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What a waste!!
...Yes, Wasted! A Right Hand Drive with a Single Pod Dash; How Rare is That? Did anybody notice this RHD drive still has Both Master Cylinders on the Left side? Are they actuated through 'Rods' under the dash?? And, How about those 10 Inch campys, they aren't out in the weather are they? This car is in Bad Need of a Rescue!...
The lambo looks like it has seen better days too.
John
John
Didn't someone get a free GT5 that had been abandoned in Brunei a few years ago?
whatever happened to that one?
John (gotta get back to the homework now) Maffeo
whatever happened to that one?
John (gotta get back to the homework now) Maffeo
Marlin,
Yes the master cylinders are operated by rods that run between the heater and the bulkhead.
I don't much like the idea but it does seem to work (the same method was used on some small UK market Fords built in Spain).
Though later RHD cars (e.g. GT5S) have the master cylinders on the right.
As for the dash. Every RHD car I have seen has the single pod dash.
You'd think that the Sultan of Brunei could afford a garage to park his cars in...
Yes the master cylinders are operated by rods that run between the heater and the bulkhead.
I don't much like the idea but it does seem to work (the same method was used on some small UK market Fords built in Spain).
Though later RHD cars (e.g. GT5S) have the master cylinders on the right.
As for the dash. Every RHD car I have seen has the single pod dash.
You'd think that the Sultan of Brunei could afford a garage to park his cars in...
I find pictures like this fascinating. Mike Drew tells me that these photos were taken by Kirby Shrader, a Houston-area Pantera owner who has been living and working in Brunei for the past 7 years or so.
This car has full English spec. My car was built in the same month (October 73), and had a very similar spec (except for the GTS arches). As Derek says, all right hand drive cars had the single pod dash. DT never tooled up to injection mould the twin pod or single pod dash in RHD. They made them by hand from fibreglass. This included the centre console. As a result of this, RHD cars had to be trimmed in vinyl, Alcantara, or leather. Note the absence of the dash board clock. Not all GTS's got this. RHD cars also got adjustable seat backs. I do not understand why many of them, my car included, came originally with the Ralf Nader rear bumper?
Other interesting differences are the front indicator side lamp units. These are unique to English Panteras (not European) and originate from the Austin 1100 that dates from 1963. I can only assume it was due to UK type approval, and of coarse De Tomaso's Innocenti were making Austins under licence in Italy at that time.
You would think steel tubes that run along the bulkhead to actuate the servo and clutch would introduce a spongy feel to the pedal, but it doesn't. It is actually engineered very well.
Also notice the American side marker lights have been blanked off at the rear with a piece of body coloured sheet metal, and have an indicator repeater lamp in the front one.
Johnny
This car has full English spec. My car was built in the same month (October 73), and had a very similar spec (except for the GTS arches). As Derek says, all right hand drive cars had the single pod dash. DT never tooled up to injection mould the twin pod or single pod dash in RHD. They made them by hand from fibreglass. This included the centre console. As a result of this, RHD cars had to be trimmed in vinyl, Alcantara, or leather. Note the absence of the dash board clock. Not all GTS's got this. RHD cars also got adjustable seat backs. I do not understand why many of them, my car included, came originally with the Ralf Nader rear bumper?
Other interesting differences are the front indicator side lamp units. These are unique to English Panteras (not European) and originate from the Austin 1100 that dates from 1963. I can only assume it was due to UK type approval, and of coarse De Tomaso's Innocenti were making Austins under licence in Italy at that time.
You would think steel tubes that run along the bulkhead to actuate the servo and clutch would introduce a spongy feel to the pedal, but it doesn't. It is actually engineered very well.
Also notice the American side marker lights have been blanked off at the rear with a piece of body coloured sheet metal, and have an indicator repeater lamp in the front one.
Johnny
Dang. I wish this car was here in the states. I have a euro-GTS and I need a parts car in case something breaks on mine. THe problem with owning a euro-GTS is a lot of the stuff on the car is not the same as the regular Pantera. You got to either haveit custom made, or just sit and wait until you find the part somewhere.
Hey DeTom,
I could swap you for my RHD UK spec car if that would help.
I could swap you for my RHD UK spec car if that would help.
My 6559 was built 11/73.
This one is 6583 and built 10/73? This must have been a custom job beyond the RHD.
