Tag Archives: Pantera

1977 De Tomaso Pantera Group C

May 28, 2014 Graham

The heady days of the Group C saw near limitless speed from major manufacturers; Porsche, BMW, Lancia, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar all vied for the top spots in what was some of the most exciting automobile racing the world had ever known. But it soon became clear that the more money one team spent the more that they'd win, and while in the late 1970s and early 1980s there was enough attrition amongst teams that a small privateer team stood a chance of winning, by the mid 1980s you needed a well sorted, heavily funded factory car to run in Group C. That didn't stop many one-off efforts by some enterprising individuals, though the fruits of their labor seldom were particularly ripe or well formed. Today's Pantera is just such an effort; while it certainly looks the part, this attempt to take the 1970s sports car to the highest rung of motorsports was doomed for failure through lack of development and money. As a collector, that's good news - it means you can buy this fully restored, original configuration Pantera Group C for only a fraction of what race-winning cars from Porsche would bring in today's market:

Year: 1977
Model: Pantera Group C
Engine: 5.7 liter V8
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: Not Listed
Price: $195,000

CLICK FOR DETAILS:1977 De Tomaso Pantera Group C

DeTomaso Group C
DeTomaso Group 5
Factory Homologated
Chassis 0001
The last factory homologated
DeTomaso race car built
1 of 1 - 1977 Pantera chassis

The ultimate DeTomaso collectable or historic racer

Most probably the rarest and fastest Pantera-based DeTomaso racing car ever created.

Restored and ready for museum display or with further race-preparation, for vintage racing in the popular Goup V, GTP and Group C classes.

Own a significant DeTomaso racing car with fascinating history and provenance. Ready for private collection or you prepare for serious historic racing.

As raced in Group 5 trim, this car is probably the most recognized Pantera in the racing world.

For more information and photos, please refer to the book, DeTomaso Macchine da Corsa by Philippe Olczyk on pages 305, 306, 307 353 and 436. Also featured in the book, DeTomaso the Man and the Machines.

Body

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As originally raced.

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Engine

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History

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This automobile was sold in 1981 to Auto Elite in Maranello, Italy where it was re-bodied and converted to Group C specifications. The Group C was owned by Maurizio Micangeli and co-driven by Carlo Pietromarchi in various races in 1982 and 1983. The racing record is basically a string of D.N.F.s and before the car could be thoroughly developed and sorted, the owner had moved onto another marque. This Group C, thought to be the last factory homologated racecar was parked outside the workshop of Auto Elite from 1984 until 2004 when its current owners liberated her and brought the sleeping giant to California for restoration. For more information and photos, please refer to the book, DeTomaso Macchine da Corsa by Philippe Olczyk on pages305, 306, 307 353 and 436. Our research and in the opinions of DeTomaso historians, this same chassis was originally bodied as the Group 5 Pantera that was raced at LeMans. Also featured in the book, DeTomaso the Man and the Machines.

Interior

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Miscellaneous

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Specifications

This car is not over-restored and the bodywork, frame and metal work has not been altered to look better than it was built or raced. Original parts that were replaced have been retained.
All paperwork and tech inspector notes from races as a Group C are included.
Fresh paint and new windshield
Rebuilt fuel cells and ZF transmission.
All suspension rebuilt.
Not raced since restored.
Rebuilt fuel cell, OMP seats and harnesses.
Ford 351 Cleveland with rare Ford aluminum manifold and original 180 degree headers
This is not a full race engine. A full race engine can be prepared if desired at extra cost.
Full crack-testing and race preparation is necessary before this car can enter competition. This has not been done. If your intention is to race this car, additional work will be needed to prepare this car to meet current racing requirements. The style of preparation of the car currently is in accordance with the methods of race car builder Ismo Sabattini who built this car for its former owners. We did not attempt to update the car. The suspension and safety systems of this car are the same as when it was last raced in the 80's. This is NOT a resto-mod, faux vintage racer that has the latest high-tech, go-fast components hidden under a rare body. The car shows battle-scars underneath to prove its provenance.
Please do not expect to purchase this automobile and expect to take it to the next vintage race you enter. Race preparation will be necessary before the car can be safely raced. However, you can expect to be able to enter this car in nearly every Historic Race you choose to enter because this is a very rare, authentic DeTomaso that is capable when fully developed, to win races.
For the serious collector or investor, simply leave the car as is and know that you have purchased a unique Pantera with a fascinating history.
Rare 19 inch rear wheels and 16 inch fronts- all from BBS with new Hoosier tires.
Many more photos available for the serious buyer.

Contact

Telephone - 760-731-8303 - California 9-6 PST M-F

It will certainly have to be a hardcore Pantera or Group C fan to buy this car, but it is pretty lovingly restored and certainly looks quite impressive. The BBS wheels are a great and classic look on just about anything, and the seller is right - they're quite valuable especially in shocking 19" rear configuration. Otherwise, this car is more show than go right now; if you really wanted to race in the historic Group C races you'd need some safety updates. It's probably better to leave the car as is; racing a car like this would both be expensive and hard on the chassis - and, honestly, it just can't really hold a candle to the competition it would line up against. But it's a neat oddity, a reminder of the inspiration that motorsport fosters, and above all just really cool.

