Pantera # 9228

Colin, I suggest to reach out to Peter Havlik with a PM (username PETERH) and the De Tomaso Drivers Club UK. Peter has amassed a lot of information and compiled the registry for 9,000 series cars. VIN# 9228 would be consistent with a 1982 production / registration. Drop me a PM and I can put you in touch with some of the Brit owners who may know of the car.

The Provamo photos show a RHD GT5 (no running boards?) that is quite heavily modified with carbon fiber and a mix of Euro and English gauges (km/h speedo, 'fuel, Amps' gauges and 'press olio, Aqua C'), no way of knowing from the photos for sure whether it left the factory as a RHD, unless the owner has some historical documentation, but it is a lot of work to convert one.

Julian

Colin: I have sent you a PM with information on three vendors selling factory records. I have nothing on this car, and so purchasing factory paperwork is the only way to confirm that it is a true GT5. As Julian notes, it is within the VIN range of GT5 production, but there were other variants produced during this period as well. For example, #9227, which is another RHD South African Pantera, is a GTS.

 

I meant to note that on some of the more recent photos on Provamo it is wearing a set of aftermarket wheels, whereas Peter's photos show it with original style Campi's. Be aware a set of Campi's is a $10K investment if you want the authentic look.

Hi Julien
Thanks for the info and the pics, just to let you know i have a deal with
the seller to include both sets of wheels as the car definitely needs the
campi's, he just says the car drives much better on the american racing
wheels. I contacted peter as you advised but he does not have any info on
the car apart from a lot of pics, but he has given me a couple of names to
contact. I have found out the from the seller this car was first registered
in south africa and has always been there, and he is adamant it is a GT5
and definately was supplied as a RHD
Thanks Colin


On Wed, 8 Jul 2020 at 03:01, The De Tomaso Forums <alerts@crowdstack.com>
wrote:

Why does it have a distributor in the back of the engine?

Also suggest that you look into getting a proper shroud (and fan mount) for that sucker fan that's laying on the radiator core.

Looks like a nice car.

Rocky

 

Are you in South Africa, too?

 

It's a 9000 series Pantera, very possibly a factory GT5, but obviously very modified. I say if you like the car and have an acceptable price to buyer and seller, purchase it drive the hell out of it and enjoy it! As for originality and investment grade, I think the mods take it outside that now, but then again a RHD Pantera is a rarity in it's own right.

I must admit I hadn't picked up on the Chevy power, that would be a deal killer for me, but there are a few diehards who have made the swap.

The shroud for the fans is over rated IMO, they actually restrict airflow over 150mph, especially with a single fan and a shroud blocking so much of the radiator surface area, what I would do is fabricate a proper mount as the through the core ties will eventually destroy the radiator.

@joules posted:

….. what I would do is fabricate a proper mount as the through the core ties will eventually destroy the radiator.

 

That was actually my real point...  I don't like those ties poked through the radiator core.

Thanks for all your replies to date, i must admit i had not noticed the fan on the rad - that will be first on the list to change! As for the chevy engine, that will be changed at a later date back to a ford, I will take my time to find the best engine to install, i am sure members on here will have lots of suggestions and will be able to steer me in the right direction! I have done a deal with the seller so its just a matter of getting it from South Africa to the UK now, very exciting !!

Congrats Colin!  And we're happy to spend your money with lots of suggestions for engine and other options!  

Recently I bought the original seats what belongs to this car into SA.

Simon

Hi, so back in about 98 ish in Port Elizabeth there was a gent who was driving a black Pantera. He had the car as he owned a detailing company and i guess he was tasked with detailing the car... i was fortunate enough to ride passenger and as a teen it was super exciting. The gents name was Kieth Hopgood, unfortunately he is no longer with us but i do recall him mentioning something about a small fire in the back... i assume he meant the engine bay.
Anyway it wasnt until recently that my mate in Cape Town got a call to tow the vehicle back in 2020 (Francois De Roubaix) he has a bunch of pics there too.

I assume they are one in the same vehicle, dont imagine there are many rolling around in SA that are black.

Hope this helps.
She is a real beauty!

DeTomaso used the 'GTS' designation for a 'standard' narrow body Pantera starting in 1971, so don't go to too much effort/expense to verify this. Joules is right on the tie-wraps: they move a little while driving and copper rad tubes are only 0.020" wall thickness. So the hard plastic cuts thru the tubes in short order, destroying the rad. Aluminum rad tubes are 3X wider so work better at cooling and are a little thicker but are not immune from tie-wrap damage.

On shrouds for sucker fans, they help a lot at lower speeds and all are aftermarket so you can modify them w/no effect on originality. Some Hondas had triangular rubber flaps on the engine side of their sucker-fan shrouds, arranged so incoming air pressure blew them open at higher speeds, and gravity held them closed around town. If they have junkyards (breakers yards) in your area, find them there, or copy the design from scratch. Bigger will be better but there's only so much available area on plastic fan shrouds.

Wheel alignment and tire sizes make a huge difference in handling. There are as many opinions on what works best as there are Panteras, so some experimentation is in order for your personal machine. Good luck & welcome!