Custom Pantera at PI Motorsports

Funny how the bumper has an indent for the license plate on top, but the license plate is below.

To be honest, totally objective, I think it looks pretty good, one of the better ones. But still, it should not have been done. Trying to make a car look like another car is just And it goes the other way as well, the Fiero trying to look like a Pantera is IMHO equally

Please don't show any more examples...

Add me to the camp that likes it. Are there follow up photos showing its evolution? Thanks.

I just hope they put some more lug nuts on it before they drive it!

Mercury Cougar tail lights?

In September of 2011 I happened to be in California.

I was lucky enough to stop by Pantera International for a bit and see all of their cars. In the back of their shop I ran across a Pantera that was being made into an Audi R8 (this car was mentioned earlier in this post).

I was shocked that someone would go to so much trouble and expense to make a Pantera look like an Audi. Pantera International has some very talented fabricators working for them, but personally I would have just bought a used or wrecked R8 and started with that. To each his own I guess.

I always wondered if this project ever was finished or if it is still in the shape it was when I was there in 2011.

Devin

Here is another set of pics of the R8 Conversion.

My mom taught me to not say anything if I don't have anything nice to say. I'll be quiet now.

I can´t be quiet anymore. That Lambo front I could still live with, as other parts of that car still had some taste in them. Just the front felt like too clearly too much of a copy. This R8 copy is just unbelievable, I don´t understand anything of the logic behind this "custom". To change a De Tomaso into an Audi copy... perkele. I would even imagine it would be frustrating for the workers building this car to end up doing butcher´s work like this.

Holy cow!

Why is it, that everyone sees Pantera as their dream platform to do these things. I appreciate pro-touring is in, but if you want modern Audi, or any other modern looking car, why not save up and buy one?
I had someone I don't know comment on my -71 Pantera that you should black out the chrome, paint it gunmetal grey and use those matte black big diameter wheels like people use with new Lambos and Audis.

I just told him I got chrome bumper car because I like it that way. I like the vintage look with chrome trim. If I paint it something else, I'll paint it metalflake Gold and hang a disco ball to the mirror.

-Janne

Holy crap bat man!

On reflection my original post was a bit too strong. Therefore edited.

I just threw up a little in my mouth.

Unbelievable.

I agree

Just out of curiosity, how is such a car to live with. Must be quite heavy with double skin, or is all the inner skin cut out later? Wonder how they get simple things like windows to roll up and down, door locks. And it must be a rust trap.

Add on top that, what people may think of the owner driving a car like that.

Mikael, but how do you really feel about it????
LOL

quote:

Originally posted by Lui:
... PI (which stands for "Pantera International") ...

No it does not.

-G

quote:

Originally posted by 1973 Pantera:
I just threw up a little in my mouth.

Unbelievable.

Lucky you. I threw up a lot!

quote:

Originally posted by Cowboy from Hell:

quote:

Originally posted by Lui:
... PI (which stands for "Pantera International") ...

No it does not.

-G

Do tell. What does PI stand for? I'm probably not the only one that though it stood for Pantera International.

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say it "stood" for, at one time — back when PIM and PI were related, which hasn't been the case for years since our esteemed George took over PI.

Indeed, I don't think that PIM is even under the same ownership it was back when PI and PIM were both owned by Dave and Linda Adler, but I'm not 100% sure of that.

Pantera International is a car club founded in 1973 by Fred Matsumoto, June Tuey and John Chung. It is incorporated in the state of California, the corporate charter limits the activity of Pantera International to the activities of a car club. Eveline Blanchette ran Pantera International from 1975 to 1991, the Adlers ran the club from 1991 to 2006.

PI Motorsports is a retail auto repair and parts business founded in 1996 and co-owned by the Adlers and the Sackets. It is a completely separate business entity from the car club. Just as Mind Train (Fred Matsumoto's business) was a separate business entity from the car club.

PI Motorsports was founded near the time when Kjell Qvale bought out DeTomaso's interest in the joint project called the Bigua (i.e. the Qvale Mangusta). Mr. Qvale was threatening to sue people and businesses for the use of certain words associated with DeTomaso automobiles. This rattled Dave enough, that when they were naming the new auto repair business he felt there may be future legal problems in using the word Pantera in the name of a new business.

So the "PI" in PI Motorpsorts was intended to give the impression it stood for Pantera International, because Dave and Linda were the officers of Pantera International at the time PI Motorsports was founded. At that time they had no intentions of ever relinquishing control of the club, they hoped both businesses would remain within the control of their family for a long time. Of course that's not how things panned out.

The truth is "PI" is not an acronym, its not an abbreviation nor are they initials. The business' full name is simply PI Motorsports, and always has been. It has never been called Pantera International Motorsports, but the Adlers hoped everyone would make that assumption.

