Axed Too Soon

 

Everyone knows about Ferruccio Lamborghini’s ‘journey’ from tractors to supercars via heating and climatization appliances, but not so many are aware of the meandering path taken by the Bavarian car maker, Hans Glas GmbH.  This also involved initial production of farm machinery, but was abruptly switched to scooters when they became popular post-war, only for that focus to be abandoned when micro cars became the next new craze in the mid-Fifties, resulting in the Glas signature product, the Goggomobile.  Over a 14 year production run more than a quarter of a million Goggomobiles were built at the Dingolfing factory, with a healthy proportion being exported, including to the U.S. despite that market being characterised by vehicles four times the size!

The Glas Factory at Dingolfing, North East of Munich

Indeed, such was the success of the Goggomobile that in ‘59 Glas was considered to be in sufficiently good financial health to be fit to support BMW and Auto Union when both were struggling to survive. A plan was formulated for the three marques to collaborate with a consolidated/simplified range of products, but Hans Glas declined to agree to the idea. Ironically, a few years later, when it was Glas that was slipping from ongoing viability, BMW provided the solution, taking the company over in November ’66.

That situation had come about because of Glas’s failure to create and effectively market new conventionally sized models to take over from the diminutive Goggomobile. Several models, from the Isar, (launched ’58), through to the 2600 and 3000 V8 Coupes, (launched ’66), did not capture customer enthusiasm and fell short on planned projected sales volumes/market share. But, amongst these, a model with two variants boasted many positive features, looked very good and performed well: the type 211, 1300 and 1700 GTs. Perhaps they amounted to a success-likely combination of Italian aesthetic flair with Germanic engineering quality and efficiency.

The Glas 1300 GT as presented in ‘65

Torinese stylist Pietro Frua had re-established a carrozziere in his own name in the late 50s after a period of employment at Ghia.  Several design projects were then completed in collaboration with Carrozzeria Italsuisse.  These attracted praise from within the industry and enhanced his reputation, but for his business the breakthrough came in ’62 when Frua entered into talks with Glas.  The first outcome was a prototype GT closely based on a design Frua had been developing for Borgward.  This was debuted at Frankfurt, in autumn ’63.  It went into production with a 1290 cc engine and body made by Carrozzeria Maggiora, (at Moncalieri, just south of Turin), the following Spring.  Reception was broadly favourable, Road & Track magazine for instance commenting in its road test report: 

In designing the Glas 1300, the factory started with a clean sheet of paper, no limitations imposed by the necessity for incorporating parts of existing models, and some refreshing ideas. The result is a handsome, comfortable, small GT car of advanced design with as much performance as one can rightly expect from a 1290 cc power unit.

The magazine did however express concern, not so much about its features themselves, but about possible customer resistance arising from unfamiliarity with some aspects of the engine’s specification.  Mainly, this related to the employment of a belt to drive the overhead camshaft.  Glas had pioneered this form of valve gear actuation on a ‘normal’ car only two years previously, on the 1004 models.  Road & Track thought that the 25,000 miles belt replacement schedule might deter customers from considering purchase, though the writer claimed that the renewal operation was very easily and quickly performed – presumably parroting what the factory engineers had told him and quite at odds with the contemporary, well known reality whereby much care is required since even a small error in reassembly can result in very serious damage to an engine.

Glas GT cutaway engine/transmission showing the belt-driven valve gear

The most basic specification version of the Glas 1300 GT was priced at around £1070.  This put the model at a disadvantage as, for instance, an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint 1300 was significantly less expensive – though, perhaps surprisingly, the Glas was quicker, with 88 bhp against the Alfa’s 80. 

Registered in ’65, #1894 featured on Bring a Trailer in 2021; its reserve of $9500 however was not reached.  It appeared to be in usable condition at that time, though comprehensive restoration would be necessary sooner or later.  As seen below, the seats are trimmed in black vinyl, standard specification at the time.  This is the only 1300 built in ‘64/’65 with a flat bonnet panel for which I have a survivor photograph.  Ongoing from September ’65, the model was manufactured with the same panel used for the 1700 – this having a longitudinal, central, rectangular ‘hump’ needed because of the height of the larger capacity engine.  This bulge incorporated an air intake aperture just behind the trailing edge of the front panel.

