Pantera Rocks! .......The band is pretty good too!

 

     Say the word Pantera to any music lover and they most likely think of the band. Say Pantera to a car enthusiast, and watch their eyes light up while saying, " Oh yeah, that car was badass!"  This is fact, not opinion. Haha I grew up just knowing what the De Tomaso Pantera was. I don't remember when I learned about it, I just.....knew about it, almost as if it was engraved in my brain already at birth. I remember reading about the Lamborghini Countach and the Ferrari Testarossa. I think, and I am just guessing here, that I saw pictures of this car in a grade school library book that I used to check out weekly. Remember back in the good days when you had a library book at school and that little notepad with all of the signatures on it where you could see who checked it out? Well there were two car books I remember I would check out all of the time, and 20 of the 30 signatures were mine. I recall one being an exotic car book and I am pretty sure that's were I read about the Pantera....most likely.

     My only real experience with a Pantera was about ten years ago at the Cincinnati Ault Park Concours d'Elegance when I actually saw one up close and got to study it. One thing immediately stuck out. The meat on the rear wheels. This car had the widest tires I had ever seen at the time, 335s in car speak. The rear was just so sexy with those wide tires on there, and I will never forget that picture, it's burned in my skull thankfully. When the owner wanted to bring this by, I gladly accepted and took the pictures. I didn't really know the full story about the car though. I knew the basics and how/why it was built, but there is a lot more to this story than I ever imagined. The history is the best part about this car. If you have a chance, google it, or youtube it and learn some history. Stories about this company are what make automotive history so great. How quickly this car was dreamt up and then built was mind blowing. As most know, the quick build also resulted in the sub par reliability of the car, but that's another story you can learn on your own. After talking to the owner and hearing how he got the car, the rarity of the car, and what he did to the car, I went inside after he left and started to look around online. Spoiler Alert-----Rare!

     This example is a 1971 Push Button. When he told me push button, my first thought as I am sure most people think, that it has push button start. Nope. Not the case. He was telling me that the push button models are very rare. The door handles are not handles, they are a push button. After doing some research on Pantera sites, looks like the first 75 Euro models actually came here to the US with the push button doors. Everything after that was a standard handle. Just for reference, Jay Leno has a Pantera and he doesn't even have a push button example. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd2Unce43wI There you go for the lazy people. Watch that. Some good info in there. Right from the start, this car is very rare. I can let the pictures do the talking when it comes to how clean the car is. That is easy to see. This example is well taken care of. Another thing that he told me and I also looked up was the ZF transaxle. There were two generations of it. The first generations are ones that you do not want to break. Parts are either impossible to find or extremely expensive. This car has the first gen so this car won't be tracked and it will be maintained very well to keep everything in showroom shape. What he also told me, and Jay's video also states this, is that you can mod these cars to fix the typical issues they had and it actually helps the value. Nobody wants an original that has problems left and right. It would be too costly to fix. These cars had cooling issues and some issues with running rough. Wiki says that Elvis Presley shot a gun at his because it wouldn't start. That's awesome! So doing mods to make this car run like it should have will only help the value. This has some minor engine work and tuning, a fixed A/C, and some other tweaks to make it the exotic car is was dreamt to be.

    Let's talk some stats real quick. 351 Cleveland motor. 5 speed manual with the dogleg first gear. Weight around 3100 lbs. So right then and there, you gotta be psyched. With the fixes on this car and the motor running more power than it had when it came out, I am sure this car today, drives and handles as well as some modern sports cars. The owner even mentioned it is one of the best handling cars he has, and it should be. Mid engine, light weight compared to today's standards, and some meaty tires make for a fun ride. We also discussed the best thing about this car. How mechanical it feels. This was a time before traction control and modern safety systems. I am sure that is why he loves to drive it. It is a driver's car, no doubt. You are in control, and you decide how the car drives, not some computer telling you to stop roasting tires.




    

     I really didn't want to get into too much history about the car because I actually challenge you to read up on this car and the story of how it came to be. I know you have heard me say I hate history, and that is right, I am not a fan. This story of the Pantera on the other hand, is one you want to read about. Fun facts, amazing development, and the rarity of it in the USA makes for a fun read while you are bored. This car had variations made up to the 90s, but only 1971-1975 were sent here to the US. Most of all, imagine this car in 1971. I have had a few people say that to me. Imagine the heads it turned and the power it had back then. Rated at 330 hp but we all know the 351 was doing more than that, and the torque this thing must have put out probably scared a few people who were lucky enough to own/drive one. This example is extremely clean, tastefully modded to keep the originality but also the functionality of the car, and I told the owner to never sell it. Just my opinion.

       I know I am leaving some stuff out about the car but don't want to be too long winded. I encourage everyone to enjoy the pics, read about the Pantera and its design/development, and if you ever see one at a show, talk to the owner as I bet they have a great story about it. Thanks again for this 3-peat Cars In My Driveway client for bringing this beauty over. I really do appreciate the story behind the car, and how good this car looks in yellow. Yes, this is one of the best cars you will find that pulls off yellow so well.

      Now, a few of my favorite pictures of the car. Again, I am not a professional photographer but some of the angles on this car make me look like I know what I am doing. It pictured very well, like Jennifer Aniston- always looks good in pics no matter what. And that rear..... OMG that rear! These are only 315 tires, so not as wide at the stock ones, but still that rear is mmmmmmm.

    But my favorite pic......

 

"What is that?" - The Noble Question

 

     It has been one year since I started this idea and I couldn't be happier about it. I have met a lot of cool people who brought their cars down to my place, let me take pics of their cars, and sometimes have taken me for rides. I have been up close to some of the most unique cars around town, had some crazy adventures in my neighborhood that involved horses, firetrucks, and ATVs, and I had the opportunity to ride in my first Ferrari! Not bad, eh???? Seriously though, I have had the honor of talking to some of the coolest car people in Cincinnati and we have always had a great time chatting about their cars. It has been a wonderful experience and thank everyone of them for making the last year epic. I can't imagine what the next year has in store but I think the page is off to a good start! Introducing.... THE NOBLE!

     I am going to step into the time machine again and tell a little story about the Noble in my eyes. It all started with a magazine article. I remember reading about the Noble and how great the car handled. That was its thing. It was all they would talk about. It handled like nothing they had ever driven. I was driving an Audi A4 at the time and had plenty of fun in that car and never really thought about handling as my car was enough for me. After reading multiple articles later, I had to see what the fuss was about. This car was built here in the Cincinnati area. Score one for the Midwest for once! I read about the details; a shell of a car mated to a Ford V6 with some snails attached. (Snails = Turbos) The car was made to be as light as possible, almost like a Lotus in a sense, but much more powerful. This car has no power steering and not many extras to add on. This is a race car for the road. You hear that a lot with some companies, but this one holds true. It IS a race car for the road, nuff said. One of the best parts about this car as well, is the fact that even some car enthusiasts don't know what it is. Hence, the title above. Before asking the owner, I already knew he got the question on a daily basis.

    
     I was making pretty good money for my age and had no responsibilities at the time and when I saw the price of 40k, I thought.... HELLS YEAH!  For those that know the price, stop your facepalm and keep reading. I had not kept reading unfortunately and headed on over to the shop for a test drive. I met the guy there named Dean and he was one of the coolest car salesmen ever. He wasn't your typical sales guy though. He knew everything about the car, took me on the tour of the facility, and then made me sign a waiver. We got in......... WHAT????? A Waiver? Yes, I signed a waiver to take a test drive. :) We got in the car, awkward for my lanky body, and went out for a drive. For those who have not heard this car, you should put on your bucket list. It is insane. Now, for clarification, I rode in the M12 GTO-3R which is an earlier, less powerful version of the one in the pictures. I am pretty sure Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear said it sounded like "Darth Vader in the boot." It sounds fantastic. Dean took me out and I remember this vividly, told me to look at the speedo. He then gave it the beans, it went blurry after that. This car pulls soooo hard that it is actually hard to put into words. It is a 2300 lb car with 350ish horsepower. You do the math. That was the fun part. We then turned on a curvy road. That is about the time I almost had a BM in the car. Again, no words can explain it. It took corners like it was on a metal rail like the Old Fashioned cars at Kings Island amusement park. The car never hinted like it was out of control. It just stuck an stayed. I know what a white knuckled ride means now. I have never gripped that hard before. All of this was keeping within the legal speed limits of course, but oh my. At that point, I knew what those writers were talking about in the magazines. It is not so much the speed, well... it is brutally quick, but the handling makes the car. Here is where I will make fun of myself a bit. Dean pulls over and says it was my turn. Granted I had never felt anything like that before, and add the fact that riding with people scares the bejesus out of me, I told him no thanks and to head back. Yes, I know, I know. I gave up a shot of driving one of the fastest cars around. Would anyone care to guess why?  I was shaking so bad, I wouldn't have been able to. He seriously scared me to death!

