[DeTomaso] Poll - Paint scheme

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 12/9/09 14 37 45, lotus0005 at hotmail.com writes:


> I am re-painting my Pantera.  Should I paint the rocker panels black, or 
> the same as the body color? 
> 

DEFINITELY paint them satin black!   That's how the cars originally came; 
the front valance, and the rear valance below the A/C screen were also satin 
black.

Many people make the mistake of just repaininting the whole car body color. 
  What this does is visually make the car about six inches taller, and 
about six inches shorter in length.

I raised this issue to Tom Tjaarda a few years ago, as I am quite a zealot 
in favor of the original paint scheme (black rockers, front valance, and a 
small black area under the A/C grille on the rear valance).

I sent him a photo of an otherwise beautiful car, that was solid red, and 
asked him what he thought about it.    His response:

"...Concerning the painting which we used on the first Pantera prototype 
and the production cars, the rocker panel was painted a matte black as was the 
front lower radiator intake (but not the bodywork) and a small srip below 
the rear radiator grill.    Personally I cannot remember seeing any Pantera
delivered in one solid color without at least the rocker panel being the 
matte black color except when they put on the wheel flares and miniskirts.    
The one solid color does in fact make the car look shorter and taller, and 
alters the classic' Pantera look.

On one photo you sent, the top red car (a pre-L Pantera, painted solid red) 
looks as if it may have been altered a it, the rocker panel looks deeper 
than standard and the lower front under body, in front of the wheels seems to 
have been altered to a lesser angle than the picture I am sending you.    
Compare the two.    Maybe it is just a bad shot but it looks different."

(In fact, it was a completely unaltered car; the odd appearance was due 
strictly to the failure to paint the black bits black).

Tom continued:

"In any case, you are right, without the satin black rocker panel the car 
loses that sleek look, and looks like a cat (Pantera) which has become a bit 
fat and is dragging its gut along the ground.    Not good for the reputation 
of the species!"

So there you have it!

Mike