[DeTomaso] Tjaarda Pantera sold for $100,000

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Tue Oct 21 23:38:18 EDT 2008


In a message dated 10/21/08 20 20 28, pantdino at aol.com writes:


> This is what I was thinking. And it puts paid to the notion that all 
> Panteras should have original Campys or look-alike wheels, in my opinion. If Tom 
> chose other wheels for his car, doesn't it follow that he thought they looked 
> better on the car?? I think if he really loved the TJ Design wheels that much 
> he would have gotten himself a set when they were available.?
> 

Dude.   Tom Tjaarda doesn't own a Pantera.   He never did.   This was not 
"his" Pantera, Barrett-Jackson razzmatazz notwithstanding.

He has a business that is involved with design projects etc., and he has 
teamed up with a company called HST International, which has a small manufacturing 
company in Mexico, and a small design firm in California.   (The HST facility 
in Mexico is building the Shelby CSX 4000 series continuation Cobras for 
Shelby, among other things).

He sketched some ideas for a new front and rear end on a Pantera.   HST 
bought a Pantera a few months before Monterey, they fabbed up the prototype pieces, 
stuck 'em on, and there you go.

By the time this whole project started, the Tjaarda Design wheels were long 
gone (although I think PI Motorsports had them built by Boyd Coddington, so I 
see no reason why they couldn't make another set if necessary).   HST 
International is also the manufacturer of GT Legend Wheels, which is why they appeared 
on this car--whether they suited it or not.

I don't know if this was just a project designed to keep Tom's name in the 
public eye, or what.   HST International makes Tjaarda Design body kits for 
Mustangs, and it stands to reason that they could put these Pantera pieces into 
production quite easily, but he told me they had no intention of doing so.

Interestingly, Tom had so little personal experience with 'his' Pantera that 
he couldn't remember how to get the decklid open!   At Concorso Italiano, 
Larry Stock watched him open the door to get out of the car, and reach down to the 
B-pillar to pull up on the lever to open the decklid (because of course 
that's where he originally designed it).   He was rather perplexed to find it 
missing!   Larry then had to remind him that most Panteras were equipped with a 
pushbutton decklid release at the back of the car, and they both had a good laugh 
over it.

Mike



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