All Euro cars of the '50s-'70s were prone to rust. The Pantera has several traps built into its structure: behind the gas tank, in the rear frame extensions, the rocker panels and around the windshield. Most important is to find a car that doesn't grind going into gear; the ZF tranny is extremely strong but very expensive to repair, partly because the factory sold the design in the '80s and no longer supplies parts directly. A few US shops make & sell ZF parts. A roached trans will cost upward of $3500 to replace. The rear outboard stub axles wear, causing tire wobble; stronger billet axles or roller bearing conversions are available. As for parts, there are a dozen or so suppliers of parts; one could almost assemble a Pantera with your checkbook, but due to a limited market (maybe 8000 made), most body & interior parts are expensive. A good thing- "matching numbers" means nothing in the Pantera world; engine conversions and altered bodies, wheels, brakes etc are common. Join one of the local clubs and when you find a car that interests you, undoubtably one of the members will go with you to evaluate it, saving you endless heartache & $$$. We routinely do this, no charge, just to get more DeTomasos on the road & because its fun.
