[DeTomaso] 197 DeTomaso Pantera Group 4 Lighweight

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/18/06 20:01:30, opiecars at verizon.net writes:

<< FYI - I'm not sure if this has been brought up, so I'll bring it up now. 
In the May '06 (Issue 35) of Octane magazine there is a 1972 DeTomaso Pantera 
"One of only 14 Group 4 lightweight Panteras" listed for sale on page 27. The 
car can be seen at: www.gregorfisken.com. Just click on the "CARS FOR SALE" 
section. >>

>>>That is an interesting car.  It is a genuine Gr4 Pantera, No. 2343.  It 
was originally sold to a fellow who raced under the pseudonym "Pooky"; he was 
part of Team Jolly Club, a group of wealthy Italian gentleman playboy drivers.  
He raced it at various club races in Italy, where he did quite well, including 
a 1st overall at Monza.  He tried but failed to qualify for Le Mans in '72.  
It was sold in '73, and again in '75, again to Italian club racers.  

In 1976 it was absolutely brutalized by the factory; they literally chopped 
all four fenders off and bastardized a wide-body, blunt-nose arrangement which 
would then qualify the car for Gr5.  The ZF was pulled and it was replaced 
with a Hewland gearbox.  It raced for a few more years and then faded out of 
sight.

I looked at it closely last fall in Brussels, where it was for sale at Paul 
Grant's shop.  It is in good condition, in a manner of speaking, but it is 
hideously ugly, and in need of a full restoration to return it to its former Gr4 
glory.  It needs all body panels, plus the whole nose.  I think it would cost 
at least $50K to fix it, before you even blinked.

Evidently Gregor Fiskin bought or traded it, and it is now for sale with an 
asking price of $450,000 (!)

Geez, I remember that just a few years ago, I could have bought the 
Foster/Hohnhorst Gr4 car, which is to my knowledge the best and most original Gr4 
Pantera left, for something like $55K.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike