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Reply to "Contrversial lineage of the Pantera."

I wasn't there so I don't know who did what to who. Apparently though there was a lot of people doing a lot of other people. Apparently it was one of those circle things.

I read somewhere back in the 70s that Pete Brock was credited with the "idea" of making a center spine high performance sports car. (Yes I can remember the '70s).
Specifically, the Mangusta. Actually, if I can find the quote, I swear it said that the central core chassis was his design.

I don't remember who wrote it but I read it.

A lot of those auto writers back then were like DT. They would write stuff knowing it wasn't true but it would just stir things up and maybe they would spook out some nice unknown gossip. At least get a story out of it.

Brock worked for Shelby in the '60s. It most likely came to an end at the termination of the '67 Shelby's (the SC Cobras are '67s) and the experation of the LA Airport terminal lease.

I know that they weren't on speaking terms for something like 30 years after that. Maybe they weren't too close back in the SA LA days either?

Brock had been in Italy working for Shelby with the Cobra coupe project.

Whether or not it was he, Pete Brock, that met Detomaso there and introduced him to Shelby, I don't know.
It seems like Shelby knows absolutely everyone anyway.

Shelby had been searching himself for something to build after the Cobra. The car that comes to mind in that light is what we now call the Lonestar Coupe. I think that car may have also influenced the design of the 427 Cobra Coupe.

I don't remember if the Lonestar was Brocks design but I think all the "Coupes" were including the 427.

Everyone seemed to acknowledge that the GT40 could never be even a limited production vehicle. Who knew?

The point is that Shelby is involved in the "goose". I don't think that there was money involved, Shelby's that is, but because of his close connections at Ford, Shelby was very influencial.

If he stood around at a cocktail party and said something like my pal Iococa would kill for a high performance sports GT, a lot of people would hear that and put things in the works.
Especially if Carroll was his buddy and could fix him up with Lee.

Funny how the Ford SB fits the Mangusta. Well it sorta' does anyway.

Tha Pantera is largely independent of all that crap and was developed by Detomaso all on his own. He took it to Ghia to get drawn up. Kinda' like you go to H&R Block to get your taxes done.

No body but Detomaso and Ghia. No Shelby, no Ford, nobody. But wait, didn't Ford own Ghia? Gee, how does that work now? Wow, I thought I had it all figured out.
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