Reply to "1974 Pantera"

Fangio, unless the car you are interested in is a genuine "survivor", I wouldn't worry about how powerful the engine is. Few Panteras- now 38-40 years old- have completely stock engines. The factory changes to '73-74 engines for smog compliance are easily reversable during std maintenence and can be done cheaply by the avg. backyard mechanic. Most Panteras in good running condition today will exceed 150 mph quicker than you ever thought possible. More important is the condition of the ZF transaxle which is the single most expensive part in the car- when new or nowadays. It should shift smoothly from gear to gear without grinding or odd noises when driving. Fully reconditioned ZFs sell for around $11,000 so check carefully.
As Joe's photos show, changing L bumpers leaves a 2" hole in each of the 4 fender corners for the 5 mph bumper-shocks, and due to their visibility, the big holes are usually welded closed, prepped & repainted. The blacked-out trim may have been powder-coated, spray-can-painted or otherwise reworked. Obviously, spray-can paint will be easier to remove than powder coating. Almost as important as a good transaxle is the condition of the body: most guys can handle mechanical stuff but good bodywork & paint is precious. Take a 'bondo-meter' with you when shopping for a steel-body Pantera. These are also called 'paint-thickness-gauges' and do not damage the finish while telling you something about what's under that pretty paint. They are available at most paint stores; paint will be in the neighborhood of a couple of thousandths of an inch thick; if your meter shows much more, there's filler present. I've seen 'plastic sculptures' beautifully done on cars involved in major accidents. Be wary of cars with certain out of state titles, since a few states allow re-registration by mail of cars with 'scrap' stamped on the title from being totalled by an insurance company. The new title will not have 'scrap' on it.... The Pantera is an all-welded monococque body that's difficult and expensive to properly repair- similar to a Porsche. Club members can help you find what you're looking for while avoiding over-priced or badly repaired examples. We keep records of many of the cars by serial number so for any candidates, write down the VIN # and post it; likely someone will know the car's past history.