Launched in 1971, the DeTomaso Pantera is one of the most exotic European cars of its era. And even though it soldiered on until 1992, production came in at only 7,260 units, so it's pretty rare and sought after. And unlike muscle cars from the golden era, the Pantera isn't the kind of vehicle you can expect to find in a barn.
However, some of these cars ended up in long-term storage after they went out of fashion. This blue example was parked all the way back in 1977 and did not return into the light until 2023. And it's quite an important discovery because this Pantera is an early car produced for the 1972 model year.
Documented by Hagerty in its "Barn Find Hunter" series, this Pantera spent only five years on the road. And the owner drove it for only 47,000 miles (75,639 km) before he decided to park it for good. That's a sad fate for such a gorgeous and iconic automobile, but there's plenty of good news to share. Starting with the fact that it was kept in a nice warehouse.
So even though it sat in the same place for a whopping 46 years, the Pantera is in excellent condition. Sure, it was found covered in a thick layer of dust and with a bit of surface rust underneath, but this European sports car is nothing less than a top-tier unrestored and unmolested survivor.
Moreover, because it spent such a short time on public roads, it's highly original. And that's something you don't see very often today when it comes to DeTomaso rigs.
Why was it parked so early in its life? It doesn't even matter, to be honest. What matters is that the supercar was finally rescued and given a second chance. The new owner wants to put it back on the road and kickstarted the process with a proper cleaning, which revealed a nice body with blue paint that still shines in most places.
Our host didn't get the DeTomaso running just yet, but promises it will post a follow-up with the engine running. The latter is a 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) Cleveland V8 of the Ford variety. The mill was rated 325 horsepower and 344 pound-feet (466 Nm) of torque when new. DeTomaso also used 302-cubic-inch (4.9-liter) and 351 Windsor engines in some cars.
The Pantera isn't the only cool classic you'll see in the video below. The guy with the warehouse also has no fewer than three Sunbeam Tigers. If you're unfamiliar with this British sports car, it was a high-performance, V8-powered version of the Sunbeam Alpine.
The Tiger was partly designed by the legendary Carroll Shelby and shares the same 260- and 289-cubic-inch (4.3- and 4.7-liter) powerplants with the early Cobra. Production lasted from 1964 to 1967 and spawned 7,083 units. The Mark II version fitted with the bigger 289 V8 is the rarest at 633 examples made.
The garage also houses a pair of Lotus Elans, a sports car you don't see very often in the US. The Elan debuted in 1962 and remained in production through 1973 with numerous updates. The lightweight sports car was fitted with 1.5- and 1.6-liter four-cylinder units good for 90 to 126 horsepower, depending on the series. Hit the play button below to check them all out.
Ask Ciprian about cars and he'll reveal an obsession with classics and an annoyance with modern design cues. Read his articles and you'll understand why his ideal SUV is the 1969 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Full profile
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