What Year Is This Car?

James,

Firstly welcome to the board, glad to have you 'on board'.

I'm no expert and I'm sure others will correct me if I'm wrong, but it is a GT5S model, which appears to have had some modification to the front fender flares through addition of an air scoop to the front and air oulet to the rear side of the front fender.

Definitely a great looking Pantera and it wears that 'metallic orange rust' color well.

Julian

James, WELCOME ABOARD! We are glad to have you.

What a beautiful car!

To try and "guess" the history of the car, there are 3 numbers that come in handy, the serial number (VIN number) that is on the footbox in the front trunk (also affixed to the dash board), the body service number that is also on the footbox in the front trunk, and the build date affixed on the drivers door jamb.

The VIN number tells us the sequencial build order and the build date of the coach only. The coaches were assembled by one of 3 coach builders (Carozzeria), trucked to the DeTomaso factory, and stored on a lot outside the factory until they were taken into the assembly area at the factory in Modena for final assembly (fitted with drive train, suspension, steering & brakes). The coaches were not necessarily taken to the factory in the same order they were assembled at the Carrozeria. Quite often it was just which one was nearest the front door, if you get my drift. The body service number gives us the actual final assembly order of the vehicle, and the tag on the door the actual month & year of the final assembly of the vehicle.

None of the tags on the vehicle indicates what year the vehicle was sold to its first owner, or what nation was the car's final destination.

your friend on the DTBB

Thanks guys,

I do not have access to any of the information you asked about/mentioned. I found this car on the net, I believe it is in Holland and I am in Georgia, the US, not former USSR .

I think this is the most beutiful car I have ever seen. To me it even looks better than a Lambo Murci!!

I wondered if it were just a standard GT5S but was not sure.

Anyone else have any thoughts? I am wondering about the "modifications" to the front spoiler. Do you think this is actually a one of a kind thing or is it possible another factory version? The reason I am so curious is that this car looks exactly like what I am looking for. Anyone know who owns this car?

James,

The picture was taken at the Holland Overdrive event in Europe. Roland or Franz may know the owner.

The front spoiler is a GT5 spoiler, grafted onto a car with GT5-S fenders, the front fenders have been modified with scoops. Those are not factory mirrors or wheels. And the car has no front bumpers at all. This is not a production Pantera, this is a Pantera customized by the owner.

It is truly a gorgeous car, the owner has a good eye, and so do you. If you want a car like this, you'll have to hunt this one down & purchase it (no indication its for sale) or build one just like it.

take care, George

George,

thanks so much. I have tried a google search for Franz and also Roland with Holland Overdrive but had no luck. I also looked at the member directory /community list for Franz and Roland but was unable to locate them. Are these guys the ones that put the Holland event on, Dutch Pantera guys or members of this list? Do you have any contact info for each of them? I am sorry to trouble you with this I am just trying to find out as much as I can about that car.

Thanks Again,

James

Try this...

Jaeckel-Partner-GMBH@t-online.de

I love this car as well and would also add to what George said that the GT5S style fenders both front and rear have round wheel openings quite different from factory GT5S fenders.Also the vents on the rear fenders are similar but different from factory 5S fenders.This leads me to believe that this was totally custom built.I was trying to describe this car to Johnny Woods in Las Vegas two years ago to get opinion of the styling.Hopefully he will weigh in.It is difficult to successfully pull off "custom" body mods to Panteras without producing a hideous monstrosity but this owner has created a tasteful and beautiful Pantera and my hat is off to him. Jim Coyne, GT5S

Did you try the Swedish club's website? It's http://www.pantera.ch/. Maybe there is a way to ask them for info.

You're right about the wheel wells Jim, I hadn't picked up on that. Just gorgeous work isn't it!?

There are more pictures of the car on the web page linked in James first post.

I'm sorry James, when I mentioned Roland & Franz I was hoping one of them would see this topic and chime in, I didn't mean to send you off searching the 'net for the gentlemen. Both of them are members of this bulletin board. Roland's handle is pantera874 and Franz's handle is Si Targa.

If you look through the pictures of Holland Overdrive 2005 where you found the pics of the orange car, you'll also see pics of Roland's light blue Pantera Targa top. I saw a pic of Roland as a matter of fact. In a couple of the pics Roland's Pantera is parked only one car away from the orange car. Roland most likely knows something about the car.

your friend on the DTBB

quote:

Originally posted by Husker:
Did you try the Swedish club's website? It's http://www.pantera.ch/. Maybe there is a way to ask them for info.

