ITALIAN STYLE, AMERICAN HEART: Two 1972 De Tomaso Panteras Get Ready to Cross the Block at the Barrett-Jackson Fall Auction
October 15, 2020
Posted by Barrett-Jackson
Written by Eric Becker
Two De Tomaso Panteras from the 1972 model year will be headed across the Barrett-Jackson block with No Reserve at the 2020 Fall Auction – Lot #782 (top) and Lot #792.
A mid-engine Italian supercar with the heart of American muscle; such is the stuff of dreams. In the early 1970s, said dream was a four-wheeled reality.
The first of two De Tomaso Panteras, Lot #782, has just over 25,000 miles on the odometer.
The De Tomaso Pantera (meaning “panther” in Italian), one of the iconic supercars of its era, is an unapologetically focused driver’s car. It seamlessly melded form and function, never absent visual flare or aural drama. As De Tomaso themselves put it, “Here is feline grace captured in tautly smooth steel.” Indeed, the Pantera is a car meant to be driven, not simply admired. It invites those sitting behind the wheel to experience and engage with the road and possibilities ahead. On offer with No Reserve at the 2020 Barrett-Jackson Fall Auction are two De Tomaso Panteras from the 1972 model year. One red and the other yellow, these exquisite automobiles are more than ready to shake things up when they cross the auction block.
Under the Pantera hood is a 351ci “Cleveland” V8 engine.
By any measure, the mid-engine Italian American supercar was unique among its high-strung British and Italian rivals. The wedge-shaped body was penned by American Tom Tjaarda while working for famed Italian coachworks company Ghia. The angular haunches and creases were draped over a steel monocoque chassis engineered by Gian Paolo Dallara. The body and frame were welded as a single structure to for optimum performance and torsional rigidity.
From the onset, De Tomaso intended that the Pantera be powered by Ford’s stout 351ci “Cleveland” V8. Longitudinally mounted, the iron-block V8 sent power directly into a 5-speed manual ZF transaxle. The Pantera also featured short-branch tube headers feeding into a two-outlet exhaust, the resulting note giving a distinctive snarl to the Ford V8’s basso profundo.
Thanks to the Ford muscle tucked behind the driver’s shoulder blades, the Pantera was more than a match for the flagship Lamborghinis and Ferraris. A sprint to 60 mph took just over 5.5 seconds, and the Cleveland V8 propelled the car to nearly 160 mph. Oh, and all that performance came complete with a factory-backed Ford warranty and it could be purchased from your local Lincoln-Mercury dealer.
Lot #792 has been owned by the seller for the past 40 years.
The first example crossing block on Saturday, October 24, is Lot #782. Beautifully finished in red, this offering is a striking example of the breed and one of just 2,061 built for the 1972 production year. Meticulously cared for and recently serviced, with just over 25,000 miles on the odometer, this beauty’s 351ci V8 has been upgraded with a Crower camshaft for added horsepower.
The second Pantera on offer (Lot #792) was purchased by the current owner 40 years ago – in August 1980 – and remains mostly unrestored and still largely original. With 38,370 miles on the odometer, this Pantera is one of 558 painted in yellow, as indicated in the car’s Marti Report.
The interior of Lot #792, a yellow 1972 De Tomaso Pantera.
Under the sleek skin of both cars you’ll find four-wheel disc brakes as well as rack & pinion steering. For superior roadholding, the Pantera uses fully independent unequal-length A-arm suspension with wishbones, coil springs, and telescopic dampers front and rear. Wrapped around the specially designed 15-inch Campagnolo magnesium alloy wheels are 285mm wide tires at front and 345mm at rear. Lot #792 features NOS Goodyear Arriva tires matching the factory originals.
Each car boasts an elegantly appointed black interior that is perfect ’70s Italian supercar. The “dogleg” gated shifter takes center stage, but the Veglia gauges and bevvy of rocker-type toggle switches are hard to miss. Body-contoured bucket seats wrap around the driver and the dash is canted for optimum visibility. This certainly is a driver’s car.
The Pantera remains an iconic supercar, a dream come to life. When these two gorgeous examples cross the block don’t miss your chance to own the ultimate combination of Italian supercar and American muscle.
For up-to-date information on these and other vehicles headed to the 2020 Fall Auction with No Reserve, click HERE – and take a closer look at one of these fine Panteras (Lot #782) in the video below: