You guys are unbelievable... Frankly, I like the Ring Brothers Pantera, though I don't like the interior. But you know what? I wasn't the guy paying the bills on it. And neither were you. The car was built for a customer, and invited to SEMA. And how many custom cars have you built/financed recently? The coolest thing about a RB car is that they are actually usable. Odds are, this Pantera will actually see a good bit of road time. How cool is that? As for the front end, looks to me like a modern interpretation of a GT5-S. So you don't like it... that's OK. The car wasn't built for you. But come on, show some respect and class. Or at least try not to act like haven't made it through puberty yet.
It's great that you like it and you know what? I won't dump on you because you do. That's no longer a Pantera it's a custom car and everyone is entitled to their opinion without being castigated for it. I think it's grotesquely overdone in a lot of ways. So I can't hold that opinion without being labeled an immature teenager? Positive things were expressed about the car as well, like the build quality and appearance of the engine. I looks like a Ford Gt to me?
Hmmm... how about the owner and build shop showing some respect for Ghia and Tom Tjaarda ?? Lets take the same scenario and put a Ferrari Daytona or a Ghibli in it's place, how well would that go over?? I would say most on this site would find it wrong on so many levels. Are these owners and builders Italian car lovers? I would say no, they are hot rod guys that for some reason find themselves justified to modify the marque. If you haven't noticed this forum is not the HAMB it's Fchat so I wouldn't expect too many be building a custom car, although I know of a few I just respect the original design.
OK Mike, I hear ya! But sorta like how was/is the Breadvan perceived? 2 sides some think it's a monster and others respect it a lot. The Barris Barmobile (unfortunately) outshines the Futura Concept
What you miss is that I have no difficulty with your not liking the car, or even your saying so. The problem arises when you elect to demonstrate that dislike in a manner more closely resembling an adolescent attack than the expression of an opinion held by an adult. Like I said, show some respect and class... Or at least try not to act like haven't made it through puberty yet. Say you don't like it. Say why you don't like it. But try not to sound like the pseudo-tough kid in ninth grade hurling insults the new guy because you think it makes you look cool. I'm not saying that's why you and the others are attacking the car, and I understand your preferences concerning leaving a Pantera alone. On the other hand, a Pantera isn't exactly rare, and given the number that are languishing in garages, it isn't exactly like this guy cut up a nice 250 GTE to make a GTO replica/recreation. And since the car isn't featured on their website, I can't say what it looked like before they started on it. I can say I have seen a lot of Panteras through the years (at places like Carlisle) that would have made great hot rods given the paucity of original parts that came with the project, so I doubt they hacked up a "good" restorable car.
Actually, that's exactly the kind of opinion I have no quarrel with. I am a member of Lateral-G.net, and if I recall the discussions I read there correctly, when the owner commissioned the building of the car, the idea was to update the looks as though Ford/De Tomaso were building the car today. I think this is why it ended up a bit too "GTish," though the more I look, the less GT I see... if that makes sense. Here is a block of design sketches I found that RB used to work with the owner to help him find the look he wanted. Obviously, his input went into these sketches, then he picked from them, then they made more sketches, etc... Image Unavailable, Please Login
The breadvan was built with one purpose, to win, it had nothing to do with looks, unlike this car. The Breadvan is a race machine, Giotto applied his knowledge of aerodynamics plain and simple, function before form. The car was completed in a few months. I respect the engineering, can't say I like the looks. Race cars are modified to win, that is part of the sport, BTW I have no problems with racing Pantera's being modified to race, I am just outspoken about the stradale's
Here's a few from a recent outing at Summit Point Raceway in Wv. Ron Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Bill Hohenhorst of San Diego found a racing Pantera GT/4 advertised in some sort of Auto Trader type paper in San Diego. I think I photographed the car when it was at Bill Stroppes, the shop in Long Beach that prepped Panteras for Lincoln Mercury dealers. I thought at the time it was a car ordered by Benson Ford as Ford did not have a deal with DeTomaso to import race cars but apparently some private individual did order it. It was red with black hood, black rear deck lid, those wide gold Campy wheels. The two partners in the car sold it for a racing Mustang, I think they should have held on, because today a documented factory GT/4 must be worth what--$200K. Anyhow like to know if anyone remembers their car's SN and the price they found it for in the newspaper. Incidentally this is not the CANDY Pantera (sponsored by a candy company) that was another racing GT/4 that got to Calif. , now restored and back in Europe
Are there any Pantera Si cars in the US? It's one of my favorite cars and I really want to see one. Chris Image Unavailable, Please Login
There could be some here but I have never seen one in the US. Been with POCA for well over 20 years and was with Pantera International. There were not a lot of these made and I think most are still in Europe. Patrick Mical of Future Auto in Chelmsford MA did a conversion. I would like to see one as well.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APVOVPS0Y-8&list=PL0NpLqqFBFSKU4MzZo2Edo5TgaEOAg42E]Pantera: Restore or Pro-Tour - YouTube[/ame]
Bankruptcy auction. No affiliation. West Auctions - Auction: Bankruptcy Auction - 1972 DeTomaso Pantera Coupe ITEM: Bankruptcy Auction - 1972 DeTomaso Pantera Coupe