-Carter

Classic, De Tomaso

1974 De Tomaso Pantera

March 27, 2014 Graham

There were many examples of the Italians working together with the Americans to produce some memorable cars, but perhaps the most recognizable of these conglomerations is the De Tomaso Pantera. While it wasn't the first or last, the fastest or the most expensive, the Pantera somehow grabbed the attention of the motoring public as one of the best examples of Italian design mated to American power. Perhaps that had something to do with the length of time it was produced; the Pantera had a production run that would make the Beetle blush and more modifications by the end than the 911 enjoyed. Spanning 20 years of production, several generations of gearheads witnessed the Pantera thunder its way into the collective conscious of automotive history. And while by the 1980s the design seemed fairly dated and was clearly adorned with too many spoilers, early examples such as this 1974 remind us how clean the original design was:

Year: 1974
Model: Pantera
Engine: 5.7 liter V8
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 18,500 mi
Price: $67,500 Buy It Now

CLICK FOR DETAILS:1974 De Tomaso Pantera

1974 De Tomaso Pantera, A Classic Marriage of American Muscle ( Ford 351 C V-8) With the Italian coachwork of Ghia, This restored classic Pantera only has 18,500 miles and only a few hundred miles since restoration by previous owner. Refinished in Aston Martin Meterorite Silver Metallic ( originally the car was Silver metallic) with a Black original material interior. Excellent running engine with New Carb, fuel pump and delivery lines, new Ansa Exhaust, . Smooth shifting 5 speed ZF Transaxle. The Car features 2 sets of Wheels, A complete set of Original Campagnolo wheels freshly restored with correct Pirelli P7 tires front 225/50 VR-15 and the Rears 285/50 VR-15 - perfect for car show presentation , Also a Rare set of Boyd Coddington Custom 17' Campagnolo style Aluminum billet wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport fronts 235/40 ZR-17 and the Rear 335/35 ZR -17. The car also Features A/C - Vintage Blaupunkt AM-FM Cassette with power Ant. , Full original correct instruments, all working and in excellent condition. Car includes Space saver spare , Jack/Tool Roll , the original owners manual, spare keys, Ford Pantera Technical information book, 1971-74 Pantera original Ford Parts manual, and a Fitted car cover. Ready to show, drive and enjoy.Fully safety inspected.

We are a Connecticut Licensed Dealer, Connecticut residents subject to sales tax, Vehicle has a Clear Title , We charge no document fee's , and provide free 30 Day in transit plates ( out of state residents only) . Please contact use to arrange a test drive or viewing during our normal business hours. We can assist in shipping, Car is located in Berlin , CT 06037 860-438-7958

As with most exotic or semi-exotics, it's much better to buy a good example than one that's in need of a restoration. However, with the Pantera it's nice to be able to drive down to your local Ford dealer and get engine parts; try that in your Countach! This car isn't the original color but looks great in silver, and I really like the Coddington replica wheels - though I'd probably run the original Campagnolos. Overall condition is great, although it does lose some points for non-originality if you're looking for a condition 1 car. Still, it's not priced at a condition 1 level; at $67,500 it's in line with what a level 2 car would sell at and appropriately priced. Cheaper than many early Mustangs are now, this gives you a Lamborghini experience with Ford reliability and ease of sourcing parts. It's proof you don't have to spend a million dollars to look like you did!

-Carter

Uncategorized

1973 DeTomaso Pantera L

January 15, 2013 Graham 2 Comments

One of the most famous Italian-American vehicle collaborations, the DeTomaso Pantera succeeded the Mangusta and would go on to be a much more successful sports car, with over 7,000 produced. These cars would be sold through Lincoln Mercury dealers in the US, and it gave Ford something exotic to draw people into the showrooms. Powered by a Ford 351 Cleveland V8 and a ZF gearbox, these cars had a lot more pulling power from the low end as compared to their Italian competitors. Pantera imports to the US stopped in 1975, but the car soldiered on all the way until 1991. This 1973 example for sale in Arizona has aged well, aided by the relatively neutral dark silver hue.

1973 DeTomaso Pantera L

1973 DeTomaso Pantera L

Body: The car was originally silver and was media blasted to bare metal and professionally painted by Finishing Touch Refinish in Fountain Hills Arizona in 2007. Aston Martin Tungsten Silver is now the cars color. Wheels are painted with a matte finish Mercedes Benz 744 Silver. Rocker panels and the exposed plastic portion of the door handles, generally black from the factory, are color matched to the car. This is a 1973 DeTomaso Pantera L which came from the factory with the large front rubber bumper and large projecting rear metal bumper. The rear bumper has been deleted from the car to give the body a nicer line and allow for the use of an original ANSA GTS header and muffler system. The rear bumper and mounts will be included in the sale. The Ford style rectangular drivers’ side mirror has been replaced by one from a Dino Ferrari which gives a nice line to the car. A Ford NOS drivers’ side mirror will be included with the sale. “Ghia”, “DeTomaso” and “Pantera” emblems were not installed on the car. Fresh DeTomaso / Pantera and original Ghia emblems come with the car. The car is badged with the front bumper DeTomaso “Family Crest” emblem and the “Powered By Ford” rear deck emblem. Clear bra added to rocker panels and rear haunches where tires could throw debris.