Courtesy Kucarfa

Courtesy RM Sotheby’s

The central bonnet bulge and air intake aperture are seen in the photograph above of #1364.  RM Sotheby’s 2020 auction lot description details imply that this is also a survivor from the first year of production, (despite the bulge form bonnet).  It was offered on the basis of a need for thorough restoration as the car had been out of use for many years.  This can be readily appreciated from the view of the engine bay seen below.  This also shows the standard twin Solex 35 mm carburettor installation.  Also reproduced is the chassis number plate - a standard format and rivetted to the right hand inner front panel of each and every car.

The front bumper on #1364 differs from the form seen on later cars in not having a pair of indicator lamps mounted to the underside of the blade in line vertically with the headlamp units.  The particular car is also missing the circular reflectors usually mounted between each pair of rear tail and indicator units, (though the appropriate holes are present in the rear panel).  Also noted on cars from early in the production run, are 13” road wheels.  15” wheels were substituted in Autumn ’65 and remained standard specification until the end of production in September ’67.

Another early (’65-built) car – chassis number unknown – is currently in excellent condition and provides a good basis for appreciation of detail features such as the rear lamp units as mentioned above and the two front wing badges mounted one above the other forward of the door aperture leading edge:

Courtesy Columbus Klassic

Also with a chassis number I’ve been unable to trace, the 1300 GT seen below is a ’66 first-registered example.  This is also in nice condition today and the interior shows the pleasing aesthetics of the design.  The instruments layout is easy on the eye and functionally good.  Other points of note are the Nardi-style steering wheel with decorative rim rivets and horn button featuring the Glas crest created for the GT-designated models, dashboard-face script badge to the left of the glove box door and the light colour vinyl trim to the seats and door cards.

Courtesy Gassmann GmbH

In Autumn ’65, the 1290 cc engine was upgraded and consequently re-rated at 74 bhp.  At the same time the 1682 cc version of the engine available in the TS Berlina since the previous year was made available in an additional model named 1700 GT.  As the unit was a little ‘taller,’ a revised bonnet panel with longitudinal raised centre section (’hump’) was necessary, as mentioned above. The 1682 cc engine breathed through twin 40 mm Solex single barrel carburettors, whereas the 1290’s were smaller at 35 mm.  In the GT body this unit enabled a maximum speed of 115 mph and a 0-60 mph time of around 11 seconds (and under 10 seconds according to Sports Car Graphic’s test).  Compared with the Alfa Giulia 1600, the Glas was appreciably faster flat out, though the Giulia had a small advantage in acceleration capability.  Road & Track’s November ’66 Road Test Report, with full performance data, is shown below:

The 1700 GT was priced at around £1285 in the UK – a moderate premium compared with the 1300, justifiable in the light of its higher top speed, something which had become more significant with the extension of motorway/autobahn networks in the UK and Germany. 

A ’66 1700 (chassis number unknown) restored in recent times, shows the limited revisions to the rear bodywork relative to that of the 1300 – boot panel script badge (to ‘1700’) and the reflectors becoming rectangular with radiused corners, where the 1300’s were circular; (however, some 1700s are seen with the circular version):

Courtesy Marc Vorgers

The revised ‘GLAS 1700 GT‘ script badge mounted in the upper right area of the boot lid mentioned above, is seen below on another car – probably ’66 built - for which the chassis number is not currently known.

