The seller states this '74 Pantera hasn't been started or driven since 1990 (!) and visibly wears 1980s Sunshine California plates but provides no backstory. It could be an expensive process getting it in running order again, depending on the diagnosis.
The Pantera holds a special place in the hearts of auto enthusiasts. It was designed by American Tom Tjaarda, built in Italy by DeTomaso, and sold here in America through Ford-Lincoln-Mercury dealers. This makes it a truly Italian-American car.
The idea looked great on paper and was successful in execution. The styling is awesome, pure classic '70s wedge supercar. Note the generic Carello taillights shared by dozens of other supercars from the time like the Maserati Bora and the AMC Bricklin. Mechanically, the rear mid-mounted 351 cubic inch 5.8-litre Ford V8 engine powering the rear wheels made it clear this thing meant serious business. One Pantera was pushed to 0-60 mph in just 5.5 seconds.
The seller is short on details but says the odometer reads 52,916 original miles. This example looks menacing in black with wire wheels.
Although the Pantera was made from 1971-1991, only a total of 7,260 were produced, with around 5,500 sold here. Apparently the initial imports were not well made, with Elvis Presley famously firing a gun into the dashboard of his yellow Pantera after it wouldn't start. Fortunately, some changes were made from 1972 onward. An "L" for Luxury model was added with black bumper guards that nicely extended the nose and a 248 horsepower Cleveland engine. The seller does say this has a/c and is a Cleveland so it could be an L model.
The seller is asking $35,000. Panteras are very desirable and not cheap. Hemmings estimates a fair condition '73-'74 Pantera Coupe in fair condition at $19,300 and good condition at $34,500, so the seller's price could be considered reasonable, assuming this has no rust and the engine just needs a tuneup (probably not the case though).
Find it here in San Marcos, California.
Non-original wheels, no pictures of the interior or engine compartment. That and the already mentioned lack of details about the car's mechanical condition leads me to believe that the seller is delusional about the price being asked. Any car that has been sitting for 20+ years is going to need more than a tune-up, it's going to need new tires, anything made of rubber will most likely need to be replaced, new fuel lines, carb rebuilt, new brake lines and flush, etc.
ReplyDeleteHaha tell me about it David! Although the tires may have been replaced later and could be ok - but who knows, right? To be fair, I give sellers some benefit by assuming they are flexible with their asking prices. These don't pop up often and I wanted to get this one out there. Thanks again for your interest, I look forward to more of your opinions.
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