Gawking Stories

OK.... I'm tooling along the 4 lane passing a few cars in the right lane. I'm coming up on a vehicle in the right lane I'm about to pass, and I look over and a pickup truck is about to run in the back of the car I'm passing. I think WTF and look over to see the guy taking a pic of 1362. With a big grin on his face.

quote:

Originally posted by lastpushbutton:
OK.... I'm tooling along the 4 lane passing a few cars in the right lane. I'm coming up on a vehicle in the right lane I'm about to pass, and I look over and a pickup truck is about to run in the back of the car I'm passing. I think WTF and look over to see the guy taking a pic of 1362. With a big grin on his face.

Followed shortly thereafter with a big stain in his shorts?

I've had similar experiences in the Banzai Runner.

Guy in a BMW one lane over up ahead of me on the freeway is swerving all over the place, so I decide to grab a gear and pass - turns out he was swerving because he was trying to turn around and take a picture of the Pantera while driving on the freeway, at rush hour no less! Was happy to put him behind me.

A number of times I've been sitting at a red light and happen to look in the rear-view mirror to see an admirer right behind me taking pictures through his windshield. So, I always turn-up the volume on the 8-cylinder Cleveland Symphony when the light turns green!

Another time I was sitting at the stop light at the end of the freeway exit ramp and a couple in a convertible Mercedes pulls up in the lane along side of me...
Him: (Yells) That's F-ing awesome!!! The Pantera is my absolute favorite car!
Her: It is!
Him: And I love that color (yellow, of course)! It's my favorite!
Her: It is!
Him: Is that a 72? The pre-L is my favorite!
Her: It is!
Him: Oh! I'm so glad to see that thing out on the road! You made my week man!
Her: You did! I won't hear the end of it now for at least a week! All I'm going to hear about now will be Panteras!
Him: Take care man! Great ride!
Her: Bye!

And here are a few from the "less informed" among us...
http://www.banzairunnerpantera.com/history_quotes.htm

Thats too funny, especially the "Her: It is!" part. I can't help but visualize a sidekick just repeating the heroes words. Common people, 71 views and only 2 stories? Say it ain't so...

I haven't had the car long enough for any great Gawker stories yet, but so far I've had to deal with:
- one guy at a car show who was walking up telling his buddy it's a fiberglass bodied kit-car
- a few 'is that a Lamborghini?' comments
- a girl hanging out the window of her boyfriend's PU truck yelling she loves the car
- a couple of kids who were washing their mustang dropped the sponges and jumped into the car to chase me down and ask what it was ... suds and all (they loved that it was Ford powered)
... I don't doubt my list of stories will grow this season

This sounds like a Ferrari thread.

The first time I drove my car after having it shipped from the east coast it was about 5:00 am I was heading to the golf course, within two blocks from home two of the local finest pulled me over. After checking all my paper work one of them (both about 25 years old) told me they just wanted to see what kind of car it was that they had never seen one. It was real specal.

Comp2
LOL

Cruising down the highway last summer. Slow down to 1 mph over the limit because I know this is a favorite speed trap. Lady in a camry goes flying by me. A mile down the road cop pulls us both over. After talking to her, cop comes to my window. Cop: "the guy up the road with the radar gun says a pantera has been his favorite car all his life, wants to know if he can have a look? He's on his way." camry get ticket and leaves. Now I got 2 RCMP cars and me on the shoulder. Everybody driving by is honking and waving cause they figure I got nabbed going mach3. Me and the two cops have a good laugh over this and they agree if they ever get me for real they will let me go. Cool.

Talking about the local cops. I just drove down to the station house and called the Chief outside and showed him my new car and told him it "only looks fast" I do all the paint and body work for the PD and their cool with me.

It's not much, but what the hey, I'll throw my hat into the ring.

I have been without my cat for a while, and for the last six weeks it has been hidden away waiting for the paint to cure. But the weather was great last weekend, so I took it for a Sunday drive to a friend's barbecue party. The new paint looks fantastic in the sun.

I had forgotten how much attention the car attracts. Stopped at lights, the people in the car behind routinely get nose prints on the inside of their windshields trying to read the script across the back.

On the way home a small car full of young guys took station in front of me, one of them holding up a piece of paper in the rear window. I had to nuzzle up to their bumper to read the ball-point pen scrawl: "SWEET CAR!"

And 5754, yeah, it's nice to get complimented by another guy's chick.

