[DeTomaso] Success at Le Mans!

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/14/08 8 33 0, teampantera at yahoo.com writes:


> Mikey,
>  Can you share a summary of the details of the Pantera's that made it to 
> grid and how many Panteras total made it to the finish?? 
> 
There were five Panteras in Plateau 6, all of them prepared to Gr4 
specification, and two of them genuine lightweight Gr4 cars.   There was one Pantera in 
Plateau 5, nominally prepared (but not really) to Gr3 spec.   In fact it was a 
bone stock L-model #4614 with a roll cage, and practically falling apart 
right there in the paddock.

The two genuine Gr4 cars were Patrick's Candy car, and #2873, the only Gr4 
Pantera actually raced by the De Tomaso factory, and driven by Regazzoni, 
Parkes, Casoni, Govoni and others.

Also present was #1189, which is a bit of an odd duck.   It has been owned 
since 1972 by a Corsican, and was converted to Gr4 specification in period.   
Significantly, the chassis is stamped with almost all (but not quite all) of the 
holes used to reduce weight in the genuine Gr4 cars; I don't know when this 
was done and neer got a chance to speak with the owner to find out if he had it 
done by the factory, or what?

The Germans were back with their US-sourced L-model, a 1973 car that they 
call a 1975.   Reportedly it has a huge and illegal stroker motor, which tossed a 
connecting rod early in the weekend.

The last car is an early car converted to a widebody configuration by 
equipping it with GT5 flares.   I don't remember the VIN, but it was purchased from P
hil Stebbings, who drove it on the road although he had it built as a barely 
streetable full-on race car.
>   
>  How many in Pat's group finished and how long did pat run the Candy Pantera 
> on the course??
> 
>>>Of the five Panteras in Pat's group, only Pat and the GT5 clone finished.

The other factory Gr4 car was reportedly felled by owner buffoonary.   The 
car was for sale at a German dealership, and the new owner doesn't know how to 
drive, or anything about cars.   He had to ask the dealer how to start it!   
The dealer apparently told him to pump the gas to the floor *once* and turn the 
key.   Instead, doofus put his foot to the floor and held it there, while 
turning the key.   VAROOM! and the thing instantly spun to 9000 rpm before he 
could shut it off.

The motor still ran afterwards so they didn't mess with it.   They then 
brought it to Le Mans, where it did exactly one practice lap and then promptly blew 
up.

This car is interesting and unique among the Gr4 Panteras, because it was 
built differently.   Instead of having huge fiberglass flares, the fenders were 
flared in steel, much like a later GT5-S, and then very small fiberglass flares 
were added.   I've got photos of this car being built and you can see the 
steel rods used to lay out the outline of the new fenders.   All the other cars 
were made by cutting standard fenders and using big fiberglass flares.

The Corsican #1189 ran well for the first two heats but failed to finish the 
second one, and didn't appear on the third heat.   Patrick told me what 
happened but I can't remember--something failed in the engine.

And as I said, the German stroker motor let go during its first run.
>   
>  CONGRATULATIONS PAT!
> 
> >>>Indeed!   He had one day practice, one night practice, and three heats 
that were just under an hour each; the car apparently ran without any problems at 
all, as did the GT5 clone.

Mike


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