Alejandro de Tomaso was a fortunate man. Born heir to a wealthy Argentinean family, he married well and succeeded in becoming the poster boy for the racer's maxim, "To make a small fortune racing, start with a large fortune." de Tomaso had talent behind the steering wheel, successfully racing OSCAs, then building his own Grand Prix cars. The supercar craze of the Sixties next consumed him, first with the Ford Cortina-engined Vallelunga and then with the Ford V-8 powered Mangusta. The Mangusta’s Giorgio Giugiaro body was blessed, but its chassis wasn't up to the power and mass of the Ford V-8, so de Tomaso tossed it aside, designing the Pantera with Tom Tjaarda.

A low, dramatically-shaped coupe that recalled Ford's GT40s, the Pantera’s power came from a 351 cubic inch Ford Cleveland V-8 with a 5-speed ZF transaxle and fully independent suspension. Its appeal was such that it survived a Lincoln-Mercury distribution agreement and continued well into the 1980's with independent distributors. Its Ford V-8 particularly appealed to American enthusiasts who regularly update Panteras with Weber induction, hot cams and an assortment of flares, spoilers and wings.

In contrast, this 1973 Pantera L is presented in crisp, sharp, accurate and highly detailed condition after a comprehensive restoration. It has 7-8 inch Campagnolo alloy wheels, removable rear luggage tray and the correct de Tomaso valve covers flanking its four-barrel carburetor. The yellow paint is fresh and sharp. The interior has factory seats with their original black upholstery -- preserved after being supplanted for some years with Recaro aftermarket seats -- a period Motorola AM-FM stereo, a correct compact spare tire and full tool roll.

Its bright yellow paint has been redone at some point in the original color which is still extant in the door jambs. A two-owner car, it was acquired by its second owner in the early 80’s with just 13,000 miles and today shows just 47,000 miles on the odometer. It is still is registered on its original California blue plates with pedal wear that substantiates the odometer’s mileage. 

It is a Pantera purist's dream, ludicrously fast, exceptionally beautiful, highly original, unmodified and fastidiously presented, the pure vision of Alejandro de Tomaso and Tom Tjaarda with the kick of Ford’s “Total Performance” 351 V-8.