The Swedish club's website is www.detomaso.nu the other one is from Switzerland.

I have to agree with you boys, this is a gorgeous car. The modifications are spot on. I would never have thought of putting a GT5 front air dam on a 5S car. I think the vent behind the front fender is off a Lambo. It's amazing how just a few tweaks here and there can make such a difference. If the factory put this car into production tomorrow with a 500hp engine, they would not be able to keep up with demand.

I want a "slightly modified" 5S as well now. Damit, I am supposed to like early cars!

Johnny

Here's Roland's correct email:

roland@detomaso.de

Thanks for the input guys. Is it just me or does it look like this car has pefectly round wheel wells as opposed to standard Pantera wheel wells that do not follow the exact shape of the tire? If so, then that is additional body work tha hsa been done.

I love this car!

James

Sorry for the late reply, but we spent some days in Salzburg with some of our british Pantera friends.
I think this conversion was made by Willi Braun of Germany. He has two pics of this car on his homepage. Go to:
www.detomaso-tuning.de
and search for "Bildergalerie".
Franz

Thanks Roland,

I tried to e-mail Tassilo at Info@sundcmotorsport.com but the message was returned and never delivered. Would you happen to have his e-mail? I also tried www.sundcmotorsport.com but the page was not loading.

Thanks,

James

What a hot looking car. I think it's a gt5s, or an SI model with some customizing buy someone like sabarro or some other euro tuner. It looks real nice. I think I will paint my next car that color! Have fun with it!

It's definitly not a Si.
It's a car from the eighties.

Hello Guys,

I do know that the car is an '82 that has been converted to a wide body GT5-S.

The following is what I have dedueced with my limited knowledge of these cars. I have referenced numerous pictures on the web for comparison. I believe the only real difference in this car and a late '80's GT5-S is that the front lower spoiler is from a GT5 and not a GT5-S. This may be a simple swap, then he has added the additional air inlet vents (using fiberglass) in front of the front wheels.

Some other people have told me that the body has been widened but I do not think this is correct. All the comparison pictures I look at seem like the width is the same. I think that because the wheel/fender wells are radiused to match the tire that it makes the car look different.

Do you think the car has been lowered? What about the dropped floor for more headroom. Wouldn't this prevent a lot of lowering?

Anyone know what type of mirrors these are? I have seen them on a few other Pantera's.

Thanks
James

All the new chassis from the eighties had the dropped floor.

Perhaps somebody is confused about the body being widened because the cars with flared fenders are referred to as wide bodies.

Roland wrote the flares were fiberglass, I believe him. As Franz wrote, all of the Embo coached cars had dropped floor pans. It is very easy to lower the car if shocks with adjustable spring pre-load have been installed, you just screw the adjusters lower on the body of the shock. And as you inferred, that does mean the car will bottom out more easily over bumps.

Just avoid those bumps!

yor friend on the DTBB

This is indeed a beautiful car. I loaded Willi's web site and he seems to have done this a few times!

I have an 82 GT5 and this car is nothing like it. The only recognizable similarity is the front hood.

Fenders, front fascia, air dam, door panels, roof, rear panels are all different. Nice bodywork touches have been done everywhere.

I guess this is a great idea of what to do first time I emulate my kids and manage to take out all four corners in one small incident.

Deeb,

What are you saying is different about the door panles and the roof?

James

Sorry, on closer look I see the roof is pretty much the same. But here the hard edge on the door of my '82 GT5 which differs from this GT5S version.

Are you sure this car was an '82?

Deeb,

I contacted Tassilo, the guy who did the conversion. The only thing he told me about this car is that it was from an '82.

Who/What is Willi's website?

James

Deeb,

I found the site you are talking about. Do all GT5 have the hard line on the door?

James

All Panteras have the crease at the belt line don't they? Some paints jobs or photos just don't make it as obvious as others, here's another photo of the orange car, with the belt line crease more visible.

MAN OH MAN as far down as I had 6808, I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE DONE THIS!!!!!
Oh well, next Pantera


Bad AZZ, awesome looking! I agree, 500 hp and put it in production, it will sell like HOT CAKES!

I think so. Here's another '82 from around here that does.