[DeTomaso] [NPC] Big dollars at BJ auction

[Charles Engles]

Dear Donny,

            You wrote:

> "For that reason, I theorize most car guys simply just did not grow up 
> around them  (I am an exception, as many of us owners today are, and that 
> is why I have one now).  A Pantera is not like having had two of your 
> neighbors who had 427 Vettes when you were riding your bike around the 
> street.  Or Billy who had that LS-1 Chevelle, Cuda, Challenger, Camaro, in 
> High School that went claimed undeafeted street fighting it.  A Pantera 
> was never regular running down a Cuda or a Ram Air 4 GTO down Woodward 
> avenue. Pantera's were never parked at the Malt shops with Shoe Box 
> Chevy's.....  So it is my theory the Pantera was clearly absent the 
> exposure of what people grew up around for the most part, and has pretty 
> much kept the car in the dark through the ages.   People in the market for 
> exotic likely wanted the status of a Ferrari, or Porche, rather then a 
> newer unknown mark for less money at the time.  That still may hold true 
> today."


$$$$$$$$     You have an interesting observation.  It may be a significant 
factor that is often overlooked in the standard explanation for the lower 
valuation of the Pantera vis a vis Ferraris, Shelbys, Porsche, etc.   The 
standard review is that  the Pantera isn't in that ball park because: 1) no 
racing heritage nor wins  2) no pedigree  3) [I can't remember the other 
ones!]       Anyhow, if there was never a social context in America where a 
critical mass of young males perceived them to be desireable over other 
cars, then as time goes on......Hemi Cudas and Corvettes and GT350 go up, 
while the unknown and unappreciated Pantera languishes.    The other 
observation, that at the time, they were relatively expensive and were much 
less common than the other 70s muscle cars supports their absence from the 
"scene" or the "street" where GTOs, Corvettes, Cudas and Camaros made their 
reputations.
                    Whatever the socio-cultural-psycho-economic 
{BS}phenomenon one considers, the Pantera is *still* my favorite car and I 
intend to keep mine for a good long while.

                              Gitcher motor runnin',  Chuck Engles