1972, Is it a good deal

IS the car in Florida , Red I would highly recommend your go see it in person before you spend the $$. A several hundred dollar flight is small $$ insurance

The car is actually local in the SF Bay Area. I saw the car yesterday. The rust was under the radiator on the passenger side, nothing that could not be fixed. There was also rust that was lifting the paint in the door sill area, and some lifting paint on the rocker panels, other then that it looked clean. Tires were 15 years old but still had lots of tread and the brakes were original.

quote:

Originally posted by wantone:
The car is actually local in the SF Bay Area. I saw the car yesterday. The rust was under the radiator on the passenger side, nothing that could not be fixed. There was also rust that was lifting the paint in the door sill area, and some lifting paint on the rocker panels, other then that it looked clean. Tires were 15 years old but still had lots of tread and the brakes were original.

Hello,If you can?Put the car on a lift and really check it out.I think you will find more rust.If you need any help with looking at the car,I am located on the peninsula.Good luck!

Its not hard to weld, but its the grinding dust that gets me. I bought a 69 Superbee 8 years ago. It had a bad trunk and rear quaters. By the time I was done I had replaced both rear frame rails, trunk floor and extensions, quaters, both sides of the floor boards, spring shacke mounts. I spent $2000 for metal alone - for a mass produced car. Sheet metal is VERY expensive for the Pantera. I am not saying to avoid it as most Panteras have some rust, just look at it, on a rack, and bring someone else.

Without having seen the car, I would be very cautious about purchasing it. If that much rust is visible, there is undoubtedly a lot more that is not.

If you search the archives of this site, or of the DeTomaso e-mail forum, you will read literally dozens of cases where someone bought a car that seemed like a good deal but did have some visible rust. In 100% of the cases, the purchaser would have been WAAAAAAY ahead financially to have spent a little more and gotten a rust-free car to begin with. There is a LOT of anecdotal evidence to suggest that the actual amount of rust on a car is far greater than the amount visible. And that the cost to repair extensive rust is often a quite substantial amount.

The only way I would recommend that someone buy a rusty (or potentially rusty) car is if their purpose is to treat it as their hobby, and are looking for a project to keep them busy for a period of several years. For them, purchasing the car and restoring it themselves is the object, and not just getting a good deal on a Pantera. Otherwise you will be far ahead financially to get a more solid example, and won't have to wait a few years to enjoy it.

Just something to think about.

Absolutely Charlie.
Nothing wose than having a car sitting in the garage, pouring lots of money and time in it and can't drive it.
Been there and done that. I think most of us have.