What's not to like about driving a Pantera?

We drove to Alabama to trailer 1717 back home. Being on a open trailer she was there for everyone to see.
I think we were somewhere just north of Huntsville and this small car loaded with teenagers goes by us on I65. Well the girl driving was prodded by the passengers to slow down to take a look at the car on the trailer they had just passed. Kim and I are watching this in pure horror as the kid slams her brakes in the passing lane! Im looking in my mirrors at the line of cars coming up on her. We were both praying that nothing would happen..no where to go we were doing a good 65 mph and I wasnt about to slow down with those kids backing down on oncoming traffic.
They got to see the car,and they were all bouncing around like they were on a sugar buzz when they pulled back up even with me. I patted my hand up and down and was mouthing to them to be careful, well that got me the finger from the kid in the passenger seat. But no harm no foul right?
Jeff

A couple of weeks ago, I was driving home via the "twisties" back route to my house after having #5606's timing adjusted at my mechanic's house.

I turned the last corner approaching Interstate 15 and saw the local sheriff had pulled a Sport bike off to the side of the road at the intersection. The scenario seemed obvious-the Sport bike driver was speeding around the curves and got nailed for going to fast.

I could see that both the "youngish'" predator and "youngish'" prey were deep in conversation-probably about the ticket.

As soon as they heard my car and I pulled up along side of them and waited at the red light, I glanced over and saw that all conversation had stopped. The sheriff had his ticket book now hanging limply at his side and both he, and the Sport bike rider had their eyes transfixed on #5606.

Perhaps, neither of them had seen a Pantera before. But, the whole time I was stopped waiting for the light to turn green, both of them just stopped whatever they were doing up to that point and stared at the car.

Yes, the Cat still does cause a lot of gawking.

I found this thread yesterday morning at work, it is so true how much attention these cars attract. I was fortunate to have a nice sunny day, so I drove my cat to work today. On my way home (the long way) I was coming up this small incline just as a big Chevy 4x4 was on their way down. Just as soon as the saw my cat they slowed down very quickly to try a get a look at her. I'm guessing they probably either slowed down too quickly or forgot that they had to drive that 4x4. As soon as we passed each other, the truck took a hard left turn right off the road in to the field. I saw this in my rear view, but I was laughing way to hard to stop and check on them. Besides, I saw a Sherrif a second later headed towards them. I wonder if I'll get a mention in their explaination to the Sherrif why they're parked in the field.

As you all know, I have never had a speeding ticket because I drive with a stick up my butt, however I was pulled over once in my Pantera by an officer of the law. He wanted to see liscense and registration. I asked "was I speeding officer?". He said, "Oh no sir, I just wanted to make sure this beutifull car was not stolen. Mind if I take a good look at her?" I said sure and we got out and examined the car as I extolled the virtues of this classic vehicle. He eventual got a call from the station and had to leave, but other than wipeing the drool off, she was no worse for ware.

When I found my car I had to take it home on a open trailer and boy did it get allot of attention. Shortly after I had it loaded and was on the road I decided to stop and get some fast food to go. So I pulled into a Burger Kin and the only place big enough to hold my truck and trailer was in the handicap parking space right in front of the main door.(I know, I know, I should have found another spot.) Went in to order and it seemed as if the whole place emptied out, even from behind the counter. Needless to say when I went back outside, the Pantera was surrounded, mostly young black guys. What a hoot! They were hooting and hollering and grabbing their crotches. I had all kinds of offers like, "I'll give ya my paycheck for it!" "Is that a Lamborghini ?" "How much does that cost ?" and my favorite, "I'll give you my sister for it!" Unfortunately he didn't have a picture of his sister with him. Several hours later I was well on the way home and cars were constantly pulling up along side and then backing off some to take a second look. One car in particular was right up on the back of the trailer taking a close look at the backend of the Pantera. About then I noticed a semi trailer tire laying dead smack in the middle of my lane, I did a fast evasive move to the shoulder of the road at 70 mph and missed it, the little lady that was on my ass looking at the Pantera hit that tire dead center. Stoved in the front of her little econobox car like you wouldn't believe. I pulled over at a truck stop to get some coffee mile or so up the road and she followed me in. Boy was she pissed at me, although I had nothing to do with her misfortune, I had my hands full at the time trying not to wreck. She blamed me ! Cop came and sent me on my way after looking over the Pantera and giving the women driver a ticket for following to closely.