1972 De Tomaso Pantera

Description

A beautiful Italian body and a big American V8 heart makes every DeTomaso Pantera special, but not all were created equal. This 1972 example hits the sweet spot of quality, and features that have only become better, as this numbers-matching coupe has led a well cared for life.

The Pantera was about providing Italian flair, mainly for the American market, and you can instantly tell in its sleek black body. The panels are in such excellent condition you can see the elegantly creased lines that give way to this exotic car's muscular features. It's the sign of careful ownership, and also 1972 was the first year production was handed over to Ghia, who provided superior body production. The brightwork is slight, and deliberate, with the two-piece front and rear bumpers integrated elegantly into the design. In fact, it's here where you see what makes this Pantera so desirable to collectors. The front chrome was replaced during the 1972 model year with a black bumper to comply with U.S. regulations. So this is the true "sweet spot" Pantera, with the best panels on the best design.

Panteras have always been aimed to be the spacious and luxurious Italian exotic, and this one goes one step further with its interior. Cushy bucket seats, plush door cards, power windows, and wood paneling, all make this one feel like comfortable cruiser. Still, you know this is a true exotic from the moment you step inside. Your left hand goes on the custom Lecarra steering wheel, which looks perfect with the DeTomaso logo in the middle. Your right hand will love rowing through the gated shifter that's instantly reminiscent of a Ferrari.

Everything is exotic about this Pantera except the powerplant. The powerful Ford 351 cubic-inch Cleveland V8 means you can achieve supercar performance at domestic family car maintenance prices. This also opens up a wider world of parts, and we see that with this numbers-matching block, that was recently rebuilt with performance upgrades such as Edelbrock aluminum heads and intake. It delivers smooth power and torque with a wailing V8 exhaust note that will give you chills. The ZF five-speed manual sneaks through the gears smoothly, and this overdrive gearbox also gives you the opportunity to have an easy and luxurious highway cruiser. Like a true Italian, it wears the correct Campagnolo wheels that are now icons on these Panteras. Each one is connected to disc brakes, and they all wear Pirelli Cinturato P7 tires for excellent modern grip. A new set of chrome rims is included in the sale.

There were only around 6,000 Panteras sold through Lincoln dealers during a four-year run. That means each one is special, but some are more desirable than others. You will likely never find another example that has the best of everything (even includes the owner's manual) without having to pay well over six figures. Call now!!!