[DeTomaso] Expensive DeTomaso Pantera Gr.3 Prototype on eBay

[michael@michaelshortt.com]

See what happens when you ask a simple Question?

Lol.

Excellent response, i learned some new stuff myself,

So how did the cooler taillights come about in the process?

Thanks Mike.

Michael Shortt
On Jan 8, 2012 11:45 AM, <MikeLDrew at aol.com> wrote:

>
> In a message dated 1/8/12 8 25 55, jjdetrich at gmail.com writes:
>
>
> > I'm curious as to the differences between a stock car, a GR3, and a GR4.
> > Is
> > there someplace that describes these?
> >
>
> I ghost-wrote most of the text for Philippe Olyzyk's De Tomaso racing book.
>  Here is the story behind the Gr3 and Gr4 race cars, as it appears in the
> book.
>
> ====
>
> To meet the demands from European racers, the Gr3 Pantera was developed.
> While a Group 4 Pantera is a dedicated, purpose-built race car that used
> Pantera architecture but a unique chassis and suspension, the FIA Group 3
> rules
> were far more restrictive, as the FIA intended for this class to consist
> solely of essentially stock, unmodified production sports cars.
> Initially,
> modifications from standard, production-car specification were few, mostly
> relating to pure safety issues, but after a few years, as the Pantera
> became
> less competitive, the FIA relaxed some restrictions and the list of
> allowable
> modifications grew.
> Unlike the Group 4 Panteras which were built on custom-made, non-production
> chassis utilizing special components, all Group 3 Panteras were constructed
> from ordinary, production-line European Panteras.   As they were all built
> to individual customer order, it's difficult to generalize about them.
> Furthermore, the nature of bespoke De Tomaso automobiles makes it even more
> difficult to differentiate between different models, since it was possible
> for
> any European customer to order each of the components used to create a Gr3
> Pantera directly from the factory, and modify a standard car to that
> specification after the fact.   It was also possible to order a Euro GTS
> and then
> have it built with all the Gr3 components at the factory.   So there is a
> very
> fine line between a true, proper Gr3 race car, and a Euro GTS fitted with
> Gr3 components.   While the De Tomaso factory public relations personnel
> are
> extremely helpful, and are capable of answering a query to determine if a
> specific car was constructed as a Gr3, they don't have a complete list of
> all
> Gr3 cars made and frankly don't have the time or manpower to conduct the
> necessary research.
> The process of building a Gr3 Pantera started in the engine room.   De
> Tomaso certified the Gr3 Pantera with either a standard cast-iron intake
> manifold and Motorcraft carburetor, or an optional aluminum Ford manifold
> with a
> Holley 650 manual-secondary carburetor.   The stock oil pan was replaced
> with
> a large (approximately 10-12 quart) pan with an integral windage tray.
> European GTS exhaust headers were fitted (consisting of 4-into-2-into-1
> headers with a 2 1/2 inch collector), and the 2 1/2 inch tailpipes fed into
> either low-restriction ANSA GTS mufflers, or the so-called Gr3 mufflers
> (GTS-style muffler cans with no internals, and hence no sound-reduction
> capabilities.)   Finally, the entire muffler assemblies could be deleted
> and replaced
> by simple straight exhaust pipes.   One would hope the engines were
> thoroughly checked over and received careful blueprinting and
> hand-assembly at the
> factory, but there is no evidence the De Tomaso engine-builders weren't
> simply
> affixing these bolt-on parts to otherwise-standard engines.
> The chassis received only subtle tweaks initially.   The same Ariston
> adjustable shocks fitted to conventional Panteras were standard on the Gr3
> version, but there were two levels of Koni shock upgrades available.   The
> first
> featured internal rebound adjustment only, while the top-of-the-line shocks
> had external controls for rebound and preload adjustment, with over 140
> different combinations available.   The expensive shock package cost an
> additional $2,000 back in 1973, quite a serious investment when you
> consider you
> could buy an entire street Pantera for under $10,000!
> The Gr3 Panteras were equipped with the same springs as the European GTS,
> with only one optional spacer listed (presumably for rally cars.)   The
> steering rack was repositioned using spacers to alleviate bump-steer
> concerns,
> but the control arms and sway bars were the same as those fitted on
> production
> Panteras.
> The brakes consisted of standard Pantera calipers squeezing stock-sized,
> ventilated discs and actuated by a standard master cylinder; this was a
> common
> option for street GTS Panteras as well.   Standard 7- and 8-inch Campagnolo
> wheels and tires were fitted.
> In 1975, the FIA allowed further modifications to the suspension.   The
> rear hub carriers and front spindles were replaced by heavier Group 4
> units,
> and the brakes were changed to larger cast-iron three-piston front
> calipers,
> and cast-iron three-piston rear calipers with heavy-duty vented rotors.
> Although similar in appearance, these were not the same brakes as used on
> the
> Group 4 Panteras, but this system (initially sourced from the De Tomaso
> Deauville and Longchamp) later became standard issue on the GT5 and GT5-S.
> Small auxiliary rear calipers with their own small pads were used for the
> parking brake.
> The stock sway bars were replaced with an adjustable system,
> philosophically similar to, but mechanically different from, the
> adjustable bars featured
> on the Group 4 Panteras.   Initially they were equipped with standard