In 2006 the Adler's stepped down from their posts in the car club. Since then there has been no connection between Pantera International and PI Motorsports, except in the friendship and goodwill between the Adlers, the Sackets and my family.

-G

George, sincerely thanks for the history/background. I love my Pantera and knowing a little bit more about this forum and the De Tomaso extended history is worth while.

However I do have to point out that in my view, I just don't see how it's in the best interests of PI Motorsport, who by mistake or perception or easy to come to assumption (which is easy to make when anyone goes on their web site or shops online are linked to the brand), to be involved with such a severe modification of a pantera which at the very least within this forum has a great following and fan base.

Just about any Pantera sized coupe or smaller could be "filled" out and modified to look like something else. Why modify a Pantera beyond recognition.

Just because you can doesn't mean you should. From here it just feels like someone is pissing all over the alter of a church - our little Pantera church - if that makes any sense.

PS: Tequila may have influenced the rant, but not the sentiment.

I've enjoyed everyone's comments. On the subject of modification, opinions amongst Pantera owners have always varied regarding how far is too far. An extremely customized Pantera like this one is obviously going to be too far for a greater number of people. My opinion of modification has grown more conservative as I've aged.

On the subject of tequila, I wish I were there to help you knock down a bottle or two.

-G

I enjoyed reading the history and origin of the Pantera International car club and PI Motorsports. Very enlightening and informative. Just a great read. One thing I've noticed, when George explains something, he always explains himself with great clarity and detail, and has this uncanny knack for making the story interesting.

As for Lui's comments, I happen to agree that the Pantera at PI Motorsports was so severely modified that it is almost offensive. In my view its painful to see a Pantera altered to that extent. But I don't blame the Adler's or the Sackett's for carrying out what the customer requested. If a customer comes in with a load of money and wants to modify their Pantera, its not for PI Motorsports to judge. PI Motorsports, like any other business enterprise, is in business to make a profit. That heavily modified Pantera helps pay the bills and keep PI Motorsports in business. While I'll bet that the owners of PI Motorsports in their private moments shake their head in horror at the monstrosity that the customer requested they create, on the other hand I am sure they are grateful for the business.

What are you going to do, some people have better taste than others.

David #9465

I agree with alot of what has been said. I also dont like the mods done on either the yellow car or the Audi replica.
The problem is that its always subjective. Obviously the customer wants their Pantera that way so they are having it done.As a shop owner I would not do the work they are having done, prophet or no you will be always tied to that car. They should have patted the customer on the back and said (customer name here)"**** I see what you want to do here but it will look like ass and you should re think it a little bit." (Apologies to the mod if that statement was too harsh)
Saying the design is bad but the workmanship is good is like saying "She's got a great personality."
At the end of the day it doesn't look good no matter how nice the welds are.Workmanship alone can not save a bad design or concept

There are a few modded cars on here that fall under the great talent /poor design category.
Very few can pull it off, one exception in my opinion is Macman. His car is brilliant . Well designed and well executed.

I also cringe when I hear "Pantera based custom"
If you dont want a Pantera then why did you buy a Pantera?

Tangent: Lambo doors should only be on a Lambo and 24 inch wheels dont belong on any car.

I am done now.

I could see it if someone was converting a neglected Pantera into a modern one like the proposed new one or one of the Pantera concept cars.

But to turn it into a replica of another manufacturer like they do with VW Beetles and Pontiac Fieros? NO!!!

Then there are the truly visionary souls who convert a Pantera to a Fiero ...

There must be those that are totally embarrassed that it is only a Pantera and need to turn it into something else to hide their humiliation?

Dr. Frankenstein slowly raised his eyebrows starring into space he contemplates , the next step is to cut the roof off, flip it around, turn the ZF upside down and it will be a front wheel drive put a coffin (Cord) hood on what now will be the front, run the exhaust out the back through the corner grills, have the brake lights pop-up when you apply them,and just a couple more small revisions, a rumble seat in the old front trunk an air bagged eight inch lift kit, and duel propellers in what was the front grill.
FRANKENSTEIN MEETS WATER WORLD.

quote:

Originally posted by Wade:
Posted by Wade:

I agree with 73pantera. There are several Pantera concept drawings with visionary designs that would give the owner a unique vehicle that may also have an opportunity for investment value down the road. Some of these designs have had some distribution in the public domain and may therefore capture the imagine of today's youth.

I know Evans has his own version that he would like to build if someone brought their checkbook.

I'm confident that an exercise like that would have wider support of the Pantera community and that would also support resale.

Although, I suppose if you have enough money to throw away....