DeTomaso Mailing List: June 99, Message #236

Hi guys,

Just got back from meeting Carter Tate, a POCA member and List dude who lives 
here in Corpus Christi, TX.  Since I was in town for the day we arranged to 
hook up and he was able to show me his toys.

This guy is doing the toy thing pretty well!  He's a serious sailboat racer 
and has a super-radical carbon-fiber boat that kicks the snot out of 
everything on the bay.  Plus, he has TOTALLY figured out how to do the 
garage/car thing.  Being a property developer, he purchased a 72,000 sq ft 
multi-shop facility, then leases shop space to several different businesses.  
He's got a body shop, engine shop, trans shop, you name it.  

So of course, when he needs work done on his cars, he's got built-in support. 
 And you KNOW they are gonna treat the landlord right!

Plus, there's always a shop or two going empty, giving him space for his 
collection of cars.  Some are fully mission capable (including a TR6 and 
beautiful Lotus Turbo Esprit) while others are fully gutted someday cars (Jag 
E-type drophead)

He also has a '73 Pantera #5016 (El Gato) that a prior owner started 
converting to GT5 spec but never finished.  The car was in the body shop, 
completely dismantled but fully painted.  Extensive chassis rust in the lower 
wheel houses (Scott Black type) was undergoing repair at the moment.

Best thing is, the other pilot on my crew has a bug to get a Pantera himself, 
but didn't know anything about 'em.  Carter let us crawl all over, and under 
his car, enabling this guy to get a first-hand look at what can go wrong on a 
Pantera and what it takes to make it right.

Carter's a super guy, and showed absolutely typical Pantera hospitality.  
Thanks dude!

Let that be a lesson to y'all--never travel without your POCA phone roster at 
hand!  You've got friends all over the country!

Mike