Was curious if there were any known production deviations/rarities that could be of special collector interest?
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quote:any known production deviations
De Tomaso's entire production line was a literal breeding ground for deviations.
And that was just for the general run-of-the-mill Ford/Lincoln Mercury production.
The cars made for European delivery were often built per the customer's requests. What would seem to be total mis-matching on a USA spec car could very well have left the Modena factory exactly as ordered; forever to be the source of head-scratching for future owners wondering why the car has such a rare combination of options.
In a general sense, Pantera 'rarities' might include the early push-button cars, Targa conversions, the USA GTS badged cars, and any true Euro GTS cars that have made it into the USA.
I see you are new to the forum.
Welcome!!
But if you come from another car-world where each available option is listed on a build sheet, and the factory VIN code can be broken down to provide many details, you are in for a big surprise in Pantera Land.
Most of us really couldn't care less what the original lineage of our cars is. What matters to us is how well it drives and performs, and whether that is a result of the factory or the car's owners is really of no major concern.
Larry
Probably the models that have the most chance of really hitting it huge, and I mean, HUGE, would have to be the Group 4 and Group 5 race cars that have great histories. My opinion after that would be the other rare road cars that are small in production numbers and interesting cars like the Vallelunga and then the Mangusta. Sorry to say that the bottom of the barrel, at least by value standards, is the Pantera. There are just so many of them originally made and still around -- along with the perception that they are poor cars, that the values just are not there, yet. That is not to say that Panteras will never be valuable, I think the day will come that good cars will be recognized as valuable -- as they should be. But right now, unfortunately for whatever reason, the market says that they are no more than $30K to $50K cars, at best.
Of course I am biased, but I think that the good cars are extremely undervalued, and have been for a long time, and that they are a fantastic value for the dollar.
Panteras are the most comfortable of the lot that I have described, so find one that has an exquisite body and paint that you do not have to touch -- along with the kind of engine that you want along with all of the other mods to run on the street without trouble; and you'll be light years ahead when it comes to smile per mile.
Just my $0.02.
Of course I am biased, but I think that the good cars are extremely undervalued, and have been for a long time, and that they are a fantastic value for the dollar.
Panteras are the most comfortable of the lot that I have described, so find one that has an exquisite body and paint that you do not have to touch -- along with the kind of engine that you want along with all of the other mods to run on the street without trouble; and you'll be light years ahead when it comes to smile per mile.
Just my $0.02.
I think DeMopuar is correct in actual group 4 and 5 cars being with history being by far the most desirable from a collector aspect.
The Pantera VIN sequence is more a guide then a rule. Detomaso was not known for record keeping to strict guidelines when building the cars. When people try to pin the car down to specifics they tend to re-write history and often contradict the reality.
The Pantera was developed and put into production in a very short period of time. What this meant was many components did not have the thorough design work and fitment of more high production cars. If you get into you car very deep you will find most chassis parts could easily be made by most people in basic jigs and you could visualize the whole thing going together.
This lead itself to a big reason the car was seen as poor quality. In reality I see this as not an everyday grocery and family car as a specific car ingenuously built and for that I think it got a raw deal to some degree.
Ingenious the car is in it's configuration, ahead of it's time in suspension, disc brakes, etc. Many construction techniques while not that complicated a bit different.
With the lack of serial number conformity, a basic Ford V8 anyone can work on and basic construction not hard to work on, as well as a unique and beautiful design, it became a car many modified well to the next level. The number of quality of upgraded and modified Panteras is staggering. It has really been a launching platform for some really awe inspiring super cars.
The Pantera VIN sequence is more a guide then a rule. Detomaso was not known for record keeping to strict guidelines when building the cars. When people try to pin the car down to specifics they tend to re-write history and often contradict the reality.
The Pantera was developed and put into production in a very short period of time. What this meant was many components did not have the thorough design work and fitment of more high production cars. If you get into you car very deep you will find most chassis parts could easily be made by most people in basic jigs and you could visualize the whole thing going together.
