Group 4 Pantera

[rasputen]

Here's a Group 4 DeTomaso Pantera that I bought used and restored. This was a Testors kit but it must have been originally released by someone in Japan. The model had a pretty bad spray paint job so it spent a long time in the paint stripper bath. I found some alphabet decal sets that looked pretty close for the P-A-N-T-E-R-A letters.




The factory only built a handful of Group 4 cars and they never really had much success with them. Although the model is pretty accurate, sadly it is only a curbside. The Japanese issue model was meant to be motorized so there is a large cavity for the electric motor and batteries underneath. Most of the real Group 4 cars were fitted with a different set of tail lights, that were divided vertically. These tail lights would be more correct for the Group 3 and European road cars.

[afx]

Very nice.

[Chris K. Hale]

Have You ever driven a Pantera? First thing you will not like is having the lower half of your body and legs at an angle towards the center of the car, due to the massive front wheel wells, next the engine is right behind you and I mean almost like an F-1 car close, Hot Spewing Oil vapor and LOUD!! A much modified Ford 351W sitting directly behind you will keep your attention though. A light , fast and LOUD car that reeks of it's Italian Heritage but with American Horse Power that will jump at every stab of the throttle. I found the ZF transaxle a little strange to use at first but once you adapt it works nice although it emits a certain amount of LOUD itself... dropping the heavy clutch also took some practice, once underway the car picks speed at a road consuming rate that some would find a bit much but I enjoyed. Not a car to drive in traffic though and once on the Simi Valley freeway it went right to 120mph without struggling. Loud, Hot, Fast and Italian what more could a car guy want? A thoroughly massaged 1973 version, I had to Thank my friend for entrusting me with his ride and a little drained I got back in my 1972 454 SS
El Camino, with over 600 hp of American muscle and cruise the freeway home, comfortably,  at 120mph ...  Those were the fun days....Chris

[Patrick]

That's a Gunze Grp 5 Pantera...

Here's mine...


I was able to sit in one of the first Panteras on the West Coast...in Hayward. I loved the feel of it and (even if powered by a Ford) It has been one of my fav cars!

[mustangrex]

Patrick - did you use the Studio 27 decals? Chris - I believe the Panteras used the 351 Cleveland until mid 70's when perhaps they began using a different engine. I have a half dozen Pantera kits and the only differences are the bodies. The Mauri/Tilt one seems to be the closest to stock.

[mustangrex]

Testors kit.Sorry for the dark picture.

[shunter]

I like it, great save.

[robhart]

All three are excellent models from kits I hadn't seen built before.

[Chris K. Hale]

Rex, My buddy replaced the Cleveland with the more stout Winsor Block, the Cleveland originally designed to be a 3 valve wasnt as strong on the bottom end,. During those early years of the Cleveland many people replaced them with the Winsor, at least all the Racers in So Cal at that time did... Chris

[dustymojave]

I have one of the Testors issues of this kit. Patrick's right that the Testors is from the Gunze molds. Mine has been sitting waiting for me to add the Ford engine and a gearbox, plus suspension, etc.