1976 Lamborghini LP400 Countach Periscopica

1976 Lamborghini LP400 Countach Periscopica

Vehicle Specifications
Stock No.: 710
Year: 1976
Make: Lamborghini
Model: LP400
Chassis No.:  1120182
Engine No.:  1120182
Exterior Color: Black
Interior Color: Black
Mileage  545 Km

Inquires

1976 Lamborghini LP400 “Countach Periscopica” 

-Impossibly perfect and the finest example known to exist
-One of just 150 built and the sole black on black example
-Musuem display example since new until our purchase
-Never road-registered prior to our purchase
-No driving time since completion of full restoration
-545 original kilometers from new
-Matching Numbers
 
Year 1976
Make Lamborghini
Model LP400
Type “Countach “Periscopica”
Chassis No 1120182
Engine No 1120182
Transaxle No N. 74
Body No 182
Production Sequence No 91 of 150
Italian DGM / OM Homologation No 14758
European Market Production Code 13268
Engine Internal Production No L406
Engine Production Sequence No 488
Left Rear Axle Assembly Number 43
Right Rear Axle Assembly Number 34
Right Front Axle Assembly Number 32
Left Front Axle Assembly Number 41
SIPEA Ignition Key Code 50050
TORINO Door Key Code 6105
TORINO Glove Box Key Code 1604
Exterior Color Black
Interior Color Black
Completed May 14th, 1976

Mileage 545 Kilometers / 339 Miles

 
Specifications:
3,929 CC DOHC V-12 Engine
Six Weber 45 DCOE Carburetors
375 BHP at 8,000 RPM
5-Speed Manual Transaxle
4-Wheel Ventilated Disc Brakes
4-Wheel Independent-Wishbone Suspension with Coil Springs

Ownership History:
1976 Nassib Jumblatt Beirut, Lebanon
1976 Seaside Sport Association Yokohama Japan
1976 Seaside Motors Nagoya, Japan
1977 Mitsuo Sanami Tokyo, Japan
1982 Isao Noritake,  Aichi, Japan
1986  Yoshiaki Okada Nagoya, Japan
1990 Isao Noritake Aichi, Japan
2015 Symbolic International San Diego, California

2015 Peter Dyson Winnetka, Illinois

2018 Symbolic International San Diego, California
 
Chassis 1120182:

Production of Lamborghini’s LP400 “Countach Periscopica” models began in April of 1974. Only 150 different examples were completed with the last being finished in January of 1978.  Five different LP400 Countach “Periscopicas” were ordered and and destined to be sold new in Lebanon which at the time was the hub and center of banking and wealth in the Middle East. These were initially all ordered new by APECO SA on behalf of the Lebanese Lamborghini distributorship.  The last of these five, s/n 112082 was initially intended for Prince Ahmed Syed Saud but the order was never executed and instead, the order was changed and production sequence No. 91 of the 150 built was sold to Nassib Jumblatt, cousin of the well-known Lebanese politician, Walid Jumblatt in Beirut, Lebanon.

112082 was the sole example of the 150 vehicles built completed with a black exterior and black interior.  Several sources have indicated the car was painted metallic black (Nero Metallico) but period photos and all of the previous owners and a close examination of the car’s hidden internal areas confirm it was a standard gloss black.  It is not known for sure if Prince Ahmed Syed Saud chose the car’s original unique color combination or if Nassib Jumblatt chose the colors.  In any case, Jumblatt must have liked the color combination as he ordered a second Lamborghini Coutach, a new LP400S in the same color scheme of black exterior with a black interior.  His new LP400S was chassis number 1121008 and it was completed and delivered to him in April of 1978.  As with 1120182, the black on black combination was nearly as rare on the LP400S models.  Jumblatt’s LP400S was the first of only two so completed to be painted and finished in this manner.
After completion in May of 1976, 1120182 remained at the Lamborghini Factory as the Lebanese civil war forced shipping to be delayed several times.  A few sources believe Jumblatt was eventually able to take delivery of this Countach but Lamborghini records indicate it was never shipped to Lebanon.  There may be some confusion as he most certainly took delivery and road-registered his second Countach which had the same colors.  In any case, it would eventually be many months before this Lamborghini would find her first private owner and this time on the opposite side of the world.
In the Fall of 1976, this LP400 was sold and shipped to the Lamborghini Distributor Seaside Sport Association in Yokohama and then onto their retail dealer, Seaside Motors in Nagoya, Japan.  Shorty after arrival it was photographed outside of the dealership parked just in front of a red Miura.  The photo shows the car now fitted with outside rear-view mirrors on each side to comply with Japanese road-registration rules.  Interestingly the photo shows that the inboard front white fog lights had still yet to be installed.  This unique Countach was still having a hard time finding her way to a first retail owner and it remained with the Lamborghini Agent in Nagoya, Japan for nearly a year until finally being sold as a new car on December 12th, 1977.
The first actual retail owner of our subject vehicle, s/n 112082 was Mitsuo Sanami of Tokyo, Japan.  Sanami was a well-known Japanese celebrity and prominent car collector.  He was a champion trap shooter who represented Japan in the 1964 Olympics.  The car was delivered to him but not road-registered and remained un-driven during his five years of ownership. Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, this Countach Periscopica appeared in a variety of Japanese Super Car shows. It was seen and photographed many times with “show plates” and on at least one occasion a fake plate but the car remained un-registered and un-driven during his short ownership.  Period photos also show that the left rear panel of the car carried the “Lamborghini SS SA” badge they fitted to the cars that passed through their hands.  Years later it was learned that Sanami never actually intended to purchase this LP400.  He was apparently owed a significant amount of money by the Nagoya Lamborghini agent and they were unable to pay him back.  In order to settle the debt he instead took delivery of this Countach.  In any case, this is likely the reason it was never road-registered or driven and the car was quietly for sale the entire five years he owned it likely reflecting the fact that he never actually intended to buy it in the first place.
In 1982, Sanami was finally able to sell this vehicle to Isao Noritake, Japan’s most famous Lamborghini collector and also the chairman and founder of the Japan Lamborghini Owner’s Club.  Today, Noritake is still the manager of the Japan Lamborghini Owner’s Club race team, with which has contested every season of the Japanese Super GT series since it was founded.  As confirmed by a letter from Noritake, like the previous owner, Noritake did not road-register this LP400 and it remained un-driven in his private museum until being sold to his friend Yoshiaki Okada who likewise, never drove or registered this Lamborghini.
In 1990, Noritake repurchased this LP400 and due to lack of use and servicing, he had it shipped back to the Lamborghini Factory along with two of the other Lamborghini’s form his museum, an early 350GT and a Miura S.  On arrival, this Countach was completely restored and also repainted and given a fully refurbished interior.  The car was now painted “Pearlescent White” with a two-tone blue and white interior.  The work took two years at a cost of 20,000,000 Yen, which was more than $160,000 US dollars at the time and more than the car was actually worth.  Upon completion of the restoration it was then returned to Noritake where it again remained un-driven and un-registgered..  The odometer at this time showed just 538 original kilometers, all of which are believed to have been added by Lamborghini after completion and during testing and again in 1990-1992 when Lamborghini restored the vehicle for Noritake.
In early 2015, Noritake began to liquidate several of his prized Lamborghini’s including his 350GT, Miura S and this LP400, all of which were purchased directly by our company.
In June of 2015 shortly after we completed the purchase of this Countach, I sold it sight-unseen to a well-known US collector.  He intended to repaint the vehicle and refurbish the interior and bring all services current and up to date.  Sadly not long after his purchase and delivery, he passed away and our company once again was able to repurchase this very special Lamborghini.
After delivery to our showroom and shop complex, the vehicle was disassembled and the interior removed and the vehicle completely repainted and the interior returned to the original color combination as completed new. All services and safety checks are completely current and up to date including the fitting of new tires while the original 1973 date coded tires have been set aside and preserved to go with the vehicle to its new owner.
This LP400 “Countach “Periscopica” remains the sole example completed in black on black and total mileage is only 545 original kilometers from new.  It is of course completely rust and accident free as well as all matching numbers.