Oh, how I love to tell this (true) Pantera story...
(Those who have heard this... please forgive me... all others, I think you'll enjoy it and repeat it often!)
Back in 2005, JJ and I took a trip to Concorso Italiano with this Lemon/Pearl and Metallic Black beauty he owned at the time...
There were probably about 1500 cars at the show and I imagine its SECOND to the Concours de Elegance held 2 days later at Pismo. It is a bit less formal but probably the highest class auto event I have ever attended. (Thanks JJ! Wow... that will be 10 years ago in August!)
So over the PA system is usually heard music and announcements... but from time to time there would be a car selected from each MARK to parade around and drive up on the car podium to be photographed... and the owner/driver was interviewed!
Just a minute or two, especially if the person was well known... they would chat and even if you couldn't see the car... thousands of people could hear the interview all over the entire Black Horse Golf course. Go here for photos:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...es-Seaside_Monterey_Peninsula_California.html
... and then imagine cars covering all the greens!
So this guy rolls up in a de Tomaso Pantera and the MC is chatting away and they describe all the mods he's made to his car... These owners are known to install BLOWERS, TURBOS and NITROUS systems, body kits and flares, huge X large tires and wheels, and just about any HUGE Ford engine ever made... and then they chrome it all! Unlike Ferrari caretakers... they are all INTIMIDATORS (and characters) of the highest order. De Tomaso owners have absolutely
no alliance to the MARK or to any of its suppliers. In general and in contrast, Ferrari owners would not even THINK about installing an oil filter or spark plug if it was not an official factory product.
Just before the interview was about to close... the announcer realizes something and asks the man... "Did you not own a Ferrari-Whatever V12 and entered that car here last year?"
"Why yes I did", the driver responded.
"Well then, tell us... What do feel the MAIN differences are between owning and driving a Ferrari, versus owning and driving a Pantera?"
The driver apparently thinks for a minute and then says... "Owning a Ferrari is like being MARRIED to a WORLD CLASS BALLERINA... and...
owning a Pantera, well, its kinda like DATING a HOOKER."
What followed was about the longest ten seconds of SILENCE over the entire last nine holes! HA! I gotta admit hearing that LOUD and CLEAR over the PA shut my mouth as well!
For those of you with some limited experience around these cars... and I don't claim to know much... but I have found those words he spoke to be basically true in every sense.... and apparently they come from an "expert" on the topic!
Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did in remembering it.