OVERVIEW
1973 De Tomaso Pantera L
VIN: THPNNA05869
Built by Vignale in July of 1973 this Pantera would be bound for the US market. Shipped into Los Angeles and originally sold at Bill Haden Lincoln-Mercury in Las Vegas, NV on May 24, 1974, this Pantera’s first two owners would be from the Los Angeles area.
This Pantera is the "Lusso" (luxury) Pantera L that was introduced in August 1972 as a 1972 and a half model. For the US market it featured a large black single front bumper that incorporated a built-in airfoil to reduce front end lift at high speeds, rather than the separate bumperettes still used abroad. The L models featured many factory upgrades and updates that fixed many of the problems and issues the earlier cars experienced. It was so improved that the 1973 DeTomaso Pantera was Road Test Magazine’s Import car of the year beating out Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, and Porsche.
As with many Panteras over the years this example has been modified from stock. The second owner had the car repainted its stunning black, added an aluminum radiator, as well as having the floors lowered under the seats so that taller enthusiasts could enjoy the car as well.
Most recently the car lived in Florida where the last owner invested over $21,000 in updating the Pantera with new brakes, suspension, header, hoses, and carburation.
Most recently the car has received:
- Custom 17-inch forged aluminum Campagnolo look wheels. 17x8 front, 17x11 rear
- Holley Ultra Double Pumper Carburetor
- Wilwood Pantera big brake kit
- Ceramic-coated headers
- Aldan American Aluminum, Double-Adjustable Coilover Shocks
- New springs
- StopFlex stainless braided brake hoses
- New throttle cable
- Polyurethane suspension bushings
Since arriving at Canepa we have invested over 150 hours into the cosmetic presentation of the Pantera. Fully detailed and ready for the road, this Pantera is fully prepared to make the same 'hairy Ford 351 Cleveland V8 meets sleek Italian suit' statement it made in 1973.
About the Pantera
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. De Tomaso 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-De Tomaso 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 Giam Paolo 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, 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 considerable 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.
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 approximately 150 GTS models.