Courtesy Bonjourlavieille

As seen on #5635 with ‘gold’ finish:

Courtesy Cog Classics

The car is in excellent condition and shows the sleek lines of the fastback very well, as below:

Courtesy Cog Classics

Another ’66 1700, white over red, has had a recent restoration and features a nicely presented engine bay:

Courtesy Bimmerlife

 

#5500 – also from ’66 – is seen below from an angle which enables perception of the shallow V form of the bumper and the lower front bodywork of the GT:

Courtesy GetYourClassic

Alongside the Coupes, the GT was also available as a Cabriolet.  However, only about 7% of production was of cars in this form.  As would be expected, the Cabriolet was a little heavier than the Coupe.  The chassis plate in all, (both 1300 and 1700), closed cars is stamped with a total weight value of 1200 Kg.  As regards kerb/’dry’ weight, the lowest value quoted (factory) for the 1300 Coupe is 800 Kg, while the Cabriolet is 850 Kg.  However, I have seen the value 920 Kg suggested for the Cabriolet.  No other credible variations of these figures for the 1700 have been published. 

The 1700 Cabriolet  was priced at circa £1400 in the UK. 

As always with a car of this type and of its era, production figures as given by different sources vary to some degree.  Consolidating the available data, the approximate number of units per model manufactured were: 1300 GT: 3500;  1700 GT: 1680; 1300 Cabriolet: 230; 1700 Cabriolet: 120.

 

A ’66 1700, this Cabriolet is apparently fitted with the wider wheel rims, (for 175 mm as opposed to 155 mm width tyres), as specified for the V8-engined Glas Coupes.

Courtesy PreSelect

 

Another ’66 Cabriolet is this example, sold recently by Scuderia Sportiva Colonia – describing it as a car which had undergone a 10 year restoration process concluding in ’22, which included, ‘many small improvements such as seats with headrests (original seats are still available), and conversion to 12 volts.’  The price expectation was circa £85,000.

Courtesy Scuderia Sportiva Colonia

#5220 is again a ’66 1700 GT Cabriolet.  Despite having apparently been restored within the last ten years, the car failed to meet its reserve when offered on Bring a Trailer in ’23, (high bid $35,288).  The BaT description/gallery shows a car in generally good condition with some nice distinctive touches such as 14” Borrani wheels and a wood rimmed Nardi steering wheel.

Courtesy Mario_L, Bring a Trailer

The Glas GT on-track:

 

The early Sixties saw a lot of interest in production specification-based sports car racing, governed by the F.I.A. and run under a hierarchy of Categories (car type/production volume) subdivided by Classes (mainly identified by engine capacity/induction type).  Regarding the latter, there were several classes/’divisions’, for example in ’64, for cars, (1) with an engine smaller than 1150 cc; (2) 1151-1299 cc; (3) 1300-1599 cc, etc.  In the 1151-1299 cc class, a Glas 1300 GT would be pitted against some formidable competition, e.g. Abarth Simca 1300 GT, Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato, Lotus Elite and Bonnet Djet.  At the Nurburgring 1000 Kms in ’64, unsurprisingly, Abarths finished 1-2-3 in class.  However, despite the relative lack of development and experience, the Glas 1300 GT of Gerhard Bodmer/Dieter Schmid came home in 4^th.

Bodmer/Schmid 1300 GT, ‘Ring, ’64. Courtesy H-J Roegler

In August, again at the ‘Ring and that same year, Bodmer took the class victory at the Rheinland-Pfalz Preis meeting.  Belief in the potential of the 1300 GT as a competitive racing car was evidenced by there being no less than five examples running in the Neubiberg round of the Deutsche Rundstrecken-Meisterschaft, (‘DARM’), with drivers, Karl Gollwitzer Jr, Walter Strohmaier, Karl Heblich, Otto Brindl and Helmut Maier.  In the same series, Bodmer finished 2^nd at the DARM round in September at Wunstorf, and 3^rd in the Preis von Tirol at Innsbruck the following month.  Bodmer was placed 4^th in the DARM for ’64. 

1300 GTs were to be seen once again in the DARM the following season, with a win for Bodmer in May at the ‘Ring and a 1-2-3 for the model later that month at Zolder.  In July a 1700 GT appeared at Solitude, though resulting in a DNF, it was not an impressive debut.  Bodmer ‘s 1300 GT was 6^th at the ‘Ring, (GP von Deutschland), on the 1^st August.

