Antonyb98 Report post Posted August 6, 2019 Hey guys, so just wanted to ask some fellow Lambos enthusiasts their thoughts on the De Tomaso Pantera. Honestly I think it’s a really cool car with a beautiful design and while it doesn’t have an Italian engine the Ford it came with is super reliable and easy to work on! Has anyone here owned one? If so tell me how you liked it! Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destructo Report post Posted August 7, 2019 There are a few owners here on the board. It takes an enthusiast to make these cars hum. I love the Pantera, but have heard a few horror stories on costs and problems with them. Granted, any vintage performance car can open a rough world of pain, but you can't beat these things when they are done right. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griza Report post Posted August 8, 2019 Paging JanDaMan... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chipster Report post Posted August 8, 2019 Corrosion and electronics are the big items to check when buying. Prices are also all over the place. I bought my 72 in February and very happy with it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonyb98 Report post Posted August 8, 2019 19 hours ago, Destructo said: There are a few owners here on the board. It takes an enthusiast to make these cars hum. I love the Pantera, but have heard a few horror stories on costs and problems with them. Granted, any vintage performance car can open a rough world of pain, but you can't beat these things when they are done right. Yeah an Italian car from the 70’s can be a nightmare! Most of the issues I hear of them are rust and paint related along with cooling issues. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonyb98 Report post Posted August 8, 2019 2 hours ago, Chipster said: Corrosion and electronics are the big items to check when buying. Prices are also all over the place. I bought my 72 in February and very happy with it. That’s awesome man glad you like it! And what electronics in the Pantera specifically have issues? You’re also right in saying prices are all over the place! Lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chipster Report post Posted August 9, 2019 Typical issues are with power draw for the headlight motors, ignition system and cooling system. There is a company called Pantera Electronics in Pennsylvania that sells a lot of quality upgrades though, like conversion to a standard fuse box with LED lighting (green and red) to denote failures. Motor controllers for ignition and cooling that control power loading better. And there is a parking brake kit that uses Tesla calipers (the hydraulic parking brake system sucks and loses pressure after a few hours). I will likely be doing a lot of the PE upgrades over the winter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan-Herbie Report post Posted September 16, 2019 Love the Pantera! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonyb98 Report post Posted September 23, 2019 On 8/8/2019 at 9:55 PM, Chipster said: Typical issues are with power draw for the headlight motors, ignition system and cooling system. There is a company called Pantera Electronics in Pennsylvania that sells a lot of quality upgrades though, like conversion to a standard fuse box with LED lighting (green and red) to denote failures. Motor controllers for ignition and cooling that control power loading better. And there is a parking brake kit that uses Tesla calipers (the hydraulic parking brake system sucks and loses pressure after a few hours). I will likely be doing a lot of the PE upgrades over the winter. That’s good to know thank you my man had no idea it had electrical issues! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonyb98 Report post Posted September 23, 2019 On 9/15/2019 at 8:24 PM, Allan-Herbie said: Love the Pantera! Me too! Not Countach cool but Italian design with solid reliability is an awesome combo! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chipster Report post Posted September 23, 2019 6 hours ago, Antonyb98 said: That’s good to know thank you my man had no idea it had electrical issues! I guess I should clarify that they work stock but there are improvements available. I just installed the modern fuse box this weekend. Also got a Radiator Fan Controller, Headlight Motor Controller, Ignition Switch Controller and push button start that I'll be working on in the next few weekends. Probably swapping out the radiator with a new Fluidyne unit too. I'll have to get some better pics. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Antonyb98 Report post Posted September 23, 2019 Yeah I figured they work but of course with modern tech things will be improved. I knew that the early Pantera’s had heating issues and one of the first and best mods to do is to get a new fan and radiator assembly. Awesome they’re so easy to update and improve! Can I see some more pics of your Pantera? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanDaMan Report post Posted December 29, 2019 On 8/7/2019 at 5:59 PM, Griza said: Paging JanDaMan... Ha ha you rang? Sorry just noticed the old post back in September. You are all correct, buy them done right and virtually there are no issues whatsoever. Just change the oil & filter on occasion, bleed the brakes & clutch fluid with new fluid every few years and that's about it. I got three shown in the link below and they run like clocks; although after 10 years I had to clean my plugs the other day on my black car as it was stumbling a bit but now runs smooth as butta. Its a car that you can actually climb into the engine bay and reach anything you may need to do (which like I said is virtually nothing). https://www.flickr.com/photos/102810426@N07/albums/with/72157635769607434 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.