     When we got back to the shop, we talked numbers. Here is where I will make fun of myself again. 40k was for either the body or the motor, I can't remember off hand. Yes, just one piece of the puzzle. You have to buy the engine and body separate and then pay to have put together. It is a way to avoid the silly US rules on airbags and safety issues. That doesn't mean this car isn't safe. I would venture to say it is a very safe, well built car. Look closely in one of the shots here and you will see a built in roll cage. This car is built extremely well and has wonderful attention to detail. It is simple, yet functional. This example even has A/C and a stereo, although that's about it. This really is a race car for the road. Well, to my shock, which I played off, I walked out realizing that I would not be buying this car anytime soon. Haha. If anyone reading has some extra change lying around, please send my way to fund purchase of one of these cars.

     The owner of this car and I had a long chat and it was great meeting and talking about the car. This M400 has more power than the one I rode in and also seems to be little nicer inside from what I remember as well. Carbon fiber seats, and alcantara everywhere... even covering the roll bar! Hard to see isn't it? It is also hard to imagine more power than the one I rode in. That car was already batshit fast. The best part about this example though, is that it is driven. It does not sit in a garage all day. It is driven, and also is a frequent visitor to the local Cars and Coffee show. That makes me smile. I love it when owners actually drive their cars, and take the time to chat about them as well. I noticed that the owner also had no problems talking to every curious visitor at Cars and Coffee. He is an enthusiast like us all and loves to share stories and opinions. He also gets the award for longest drive to my place just to snap some pics. Remember everyone, I can't bring the driveway to them, so everyone actually drives their cars to me! Thanks again to the owner for bringing down, in my opinion, one of the best looking exotic cars made. These are a rare sight to see as not many were made and it is wonderful to have one local so that maybe one day, we can hear the sound of Darth Vader giving it hell!

911 Turbo..... You've always wanted one!

 

     What can I say about the Porsche 911 Turbo? Really, I don't know where to go with this episode because everyone has their own opinion on it. Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear calls it a Beetle. I call it the fastest car I have ever ridden in. More to come about that later. The 911, in my opinion, is the finish line. It's the car that wins hearts, wins awards, but most of all, wins races. Lots of races. I am not sure of an amount, but it is one of the most successful cars in racing. We talked about the 911 in an earlier episode and in there I mentioned the versatility of this car and how many versions there are. But, when somebody wants to bring a Turbo over, do you think I would say no? Every version of the 911 is completely different and has a personality all of their own. Story time!!!!!

     So when I was younger, I used to shoot hoops at a church on the west side of Cincinnati. A bunch of us would play there after a team practice. A buddy was the coach so we could play there after their practice to try and keep in shape. There was always a few nice cars in the parking lot leaving when we showed up. One was a yellow 996 Turbo and I had heard it had some go fast parts put on it. What I found out later was that this car was built and tuned by Wright Motorsports who has a reputation for being Porsche racing specialists. I don't know the actual power amounts but somebody had told me about 750hp. After riding in this car, I totally believe it. I have been in some pretty quick cars before, but this one was actually painful. That is the only way I can put it. We only did a first and second gear blast but the whole time we were trying to find grip with that power, I was also having a hard time breathing. This car made you hold your breath it pulled so hard. You know that story you always hear from the old hot rod people where they tape a hundred dollar bill to the dash and if you could reach it, it's yours? Well I am pretty sure this one not only would prevent you from getting it, but had enough power to rip that hundred off the dash and slam it in your face causing a bruise. I wish I could have that feeling daily. It was so intoxicating. I have no issues saying that was the fastest car I have ever been in.

     This 996 example is the last version of the turbo designed for the driver. Again, that is my opinion. The newer 997 and 991 models are built for the race track, again my opinion. With the newer ones having PDK gearboxes and more power, it is easy to drive them hard at a race track. Of course, the GT3 would be more of a track car, but that is a whole other story. I'm sure we will have a GT2 or GT3 over sometime in the future. Again.... versatile. haha  I like the 996 because of the older interior, the good ole' manual gearbox, and I also love the look of them. Some don't like the headlight design but I disagree. This is a good looking car..... and the rear of this thing is pure sex. That's right, pure sex. Look...

