1973 DeTomaso Pantera

The story

Current member of Pantera Owner's Club of America (POCA) and Pantera International (PI). My car was purchased in 2001, in Los Angeles. I am the second owner. It has the original yellow color but the paint was refreshed 4 years ago. The interior is original with a few carbon fiber pieces added. The complete suspension has been rebuilt with black powder coating, new wheel bearings & spindles all-around, new polyurethane graphite impregnated bushings, new ball joints, 1" sway bars, front & back, with Hiem joints. The old Girling brakes have been replaced with Baer units with vented & drilled rotors. As a result of the new, larger brakes the original Campagnolo magneseum wheels had to be replaced with 17" aluminum replicas and Michelin Pilot Sport tires. The car is lowered and has longer upper A-arms in the rear to maintain proper camber. The car has been featured in two separate issues of Pantera International magazine. Once compared against a yellow 1994 Lamborghini Diablo.

The best advise for aspiring Pantera owners in to do the necessary homework. Get to know nature of the car before you buy. Rust can be very expensive to repair and the gearbox will cost you at least $3,500+ for an overhaul. About $7,500+ to replace it. The engine is American, no problem, but the rest of the car can get pricey to replace items, about equal to owning a late model Corvette. Just remember, this is a 30+ year old car so ask questions, find an owner near you, join the clubs for a valuable source of information from very, friendly people. If you don't like attention, this is not the car for you. — Rodger Petre