1974 De Tomaso Pantera

1974 De Tomaso Pantera 351ci Cleveland V8 ZF 5-Spd Transaxle Tasteful Upgrades /// Born from Alejandro De Tomaso's partnership with Ford Motor Company, this 1974 Pantera blends dramatic Italian styling with proven American V8 performance. Designed by Tom Tjaarda at Ghia and assembled in Modena, Italy, the Pantera emerged as one of the era's most distinctive mid-engine exotics, combining wedge-shaped bodywork and exotic proportions with the durability and serviceability of Ford power. Finished in white over black, this example appears to have been restored and maintained as needed throughout its life while preserving the raw analog character that helped define the model. Sculpted rear quarters with integrated intake panels feed cooling air to the mid-mounted 351ci Cleveland V8, while polished 17" Campagnolo-style wheels wrapped in Falken Azenis RT660 performance tires emphasize the car's aggressive stance. The Cleveland V8 benefits from an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold, Edelbrock 4-barrel carburetor, K&N air cleaner assembly, aluminum valve covers, and an upgraded aluminum Fluidyne radiator that addresses one of the model's well-known cooling shortcomings. Power is routed through a ZF 5-speed manual transaxle with a limited-slip differential. Inside, black bucket seats, Veglia Borletti instrumentation, a gated dogleg-pattern shifter, power windows, R134a-converted air conditioning, and a vertically mounted Blaupunkt multiband radio paired with Rockford Fosgate speakers preserve the Pantera's purposeful period presentation. Combining Italian coachbuilt design with readily serviceable Ford performance, the Pantera remains one of the most usable and recognizable exotic cars of its era.