Bodmer, Nurburgring, August ’65. Courtesy H-J Roegler

In October, Bodmer enjoyed another class win, this time at Innsbruck.  Bodmer finished the ’65 DARM as champion, (on equal points with Manfred Schiek, who was killed before the end of the season).  Note: some records indicate that Bodmer achieved this championship at the wheel of a Glas 1204 TS, but as can be seen in the photograph above, and in those below (Nurburgring 1000 Kms) he was in a 1300 GT.

With the ’66 season, May saw another good result – 2^nd in class - at the ‘Ring for Bodmer in the ADAC-Hansa-Pokal race, while Helmut Eck went one better and was the class victor later that month at Zandvoort.

Helmut Eck, class winner, Zandvoort, May ‘66. Courtesy Volker Eck

Meanwhile, back at the ‘Ring, Bernd Terbeck won the 1.3 class in a non-championship race and at Hockenheim was equally successful in the DARM.  A week later at the same circuit he was again first across the line.  Terbeck remained on good form, winning at Zandvoort on 5^th June, while Karl Herd was victorious at Hockenheim in the middle of the month.  There was another DARM win for Bodmer at Mainz-Finthen, 19^th June, and in July Herd scored a further championship class win at Hockenheim.  A fortnight later Herd won again at the ‘Ring at the Rheinland-Pfalz Preis event.

Karl Herd, another class win at the ‘Ring, August ’66. Courtesy H-J Roegler

Later that August, Bodmer and Herd recorded a 1-2 at the DARM in Wunstorf.  Terbeck and Eck did the same thing at Zandvoort in the Girling Brakes-sponsored race, 14^th August.  Early in September, Bodmer was again first in class at the ‘Ring 500 Kms, while Joachim Kautz achieved the same feat at Zolder, mid-month.  As the season came towards its end, Bodmer took class honours in mid-October at Aspern.  In ’66, Glas was classified 4^th in the European Touring Car Challenge.

At the Fassberg Flugplatz in late April ’67, Herd and Manfred Becker were 1-2 in class.  Bodmer and Herd replicated that result in May at the Hansa-Pokal DARM meeting.  Another impressive 1-2 was chalked up that month at the ‘Ring 1000 Kms with Bodmer/Schmid leading Friedrich Noenen/Manfred Herbertz over the line.

Bodmer/Schmid, ‘Ring ’67. Courtesy Michael Bratz

Through the rest of the ’67 season, Bodmer continued to secure class wins, 10 in total, mainly in the DARM rounds. Herd scored 2 more, at Mainz-Finthen while Otto Arnold and Becker both drove 1300 GTs to class victory. So ’67 was a notably successful season for the model, with Gerhard Bodmer remaining its leading exponent.

Class wins were elusive in ’68 and though there were a few DARM podiums, reliability had deteriorated, possibly due to drivers needing to push harder against the competition of newer, better performing rival models.

In 1970, Franz-Adolf Kremer founded the Yellow Arrow Racing Team (YART) in Duisburg, Germany. He selected a ’64 Glas 1300 as the team’s car for the debut season, racing it in German, Belgian and Dutch events. Pictures from that year, as displayed on the YART website are seen below:

Courtesy YART

The team’s results were summarised:

Seeking increased competitiveness the following season, the car was modified/rebuilt and raced in the Prototype category, 1300 class.  Power was upped to 138 bhp, while the weight was reduced to 700 Kg.  Running mainly in hillclimb events, a victory was achieved at Osnabruck, with podiums scored at Risselberg, Hoxter and at the circuit race at Zandvoort in August.  The car is seen below at Mainz-Finthen, June ’71:

Courtesy YART

1300/1700 GTs are today, occasionally, seen in Historic events and race meetings, as below:

Courtesy Eyke Wohlbold

 

The impressive ‘65 1300 GT of Helmut Riemer is seen above at the ’22 Riedenburg Classic.

