RE: PH Carpool: De Tomaso Pantera GT5S
Discussion
Wow, I can't believe the massive enthusiasm for my car, thanks guys, its great to know so many PHer's appreciate the Pantera for what it is, a simple but massively charismatic Italian old school supercar.
To be honest, I have been considering selling her, but reading this, and all you comments changes my mind..lol. I have invested so much in it, and know every nut and bolt by now, that parting with it would seem to me to be a big mistake. I have just driven around the country, on a mini tour I organised for the De Tomaso Club, we had four GT5 and GT5S cars travelling in convoy, and the reaction and enjoyment was tremendous, it is rare to see one, let alone four together.
To answer some of the previous post
@ thewheelman, there are a few videos on youtube of my Pantera, but most are really bad sound quality. The best is a short one I made at the request of some US owners, who wanted to hear it with racing headers I have fitted.
It was also featured on the Used Car Roadshow a few years ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSz8vk9-rpw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCwBYGQ1Clo
@ Cookie1600
Mechanical parts are easy, available from Ford, and brake and cluch easy to source too. Transmission parts are available from RBT in the US and there are some De Tomaso parts vendors in the US although quality can be bad.
De Tomaso specific cars are a different story, panels are difficult or impossible to find, and you are really looking at employing a specialist to rebuild a panel, costly, but the originals if you can find them are very expensive too. Wheels on these widebody cars are magnesium and were always expensive, couple thousand each. For a while, there was a trend of fitting aftermarket aluminium 18" wheels and ultra low tyres, and used wheels were available quite cheap. But the aftermarket ones weigh a lot, and destroy the ride and handling,(nor do they look right imo) and many owners switched back. Sum up. Buy a good one, and dont crash it :-)
@ Alexpa
I dont think putting an LS7 in a Pantera is interesting, why bother, the original Ford motors are one of the strong points of the Pantera, good as the LS is.
@ Andyswyv--yes please, free fuel for me, wanna run in the next election!
@J134
The De Tomaso Club meetings were before my time, but some of the lads have told me about them, and I found a video of one on ebay recently. The Club still organise days, but Panteras ironically are too loud to pass noise regs now!!!
@ Dingocooke--you are spot on about the engine. I have a Windsor 392 stroker now, with aluminium heads and manifold. It was bought new from Ford Racing, and then rebuilt by Roger Brotton using the service of Real Steel, to make it more streetable, and flatten the torque curve. This involved a change of cam, and full balancing.
@Tch911...I had a 928GTS in Iris blue before, and it is a great colour, any chance you could post some pics of the GT5 when you get it?
@ DelboyGT5---your car looks beautiful, and familiar, but I cant place you?
Once again, thanks for the comments, and big thanks to Kurzew for the photoshoot,
To be honest, I have been considering selling her, but reading this, and all you comments changes my mind..lol. I have invested so much in it, and know every nut and bolt by now, that parting with it would seem to me to be a big mistake. I have just driven around the country, on a mini tour I organised for the De Tomaso Club, we had four GT5 and GT5S cars travelling in convoy, and the reaction and enjoyment was tremendous, it is rare to see one, let alone four together.
To answer some of the previous post
@ thewheelman, there are a few videos on youtube of my Pantera, but most are really bad sound quality. The best is a short one I made at the request of some US owners, who wanted to hear it with racing headers I have fitted.
It was also featured on the Used Car Roadshow a few years ago
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSz8vk9-rpw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCwBYGQ1Clo
@ Cookie1600
Mechanical parts are easy, available from Ford, and brake and cluch easy to source too. Transmission parts are available from RBT in the US and there are some De Tomaso parts vendors in the US although quality can be bad.
De Tomaso specific cars are a different story, panels are difficult or impossible to find, and you are really looking at employing a specialist to rebuild a panel, costly, but the originals if you can find them are very expensive too. Wheels on these widebody cars are magnesium and were always expensive, couple thousand each. For a while, there was a trend of fitting aftermarket aluminium 18" wheels and ultra low tyres, and used wheels were available quite cheap. But the aftermarket ones weigh a lot, and destroy the ride and handling,(nor do they look right imo) and many owners switched back. Sum up. Buy a good one, and dont crash it :-)
@ Alexpa
I dont think putting an LS7 in a Pantera is interesting, why bother, the original Ford motors are one of the strong points of the Pantera, good as the LS is.
@ Andyswyv--yes please, free fuel for me, wanna run in the next election!
@J134
The De Tomaso Club meetings were before my time, but some of the lads have told me about them, and I found a video of one on ebay recently. The Club still organise days, but Panteras ironically are too loud to pass noise regs now!!!
@ Dingocooke--you are spot on about the engine. I have a Windsor 392 stroker now, with aluminium heads and manifold. It was bought new from Ford Racing, and then rebuilt by Roger Brotton using the service of Real Steel, to make it more streetable, and flatten the torque curve. This involved a change of cam, and full balancing.
@Tch911...I had a 928GTS in Iris blue before, and it is a great colour, any chance you could post some pics of the GT5 when you get it?
@ DelboyGT5---your car looks beautiful, and familiar, but I cant place you?
Once again, thanks for the comments, and big thanks to Kurzew for the photoshoot,
MartinJames said:
The only way to improve it would be to return it to stock.
The car is totally stock exterior and interior aside from a colour change. The wing was factory fit from new.I have done many modifications underneath, making it better and easier to drive, such as adjustable dampers, modified from arms to reduce tramlining, a stock affliction of these cars, a better handbrake system, electronic ignition, and larger cooling fans. Everything I have done improves the car, and how it drives, without changing its appearance in any way.
delboyGT5 said:
Hi Steve;
I'm the sorry soul that puts the DTDC Club magazine together.
And now you've made me post another picture displaying my fat carcass too!
Del
Ah...the candyapple GT5, so...tell me Derek, how is it treating you? I remebr seeing it in paint, minus interior and engine in Rogers workshop years ago. Looks pretty amazing in the pictures. I'm the sorry soul that puts the DTDC Club magazine together.
And now you've made me post another picture displaying my fat carcass too!
Del
Assuming my eyes aren't deceiving me, it seems a strange arrangement to have horizontal heater controls and a vertical stereo rather than the other way round; reminds me slightly of the arrangement in the GS/GSA and CX.
I guess the theory is that you never need to use the stereo because you'll always be listening to the music coming from the exhausts.
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