[qb]1971 PANTERA "PUSH-BUTTON" #1116 FOR SALE[/qb]
[qb]Car is new from ground up as of May 1996. (Keep
in mind that this is only a partial list and that I have a detailed 23 page workorder
breaking it down to the nut and bolt that totals in excess of $93000)- NEW : lay down
radiator with new Spal fans, rotary a/c, a/c condenser, fan assembly and ALL parts in
between there and the a/c pump, Sierra street competition brakes w/4 piston caliper &
aluminum hats, custom Carrera shocks,� custom made 'one-off' 17" 'one-slot'
billet aluminum rims (17 x 9 fr 17 x 11 rr) w/Michelin Pilots (245/40/17 and 235/35/17),
Grp4 tail lights, factory windshield, new Wilkinson custom headers, factory exhaust (rare
small box), electronic ignition (Ford) w/MSD, all new rubber trim & window gaskets,
thick carpet (front boot was redone in this carpet as well), all leather interior in
original stock pattern (including dash), rear trunk boot redone in leather and thick
carpet, new wiring harness, new running lights, new splash shields, half shafts,
wheelhouse camber bar, all bearings, bushings, struts and seals etc, hi-torque starter,
clutch (Hays), brake lines...ALL NEW. Then we REBUILT: motor (closed chamber heads brought
DOWN to 10.2:1 to run on pump gas. Car is euro spec with slightly higher hp rating
somewhere around 350 hp. New 600 Holley. All stock except ignition and valve covers (they
are Hall aftermarkets.), transaxle, uprights and hub carriers, steering column, master
cylinder, steering wheel recovered (rare 2 spoke Ghia only found on first 150 cars),
powder coated suspension in semi gloss black (stock), rechromed all window trim and front
bumpers, dropped floor pan (2"), rebuilt fan blower (inder dash).
Car was stripped to bare metal and all parts removed for restoration, ALL welds were
regusseted, ALL imperfections reskinned!, body was prepped with acid etching primer and
double block sanded, underside and engine bay sprayed with Body Shutz, car sprayed factory
yellow (Dupont 2-stage), double color sanded and double clear coated. Painter was Jim
Gordon.
Very rare Pantera. Built and sold in Italy hence, Euro spec. i.e.- euro guages, running
lights, tail lights. I have never met someone with a lower serial number than this one.
While I have heard of 2 in the U.S., from what I understand they are in NO WHERE near the
shape of mine. It is the 116th Pantera produced. 170 units before Ford sold their first
one through a Lincoln Mercury dealer. It has MANY 'prototype-ish'� features that did
not make it on to the 'production' Pantera so that Ford could keep costs down... such as:
pushbutton door handles, flat ended 'bumperettes', tiny script emblems on the rear, an
interior rear deck release located in the dr side door jam (no button over the lic
plate... cleans up the lines on the rear of the car plus adds security), battery is
mounted in front of the right rear tire (approx first 125 cars), slightly different dash
configuration, chrome is unique in that it is one piece chromed brass-- later cars had
pieced together sections, early 'Type 1' transaxle (said to be stronger) w/slightly
different gear ratios on 1st and 3rd gears, seamless rear deck, locking glove box and
front boot courtesy light.
Engine bay is 'squared off' inside... only found on earlier cars that had more hands on
assembly and on GT5s.
The lines on this car look great! The double block sanding really paid off. You may notice
that the car has no rear view mirrors. This euro car originally left the factory with
mirrors out on the fenders like you would find on cars in europe. U.S. bound cars had
dealer or importer installed mirrors which varied. After reskinning the holes where the
mirrors originally mounted, I could not see myself drilling in to it to mount a mirror
that no one could agree upon what was stock. It really cleans the lines up. Kinda of
illegal in some states but I haven't really done the daily commute in it yet! Combine that
with the seamless rear deck and smaller running lights and I think it is THE BEST looking
stock body in the Pantera world.
As you read earlier, I have ONE receipt (from Panteras by Wilkinson) for over $93000! It
totals 23 pages. He is a factory authorized shop with factory authorized parts. I have in
excess of $128000 invested in the car!
It was featured in the Sept. 1996 European Car magazine. It was on the satellite tv
networks show 'Classics' on the Speedvision channel. It has been referenced/featured in at
least 15 club newsletters and quarterly's. It was a Pantera Club of America 'Ballroom Car'
in 1996. A 22" x 16" picture of the car with my autograph on it hangs in the
foyer at the de Tomaso factory in Italy!
Major Awards: La Dolce Vida Concours Italiano 1996, Best of Show/Best Paint/Best Interior
(triple Bests!) Pantera International White Gloves Concours at the Concours Italiano 1996
(the Panteras 25th Anniversary against 105 Panteras!), Best of Show/Best Paint Pantera
International White Glove Concours at the Concours Italiano 1997. Inducted in to the
Pantera Internationl Hall of Fame (2nd inductee of 3).
As reference, you may contact pretty much ANYONE in the Pantera world and they will know
the car (& me!).
Mike Drew, editor of the Pantera Owners Club of America called this car; "The finest
stock bodied Pantera in the World."
Jack DyRyke, Master Mechanic for both Pantera International and The Pantera Owners Club of
America has looked the car over and can be reached for an opinion.
David Adler, Editor in Chief and mastermind of Pantera International has called the car,
"Phenomenal!"
Tom Tjaarda, designer of the Pantera, called it, "Exceptional!" (He personally
handed me my Best of Show trophy in 1997 at the Concours Italiano!)
So... as you can see, it is truly a fine car. I restored this car to very high standards.
Cost was no object to 'make it right' as I truly did it for myself and really had no
intentions of selling the car. After 13 years it and I have become well known in the
'Pantera World' and have had the most fun one could imagine with it. My priorities have
changed, however, and I now live on a lake in beautiful Alabama. I have plenty of other
cars to keep me busy but I do not feel I can do the Pantera justice and it really needs to
be enjoyed.
If you want the finest, rarest Pantera ever offered- this car is for you.[/qb]
Mike Coffel @ coffel@webshoppe.net or 256-825-8011
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