The Glas 1300/1700 GT was an attractive and innovative car with the potential for a long and successful production run. Unfortunately, the Glas company was out of steam, yielding to a take-over by BMW in late ’66. While the Munich marque was primarily interested in acquiring the Glas factory manufacturing capacity at Dingolfing, it was not blind to the potential of the GT, and proceeded at speed to re-engineer the car such that the BMW M116, 1573 cc version of the M10 four cylinder engine could be substituted. At the same time, the rear was reworked to incorporate independent suspension, and styling changes were made to the front and rear in order to create the distinctive ‘BMW look.’. The work was completed in little more than six months, allowing the BMW 1600 GT to go on sale in June ’67. Despite this notably expedient effort, BMW halted production the following year, with only 1259 units built. Strategic review had led to the conclusion that with the existing Neue Klasse range expanding and selling well, a parallel but technologically-variant model of similar size and in the more niche form of a sports coupe would make for additional manufacturing and marketing costs that would not be recoverable by incremental volume.

Not Just a Pretty Face

In the years 1965-66, Bob Dylan recorded 3 albums which embody one of the most astonishing streaks of sustained creative brilliance of all time.  Bringing it all Back Home, Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde showcased thirty four tracks, not a single one less than first rate, and, astonishingly, nine are genuinely classifiable as ‘masterpieces.’  Talking about what he was striving to achieve, Dylan said: The closest I ever got to the sound I hear in my mind was on the Blonde on Blonde album.  It’s that thin, wild mercury sound.  It’s metallic and bright gold, with whatever that conjures up.  It brings to me, in a visual aesthetic analogy, the sharp – yet harmoniously integrated – angular forms that are the automobile bodies created in 1970-73 by Marcello Gandini in a mid-‘60s Dylan-like purple patch.  Limbering up in 1967-69 with sharp-lined ‘concept’ cars such as the Lamborghini Marzal and the Alfa Romeo Carabo, Gandini’s razor-like shapes appeared on the road as the Lamborghini Jarama, Urraco and Countach, Lancia Stratos HF, FIAT X1/9, Maserati Khamsin and Ferrari/Dino 308 GT4.  This substantial cadre of cars, with a shared visual mood, represents the very best of early Seventies style, except . . . there was one more such contemporary model that was not envisaged on Gandini’s drawing board.  Theoretically, perhaps, it could have taken shape on one nearby Gandini’s, since it is comprised to a considerable extent of the angular lines and forms he himself constructed so successfully.  And, somehow, its creator had also been able to incorporate – at a hinted, subtle level – some curvilinear elements that contributed to a balance of supreme litheness at the front end with a muscular heft characterising the rear quarters.  This hybrid theme extends to the product ‘package’ – Italian coachbuilding/American power unit; to marque ownership – Argentinian/Italian, and to styling authorship: Tom Tjaarda, an American, (whose father was Dutch-born), based at Carrozzeria Ghia in Turin.

Alejandro de Tomaso founded his marque in Modena in 1959.  When his focus turned from his initial interest in racing cars to sports cars for the road, De Tomaso embarked on the production of a series of GTs, culminating in the Guarà, made from 1993 to 2004, (at which date the company failed).  The Pantera model preceded the Guara, with a production run begun in 1971, of some 7,000 units.  A conventional monocoque, the Pantera was powered by a Ford 5.8 litre V8 coupled to a ZF transaxle.  Performance was quoted as 0-60 mph in 5.5 secs and a top speed of 159 mph.  Successive iterations included a GTS model with higher output engine, and a Si version late in the production run.

Early standard De Tomaso Pantera

Ford was closely involved, not only as the car’s engine supplier, but also, until 1975, with a distribution agreement which made the car available in the U.S. though the Lincoln Mercury dealer network.  This provided Ford with a ‘European’ style sports car ostensibly within its product range, serving not only as an incremental profit opportunity for its dealers, but also as a halo model to draw interest and prospective buyers to the Blue Oval brand.  And Ford, with its expertise in savvy marketing, was quick to introduce, in the GTS, a ‘premium’ version, enabling a boosted profit margin and additional performance-image charisma. 

