Found this bit on Fox about AMC/3 mid engined prototypes. Commenter "noyb1" posted the following:
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All the car companies were bragging that they were going to come up with a mid engine car in the late 60's including AMC, Ford, Chevy and a few others. Chevy had a prototype of the mid engine Corvette.
When the AMX was tested they found at 100mph the nose lift was too much and became uncontrollable. Reproductions generally include a small air deflector in front which makes it work but much more is known about that kind of air control now.
Of the car companies wanting to do a Mid engine car Pantera is the only car to pull the trigger. When it did the other car companies fell off the radar like a rock and backed out.
The story leading up to the Pantera is quite interesting. When DeTomaso was building race cars, Carol Shelby contracted DeTomaso to build 5 P70 race cars. Shelby wanted to branch out into different type of racing.
Just like Shelby, the crook he was, when the cars were just about done he told DeTomaso he did not have the money; too bad. This was who Shelby was and how he conducted business. Shelby left the country to Africa for 7 years to evade people he owed money, stole, customers, clients, and Mafia. When Shelby left he told the car guys, good luck with the Cobra Replica's because I did not have any.
When Shelby returned to America he sued everyone who made Cobra Kit cars.
When Shelby stiffed DeTomaso, DeTomaso wanted to begin building production cars. DeTomaso used the P70 race car chassis design to built a car called the Mangusta. They built about 550 of them. Mangusta was the name chosen for "Cobra Killer" as his response to Shelby.
Ford approached DeTomaso about a Ford mid engine car and in 11 months they went from drawing board to production on the Pantera.
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/leisure...omment#ixzz2KgKEc4tE
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Just wondering if anyone here can comment on this bit of info - true or not?
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