How to know if it is a GTS

The vin number will have a GT in it for american cars.

Should look like this as on mine which is in the for sale section

Also like this

Europeon GTS doesn't have the GT in the number, but it has the flairs on the fenders, wider than stock rims and tires, roof radio antenna if it came with a radio. Larger disc brakes, larger rear sway bar, high compresion engine, larger radiator, front hi-beam flasher lights, GTS script on the sides and metal GTS script nameplate underneath Pantera on the rear,blacked out trim, mousehair dash, clock mounted in dash, and two tone paint job.
I may be forgetting a few things, but mostly that is how you can tell.

Thanks guys!

I guess this isn´t a GTS

/Honken

The Euro GTS's did not have "GT" in the registration number, only the US cars.

DeTomaso did not equip all the GTS's with fender flares either, that practice was dropped. I was under the impression all the early GTS's had the flares however. But you can never assume anything with DeTomaso.

One change instituted with the Euro GTS's was the use of better quality materials in the interior, the Ford spec cars all used man made materials. I believe the Euro GTS's were the first to have the adjustable seat back mechanisms installed, I'm not sure. DeTom, does your GTS have adjustable seat backs?

The Euro GTS's also had a better exhaust system, although an owner could have easily bolted the GTS exhaust onto a Ford spec car, that is a common practice here in the states. Another improvement on the Euro GTS's was the 8" front wheels and 10" rear wheels, although that is another change an owner of a Ford spec car commonly makes.

All European Panteras had 7/8" OD rear anti-sway bars, GTS versions and Ford spec versions. The US Panteras were fitted with slightly smaller 3/4" rear anti-sway bars.

In the end, it will be best to contact the factory or Steve Wilkinson in the US, and ask if they have the documents for your car. I will check my "stuff" when I get back to the club office this evening and see if I have any reference to your chassis number.

George

quote:

DeTom, does your GTS have adjustable seat backs?

No sir, it does not. It does have leather or maybe pleather trim and cloth centers, but I thought maybe all Panteras seats are that way. It is always hard for me to tell because I know my car so well, I asume they all are that way until I read something and find out different.
Oh wait a minute, I just remembered another thing. Mine came with a 650 Holley especialy made for Panteras. Remember back when we were looking up holley part numbers and found out that Holley made those just for DeTomaso??? It was a year or so ago. Maybe that would help identify it? Also the GTS in europe kept the little bumpers, front and back.
Mine is 4903 and the tag he showed is close in number, so it could be a GTS.

4275 is a very special car, a one-off, with some unusual features such as the unusual row of vents in the front bonnet. It was built for & originally owned by Hank Carlini, Lee Iacocca's right hand man! It's original destination was the US. It is painted in GTS livery, yet it pre-dates the US GTS's by a whole year, and may have been their prototype.

cowboy from hell

quote:

Originally posted by Cowboy from Hell:
4275 is a very special car, a one-off, with some unusual features such as the unusual row of vents in the front bonnet. It was built for & originally owned by Hank Carlini, Lee Iacocca's right hand man! It's original destination was the US. It is painted in GTS livery, yet it pre-dates the US GTS's by a whole year, and may have been their prototype.

cowboy from hell

US GTSs were all '74 model year Panteras. I have, however seen a few US GTSs being sold as '73 models. I'm not sure if that is just the way they were titled by the state, if an owner was able to get the model year changed, or if they were in fact European cars.

Michael

quote:

Originally posted by Honken:
Thanks guys!

I guess this isn´t a GTS

/Honken

Tough to tell on a European Pantera unless the owner has access to the vehicle's factory records. All the options stated for a GTS could easily have been added after 30 plus years of ownership or individually added when the car was ordered. Hence, a Euro GTS is easy to claim but difficult to verify.

Now a US GTS is a different story. Easily verifiable as demonstrated by Laboss' beautiful GTS.

From your post it's not clear if you own the car. If you're considering purchasing then the quality of the vehicle is more important than if it carries the GTS badge or not.

In other words, is it rust free? Well maintained? Etc..

Good luck.
Josh

Michael, the 40 1974 US - GTS's sold in California were redocumented as 1973 models, due to the fact that Ford neglected to have the 351C 4V smog certified in California for 1974. That is why you have seen some US - GTS's documented as 1973 models. They all have chassis numbers greater than 5900, which indicates they were manufactured during the 1974 production year.

6018 is also a 1974 model, but it too was titled as a 1973 model in California.