The Pantera was not just eye candy.  Ford was enjoying the glow that its success in motor sport had generated through the late Sixties.  Four consecutive Le Mans victories, 1966-69 and the dominance in Formula One of the Ford-badged Cosworth DFV engine had done wonders for image building and marketing.  Dearborn management was keen to add to its new exotic GT’s customer appeal by ensuring that it was highly visible and achieved success on American race circuits.  As a first step, in early 1972, a Group 3-compliant version was made available.  As such, because it was a class allowing only very limited modifications, it was really just a mild upgrading of the GTS variant.  Most significant was an increase in engine power, from 330 bhp for the standard car, to 345 bhp, achieved with a higher compression ratio, better breathing and freer exhaust gas flow.  Also notable, were wider wheels, (Campagnolo alloys), 8 inch at the front, 10 inch rear.

Early Group 3 Pantera

The first batch of Group 3 Panteras were built between December 1971 and April 1972.  It is commonly given that 34 Group 3 Panteras were manufactured, but former De Tomaso director, Giorgio Montagnani, has been quoted as saying that the number was 36.  Further, he recalled that 6 of these were full ‘works’ racecars and 4 rally versions of a similar status.  The prototype, chassis #1070, was purchased in March 1972 by Auto Club Roma.  This car was raced extensively in Italy throughout the decade, by Auto Club and its subsequent owners, Ital Atlantic Express, and then Marco Curti.  Racingsportscars.com records a career of 7 years, with 19 events entered, and 3 class wins.  (This tally does not, however, include results for the initial two seasons.)

#1070 at Magione, 1974

The FIA class regulations of the time offered a greater potential for success in the Group 4 category.  This allowed for modifications to aspects of the car that constituted its weaker aspects: weight, suspension, steering and braking.  The standard engine was not such a feature, but still was the subject of upgrading, (mainly around gas flow optimisation), taking output up to around 450 bhp.  This increase in power, together with a reduction of weight by around 300kg, enabled good potential class competitiveness.  However, a set-back occurred when an unexpected revised regulation minimum weight was announced, this being some 150 kg above that achieved by development work including the use of aluminium in substitution for steel in major panels, fibreglass wing extensions, plastic ‘glass’ and stripped out interior.  A further issue arose during testing as engine reliability became a concern.  This would eventually be addressed by the adoption of lower compression values.  Various sources indicate that De Tomaso built 14 Group 4 Panteras.

At the La Sarthe event, a Claude Dubois-entered car, chassis #2860, crewed by Jean-Marie Jacquemin/Yves Deprez finished 16^th, 2^nd in class.  Three other Panteras were entered, two for Escuderia Montjuich, the other for Societé Franco-Brittanic, but they were all early retirements with blown cylinder head gaskets.

#2860 at Le Mans, 1972

The following month, Herbert Muller took his Pantera to a Group 4 win in the Euro GT series at Nivelles.  He followed this up in August with another victory in the Deutsche Automobil Rundstrecken Meisterschaft meeting at the Norisring.

#2859 at Nivelles, 1972

In 1973 reliability improved and in June works-entered #2873 won in Euro GT at Imola in the hands of Mike Parkes.  This was a particularly satisfying victory for De Tomaso, as Parkes had been hard at work in ’72 developing the Group 4 version of the Pantera.

#2873 at Imola, 1973

Two months later another ‘big name’ – Clay Regazzoni – took the same car to victory at the Hockenheim round.

#2873 at Hockenheim, 1973

That car certainly earned its keep that season – in October it was a winner once again, this time in the Giro d’Italia with Mario Casoni and Rafaelle Minganti at the wheel.

#2873 Giro d’Italia start, 1973

Casoni was apparently fully au-fait with the Pantera by late season, having achieved another first-place, this time in #2872, the previous month at Casale.  Other Pantera victories in 1973 included Croix-en-Ternois, by Patrick Metral, and at Varano, by Ugo Locatelli. 

1974 saw a substantial number of race entries for Panteras.  Odoardo Govoni scored 3 victories in the Spring at Magione and (twice) at Varano.  A repeat win in the Giro d’Italia was missed, but Govoni and Vincenzo Angelelli's was the best placed of 7 Panteras entered, finishing 3^rd.  Four cars ran in the Targa Florio, that of Alex Pesenti-Rossi and Alvaro Valtellina being the highest finisher, in 13^th.  At Le Mans, Wicky Racing Team intended to run two cars, but only that of Max Cohen-Olivar and Philippe Carron started, and was out early with timing gear failure.

