[DeTomaso] Inspection of the Black Pantera in San Leandro for sale on ebay

Fri Jul 28 21:59:42 EDT 2006

Car is vin #2696

  Wow! Someone just learned an expensive lesson about buying a car sight unseen, or they're about to as soon as they inspect this car:
  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120012107394&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:US:11

  Photos from my inspection are here:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/garth_rodericks/album?.dir=/f412scd&.src=ph&.tok=ph3PWQFB7Yw7I3ao

  A couple more things I just remembered

The car has a stainless coolant tank and comes with a brand new cnc machined clutch master cylinder and drilled aluminum pedals.

  --- Original Message ---
I inspected this car on Tuesday, July 25. The car is actually located in San Francisco, not San Leandro. 

Following is information I provided to someone else who contacted me about the car. Hope this info helps someone...

A few more things I forgot to list...
  The car was originally Grabber Blue.
The engine has non-coated (rusty) headers. I'm sure they would clean up nicely. I'd send them off to be Jet-Hot coated.
The exhaust pipes from the headers to the mufflers have been replaced with 2.5" diameter pipes. These need to be coated or painted as well.
The mufflers look pretty good.
The car started right up and idled nicely, but there was some smoke at startup. Also, this was not a cold start. The engine had been warmed up before we got there.
It has a  Holley Carburetor and an Edelbrock manifold (Performer I think - don't recall for sure. There were too many other things to worry about with this car).
The front driver's side brake caliper is stuck or frozen. The wheel is very difficult to turn when jacked. Again, I didn't get to drive it, so I don't know if a couple good stops would free up the caliper. Pat said he only put 160 miles on the car in the time he's owned it (2 years or 5 years - I don't remember). In any case, the calipers may need to be rebuilt or taken apart and thoroughly cleaned at the very least.
The car has the TSB drain holes in the chassis rails underneath.
The half-shafts have been replaced with greasable units that look beefier than stock, presumably Spicers. 
  The driver's side outboard U-joint on the half shaft needs to be replaced.
  The engine cover screen has been cut up (poorly I might add) to allow the round cast aluminum Pantera air cleaner to stick up through it. This is a shame.
The car has the stock cooling pipes - appear rusty but sound, and mostly green stripe hoses with double clamps.
The brake master cylinder has also been upgraded with a dual reservoir unit that appears to have come from a Pantera vendor.
The tail lights are installed upside down and each is on the wrong side of the car.
Various lights/side markers/turn signal bulbs burned out.
Windows go up and down slowly, as you would expect, although when fully down they remain up approx. 1" - this is not that uncommon, but my windows don't stick up that much.
The driver's side seat upholstery is ripped in at least one place.
The oil dipstick appears to be from a Mustang and is incorrect for a Pantera. It's mounted to the front of the engine and is a real PITA to reach, especially when trying to return it to the dipstick tube.
Both door panels have tearsl, misc. small holes, and/or broken arm rests and will need to be replaced or reupholstered.
Passenger side door handle is broken and removed. Pat has supposed purchased another one from an ebay auction, but has not yet received it.
Stock seat belts are missing. Car has lap belts (only) that look like racing harness belts (but only the laps belts, no shoulder harness) that are anchored to an eye bolt screwed into the stock seat belt retractor cover plate. I don't know if this is a proper or safe way to mount these belts.
The paint is flaking off the blackout trim in several spots.
The front bumperettes don't fit the body snugly or evenly - one has a 1/2"-5/8" gap between the body and the tail edge where it begins to wrap around the fender, and the other has a 1/4" gap in the same place.

  If I think of anything else, I'll let you know.

  Overall, I was quite disappointed in the car. I was inspecting it with/for a friend of mine who flew up from SoCal. We were prepared to buy the car on the spot if it checked out. We passed. Each of the items I've listed by itself is not too big of a deal, but the cumulative total of what needs to be done to this car is too much. And the hack-job on the steering column cover and ignition switch leaves me wondering what else on this car has been butchered or done wrong that I just didn't find yet. Basically, the car requires more work than my friend wants to put into it. I figure he could take the $10,000 it would take to get this car mechanically sound, add it to what it would have cost to purchase car, and go buy a better more complete car that doesn't have these issues and won't still be needing paint and upholstery. My 2-cents.

  If you're new to Panteras, be sure to check out my website to learn more about how to buy a Pantera. http://www.banzairunnerpantera.com/how_to_buy.htm

  Cheers!
Garth

  Garth Rodericks wrote:  
  Hi,
  Yes, I did conduct a thorough inspection of the car, but didn't get to drive it because he doesn't have the ignition key and the column locked on him. The plastic cover on the steering column has been butchered up to allow access to the ignition switch and the electrical portion of the switch is hanging out under the column so you can start the car with a screwdriver. I don't know how Pat didn't kill himself or wreck the car as he's been driving it around like that without the ignition key - it's a miracle the steering lock didn't decide to engage at an inopportune time.  He had just backed it out of the garage for us to test drive when the wheel locked. That's when he realized it has a steering wheel lock in the ignition. I'm sure glad that didn't happen to me on a test drive.

  The car is a 71 model (built in 2/72) with a flat decklid and the Bill Stoppe fresh air knob on the guage cluster. In a nutshell, the car was disappointing. It looks great in the pics, but has issues. 

  The big items...
Rust in the chassis/suspension supports on the driver's side rear. I shoved a screwdriver right through the frame rail and both upright tubes. ($1,500-$2,000).
Rear wheel bearings are SHOT and need to be replaced immediately. May likely require new stub axles too ($1,000)
Paint bubbling (rust) in the B-pillars (lower back corner of the door jambs). Driver's side has a cracked through the paint and rusted metal beneath. Extent of damage and cost to repair unknown. ($????).
Front wheel bearings are good, at least there's no play.
Steering rack needs a rebuild. Front right wheel deflects 2-3 degrees ($75).
Lower front valence is beat up from hitting too many curbs/parking blockes. Molded-in chin spoiler hides it, but the quality of the body work is not to my standards.
Meriah fans with a stock radiator - no overheating issues while it idled.
Engine may not be original engine - I couldn't find the engine number stamped in the back of the head, but then again the engine paint may have been too thick. The engine does sound like it has a gear-drive for cam timing.
No rust visible from the undersides of the doors.
Dash vinyl lifting off entire top surface of dash - looks like hell!
Seats are non stock. I don't know what they're out of, but they don't look right with a large metal hinge/fold mechanism at the base.
Center console will need reupholstery too.
Rear panel drilled for an alarm key several inches to right of rear trunk release button. This is an obscene place to drill the body for an alarm key.
Various surfaces on the body show small paint bubbling, but not in typical rust locations. Top surfaces of rear decklid fins near roof, top of front fender, roof, etc.  I don't remember all the locations, but my guess is poor prep when the car was painted. There is also a 1" split in the paint that's lifted a bit right in the center of the roof 2-3 inches from the rear of the roof. I would repaint this car.
Tires are practically brand new: F: 225-50x15 BFG Euro T/As,  R: 295-50x15 BFG Radial T/As
Wheels are Gotti wheels - gotta find a set of Campys of Campy Clones to replace these things.
Gas smell hints at a leaking carb or fuel line, but I couldn't locate the leak, although intake manifold shows fuel staining.
Car still has the original AC compressor. Fan on condensor does not come on.
Headlights are Marchal, and they are very dim.
Underside of the car shows general carelessness when being jacked. Rear crossmember is completely bent in the center section. Other frame rails all mangled from careless jacking.
Both lower front A-arms are bent - looks like they were either jacked upon or were resting on jack stands.

  Ok, that's the short list that I can think of at the moment. I'll send more info as I think of it.

  Cheers!
Garth

  Garth,

  I understand you may have visited the Black Pantera listed on eBay located in San Leandro. Do you have any feedback you'd like to share? I spoke to the seller who didn't seem to know ANYTHING about the car.

  I am looking around for a 1972 (or possibly a '71) that might need a little work, but not a full on restoration, or find the proverbial good deal of one that is solid and clean and needs to be sold.

  Any information would be helpful.

  Thanks

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