Pantera 1971–1993

In the late 1960s, Ford was in need of a high-performance GT to combat the likes of Ferrari and Corvette and assist in generating additional dealership traffic for its mainstream product lines. DeTomaso Automobili was relying on Ford for engines used in the Mangusta and had purchased the Ghia design and coach-building concern. After Ford’s failed attempt to purchase Ferrari, the Ford-DeTomaso marriage seemed quite natural, so a business/purchase arrangement was consummated, and work began on a new mid-engined GT. It would be marketed in the U.S. by Ford’s Lincoln-Mercury division.

Ghia stylist Tom Tjaarda styled the new machine, and GiamPaolo Dallara was engaged for chassis and production design. The Pantera’s layout differed from the Mangusta in several fashions. First, it was conceived with a full monocoque chassis layout, as opposed to the prior car’s spine chassis design. Secondly, it to be built around Ford’s then-new 5.7-liter (351 cu. in.) "Cleveland" V-8. This engine featured deep-breathing heads patterned after the very successful Boss 302 design, 4-barrel carburetion and 4-bolt main bearing caps. The new V-8 was mated to a ZF fully synchronized 5-speed transaxle with limited slip (same as the Mangusta used), and rated at 310 horsepower (SAE Gross, 1971 trim).

All of the expected race-inspired componentry is present: fully independent suspension with upper and lower A-Arms, coil-over shock absorbers, front and rear sway bars, 4-wheel power disc brakes, cast magnesium wheels by Campagnolo and rack-and-pinion steering. The front compartment houses the brake booster, master cylinder, battery and tool kit; the rear trunk unit, easily removable for engine access, holds a reasonable amount of luggage. The interior features an aggressive cockpit design, full instrumentation, factory air conditioning and power windows. 1971 and 1972 cars carried chrome bumperettes front and rear called Pre-L cars.

In late 1972, the "L" model was introduced, which features black safety bumpers front and rear, improved cooling and air conditioning systems and other enhancements. For 1973, the "L" model continued with a revised dashboard and instrument layout. The last Panteras constructed for the US market were built in late 1974 and included 148 GTS models. The GTS featured riveted on fiberglass fender flares, additional black out paint trim and wider wheels.

The first Panteras were marketed at "Around $10,000" as the advertisements would say; the final 1974 units carrying prices of approximately $12,600.

At the end of the 1974 model year, Ford and De Tomaso Automobili dissolved their business arrangement, and importation of the Pantera to the United States was concluded. Mr. DeTomaso reassumed ownership of the Pantera project, and production was continued on a more exclusive basis for markets other than the US. Several models ensued, including the GT4, which was modeled after the successful Group 4 competition cars of 1972-3. It wore larger fender flares, 10x15 and 13x15 inch racing wheels and aggressive Pirelli P7 tires. A GTS and Group 3 performance version were also offered along with the now-standard L model, and Pantera buyers could custom-fit the car with their choice of optional colors and features.

The GT5 model was introduced in 1980, and it featured much-revised "ground effects" bodywork, including a deep front air dam with integral driving lights, rocker panel extensions, flared wheel arches and a deck lid-mounted "delta" wing. The GT5 was augmented in 1985 with the introduction of the GT5-S. The GT5-S represented the first significant body redesign of the Pantera since its introduction, which included new, wider integrated flared front and rear fenders, side air intake grilles and a further revised front fascia. The interior also received substantial upgrading including revised air conditioning and console layout, "gathered" leather upholstery on the seats and door panels, upgraded carpeting, and burlwood paneling on the doors, dashboard and console.

The cars were now virtually hand-constructed, and over this 15-year time period, the car had truly made the transition from mass-produced exotic car to a true and quite exclusive luxury GT

In 1989, De Tomaso engaged the talents of Italian automotive designer Marcello Gandini to freshen and update the Pantera’s appearance for the Nineties. This redesign also encompassed substantial revisions to its chassis layout and mechanical specification. All of the lower body cladding was new, as were the rear airfoil wing and the unique spoiler at the base of the windshield. The latest 17" cast alloy wheels and Michelin Z-rated tires were specified, as were large, ventilated Brembo disc brakes. This new look significantly modernized the appearance of the Pantera, but a considerable amount of updating also lay beneath the skin.