Wicky Racing Team at Le Mans, 1974

Once again, in 1975, Panteras covered a great many racing miles, but no victories are on record.  Govoni was again a prominent exponent at the wheel, and he was the most successful driver, scoring 2nd places at both the September and November GT events at the Magione circuit.  Partnering Ruggero Parpinelli, he also finished 8th, (and 5th in class), at the Targa Florio.  Four cars ran at Le Mans, but only the early chassis, #2860, still run by Team Claude Dubois and now driven by Pierre Rubens and Paolo Bozzetto, made it to the finish, in 16th place, (8th in class), just as it had done in ’72.

#2873 at the Targa Florio, 1975
 

#2860 at Le Mans, 1975

No less than 10 Panteras were entered for the Giro d’Italia, with the Jolly Club car, driven by Bozzetto and Marco Martinenghi taking 5^th place, (3^rd in class). 

Highlights of the 1976 season were victories for Pierre Rubens (Team Willeme) at both Zolder and Colmar-Berg, four other podium positions in Europe, and three in Australia.  Although there was a greatly reduced participation at Le Mans and the Targa Florio, seven Panteras ran in the Giro d’Italia, with Govoni and Valentino Balboni finishing 6^th.

#2873 Giro d’Italia, 1976

In the early stages of the 1977 season, Rene Tricot, (Team Willeme), took three victories in Belgium, while in November, Maurizio Micangeli and Carlo Pietromarchi scored a significant win in the Group 4/5 event at Vallelunga.  Four cars took part in the Giro d’Italia, Pietromarchi and Giancarlo Naddeo coming 3^rd.

Carlo Pietromarchi/Giancarlo Naddeo, Giro d’Italia, 1977

For the remainder of the Seventies, Panteras continued to feature in numbers in national/European series racing, but results were mediocre, with just the occasional win/podium finish.  During the Eighties, participation fell to lower levels, with the cars being considerably less competitive.  This trend persisted in the Nineties, except that in 1995 Thorkild Thyrring was a major force for ADA Engineering in the British GT series, winning the GT1 class championship.

Thorkild Thyrring, British GT, Silverstone, 1995

Today – and in recent times – Panteras are to be seen competing with verve in Historic meetings.  Excellent video is available of the Group 4 example of Luigi Moreschi on the 2018 Vernasca Silver Flag event.  To enjoy the sight and sound of a Group 3 car running at Spa recently, have a look at this video.  A Group 4 Pantera, #2598, is currently offered for sale, having been competing with considerable success in Romania.

#2598, racing in Romania

You may have wondered why I opened this piece with an encomium to Marcello Gandini in relation to a car actually styled by rival, Tom Tjaarda.  Much as I admire Gandini’s work, I’m sorry to say that I think he despoiled Tjaarda’s masterpiece:  In 1989, Alejandro de Tomaso insisted that the job of facelifting the Pantera for 1990 be awarded to Gandini’s consultancy.  What resulted was the Si.

The main focus of the exercise was on the front end.  A ‘heavier,’ more curvy, character was conferred by redesigned/rescaled front wings and bumper.  The effect on the car’s overall form and stance was a loss of the pleasing balanced contrast between a svelte front and a burly centre/rear section.  To some eyes this may have resulted in a more consistent, cohesive design, but, as such, the Pantera’s body was no longer a physical analogy of its hybrid nature – Latin style and dynamic flair combined with American motive heft.

 

I have derived much information from the excellent www.racingsportscars.com.  This is an invaluable source of data for anyone researching motor sport history.  For the De Tomaso Pantera, refer here: https://www.racingsportscars.com/type/archive/De%20Tomaso/Pantera.html

Other essential resources are:

http://www.detomasoregistry.org/

http://panterainternational.org/detomaso_history/europes_pantera.html

https://detomasodc.co.uk/

https://australianmotorheritagefoundation.org/2021/08/28/the-making-of-the-de-tomaso-pantera-by-gautam-sen/