[DeTomaso] Claude DuBois Pantera

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Fri Jan 2 12:44:12 EST 2009


In a message dated 1/2/09 9 27 13, lashdeep at yahoo.com writes:


> Any insider info on this ebay car?
> 
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&
> item=220334873186&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=012
> 
> If there was a discussion already on the car, please excuse me. I must have 
> missed it in my backed up mailbox.
> 
>>>First I've seen of it.   For starters it's not a 1975 Pantera, it's a '73. 
  It has a Euro GTS dashboard setup, as opposed to an L-model interior.   
It's impossible to tell from the photos whether it has a GTS front end (which 
used Pre-L architecture) or the Euro L front end (which housed the turn signals 
in individual pods, and had trim signal-less bumperettes in the front).   It 
has the one-piece rear bumper however.   It also doesn't have the GTS exhaust 
system.

Odd that it doesn't have a European speedometer; that may have been changed 
when the car was brought to the USA?

The photos are terrible so it's hard to discern what is going on with the 
side marker lights.   There were several different varieties of marker light used 
on the European cars, depending on when they were built and which market they 
were intended for, and this car may have been further modified with generic 
add-on lights to federalize it for the USA.

> 
> What is the significance of the Dubois lineage other than his firm was 
> responsible for original delivery of the car?
> 
>>>Nothing whatsoever, other than it clearly establishes this car as being a 
European-spec car as opposed to the mass-produced USA Ford-spec cars.   When 
it was new, it could have been a fair bit nicer than a standard Pantera, in 
terms of interior finish, etc.   

Unlike American Pantera buyers who got their cars one way, and one way only, 
in Europe you could order your Pantera a la carte, meaning there was a long 
list of options available.   Uprated brakes, sway bars, exhaust, engine, 
interior, etc. etc. etc. were all there for the taking.   

In the photos, there's no evidence than any of these options were chosen on 
this particular car.   It's possible that they are there, and just not 
documented, but it's more likely that this was a low-budget Euro-spec Pantera.

Claude still has the records for every De Tomaso car he ever sold.   I'll ask 
him about it.

Mike



**************
New year...new news.  Be the first to know what is making 
headlines. (http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026)



More information about the DeTomaso mailing list