However, in the case of 4275 that has no bearing, it is most definitely a 1973 model, one of the very first L models (4269 was the first L). It was painted silver with a GTS black-out scheme. It has a row of small screened vents on the front bonnet, nothing like the Hibachi grills on DeTom's car.

The interior was done in two tone leather, chrome lettering across the rear most edge of the rear bonnet spells out F-O-R-D. It has a Euro style antenna in the middle of the roof. A Momo Prototipo steering wheel.

There is a story about the car in issue 76 of PI Magazine, page 46.

cowboy from hell

Damn George. I like the way that looks. Your car is already silver, all you would have to do is buy black fiberglass flairs, hood and trunk lid, paint the bottom black, and you would be good to go.

Thanks, George. That explains it.

Michael

George the EUROS had adjustable head rest and seat back. Couple options 9138 has as a EURO GTS is

Side lettering, mouse hair dash and center seats, rear windo defogger, front spoiler, bumperettes, hood grills, 8 & 10 rims, NO FLAIRS, larger sway bars then L model, and only the EUROS had a different rear tail light panel to accept a euro license plate, the indash clock and all Metric Gauages.

Ron

I also have the original invoice and import papers. I find it too hard to convert a car to a GTS since there are not many and the parts not available.

Ron

Isnt also a fact that only 90 GTS were produced ?? which would be a very limited Pantera

quote:

Isnt also a fact that only 90 GTS were produced ??

That used to be the thought for the US GTS cars.

Newer thought is about 148 US GTS cars.

The Euro GTS cars are entirely another matter.

Larry

quote:

The Euro GTS cars are entirely another matter.

What are the production figures ?

I find it very hard to alter 9138 as I think its better off in its original state. To date the only alterations that have been made are .. I removed the added US bumpers that were put on to get into the US in 1985 and put back original GTS bumperettes, intake and carb, Big Bore exhaust, ignition, and tires.

Ron

quote:

Originally posted by LF - TP 2511:

quote:

Isnt also a fact that only 90 GTS were produced ??

That used to be the thought for the US GTS cars.

Newer thought is about 148 US GTS cars.

The Euro GTS cars are entirely another matter.

Larry

Whether is 90, or 148, or any number in between, it's still a low number and a rare model.

Michael

Bill Van Ess was very definite on the number, 138. There were 138 Ford Spec GTS Panteras manufactured (the ones with GT in the VIN number). They were all manufactured during the 1974 production year (after July 1, 1973) having chassis numbers greater than 5900. However the 40 sold in California were redocumented as 1973 models, which created confusion years ago and some enthusiasts were mistakenly lead to believe only 98 Ford spec GTS Panteras were made (138 - 40 = 98).

I agree with Michael, 98 or 138, either way it is a rare trim option.

cowboy from hell

The Ford era euro-GTS they made, oh say a couple hundred of those though. Everyone in Europe boght those instead of Ls, I betcha.

You could only get a US GTS in burgundy, silver, or gold. If I remember correctly, The made the same amount of silver and gold, and more burgundy than those two. I think it's something like: 40 silver, 40 gold, and 60ish burgundy.

Anybody can feel free to correct me, I'm going back 10 years here from when I was considering buying a GTS.

Michael

Check this out ... I was on the site MARTI REPORT and recently he added all FORD CARS .. so I asked him can he get me a MARTI REPORT on my Pantera .. he stated that he he could but they would all be the same because they all came with the same options ... I said to myself HMMM maybe true but in the Pantera World there are some distinct difference maybe he is not aware of ... but I think the history of who pruchased my car may be of value to me and the history of owners ... but I think he prides himself on options and HOW MANY of THIS ONE OF CAR were made. A thought crossed my mind and wouldnt it be nice if some one like him were to obtain the records from DEOTMASO and they were actually made available to US in the form that they produce a History and Production Figures as they do with Mustangs ...after all Ford had this information.

Ron

quote:

were to obtain the records from DEOTMASO and they were actually made available to US in the form that they produce a History and Production Figures as they do with Mustangs ...after all Ford had this information.

De Tomaso does not have the information for the Ford cars. They only have the information for the De Tomaso sold cars.

The Ford records were, for years, said to have been destroyed.

Recently, Steve Wilkinson has said Ford still has them, but I have yet to see anything to confirm or deny this new info.

We are the red-haired bastard step-children of the Exotic car world. Perhaps it is only right that our lineage is obscure and unclear.

Larry