AirDave's Kool Wheelz Collection

[airdave]

Okay...here we go again!
Another one for your(my) collection!

The Lamborghini Countach LP400s...as far as I know, its pronounced coon-tahsh



Some time back I got a request for a Countach model, but it was never my favorite "Supercar".
When it comes to Lamborghini, I am more partial to the Diablo and Gallardo.

There have been many versions of the Countach produced from 1974 to 1990.
but its no surprise that if I am going to make a model of one, it has to be the radical LP400s with its twin wings.

It reminded me of my younger days, in the 1970s, when this particular Countach first appeared.
Every kid went nuts for this car! and every kid had a poster of this car!
It was radical and very different from other Supercars...it probably invented the word "supercar".

With its massive V12 engine, extreme angular shape, swing up doors and twin Wings (front and rear).
It was definitely the fastest exotic at the time.

Wings had become commonplace on many types of racing cars and I fell in love with the massive rear wing
...and the idea of a front wing was icing on the cake!
It was disappointing (at that time) to read that the Wings were more for appearance
and the car was actually faster with the wings removed!

Lamborghini dropped the front wing from the followup models.

Obviously Koolwheelz style takes precedence...don't expect technical accuracy here.
I've done my best to capture the basic shape of the Countach in as few parts as possible.
And its actually a fairly easy build.
A few smaller detail parts give it a medium skill rating though...take your time.

Some of you will say "why red?".
Even though many of those posters of the Countach in the 70s featured a white Lambo,
Well red is actually the most common colour associated with this particular model.
And its my favorite colour for this car.
Lambos come in a variety of colours, and there seems to be a unique common colour favorite for each model.
Black, white and Red were all very common for the Countach.
Red is also Lamborghini's colour of choice, despite Ferrari's attempt to steal it away.
(Red was Ferrari's racing colour...most of their road cars were black. But the red background was adopted by fans.)

Anyway...you will find the Lamborghini Countach LP400s in the RoadCarz section of the Specialz.

[papermate]

Count 136 as of today including Countach, all doubles eliminated.

Papermate

[airdave]

Originally Posted by papermate

Count 136 as of today including Countach, all doubles eliminated.

Papermate

wow...I knew that...and yet it still amazes me.
I can remember creating the first dozen or so.
Seems like only 10 years ago.

[Vermin_King]

And that probably doesn't include the Holiday models, EZBild's, etc.

[asaf]

Thank you for the Countach .
1/144 scale

[airdave]

okay...here we go again!...


time for another new Koolwheelz release!
As already revealed, its another Lamborghini.



I know we have some Ferrari fans here, but...I have always preferred Lamborghinis over Ferraris.
Honestly, I'm not the biggest fan of Italian cars...and the Ferrari image is overblown and overrated in my opinion.

I can't deny their presence and success in auto racing, and Ferrari has produced some amazing supercars,
but I have always preferred the sharper, more angular styling of Lamborghinis.

The Countach is an icon of supercar design...
but my love for Lambos really started in the 1990s with the Diablo
...and later, the Murcielago and Gallardo.
The cab forward design and bulky rear body make for a very aggressive stance.
The somewhat smoother, but still angular styling, of the Diablo really adds to the exotic look.

Apparently Chrysler, who owned Lamborghini at that time, had Swiss designers rework the Italian design,
smoothing out a lot of the sharp angles to be more rounder and curvy.
Although it was criticised by the original designer, the world responded with a resounding "yes" when it was unveiled.

The Diablo (named after a ferocious 19th century bull "Devil") was also Lambo's first 200+ mph car.

I had never seen the optional rear wing on the Diablo until I recently researched the car.
Since I didn't originally know the car with a rear wing, I decided to leave it off of my model.

And colour choice was a problem...with both the Countach and Diablo models
...since everyone has their favourite, and I can't please everyone.
We may associate red with both Lamborghini and Ferrari, but the first production Countach was red, as was the Diablo.

Red is actually Ferraris racing colour and Ferrari paints their engine valve covers red. *Testarossa means "red head"
but if any colour defines Ferraris production cars, it is probably black more than red.

Yellow is my choice if I owned a Diablo, and is the most demanded colour at one time...and so, the model is yellow.

I smoothed the rear deck of the Countach model to make it easier to assemble.
Artwork simulates the recessed engine bay area.
But with the Diablo model's completely exposed rear deck (not hidden under a big wing)
I felt it necessary to make the model shape a bit more complicated.

You'll find the Diablo, with its earlier brother, in the Road Carz section of Koolwheelz Specialz.

[gotham]

Another cool Koolwheelz there Dave.😸😸😸

[airdave]

As revealed and debuted in the 2018 Koolwheelz Release Party thread...

the Hot Wheels 1969 Boss Hoss Collector's Club Car!



I bought the very first Hot Wheels Track set, back in 1968, which included a car...
I'm not sure...it was either a Spectraflame Green Custom Camaro or a Purple Custom Fleetside.
...I had both of those cars in 1968, but I can't remember which one arrived first.

The first HW car I personally selected and purchased outside of a Track set, was the Deora.
I had already seen the Deora in person ...and I had a big interest in real show cars and real customs.

Looking back, its hard to say what my favorite Hot Wheels car was from that period ...I'd like to say the Deora,
but I can tell you for sure, that once it arrived, it was the chrome finish Boss Hoss!

I acquired this model by signing up for the Hot Wheels Club
and sending away (by mail) for the Club Kit which contained a Boss Hoss Mustang reward.
I loved the fastback Mustang and I love Drag cars...so anything in chrome was just a bonus!

The Hot Wheels 1968 "Custom Mustang" is one of the original sixteen models
and was designed on a 1967 fastback Ford Mustang.

But the Boss Hoss is a special chrome version of the '68 "Custom Mustang
which was only available as part of the mail order "Club Kit" in 1970 ...only for Hot Wheels Club members.
As well as being polished chrome, the Boss Hoss featured a taller cast metal Engine in a Hoodless engine bay,
and had a rear raised spoiler (plate) added to the rear of the body.

A slightly different version of "Boss Hoss" (the Boss Hoss Silver Special) was released in 1971
as part of the Hot Wheels Spoilers series.



Each model car had a set of paper Number stickers on the doors...mine was number 5.
It looks like not all models had top black stripes...but mine did.
I remember being upset at getting a scratch on one of the stripes!
This exclusive chrome finish car was not available in stores and became my pride and joy for weeks.
At least until I purchased the Snake Versus Mongoose Track set!
The following year my interest in the metal cars waned as I became more excited about motorized Hot Wheels Sizzlers.

I actually didn't like the missing hood...and it makes creating a paper version a bit more difficult.
Creating a recessed Engine Bay would have made this Koolwheelz model too complicated.
Hopefully I have stylized it to work.
Those big cut out fenders and oversized tires mean this model comes with 3D wheels.
Makes it a bit tougher to build but I think its worth it.

The paper model is not an easy one...but its not complicated either.
The body assembly requires some patience, and the engine parts are very small.

You'll find it in the Toys section of the Specialz page.

[ViperPilot]

Thank you for releasing another sweet looking Model!

[airdave]

I fixed it.
There was an error.
In the Boss Hoss.
yeah yeah
blah blah blah