Pantera #4680 - Any history?

Here is what it looks like in case anyone can tell all these white GT5s apart enough to remember them. :-)

From the BVE registry:

The bodywork was added by a fellow who believed he was the fourth owner (William Englert of No Carolina), and the bodywork had been added prior to 1994 date of the registry. The fourth owner found several areas indicating minor collision damage and repair.

The car was originally green and built in November 1972, making it a 1973 model.

cowboy from hell

1973 model? Hmmmmm. All the documentation (including title and "for sale" info from a previous seller) say 1972. Could the info in the registry be another car? Although I know the car was in North Carolina for a while.

I was curious about the car...now I am just confused.

R.

Looks nice ! Looks like something I would buy, if it were for sale !!

Robert, don't be confused.

Any car asembled between July 1 1972 and June 30 1973 was a 1973 model.

Have you ever noticed that in the US the new models hit the show room in September, not January? In order to hit the showroom in September, the cars are manufactured beginning July.

US manufacturers assembled cars based on the fiscal year. DeTomaso was hooked up with Ford and adhered to Ford's production schedule.

Panteras with the "L" bumpers were manufactured to comply with regualtions mandated for 1973 models.

This is a common error, not just amongst Pantera owners, but other marques as well. People assume anything built in 1972 was a 1972 model. It just isn't so.

My Pantera, chassis 6018, was built July 1973, it is a 1974 model.

Robert, listen to George. I was an idiot who got the wronbg email name and the wrong plates cause I made the mistake he is talking about. Now I have to spend countless hours explaining why my 73 is really not a 72. Don't makethe same mistake I did.

George,
I'm still confused. My #4372 serial # shows a September '72 build, was sold originally as a '72, window sticker shows as a '72, originally titled as a '72. It has a two pod dash but L trim.

So what do I have??

Which dash you have is not relevant.

You have '73 bumpers right? Your car was assembled during the '73 production year, right? By the time your car was assembled in Italy, there were '73 models on the sales floors across America. Right?

I cannot explain why "whoever" titled your Pantera as a '72 model did what they did. Yours is not the only Pantera built in that time frame that was titled as a '72 model. Somebody no doubt had a reason for juggling the books. However, there are Panteras with lower chassis numbers than yours originally titled as '73 models too!

In California the '74 models were redocumented as '73 models, due to a slip up in smog certification. That is one example of juggling of the books that we know the reason for.

cowboy from hell

More confusion...I was told the L bumper was added when the GT5 flairs and wing were added. It is a lightweight aftermarket version. I can't wait to remove the bumper to see what original mounting hardware might be there.

George, I have another model-year question...what percentage of the parts do I have to change before it qualifies as a 2007? :-)

R.

quote:

Originally posted by RobertVegas:
...what percentage of the parts do I have to change before it qualifies as a 2007...

You'll need air bags, fuel injection, OBDII engine management, catalytic converters, R134A in the a/c system, a coach with crumple zones, bumpers that meet 2007 standards, an exhaust thats meets 2007 noise standards. Oh, and cup holders too!

cowboy from hell

An exhaust that meets 2007 noise standards? That is a deal breaker.

R.

I knew something on that list would be a deal breaker. I suspected the cup holders!

cowboy from hell

I am frustrated by the lack of cup holders, but find it livable. Having no place to put a sub-woofer is a bigger problem. Trying to solve that one now.

R.