wondering if ther is a register of all the australian cars or infact if we can start one
on this site i would think there wouldnt be more than 30
cheers

That's an excellent idea. However, you would have to be proactive in tracking the Australian cars down because I don't think that more than five or six owners from Australia participate in this forum, or are even known to the community. However, I don't expect that should be too hard, since you have such a small country.

Three RHD GT5-S cars were sold a year or so ago by their UK owners (Gavin Hutton, Steve Butler & Mick Parsley)to Australia, and I would love to know who bought them. Those darn colonials are at it again!

By the way, does anyone have the chassis number and a photo of Steve Butler's car?

Here's a photo of #9610, a 1991 Pantera 90 Si converted to RHD by the factory and last known to belong to Werner Jungling in, I believe, Queensland.

Here's the Mick Parsley car, a 1989 GT5-S chassis #9516:

Here's Gavin Hutton's 1986 GT5-S that he sold to Australia just over a year ago. Does anyone know the chassis number of this car?

Here's a photo of #9365, a 1985 Pantera GT5 belonging to Geoff Swavley of Sydney N.S.W.

Geoff has tracked all late model panteras for sale in Australia for quite a few years, but I don't think he has information on current ownership. Nonetheless, I can put you in touch with him if you like.

Of course, an excellent place to start would be with PI Regional Representative Laslo Antal:
wildpanteras@netscape.net
http://wildpantera.com/indexf1.html

And while you are in the neighbourhood (anything south of the equator is "in the neighbourhood" for me), you could consider #9262, the amazing Shelby twin turbo Dodge Powered 1983 Pantera GTS now owned by Paul Donderwinkle in Waharoa , New Zealand:

AB, after viewing all the fine pictures Peter posted to your topic, I decided to move it to the photo gallery forum. You've already got a good start towards a registry with just Peter's help, good luck.

thanks i shall start and see where it takes me
i should actually look at mine is the last four numbers of the chassis number the number you all keep talking about

The VIN or chassis number is the best way of keeping track of our cars. We tend to use only the last four numbers, but in fact the whole thing is important. Have a look at the VIN decoder posted on Chuck Melton's web site:

http://www.geocities.com/provamo72/VINDecoder.html

See also the winter 2003 edition of PI Magazine for a detailed article, also written by Chuck Melton, on VIN and other information plates on the Pantera.

Kjell Jansson explained the chassis numbering system for late model cars to me as follows:

The 10-th position in the code should tell the production year. ZDT874000HA009507 is ( H )
E = 1984
F = 1985
G = 1986
H = 1987
J = 1988
K = 1989
L = 1990
M = 1991
Cars made after July 1st are named the next year model.

The year of registration/model year can be, and often is, different from the year of manufacture.

Elsewhere in the PI BB, George Pence has written an explanation of Pantera VIN numbers that I found very interesting and helpful:

The VIN code, aka the chassis number, doesn't provide the detailed info [one might expect]. It tells you its a Pantera, made by DeTomaso in Modena, Vignale's build date of the coach (NOT the final assembly date of the vehicle), and the sequential build number for the coach (NOT the sequence for the final assembly). That's all the info contained in the VIN number.

The body service number, fastened to the foot box in the front trunk, tells you the cars final sequential assembly order. The earliest Panteras do not have that tag, Ford adopted its use in 1972. The build date in the door jamb is the cars final assembly date, and can be one month older than the date built into the VIN number. That's why you need all 3 numbers to construct a production history. The VIN number is next to worthless. Options, paint color, information like that, is not incorporated into any of the numbers.

- Peter

Here's another Australian "Pantera", this one out of Adelaide. It's Greg Brown's 1972 drag racer called 'Out Of Control'. Note this car is front engined and uses a tube chassis. I'm not sure if the car has anything to do with De Tomaso except by virtue of its resemblance to a Pantera, but it's fun and raises Pantera awareness, so I'm all for it -- as long as a real Pantera was not harmed in the making of this car! Supposedly it runs 615 hp and a 8.89 second 1/4 mile at 160 mph. It's for sale so if anyone is interested they can call Greg at 8345 1000.