[DeTomaso] 40 and over the hill

Tue Jan 3 10:23:32 EST 2012

Here's the first part of my story as posted on the Panteras Northwest website.

Chris 
President PNW

 I’ve always loved cars.  From the red, blow-molded, toy race car I repeatedly sent down the stairway when I was a toddler (“when I gwow up I want to be a wacing car dwiver”) to the thrill of watching races at Silverstone during an English vacation at age 9, my childhood revolved around Hot Wheels, Corgi Toys and Johnny Lighting.

I was ten years old when my family and I went to see the Walt Disney production of “The Barefoot Executive.”  I saw a car in that movie that eclipsed all others.

The lead character in the film, played by Kurt Russell, received the gift of a DeTomaso Mangusta from his corporate boss.

I had never seen a car so beautiful, and was frustrated when the movie only gave the gorgeous vehicle a few minutes of screen time. Something about the style and shape was intoxicating to my impressionable young mind.

The same feeling occurred again when, at age 16, I saw the cheesy David Carradine move, “Cannonball.”  In it, a strange, supposedly German driver streaked across the screen in a DeTomaso Pantera. The production quality of the movie was laughable, but Pantera was seriously fast.

Unlike the Disney Picture, Cannonball highlighted the car doing high speed runs and dramatic cornering.  Characters in the film even discussed how the Pantera was “one of the fastest production cars in the world.”

In Cannonball, the Pantera meets a rather unbecoming end after being booby-trapped by bad guys. It explodes when reaching 160 mph or so.

My desire for a Pantera didn’t end, however, but instead took residence firmly in the deep recesses of my brain; the area reserved for dreams, wishes and the cure for the mid-life crisis.

Thirty-five years later I decided it was time to stop wishing and fulfill the dream. Besides, a mid-life crisis was way overdue!

In October of 2006, when I was 47 years young, and with enthusiastic encouragement from my 2 sons, and Sebastian (the German exchange student we were hosting at the time), I began searching for the car I had always wanted.

My wife chuckles each time I point out "the car I’ve always wanted," because she claims there are hundreds of them. She’s right, of course. However, a Pantera is the car I’ve really, really always wanted…

I first looked locally and discovered how rare Panteras are. Then someone suggested joining the Pantera Owner’s Club of America.  I did, and found a number of enthusiastic members of the local chapter lived nearby.

I sent in the minimal dues and received my membership card, window sticker and first issue of the club’s magazine.  It was full of stunning pictures of my favorite car. Seeing those pictures was like throwing gasoline on a flame, putting raw meat in front of a starving lion, or opening Willy Wonka’s Chocolate factory to Charlie Bucket.

I contacted the president of Panteras Northwest, Mike Thomas, who, along with several other members, gave me valuable advice about purchasing a Pantera.

Gary Herrig, a club member who has owned both Mangustas and Panteras, even went so far as accompanying me when I checked out a Pantera for sale in a neighboring town.  That particular car, although equipped with a Australian block, plumbed for nitrous and adorned with many body modifications, just didn’t seem right.  It wasn’t a color I particularly liked, had some damage to the ground effects, had seats which caused my head to hit the ceiling, and was priced just outside my budget.  Having Gary along was reassuring, however, and he showed me numerous things to look for when inspecting any Pantera.

Next I began perusing eBay motors.  There I found a constant supply of possibilities, ranging from low-ball rust-buckets to pristine trailer queens.

Egged on by an enthusiastic Sebastian (whose father had owned a Pantera in Germany), I actually bid on a few of the low-mileage offerings which looked to be in good shape.  Since I knew I was out of my element, however, I bid low and didn’t win any of the auctions.

Then, one day, I spied a beautiful 1972 model.  According to the listing, it had only 59,000 original miles and six years earlier had been bare-metal re-sprayed a beautiful, dark, metallic, Cadillac green.  Rust had been found on the rocker panels so they had been replaced, it had Recaro seats, custom wheels and a rare, dealer-installed luggage rack.   The only issue was a small leak in the gas tank.

In a moment of reckless abandon and without stopping to seek advice from my new found Pantera consultants, I kept clicking the mouse until I was the highest bidder...

> From: wkooiman at earthlink.net
> To: thomas at hax.se; detomaso at realbig.com
> Date: Tue, 3 Jan 2012 08:16:12 -0600
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] 40 and over the hill
> 
> I was 7 when my car was made.  I was 17 when I saw my first Pantera in the
> flesh at Pantava in Little Rock.
> 
> I wanted one immediately, but couldn't afford it.  By the time I could
> afford it, I already had a project.  I bought mine at 35 after I sold my
> project.
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
> Behalf Of Thomas Tornblom
> Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 7:53 AM
> To: detomaso at realbig.com
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] 40 and over the hill
> 
> I was 29 when my GT5 was made, and I was just turning 45 when I bought it.
> 
> Have now had it almost 12 years.
> 
> Cheers,
> Thomas
> 
> 2012-01-03 14:48, B Hower skrev:
> > I wanted one for 31 years, but didn't get mine until 62 in 2005.
> >
> > Bud #3400
> >
> > --- On Tue, 1/3/12, Mikael<mikael_hass at mail.tele.dk>  wrote:
> >
> >
> > From: Mikael<mikael_hass at mail.tele.dk>
> > Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] 40 and over the hill
> > To: gonancy at juno.com, detomaso at realbig.com
> > Date: Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 1:13 PM
> >
> >
> > I was 11
> > When I saw and heard a Pantera the first time I was 15
> > When I bought my first Pantera I was 46
> > Conclusion: I've wasted 31 years of my life...
> >
> > Mikael
> >
> > -----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
> > Fra: gonancy at juno.com [mailto:gonancy at juno.com]
> > Sendt: 2. januar 2012 23:50
> > Til: detomaso at realbig.com
> > Emne: Re: [DeTomaso] 40 and over the hill
> >
> > On the same note, sort of, how old were you when your Pantera was sold to
> > its first owner?  I was 12 years old.  Will YOU admit your age?
> >
> > GoNancy and still don't feel my age yet
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> >
> > Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/
> >
> > DeTomaso mailing list
> > DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
> > http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> >
> > Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/
> >
> > DeTomaso mailing list
> > DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
> > http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
> >
> > !DSPAM:4f03074123611228817372!
> >
> 
> 
> -- 
> Real life:   Thomas Törnblom             Email:	   thomas at hax.se
> Snail mail:  Banvallsvägen 14            Phone:    +46 18 32 31 18
>               S - 754 40 Uppsala, Sweden  Mobile:   +46 76 209 8320
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> 
> Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/
> 
> DeTomaso mailing list
> DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
> http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> 
> Archive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/
> 
> DeTomaso mailing list
> DeTomaso at list.realbig.com
> http://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso