The Pantera Place
"Your de Tomaso Connection"

 The 1971 de Tomaso Pantera Specifications 

1971 Price	$9,800
Engine	330 hp 351 Cleveland
Curb weight	3123 lbs
Wheelbase	98.4 in
Track F/R	57.0/58.0 in
Length	167.0 in
Width	67.0 in
Height	43.4 in
Ground clearance	5.4 in
Weight distribution F/R	40.9/59.1 %
Fuel capacity	20.0 gal
Oil capacity	4.0 qts
Water capacity	23.0 qts
Zero to 30 mph	1.7 sec
Zero to 40 mph	2.7 sec
Zero to 50 mph	4.1 sec
Zero to 60 mph	5.5 sec

Zero to 70 mph	7.2 sec
Zero to 80 mph	9.1 sec
Zero to 90 mph	11.2 sec
Zero to 100 mph	14.1 sec
Standing 1/4 mile	14.0 sec @ 99.4 mph
Top speed	159 mph
Braking 60-0 mph	112 ft.

Pantera specification information from August 1971 Car and Driver and compiled from other published road tests.

The numbers presented in the above chart represents a stock Pantera as tested in 1971.  The typical car today is much faster.  As and example, Curt Toumanian's mostly stock 1973 Pantera L, with a K&N air filter, GTS Headers & exhaust, MSD ignition, Holley 750 double pumper, Edlebrock intake and mild cam has a best 0-60 time of 4.56 (recorded at sea level).  Curt's best standing 1/4 mile is 12.5 sec.   Curt's car dyno’d 295 hp at the rear wheels.  Given the 18% loss through the transaxle that puts it about 350 hp.  Which is about 30-50 hp over a completely stock 1973 engine.   The typical built engines that Curt has seen run about 400 to 550 rwhp. Curt expects these cars could do sub 4 second 0-60 times.

The Popular Mechanics Million Dollar Car Test

In 1981 the Popular Mechanics Magazine gathered together the best exotic cars of the time for a performance comparison test.  Sterling Moss and Phil Hill joined the PM staff to do the testing.  The test results were published in the March 1981 PM Magazine and after the dust settled the Pantera was the overall winner!  The fact that the Pantera won, surprised and bugged some of the PM staff because of the pedigree of the other competing Italian cars, but that is the cool thing about the Pantera, It just looks awesome and out performs the competition just like Mr. de Tomaso ordered!  The Pantera used in the PM test was a $60k 1981 GTS that were slower than the early cars because of the emission controls, low compression and retarded cam timing.  During the testing they could only get the GTS to do 14.949 seconds in the 1/4 mile, almost a full second slower than the 1971 cars and much slower than the typical warmed over Pantera of today that will do a 12.5 second 1/4 mile.     

Click image to see the stunning results

Pantera Comparison With Other Mid-engine Super Cars   

Car	Model	Year	BHP	Zero to 60	Top Speed	Price
Lamborghini	Diablo	1990	492	4.3 sec.	205	$239,000
Ferrari	Testarossa	1984-1996	390	5.4 sec.	170	$120,000

Information compiled from Hot Cars TM publications.

Pantera Comparison With Front Engine Car   

Dodge

Viper

1991

400

5.4 sec.

162

$  60,000

Information compiled from Hot Cars TM publications.

Pantera Design Features 

Click image to view

Up front is the battery, hydraulic clutch master cylinder, power brake booster, brake master cylinder, windshield washer bottle, and inflatable spare tire. The top edge of the radiator is visible at the front of the image.  Coolant tubes run from the radiator to the engine in a tunnel down the center of the car. This car has a Pantera Performance Center brake master cylinder.

The back trunk liner is removable, it is made of fiberglass and lined with black felt.  The engine is visible just in front of the liner and is covered by a removable screened panel.  The fuel filler is visible in the top left of the image.  The back hatch must be opened to add fuel.  The oil and coolant levels can be checked with the hatch up.

The Pantera is powered by a 351 Cleveland and is easily modified for more horsepower.  This engine has a hot cam, roller rockers, Holley 600, Edelbrock Performer Intake, MSD plug wires, Hall Pantera headers, valve covers and air cleaner.  With all of the smog junk removed, a hot cam, roller rockers, a big carb and headers the typical Pantera will push 350 plus horsepower.  Really built engines with EFI or very big carburetors go to 500 horsepower.  With blowers and or turbo chargers 700 horsepower is possible.  EFI systems are available with individual runners for each intake port.   All of this power in a car at 3123 LB with a mid-engine is pretty awesome! 

The Pantera uses a five speed ZF transaxle with a final drive ratio of 4.22.  The same type of transaxle was used in the Ford GT40.  The ZF is very, very strong and is of limited-slip design.  The 1st gear ratio is 2.23, 2nd gear is 1.47, 3rd gear is 1.04, 4th gear is .846 and 5th gear is .705.  

A removable aluminum brace connects from the left and right upper shock mounts to add rigidly to the back suspension.  The stock brace is non-adjustable.   

The clutch slave cylinder can be seen just below the brace.  An eleven inch clutch plate is used with a hydraulic master and salve cylinder for clutch linkage.

The the GT5 Pantera came from the factory with hood air vents that are placed in the hood just behind the radiator to provide for an extra hot air out flow.  It is common to add the GT5 vents to the earlier cars.     

The vents in front of the windshield provide an outside fresh air intake for the heater and AC.  Although the car has an air intake there is no out flow vent unless a window in open.  The heater and AC fan only pulls air from inside the car.  The outside air is only pulled in with the re-circulating air and outside pressure when driving.    

The side vent gills are not functional and just provide the transition from the window glass to the body.  The small window in front of the gill is actually part of the engine compartment and provides some extra side visibility for the driver.  The back window of the driver's compartment goes across the back of the car in front of the small window.  

The opining in the back hatch has no window and serves as an air vent for the engine compartment and the driver's view path out the back of the car.   The black area inside the opening is the engine cover screen.  The back window of the driver's compartment goes across the back of the car in front of the engine cover screen.

The seating in the Pantera is comfortable and the visibility to the front and sides is super. The 1971 model seats are very thin so you just set on the floor for maximum head room and leg-room. The 13.5 inch after market small wheel gives room for long legs to fit between the wheel and the center console. The left dash pod has the 200 mph speedometer and the right pod has the tachometer.

The center console has most of the control switches for the lights, third cooling fan, windows, heater fan, dome light, A/C control and the Amp, fuel, temp and oil pressure gauges installed in a vertical column. The car did not come with a factory installed radio but had a removable cover over the vertical slot for the radio.   As the story goes, Mr. de Tomaso thought that Pantera drivers should be more interested in listening to the engine music.   He was right and the engine does make great music!

The gated five-speed shifter is located on the wide center console in front of the ashtray and lighter.