> 8-inch
> and 7-inch wheels, but later the 10-inch Campagnolo Euro GTS wheel was
> allowed for fitment in the rear, and 8-inch wheels were issued for the
> front.
> The interior of the Gr3 Pantera was surprisingly mundane.   Earlier cars
> had the two-pod dashboard, while later cars received either the one-piece
> molded USA L-model dashboard, or the similar-appearing two-piece
> upholstered
> Euro GTS dashboard; all were fitted with metric gauges and European
> switchgear.
>  The stock seat belts were replaced by racing harnesses, and the standard
> Pantera seats were supplanted by one-piece racing bucket seats, the same as
> those in the Group 4 Panteras.
> (Interestingly enough, these one-piece racing seats were actually
> constructed from the remains of the prototype Pantera's radical seats.
> Those seats
> consisted of a sheetmetal frame, fitted with yellow foam blocks.   Visually
> striking, but judged by Ford as being too weird for the marketplace, they
> never went into production.   As De Tomaso had already produced many of
> these
> frames, they simply upholstered them with light padding and turned them
> into
> race car seats.)
> Heavily padded bolsters, as used in the Group 4 cars, were sometimes fitted
> to the door panels on one or both sides
> On some cars, the ignition switch was relocated from under the dashboard to
> the middle of the center console, behind the ashtray, and within easy reach
> of the driver while he was belted in.   A fire extinguisher was bolted to
> the floor in front of the passenger seat.
> The USA-model steering wheel was standard equipment, but buyers had the
> option of fitting the three-spoke Euro GTS Momo Prototipo instead.
> Interestingly, the Gr3 Panteras were sold with full heating and air
> conditioning,
> electric windows, an AutoVox radio aerial bolted to the roof, and a pair of
> speakers installed in the center kick panels (one immediately alongside
> the gas
> pedal, and the other pointing into the passenger footwell), but no radio
> was
> included.   Air horns were also optional.
> The plexiglass rear window and six-point roll cage of the Group 4 Pantera
> were standard issue in the Gr3 cars as well.   Furthermore, the front
> engine
> cover was modified to allow easy access to the front of the engine without
> requiring the removal of the entire back panel (which would have required
> removal of the roll cage!)
> Cosmetically, the Gr3 Panteras slowly changed as the production Panteras
> changed.   Early Gr3 cars carried standard two-piece front and rear
> bumperettes.   After the introduction of the L-model Pantera, some Gr3
> cars were
> equipped with early-style front bumperettes incorporating the front turn
> signals,
> while others had European L-model bumperettes with the turn signals
> residing in the standard L-model pods on the underside of the front
> fenders.   Some
> cars retained two-piece rear bumperettes while others received the European
> L-model one-piece rear bumper (which was the same as the USA L-model
> bumper, except that instead of being mounted on hydraulic rams, it was
> mounted on
> solid brackets, considerably closer to the car's body.)
> There were various driving and fog light packages issued; some cars
> received Carello fog lights, while others received massive lighting arrays
> for
> nighttime rally racing.   For the first few years, a simple flat blade
> front
> spoiler with cooling ducts for the front brakes was installed (same as on
> the
> Group 4 Pantera) while later cars got a miniature air dam (also a common
> option on the post-1974 European GTS) and small, riveted-on GTS flares.
> Apparently most of the Gr3 cars received the Euro GTS paint scheme, with a
> blacked-out front hood and rear decklid (although the Gr3 Pantera shown in
> the factory brochure and postcards is solid yellow.)   In most cases, the
> European GTS rocker panel decal (which said “De Tomaso” in large letters,
> then
> had the words “Pantera” in smaller script, above the word “GTS”) was
> modified to delete the mention of “GTS.”
> As with the Group 4 cars, rubber tie-downs were used to secure the front
> hood and rear decklid, although unlike the Group 4, the sheetmetal was
> standard steel instead of aluminum.   An external battery cut-off switch
> was fitted
> to the left front fender; the same switch was mounted on the right front
> fender on most Group 4 cars.
>
> =======
>
> While De Tomaso was working on the Pantera road car project, it was
> accompanied by a racing program designed to demonstrate the quality of the
> car.
> The Gr4 was chosen to go against the “big boys”.   From the beginning,
> former Lamborghini engineer Dallara had decided that the racing Pantera
> needed to
> be built from a lightweight chassis, and these were built in Torino with
> perforated pressed holes stamped into most of the chassis components.
> Only
> 14 lightweight chassis were built, and they were delineated by the addition
> of the letter “A”, for Allegerita (light weight) in the chassis number.
>
> Two different models of the lightweight chassis Pantera were built.
> Originally the racing version was going to be called the Gr4 while a
> street-legal
> lightweight model was to be known as the GT4, but the demand for race
> Pantera was so high that immediately, all the GT4 street cars were
> upgraded by
> the factory to full race specifications.   In fact, they were even the
> first
> cars to race, at Monza.   Although the factory officially classified the
> two
> types of cars as separate models on paper, in reality they were absolutely
> identical by the time they rolled out of the factory doors.
>
> The cars were originally painted an orange-red with satin black hood and
