Vehicle Description
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
-551 original kilometers from new
-Matching Numbers
Year 1976
Make Lamborghini
Model LP400
Type "Countach "Periscopica"
Chassis No 1120182
Engine No 1120182
Transaxle No 1120182
Body No 182
Production Sequence No 91 of 150
Italian DGM / OM Homologation No 14758
Exterior Color Black
Interior Color Black
Completed May 14th, 1976
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
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...for more information please contact the seller.