41 GMT -5
For those of you who are not from the US or are too young to remember, this is what an L 78 sounds like stock. Mine was far from stock. Every L78 came with a hot solid-lifter cam, 11.5:1 compression, big square-port heads with upsized 2.19 intake valves and a cast aluminum high-rise intake manifold with a 4150-series Holley quad packing 780 CFM. We took it a bit further and added headers, a Golden Ram exhaust and upped the carb to an 850CFM. Power went to the ground through a Muncie M22 Rock Crusher (we got it from a totaled 1968 Chevelle, I think) and 4:56 rear end. We added ladder bars and ET slotted aluminum mags with nice fat tires. It still had the original single master cylinder and four drum brakes.
The car was flat-out scary. I once broke the lugs on both rear wheels on an upshift. Dad was not amused.
As cool as the car sounds on the link, you can't really hear what everyone listened for (all big-block Chevy's had a great exhaust note), which was the clatter of the solid lifters. If you were looking for a race the first thing that any true gearhead would do was put his head down to the hood. If he heard the clatter it was typically "No thanks". Pretty much the only guys who were up for a fight were the Hemi 440 Six-Pack 'Cudas, which could probably beat the much heavier Impala with a stock L78. A 600HP L78, not so much.
I only have one photo of the old girl. She is in the background of a photo taken at dad's 3AD 3nd Armored Regiment "D" company reunion.
|
|
|
Post by 105epaul on Aug 9, 2023 13:31:46 GMT -5
As an Impala owner I heartily approve of your 65 L78. But drum brakes, yikes! My 59 was scary with manual drums so some years ago I had a power disc set up put on the front, best thing I have had done to the car. I am with you on the big block Chevy exhaust, they sound so mean. Even my 348 W motor sounds nastier than a small block.
|
|
|
Post by alex on Aug 9, 2023 23:29:03 GMT -5
As an Impala owner I heartily approve of your 65 L78. But drum brakes, yikes! My 59 was scary with manual drums so some years ago I had a power disc set up put on the front, best thing I have had done to the car. I am with you on the big block Chevy exhaust, they sound so mean. Even my 348 W motor sounds nastier than a small block. All big block Chevy engines sound nasty. That is why we love'em.
The 409 gets more attention but the 348 is a damn nice engine. Do you run it stock? What carb configuration?
If I were in the market for a "pre-rat" big block to build today the 348 would be my choice. It is every bit as good as the 409 it just doesn't have it's own song so you can get one a lot cheaper than a "real fine" 409.
Of the Rat Motors the 454 gets the most attention from the wannabes, but the people who know their Chevy big blocks know the truth, and the truth is that the 396 L78 wasn't just the best Rat Motor it was probably the best muscle car motor period. Chevy claimed 1.07 HP per cubic inch out of the box and that was way low. Any decent mechanic could get the 396 to over 500HP with beer money. 600HP was well within reach. I don't need to tell you about big-block Chevy torque.
My dad and I built the Impala and I regret selling it to this day. When it was done dad said to me "Don't let me catch you racing that damned Chevy". I thought to myself "Don't worry. Nobody will catch me if I race that damned Chevy". I was in high school at Cumberland Valley in central PA and we would go to Harrisburg on Friday and Saturday to cruise "the circuit". Market Street to Second Street; North to the Governors Mansion; Then South on Front Street. Rinse. lather, repeat. We would make little runs between the traffic lights, but if there was going to be a serious race it took place across the Harvey Taylor Bridge. I had beaten a few posers and a very fast box stock 440 Six-Pack 'cuda, so the Impala had a rep. At the time there were a few cars that were pretty respected. One was a 1971 Camaro owned by a guy named Paul Timmis. Another was a shit fast little 1964 Mouse-Motor Nova owned by a guy named Geoff Fisher. Both of these guys were friends of mine and we took auto shop classes together. The third was a Pontiac Trans Am that belonged to a guy named Earl Mummert. His nickname was Early. He was older than us and his dad owned a trucking company. He was the mark to beat.
I went into shop class one Monday and Geoff and Paul were all over me. "Damn man! You beat Early across the bridge!". I was like "what?".
"You beat Early across the Harvey Taylor on Saturday!"
I took the credit, but the reality was that I was at home on Saturday. My dad had raced that damned Chevy across the bridge. I never called him out on it. Still, it brought us closer.
|
|