[DeTomaso] [NPC] Big dollars at BJ auction

[F&D Terry]

Chuck,

I have restored cars and followed their prices most of my life. You are 
correct with what you say. To add to what you have posted, the Pantera 
received nothing but poor reviews from the magazines articles. It seems 
that there was the monkey see monkey do mentality where nobody was 
willing to go against the tide of bad press and write anything 
favorable. I believe this still haunts the Pantera today. It's 
interesting to note that such a beautiful and rare car as the GT5-S can 
easily be purchased for less than $100k but something with much higher 
production numbers, having a "pedigree'" and favorable press will 
command a much higher price. I feel this is the way it will always be. 
Some cars just turn out to be orphans and the rule of thumb seems to be 
that if they weren't a hot item when they were new, they won't be as 
they become older.

Fred T.

Charles Engles wrote:

> Dear Donny,
>
>            You wrote:
>
>> "For that reason, I theorize most car guys simply just did not grow 
>> up around them  (I am an exception, as many of us owners today are, 
>> and that is why I have one now).  A Pantera is not like having had 
>> two of your neighbors who had 427 Vettes when you were riding your 
>> bike around the street.  Or Billy who had that LS-1 Chevelle, Cuda, 
>> Challenger, Camaro, in High School that went claimed undeafeted 
>> street fighting it.  A Pantera was never regular running down a Cuda 
>> or a Ram Air 4 GTO down Woodward avenue. Pantera's were never parked 
>> at the Malt shops with Shoe Box Chevy's.....  So it is my theory the 
>> Pantera was clearly absent the exposure of what people grew up around 
>> for the most part, and has pretty much kept the car in the dark 
>> through the ages.   People in the market for exotic likely wanted the 
>> status of a Ferrari, or Porche, rather then a newer unknown mark for 
>> less money at the time.  That still may hold true today."
>
>
>
> $$$$$$$$     You have an interesting observation.  It may be a 
> significant factor that is often overlooked in the standard 
> explanation for the lower valuation of the Pantera vis a vis Ferraris, 
> Shelbys, Porsche, etc.   The standard review is that  the Pantera 
> isn't in that ball park because: 1) no racing heritage nor wins  2) no 
> pedigree  3) [I can't remember the other ones!]       Anyhow, if there 
> was never a social context in America where a critical mass of young 
> males perceived them to be desireable over other cars, then as time 
> goes on......Hemi Cudas and Corvettes and GT350 go up, while the 
> unknown and unappreciated Pantera languishes.    The other 
> observation, that at the time, they were relatively expensive and were 
> much less common than the other 70s muscle cars supports their absence 
> from the "scene" or the "street" where GTOs, Corvettes, Cudas and 
> Camaros made their reputations.
>                    Whatever the socio-cultural-psycho-economic 
> {BS}phenomenon one considers, the Pantera is *still* my favorite car 
> and I intend to keep mine for a good long while.
>
>                              Gitcher motor runnin',  Chuck Engles
>
>
>
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