Whereas the prior car was of a monocoque chassis layout, this new and final version of the Pantera employed a largely tube frame structure. The goals were lighter weight and increased chassis rigidity. Both goals were met according to the factory. An all-new suspension was also part of the package. Most of the new cars still employed the ZF 5-speed transaxle, but two of them were fitted with a Getrag 6-speed unit. The 1991 cars also marked a major change in the engine compartment. While all previous Panteras carried the 351 Cleveland (and some 351 Windsor) engines, the new model switched to a modified 5.0-liter (302 cu. in) Ford V-8, a unit that traced its roots back to the same engine used in the Mangusta. Rated at 305 horsepower, the new unit employed computer-controlled direct port fuel injection and the latest electronic engine management systems. ANSA developed a fully catalyzed exhaust system for cleaner exhaust emissions, yet the car maintained the deep-toned exhaust note associated with a Pantera.

The interior was largely unchanged from the package developed for the GT5-S, though again it used the highest-quality wood and leathers. Out of a total of 41of these final-edition Panteras constructed, four were converted, while still under construction, to a "targa" model featuring a removable top section. The work was performed by Pavesi of Milan. The last Panteras were built in 1993, bringing to a close 22 years of continuous production, the longest of any exotic car.

Group 3 Pantera

While the Group 4 Pantera is a dedicated, purpose-built race car that used Pantera architecture but a unique chassis and suspension, the FIA Group 3 rules were far more restrictive, as the FIA intended for this class to consist solely of essentially stock unmodified production sports cars. Initially, modifications from standard, production-car specifications were few, mostly relating to pure safety issues, but after a few years, as the series evolved, the list of allowable modifications grew for all cars competing in Group 3.

Unlike the Group 4 Panteras which were built utilizing special components, all Group 3 Panteras were constructed from ordinary, production-line European Panteras. As they were all built to individual customer orders, it’s difficult to generalize about them. Furthermore, the nature of DeTomaso automobiles makes it even more difficult to differentiate between different models, since it was possible for any European customer to order each of the components used to create a Gr3 Pantera directly from the factory, and modify a standard car to that specification after the fact and then race it.

It was also possible to order a Euro GTS and then have it built with all the Gr3 components at the factory. So, there is a very fine line between a factory-built Gr3 race car, a Euro GTS fitted with Gr3 components, and a race car converted to Gr3 specs by a private party. While the DeTomaso factory public relations personnel are extremely helpful and are capable of answering a query to determine if a specific car was constructed as a Gr3, at this time they don’t have a complete list of all Gr3 cars made, the International DeTomaso Owners Clubs in collaboration with the national clubs has created a registry that is documenting these differences.

The process of building a Gr3 Pantera started in the engine room. DeTomaso certified the Gr3 Pantera with either a standard cast-iron intake manifold and Motorcraft carburetor, or an optional aluminum Ford manifold with a Holley R-4777 650 cfm manual-secondary carburetor. The stock oil pan was replaced with a large (8-liters on early cars, 10-liters on later cars) pan with an integral windage tray and an optional removable chassis crossmember.

Standard exhaust manifolds, and later European GTS exhaust headers were fitted (consisting of 4-into-2-into-1 headers with a 2 1/2 inch collector), and the 2 1/2 inch tailpipes fed into either low-restriction ANSA GTS mufflers, or the so-called Gr3 mufflers (GTS-style muffler cans with no internals, and hence no sound-reduction capabilities.) Finally, the entire muffler assemblies could be deleted and replaced by simple straight exhaust pipes. One would hope the engines were thoroughly checked over and received careful blueprinting and hand-assembly at the factory, but there is no evidence the DeTomaso engine-builders weren’t simply affixing these bolt-on parts to otherwise-standard engines.

The radiator was unmodified, although optional 8-bladed fans replaced the standard units. The chassis received only subtle tweaks initially. The same Ariston adjustable shocks fitted to conventional Panteras were standard on the Gr3 version, but there were two levels of Koni shock upgrades available.

The Gr3 Panteras were equipped with the same springs as the European GTS, with only one optional spacer listed (presumably for rally cars.) The steering rack was repositioned using spacers to alleviate bump-steer concerns, but the control arms and sway bars were the same as those fitted on production Panteras.

The brakes consisted of standard Pantera calipers squeezing ventilated discs measuring 282mm in diameter and 20mm thick and actuated by a standard master cylinder; this was a common option for Euro GTS Panteras as well. Standard 7- and 8-inch Campagnolo wheels and Michelin radial XWX 185/70 and 215/70 tires were fitted.

In 1974, the FIA approved further modifications to the suspension. The rear hub carriers and front spindles were replaced by heavier Group 4 units, and the brakes were changed by using a larger master cylinder, larger cast-iron three-piston front calipers with 288mm x 31.75mm front rotors, and larger cast-iron three-piston rear calipers with standard GTS vented rotors and stronger axles with heavy-duty wheel studs.