> decklid.   The most obvious difference between them and a standard
> production
> Pantera was the massive fiberglass flares riveted to the fenders; these
> allowed the fitment of equally massive wheels and tires (15 x 10 inch in
> front,
> and 15 x 14 inch in the rear).   But in fact the car was substantially
> modified from the standard configuration.
>
> It was much lighter than a production Pantera, due to the use of aluminum
> for the doors, hood and decklid, and the extensive lightening holes stamped
> into most of the main chassis pieces.   The complete car weighted only 2750
> lbs (1250 kg).   The heavy cast-aluminum engine and transaxle mounts were
> replaced by much lighter ones of welded steel, again filled with lightening
> holes.
>
> The suspension was nominally the same (dual wishbone, coil-over shocks,
> with front and rear anti-roll bars) but none of the components were stock.
> Koni shocks were fitted, and shorter, stiffer springs lowered the car (ride
> height is not adjustable however, except by using spacers).   The wishbones
> had solid bronze bushes; some featured heim joints to allow for great
> adjustability in both camber and caster.   The anti-roll bars mounted much
> more
> rigidly to the chassis, and the center mounts were considerably outboard
> of the
> standard mounting location.  They were attached to the wishbones with heim
> joints to reduce friction, and the joints at the ends of the anti-roll bars
> were adjustable so that racing teams could make each end of the car softer
> or
> stiffer in degrees.   The rear uprights were also made much stronger, and
> used much larger bearings.   A quicker ratio was used in the steering rack.
>
> The brakes used four-piston Girling calipers, fully ventilated and drilled
> rotors, and dual independent Girling master cylinders with a balance bar to
> adjust front-to-rear proportioning.   There was no power assist.
>
> The radiator was a standard production piece, but used only a single water
> bottle.   An oil cooler ran the full width of the radiator opening.   The
> front brakes were cooled by air ducted from the simple blade front spoiler,
> while the rear brakes received cooling air from a pair of scoops riveted to
> the underside of the car alongside the engine.
>
> Originally, the standard steel exhaust manifolds were replaced with “GTS”
> headers, going into 2 1/2 inch straight tailpipes with no mufflers.   In
> 1974, the factory homologated 180-degree 'bundle of snakes' exhaust system,
> much like that fitted to the GT40.
>
> The engine was improved, but not radically so.   A solid-lifter camshaft
> was fitted, along with an aluminum intake manifold and 850 cfm Holley
> carburetor.   In 1973, Weber carburetors were homologated.
>
> The interior was mostly stock, although the electric side windows were
> replaced with sliding perspex windows.   Simple aluminum door panels
> trimmed in
> naugahyde were used, and the driver's panel had a large padded block for
> the
> driver to brace his leg against.   A six-point roll cage extended through
> the rear window and attached to the inner wheelhouses, above the rear shock
> absorber mount.   The shift gate had a crude reverse lockout welded onto
> it.
>  Standard gauges were used, along with the two-spoke steering wheel found
> on the earliest production Panteras.   Racing harnesses and supportive
> bucket
> seats were also installed.
>
> Small turn indicators were attached directly to the front of the fender in
> place of the standard bumperettes, and small spotlights were attached to
> the
> doors and roof to illuminate the racing number.   The standard Pantera
> taillight (which was shared with several other Italian cars) was replaced
> with a
> three-bar light (which was shared with different other Italian cars....)
>
> The Gr4 Pantera made a fantastic debut at Monza in 1972, where the overall
> win was virtually locked up until the alternator mounting bracket failed,
> and the car failed to finish.   Throughout the 1972 and 1973 season, the
> car
> won races in front of a flurry of Porsches.   Unfortunately, De Tomaso
> failed
> to support the Pantera racing program while Porsche engineers were working
> night and day to improve their cars, so by the end of the 1973 season, the
> Pantera was outclassed in the top ranks of FIA endurance racing, although
> they were still dominant in the hands of privateers at the club level
> (particularly in Italy) and in hillclimbs.
>
> In the USA, the first Gr4 Pantera built, No. 2344, was initially prepared
> at Bill Stroppe's shop and later made the show car circuit and was driven
> on
> the street by Mario Andretti.   It was then sold to Warren Tope, who was
> the
> son of the director of the experimental department of Ford USA.   Lee
> Dykstra, a former Andretti mechanic, worked on the car and designed some
> experimental suspension components for it.
>
> In 1974, the car won the first race at the City of Pontiac “Wide Track”
> driven by Tope, but after that, it quickly became obsolete and was reduced
> to
> competing at the club level, with mediocre results.
>
> And so the Gr4 Pantera's racing career faded.   Had it received even a
> fraction of the development attention that Porsche lavished upon their
> 911, it
> is probable that the Pantera would have continued to win for quite a few
> years.
>
> ====
>
> So there you have it.   I failed to mention (because I didn't know at the
> time) that some Gr3 Panteras had the electric window mechanisms replaced
> with
> a simply crank system; 1070 has that feature, as can be seen in the
> interior photos.
>
> Mike
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