This one is 6583 and built 10/73? This must have been a custom job beyond the RHD.
Thanks for the offer Rapier, but anytime a car gets shipped overseas, both the buyer and seller get taken to the cleaners by government agencies. My car really belongs in europe because it has all the gauges and everything in metric and Italian. But now that it is here in the states, how can we get it back over there without both of us takeing a bath in taxes and penalties. I thought about looking up the original owner in Italy and offering the car to him, but for what it would cost, he could probably buy a new Ferrari.
quote:Didn't someone get a free GT5 that had been abandoned in Brunei a few years ago?
whatever happened to that one?
John, I think you refer to #9189, but it was in Saudi Arabia. We haven't heard from member GT5-9189 for some time.
I agree with you Johnny about these being fascinating photos - they're undoubtedly among my personal favourites on the entire registry.
Kirby Schrader who took the shots contacted me with a couple of updates about the car today. Unfortunately he confirmed it has been destroyed since the photos were taken.
Best,
BT
Kirby Schrader who took the shots contacted me with a couple of updates about the car today. Unfortunately he confirmed it has been destroyed since the photos were taken.
Best,
BT
GEEZ....if they're not giving them away, they're destroying them!
wow.
John
wow.
John
DeTom, your car has italian metrics and is in the us....mine has US metrics and is in Spain....You getting me????
Si senior Bianchito. Mi carro est inverto.
Ben,
Your website is getting better all the time. Keep up the good work!
Johnny
Your website is getting better all the time. Keep up the good work!
Johnny
DeTom,
You are SO right about the taxes. The spares are just as bad. I bought a 30 dollar light switch from Hall, it cost me 100 dollars with the shipping costs and tax, and the tax on the tax, and the administration fee, and the tax on the administration fee.
( I now know there are ways to avoid this
).
But how many Panteras were designated for the US market? Is it what, about half?
This means there are 1000s of Panteras built for outside the US.
It seems odd to me that you find parts hard to find. Perhaps one of the US vendors could find a whole new market place here?
Now if you had a right hand drive car I'd understand...
You are SO right about the taxes. The spares are just as bad. I bought a 30 dollar light switch from Hall, it cost me 100 dollars with the shipping costs and tax, and the tax on the tax, and the administration fee, and the tax on the administration fee.
( I now know there are ways to avoid this
).But how many Panteras were designated for the US market? Is it what, about half?
This means there are 1000s of Panteras built for outside the US.
It seems odd to me that you find parts hard to find. Perhaps one of the US vendors could find a whole new market place here?
Now if you had a right hand drive car I'd understand...
ha, ha, ha, DeTom..nice try at spanish mixing it with classic latin!!
quote:It seems odd to me that you find parts hard to find. Perhaps one of the US vendors could find a whole new market place here?
Most parts are interchangeable, but on a euro GTS there are some things that are hard to find. Like it is supposed to have bigger brakes than the US spec. So if I want new pads, where do I go? I mean if I am trying to stay close to original. I can always go with great big racing brakes and racing engine and all that, but then it loses some of it's old world charm. Over the course of the next decade or so I will start restoring my car, and if too many of the original parts are too far gone to save, I may have to change my plan on how I want it restored.
quote:Originally posted by Bianchito:
ha, ha, ha, DeTom..nice try at spanish mixing it with classic latin!!
I am sorry. I was trying to make you feel at home, not like you were at mass.
quote:It seems odd to me that you find parts hard to find. Perhaps one of the US vendors could find a whole new market place here?
Most parts are interchangeable, but on a euro GTS there are some things that are hard to find. Like it is supposed to have bigger brakes than the US spec. So
quote:Originally posted by Joules5:quote:Didn't someone get a free GT5 that had been abandoned in Brunei a few years ago?
whatever happened to that one?
John, I think you refer to #9189, but it was in Saudi Arabia. We haven't heard from member GT5-9189 for some time.
here i am.... still beavering away with 9189 and still in saudi. been a busy last year but 9189 has at last been passed on to the paint shop. should have it back in 15 weeks or so but will keep the colour a secret until i post some pics.
quote:9189 has at last been passed on to the paint shop. should have it back in 15 weeks or so
cool, then you can sell it to me after I win the lotto!
can't wait to see the pics.
John