I have acquired a De Tomaso which was based in Massachusetts. The VIN appears on http://www.scuderiadetomaso.se/gr3_list.html as one of 25 original Group 3 cars. It's one of the cars originally delivered to Germany. The seller said that the car's paint is untouched and that the fenders were later added. Otherwise only few modifications have been made and the car is mostly original. I don't have the car yet but I am interested in your opinions.
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Looks like some rust issues. How does it look underneath?
What is the VIN? Want to see if it is in the ProvaMO registry. Are the flares glass or steel? Looks like a cool project.
It is my understanding from what I've read here from people like Bosswrench, that Group 3 cars were street cars that when ordered had specific parts added, deleted or changed as per the buyers request.
If that is true, then I don't know if there is a such thing as a Group 3 standard package?
As far as I know, the factory rep showed you a picture of the "racing" parts and told you to pick what you wanted?
By the serial unit number, that would/should be a '73 model year. If it was a Euro car and not for US Export, then I believe that a fiberglass single pod dash would be correct as per that steering wheel, and the sugar scoop roof spoiler.
The battery shut off switch would have been required by the racing sanctioning body. Where you put it, I think, it just needed to be accessible to the emergency workers so probably in the dash like that was ok.
I don't know about the wheel flares? I think those are the fiberglass Group 4 factory flares? Who put them on probably isn't very relevant? I can't see the details of the brakes or the wheels but I would think the wheels would just be Campi's, 8" &10", and the 10" with the big full gussets.
You could have any camshaft, intake and carb installed that you wanted so probably not the stock iron CJ intake, Autolite carb, stock headers and hydraulic CJ cam but that could vary according to the customers order?
Not that it is very significant but I would not expect the car to have it's original paint on it, and the seats are not what I would expect to see in an original car but I have seen leather seats in original imported Euro Panteras before, just not that pattern.
The roll bar with the diagonal brace does resemble the illustration in the factory exploded view.
If raced in the US, the bar would have to have a hole in it somewhere to show the thickness of the bar tubes complied with the safety reg's and a label showing the location to quick check it.
I don't know the sanctioning body rules where it was raced but I would expect that to have that examination port as well, but maybe not?
Panteras are not easily judgeable for "Concours" purposes like Mustangs are. Folks who are into that and need every nut and bolt to be as delivered, will have a difficult time in most instances in proving a car is "completely original". So anyone who needs that on their car would do well to pick another manufacturer other then Detomaso.
There appears to be some perforating corrosion at the base of the A and B pillars at the front end of the bonnet and at the rear of the roof.
These are the areas that are well known for rusting and many Panteras have been repaired for this.
If the roof is rusty there is a good chance that the cross member underneath is rusty too, this is due to the presence of pieces of felt between the cross member and the roof, they collect moisture and rust the roof and cross member.
How are the reinforcements under the rear shock absorbers?
Paint untouched? In more than one photo it sure looks like the left rear quarter is a mismatch to the door. VIN# would help further trace history, but the car doesn't appear to be in the registry going by the Gr3 list. I'd expect some import documentation to be available.
The VIN is THPNPND7483 and it's listed on Anders Hellberg's site http://www.scuderiadetomaso.se/gr3_list.html. It's one of the cars which was originally delivered to Germany.
It is in the ProvaMO registry as a 1976 Group 3. NO rear wing or spoiler. No photos. Unclear who posted the info.
The registry shows 7454 as the closest car to it. It has similar group IV flares that are NOT riveted on like yours so it is possible they are from the factory. I have seen a few later cars that had the flares attached like this. Perhaps you can confirm they are fiberglass and how they mount to the body. You could have a rare car here.
Ok, good to know. The seller said that the fenders and spoiler were added around 1980. The paint appears to be untouched otherwise
I would be curious to know if the factory added the flares. Post a picture of how they mount once you get the car. Did you import it from Germany or buy it here?
Once I have it I will post more pictures. It's in Masschusetts still, ready to be shipped
Are you aware that there is apparently a lot of work to be done to repair the elements affected by perforated rust?
But it is worth it!
Yes, sure. The tech condition is more important to me. And I hope it's mostly ok
@panterapatt posted:I would be curious to know if the factory added the flares. Post a picture of how they mount once you get the car. Did you import it from Germany or buy it here?
Yes I will post more pics once I have the car
@panterapatt posted:It is in the ProvaMO registry as a 1976 Group 3. NO rear wing or spoiler. No photos. Unclear who posted the info.
Ok, good to know. The seller mentioned that flares and spoiler were added in 1980 and it was send back to the factory. Not sure what "factory" they are refering to
I looked at this car, and it has steel flairs. I talked to Santiago and he said that it appears to have been taken back to the factory a couple of times but there is no mention of any body work or changes. It also seems to have sat for a bit before it was delivered.
The engine is not original and has been very modified. The owner was clearly interested in going fast and on a demonstration run he was throwing it around on the cape 100+ in a 50 mph zone. The rust is fixable, and the windows and glass can be put back in. The interior was trashed and the fact that he did not have battery secured, made me pass on the car. (The first time I was to look at it, he had dropped the air cleaner nut down the carburetor.) Lots to do to make it perfect but it is a usable car now.
It has a Dash 1 gearbox, witch ist totally wrong in the year.
@wellis posted:I looked at this car, and it has steel flairs. I talked to Santiago and he said that it appears to have been taken back to the factory a couple of times but there is no mention of any body work or changes.
I don't think the factory ever used steel group 4 flares, all fiberglass.