     Tell me that doesn't look good. You can't, can you?  It looks amazing. Every time I see a 911 turbo, no matter the generation, it makes me happy. You also have to thank Porsche a bit as well. They said, "let's make a turbo with lots of power and all wheel drive!"  They wanted people to poop their pants driving this thing. They want people to get out and say, "Wow!" They want people like me to tell others how they remember their first time in a Porsche. It worked. haha Granted that one I rode in was cheating a bit, it was still something I remember to this day.

     Thank you to the owner for bringing this beauty by. You can tell by my pictures that in low light and a dark car, I need to freshen up my photography skills. Haha. The wheel color in these pics doesn't do it justice. It is stellar in person. This car is soooooo sexy and very clean. I have always wanted one, but now I am trying to find ways to buy one. These cars are still very desirable and fast! Mmmmmmmm TURBO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shelby Cobra ...... That's it, that's all I have to say. Shelby Cobra

     Undoubtedly, if you are a automotive fan, you know what this car is. You better because if you don't, then go back through your car magazines from the last 30 years and you will probably ready about this car thousands of times, maybe hundreds of thousands. Most automotive fans probably already know the story behind Carroll Shelby and his endeavors to produce this car. AC cars developed this car and used a much smaller engine until Shelby wrote to them asking to use the car for a V8. The rest is....well.. history. If you want to know all the details, Google it and spend the next 5 years reading. Google replies in 0.31 seconds with over 1.9 million pages. Have fun!

     Today's article is not about history though. I hated history with a passion back in my school days. Same reason I am not a fan of who won the Final Four 10 years ago. That is the past. This is the present. Even though technically this car was in my driveway in the past, when it was in my driveway I could not stop looking at it, hoping that it would never leave and become the past. I was so astounded by the car, the details, and the color, that I basically just kept taking pictures of it. But looking at pictures from the past is almost as bad as sitting in Art History class on a Friday and you're going to a party that night to hang with a hot chick that invited you. You can't get the full grasp of what this car is like just by a few pictures or my gibberish writing here. Yeah, I just burned myself but you have to keep reading.....please.

     I am going to go ahead and state the obvious here. This car is a Man Car. Sorry ladies but it is true. Small car, big loud engine, and enough power to lay some 11's down longer than the street you live on. This car is brutal and savage. There is no other way to put it. There are no heated seats, navigation, or built in vacuum cleaners. This is a car you take out on a Sunday and thrash because.....well.... you can! This is a car that you take out without the significant other, and enjoy the roads and experience what driving is about. Peaceful, windy, open roads that will become loud, smokey roads once you let loose. Most of all though, this is a car that shows others that you are not afraid to take chances in life. Seriously, think about this. This car is up around 550 hp. Looking at the body and imagining how light this car is makes you wonder how anyone can handle it. Sure, you can feather the throttle and never lay into it, but why wouldn't you? That's like buying a Ferrari Enzo and only driving it through your neighborhood at 25 mph. Personally, if I had this car, I would have insurance companies laughing at me trying to get on board because of my 798 speeding tickets I have in it.

     This engine is stroked to 462. Seriously, that's huge. When the owner popped the hood, the only thing that came to mind was this. http://www.buzzquebec.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/tiny-elvis-saturday-night-live.jpg   If you know the catch phrase to that, you will laugh. This car was built by Unique Motorcars who are experts at Cobra builds. This car is clean, it is built extremely well, and I bet you will never see a Cobra with a color like this one. It is one of the best looking colors I have ever seen. Reminds me of the Nogaro Blue on the old Audi S4s but this car looks 1000x better with it. This Cobra is so bright and it stands out more than a Cobra usually does. It is a head turner. Everyone who drove by did a triple take when it was in the driveway. I was worried at one point for the other people that had come by and had their cars on the street. I could see somebody bashing into them while staring at this car. It is that captivating. I really don't have the vocabulary to explain properly what I felt when this car pulled in the driveway so you will just have to accept the fact that it is badass, because it is. I mean look at this rear!!!!!!!!!!!!!

          Thank you again to the owner for bringing by. This owner is now in the elite list of multiple cars on Cars In My Driveway and I really appreciate the time taken to bring the car by and give everyone a look. It looks great, it sounds better than it looks, and I can now say that will be the biggest engine we will probably ever have in the driveway unless a Viper or Veyron comes by. So if anyone knows of a Veyron around, send my way. Haha.