This lead itself to a big reason the car was seen as poor quality. In reality I see this as not an everyday grocery and family car as a specific car ingenuously built and for that I think it got a raw deal to some degree.
Ingenious the car is in it's configuration, ahead of it's time in suspension, disc brakes, etc. Many construction techniques while not that complicated a bit different.
With the lack of serial number conformity, a basic Ford V8 anyone can work on and basic construction not hard to work on, as well as a unique and beautiful design, it became a car many modified well to the next level. The number of quality of upgraded and modified Panteras is staggering. It has really been a launching platform for some really awe inspiring super cars.
As an example of lack of serial number uniformity I have #1280 which is a Pushbutton. The first Pantera were more hand built pushbuttons built in 1971. The first 285 going to Europe with a few after that imported to the USA before the non pushbutton cars were sold.
Mine being #1280 (280th car) for what ever reason was set aside as several pushbuttons were. The push was to get the non pushbuttons going. At some point this car was built and produced in 1972. I have had enthusiast tell me it's not a 1972 but a 1971. That's great if you follow the serial numbers but that's re-writing history and the out of sequence kind of defines this company.
The car was built/finished in 1972, DeTomaso titled it along with the Italian government as a 1972, France issued it a title as a 1972 and was imported in the United states as a 1972.
Pushbuttons had several items which were slightly different such as smooth hood, opening the trunk by the Jam, etc. Mine has a mix match. Mine has a trunk opening from BOTH the door jam and the back deck. It has a ribbed deck lid which was trade mark of latter cars. It has the later Generation 2 uprights and a number of other things which blows away the assumption that certain cars meet meet certain specifics.
In contrast my 1971 #1905 (latter S#) has a FLAT decklid and Generation 1 uprights.
Mine being #1280 (280th car) for what ever reason was set aside as several pushbuttons were. The push was to get the non pushbuttons going. At some point this car was built and produced in 1972. I have had enthusiast tell me it's not a 1972 but a 1971. That's great if you follow the serial numbers but that's re-writing history and the out of sequence kind of defines this company.
The car was built/finished in 1972, DeTomaso titled it along with the Italian government as a 1972, France issued it a title as a 1972 and was imported in the United states as a 1972.
Pushbuttons had several items which were slightly different such as smooth hood, opening the trunk by the Jam, etc. Mine has a mix match. Mine has a trunk opening from BOTH the door jam and the back deck. It has a ribbed deck lid which was trade mark of latter cars. It has the later Generation 2 uprights and a number of other things which blows away the assumption that certain cars meet meet certain specifics.
In contrast my 1971 #1905 (latter S#) has a FLAT decklid and Generation 1 uprights.
Everyone has made a valuable point. I don't know that I can add to what has already been said, but perhaps I can sum everything up and answer your original question concisely.
The fleet is chocked full of deviations but such deviations have not traditionally made the car more valuable or more interesting (and therefore more collectable).
There are a few one-off models (rarities) that are already in the hands of collectors, such as the V6 experimental car and the 7X next generation Pantera.
As far as I know the Elvis Presley Pantera is the most valuable and collectable Pantera in existance. It is currently in the Peterson Museum. So perhaps the most collectable Panteras are those previously owned by celebrities. The bigger the celebrity, the bigger the price tag.
Whaddaya think guys, does that sum it up?
The fleet is chocked full of deviations but such deviations have not traditionally made the car more valuable or more interesting (and therefore more collectable).
There are a few one-off models (rarities) that are already in the hands of collectors, such as the V6 experimental car and the 7X next generation Pantera.
As far as I know the Elvis Presley Pantera is the most valuable and collectable Pantera in existance. It is currently in the Peterson Museum. So perhaps the most collectable Panteras are those previously owned by celebrities. The bigger the celebrity, the bigger the price tag.
Whaddaya think guys, does that sum it up?
wasn't there one/maybe two styling 'exercises' on 'specials' built for an auto executive that had louvered decklids and a 'flat' back? I recall a yellow one being for sale not too long ago....
I am only aware of a silver one, one of the earliest Pantera L's, chassis 4275, originally owned by Hank Carlini.