VIN: the Nassib Jumblatt / Mitsuo Sanami Lamborghini Countach LP400 chassis 1120182
History of chassis 1120182
Chassis 1120182 is believed to have been the only Countach LP400 specified in Nero with a matching Nero interior.
It was the last of five LP400s ordered by the Lebanese Lamborghini distributor, APECO SA.
The commission originally came from Saudi prince, Ahmed bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who was Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of Interior at the time. However, Prince Ahmed never took delivery and 1120182 was instead sold to Nassib Jumblatt in Beirut.
Jumblatt was the cousin of Lebanese militia commander and Druze politician, Walid Jumblatt.
Chassis 1120182 was signed off on May 14th 1976, but owing to Lebanese Civil War which had been underway for just over a year, Nassib Jumblatt never took delivery. He did, however, go on to receive a black on black Countach S in 1978 (chassis 1121008).
Instead of being shipped out to Lebanon, the LP400 remained at the factory in Sant’Agata until the autumn of 1976 when its was sold to the Japanese Lamborghini distributor, Seaside Sport Association in Yokohama.
Once landed in Japan, 1120182 was sent to retailer, Seaside Motors in Nagoya.
The Countach remained with Seaside Motors for nearly a year. It was eventually sold as a new car on December 12th 1977. The buyer was well-known Japanese sportsman and prominent car collector, Mitsuo Sanami of Tokyo.
Sanami was a champion trap shooter who had represented Japan at the 1964 Olympics. Sanami took delivery of 1120182 as he was owed a significant sum of money by Seaside Motors.
The car was dispatched to Sanami, but never road-registered. Although 1120182 appeared at several Super Car shows over the next five years, it was not driven during Sonami’s five-year period of custody.
In 1982, Sanami sold the black Countach to Isao Noritake who was Chairman and founder of the Japan Lamborghini Owner’s Club. Noritake did not road-register the car either. It remained un-driven in his private museum until being sold to Yoshiaki Okada of Nagoya in 1986.
Like Sanami and Noritake, Okada neither drove or registered the Countach.
In 1990, Isao Noritake repurchased 1120182 and had it shipped back to the Lamborghini factory along with two of the other Lamborghinis from his museum (a 350GT and a Miura S).
While in Italy, the Countach underwent a complete restoration during which the colour scheme was changed to Peal White with a two-tone blue and white interior. The work took two years at a cost of ¥20,000,000 which was more than $160,000 at the time.
Upon completion, the newly liveried Countach returned to Noritake’s collection where it remained un-driven and un-registered. The odometer at this time showed just 538km, all of which are believed to have been added by Lamborghini after completion in 1976 and then post restoration in 1992.
In early 2015, Noritake sold several of his cars, including 1120182, to Symbolic Motors in La Jolla, California.
Symbolic sold the Countach to Peter Dyson of Winnetka, Illinois. Dyson intended to restore car to its original colour scheme, but unfortunately died soon after taking possession.
In 2018, Symbolic repurchased the car and commissioned the restoration themselves.
In 2019, chassis 1120182, now back in its original black on black livery and showing just 545km, was sold to another collector.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