Although similar in appearance, these were not the same brakes as used on the Group 4 Panteras, but this system later became standard issue on the GT5 and GT5-S. Small auxiliary rear calipers with their own small pads were used for the parking brake.

The stock sway bars were replaced with an adjustable system, philosophically similar to, but mechanically different from, the adjustable bars featured on the Group 4 Panteras. The then-common 10-inch Campagnolo Euro GTS wheel was allowed for fitment in the rear, and 8-inch wheels were issued for the front.

The interior of the Gr3 Pantera was surprisingly mundane. Earlier cars had the two-pod dashboard, while later cars received either the one-piece molded USA L-model dashboard, or the similar-appearing two-piece upholstered Euro GTS dashboard; all were fitted with metric gauges and European switchgear. The stock seat belts were retained with a race harness installed for the driver only, and the standard Pantera seats were supplanted by one-piece racing bucket seats, the same as those in the Group 4 Panteras.

(Interestingly enough, these one-piece racing seats were actually constructed from the remains of the prototype Pantera’s radical “picket fence” seats. Those seats consisted of a sheet metal frame, fitted with yellow foam blocks. Visually striking but judged by Ford as being too weird for the marketplace, they never went into production. As DeTomaso had already produced many of these frames, they simply upholstered them with light padding and turned them into race car seats.)

Heavily padded bolsters, as used in the Group 4 cars, were sometimes fitted to the door panels on one or both sides.

On some cars, the ignition switch was later relocated from under the dashboard to the middle of the center console, behind the ashtray, and within easy reach of the driver while he was belted in. A fire extinguisher was bolted to the floor in front of the passenger seat.

The USA-model steering wheel was standard equipment, but buyers had the option of fitting the three-spoke Euro GTS Momo Prototipo wheel or the smaller Group 4 Momo Prototipo wheel instead. Interestingly, the Gr3 Panteras were sold with full heating and air conditioning, electric windows, a radio aerial bolted to the roof, and a pair of speakers installed in the center kick panels (one in front of the gas pedal, and the other pointing into the passenger footwell), but no radio was included. Air horns were also optional.

The plexiglass rear window and six-point roll cage of the Group 4 Pantera were standard issue in the Gr3 cars as well. Furthermore, the front engine cover was modified to allow easy access to the front of the engine without requiring the removal of the entire back panel (which would have required removal of the roll cage!)

Cosmetically, the Gr3 Panteras slowly changed as the production Panteras changed. Early Gr3 cars carried standard two-piece front and rear bumperettes. After the introduction of the L-model Pantera, some Gr3 cars were equipped with early-style front bumperettes incorporating the front turn signals, while others had European L-model bumperettes with the turn signals residing in the standard L-model pods on the underside of the front fenders. Turn signal lenses were either clear with a colored bulb, or bi-color with an amber and a clear section.

Some cars retained two-piece rear bumperettes while others received the European L-model one-piece rear bumper (which was the same as the USA L-model bumper, except that instead of being mounted on hydraulic rams, it was mounted on solid brackets, considerably closer to the car’s body.) Both front and rear bumpers on Gr3 cars were normally chrome.

There were various driving and fog light packages issued; some cars received Carello fog lights, while others received massive lighting arrays for nighttime rally racing. For the first few years, a simple flat blade front spoiler with cooling ducts for the front brakes were installed while later cars got a miniature air dam (also a common option on the post-1976 European GTS) and small, riveted-on GTS flares.

Apparently, few of the Gr3 cars received the Euro GTS paint scheme, with a blacked-out front hood and rear decklid and blacked-out rocker panels. The Gr3 Pantera shown in the factory brochure and postcards is solid yellow. In most cases, the European GTS rocker panel decal (which said “DeTomaso” in large letters, then had the words “Pantera” in smaller script, above the word “GTS”) was used, but modified to delete the mention of “GTS.”

As with the Group 4 cars, rubber tie-downs were used to secure the front hood and rear decklid, although unlike the Group 4, the sheet metal was standard steel instead of aluminum. An external battery cut-off switch without a removable key was fitted to the right front fender; the same switch was mounted on the Group 4 cars.

The DeTomaso factory never released an official number of Panteras built or how many were built each year or each sub-model. The numbers below are based on the 1994 Bill Van Ess and current IDOC Registries.

The Marti reports are based on documentation from Ford and show 5,244 cars were imported and sold by Ford.