The DeTomaso Pantera, which made its debut in 1971, is among the most unique European vehicles of that time. Additionally, although continuing to be produced until 1992, just 7,260 of them were made, making it extremely uncommon and in high demand. And the Pantera isn’t the kind of car you expect to discover in a barn, unlike muscle cars from the golden age. However, after becoming out of style, some of these cars were placed in long-term storage. This blue example was put into park way back in 1977 and wasn’t moved until 2023. Additionally, the fact that this Pantera is an early model made for the 1972 model year makes it a highly significant discovery.
Documented by Hagerty in its “Barn Find Hunter” series, this Pantera spent only five years on the road. And the owner drove it for only 47,000 miles (75,639 km) before he decided to park it for good. That’s a sad fate for such a gorgeous and iconic automobile, but there’s plenty of good news to share. Starting with the fact that it was kept in a nice warehouse.
So even though it sat in the same place for a whopping 46 years, the Pantera is in excellent condition. Sure, it was found covered in a thick layer of dust and with a bit of surface rust underneath, but this European sports car is nothing less than a top-tier unrestored and unmolested survivor.
Moreover, because it spent such a short time on public roads, it’s highly original. And that’s something you don’t see very often today when it comes to DeTomaso rigs.
Why was it parked so early in its life? It doesn’t even matter, to be honest. What matters is that the supercar was finally rescued and given a second chance. The new owner wants to put it back on the road and kickstarted the process with a proper cleaning, which revealed a nice body with blue paint that still shines in most places.
The DeTomaso hasn’t started yet, but our host says it will post a follow-up once the engine is going. The latter is a Ford-based Cleveland V8 with 351 cubic inches (5.8 liters). When the mill was brand-new, it was rated for 325 horsepower and 344 pound-feet (466 Nm). In certain of his vehicles, DeTomaso also employed 351 Windsor and 302-cubic-inch (4.9-liter) engines.
The video below features more awesome classics than just the Pantera. Not only that, but the man with the warehouse has three Sunbeam Tigers. In case you are not familiar with this British sports vehicle, it was a supercharged V8 variant of the Sunbeam Alpine.
The Tiger was partly designed by the legendary Carroll Shelby and shares the same 260- and 289-cubic-inch (4.3- and 4.7-liter) powerplants with the early Cobra. Production lasted from 1964 to 1967 and spawned 7,083 units. The Mark II version fitted with the bigger 289 V8 is the rarest at 633 examples made.
Two Lotus Elans, a rare sports vehicle in the US, are also kept in the garage. The Elan made its debut in 1962 and was produced with multiple revisions until 1973. Depending on the series, the 1.5- and 1.6-liter four-cylinder engines powering the lightweight sports car could produce 90 to 126 horsepower.