Engine: Numbers Matching 351CJ
Engine Rebuilt by Don Woodard, Phoenix, AZ October 2001.
Completely balanced, TRW pistons #L2379, SS valves, Crowler Cam #15242, Crowler roller rockers #73615, Gear Drive, Holley 700 cfm #0-4778C, Ford Drua-Spark Ignition with Ford Motorsport Ignition Module (made by MSD for Ford Motorsport), Pantera specific McLoud clutch, Jet Hot Coated ANSA GTS headers and mufflers, Carbon Fiber Air Cleaner Assembly. Ford high torque starter.

Transaxle: Numbers matching ZF 5 speed in excellent working order. New Spicer half-shafts and u-joints. Transaxle was inspected by Roy Butfoy in the late 1970’s.

Suspension: Powder coated A-arms, new bushings (non-polyurethane), freshly rebuilt Koni shocks with spring spacers removed. Fresh ball joints, front and rear wheel bearings. Chrome on springs and torsion bars.

Brakes: Stock Girling front brakes.
Upgraded 3 piston rear Girling Brakes (as used on Ferrari Lamborghini & Jaguar) and Brembo Emergency brakes. New master cylinder. Vented brake rotors. Fresh Front brake pressure reducer – not installed secondary to wheel and tire combination.

Wheels / Tires: Freshly painted (matte finish Mercedes Benz 744 Silver) Campagnolo Pantera Magnesium Alloy wheels.
Rear: 10 x 15 GTS wheels mounted to AVON CR6-zz 295/50R/15 (DOT approved tire)
Front: 7 x 15 front wheels mounted to TOYO Proxes RA1 225/50ZR/15 (DOT approved tire)
(also have the original 8 inch rear wheels)

Cooling: Fluidyne aluminum radiator and upgraded cooling fans, Ford GT expansion tank upgrade (modern cooling system), all new rubber hoses.

Electrical: Ford 100 amp 3G alternator, 12 volt relay switching to reduce current to electric windows, horn and headlight switches. Tachometer reworked by North Hollywood Speedometer to be compliant with ignition module.
Ammeter, included with sale, was removed and replaced by a period Veglia clock. (There is a potential fire danger when using a high amperage alternator with the Veglia Borletti ammeter.) Windshield wiper conversion to a single arm unit which parks on the passenger’s side. New Hella (H4) headlights and two color rear lights (orange blinker section).

Heater / AC: Blower box installed and wired, but AC and Heater hoses are not routed to the box. New AC condenser. Heater hoses and AC compressor and hoses are not installed on car but are included with the sale.

Interior: Fresh molded seat foams. Seating surfaces are from Wilkinson Pantera from the 1970’s and are in good shape with no tears. Radio delete plate with “DeTomaso” script. New floor and rear bulkhead carpets. New head liner (very rare snake bite pattern) purchased years ago and just installed fall 2011. Fresh, speaker delete, door panels. No tears in arm rests. Sun visors are tight - they will not drift down when driving the car. Fresh leather on a Vintage MOMO Steering wheel with a flush mounted MOMO center cap. Have a perfect stock steering wheel that will be included with the car. Window glass and stainless accents are in good to excellent shape. All stainless trim was polished when it was off the car.

Front Compartment: Old felt removed during restoration and final body color added to front compartment. Fluydine radiator, Optima Battery, highly detailed power brake booster, brake and clutch cylinders. Fresh weather-strip. All factory badges attached. Small area of paint blistering under windshield wash reservoir secondary to spillage of brake fluid.

Rear Compartment: Old factory coating removed during restoration and final body color added to rear compartment. All factory badges attached. Fiberglass cargo carrier has new felt and new locking Dzus style fasteners. Original spare tire. Original tool bag with original jack, jack handle and ratchet. Have replaced the wrenches with vintage HAZET’s. Wiring is routed through the body frame. Very few exposed wires in the engine compartment. Fresh rear deck shocks. Fresh weather-strip.

Undercarriage: Clean. Undercoating was not removed during restoration. Powder coated water tubes. New brake and clutch tubing. Rebuilt steering rack.

I purchased this car in 1976, sold it to my brother while I attended college and repurchased the car. Prior to being licensed in Arizona (2011), the car was licensed in Washington State. The last renewal date on the Washing tabs was in 1978. Prior to Arizona licensing and road testing in 2011, the car was inspected by Les Gray (current president of Pantera Owners Club of America). The car was appraised in November 2011 for 92,500 dollars by Penn Black of “Auto Appraisal Network”. The appraiser has a YouTube video of the car taken in Nov. 2011 under the title “PennBlack Pantera”.

The great thing about the Pantera is that you can get a lot of exotic Italian style with American reliability for not a lot of cash as compared to the usual Ferraris or Lamborghinis. At a shade under $45,000 to about $70,000 is the order of the day when it comes to Panteras of this vintage and I'd suspect this example would probably reach to the upper end of that range.

-Paul