Descripción
For sale in our forthcoming auction during Le Mans Classic, on 30 June 2023:
Ex-24 Hours of Le Mans
Competition car
Chassis n° 9628
- Major honours including a participation at the 1994 24 Hours of Le Mans
- A unique competition car prepared by ADA Engineering
- Recent full mechanical restoration
- Valid technical passport
- No reserve
Nicknamed "ADA" in homage to its well-known English tuner, the Pantera we are offering for sale is a unique model, as it is the only racing car based on the latest Pantera model to be developed by De Tomaso: the SI.
Introduced in 1990, the SI was designed by Marcello Gandini, whose work includes the legendary Lamborghini Miura and Countach. The intention was to "give a facelift" to the 1971 Pantera. Unfortunately it was not the success they had hoped for and only 38 were sold. Despite this commercial failure, it is considered to be equipped with the best chassis ever made for a Pantera.
This was undoubtedly the reason why British manufacturer ADA Engineering, a regular at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with its high-performance Group C cars, decided to prepare an SI for the event. In 1994, our Pantera ADA took to the starting line of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, kitted out in the livery it still wears today. It finished the race, not classified, mainly due to gearbox problems caused by a spin in the Hunaudières gravel trap. It managed to achieve even more convincing results the following season, with the ADA team winning the British GT Championship (GT1 category) with the car, racking up no fewer than twelve victories. In 1996, after several notable participations in the BPR series; at Monza, the Nurbürgring and Paul Ricard, driven by Andy Wallace, the car was sold to the British Superpower team, run by John McDonald, co-founder of the former RAM Racing Formula 1 team. That same year, Superpower gave the Pantera ADA a second opportunity to shine at Le Mans. This time painted in light blue, it suffered injection problems during qualifying that prevented it from taking part. Our Pantera, now painted yellow, the official Superpower colour, went on to score a number of victories in the UK before retiring.
It was sold when Superpower went into liquidation in 1998, without an engine or gearbox. Its owner at the time kept the car as it was before selling it to the current owner in 2007. The latter, a passionate Pantera fan, then embarked on a major restoration. The engine was built by John Christian in Detroit, and is a new FIA-approved 6-litre Ford V8 block made entirely of aluminium, measured on the dyno at 635 HP 512ft/ lb and having racked up just 5 hours of use. New aluminium SVO cylinder heads, Kinsler fuel injection and a Pectel Cosworth ECU round off the package. The new gearbox is a Porsche G50 5-speed, which likewise has just 5 hours of use. All the mechanical parts have been replaced or restored (Penske shock absorbers, constant velocity joints, coils, radiators, etc.). Cross measurements show that the car is perfectly aligned. The restoration was completed in mid-2021 and the car's first tests after 25 years out of action were conclusive: the Pantera ADA was ready to return to competition!
With its owner at the wheel, it recorded two class victories in the French Historic Circuit Championship. It came close to winning a one-hour race at the Jerez circuit in Spain, before being forced to retire from the lead with one lap to go due to a broken outer gearbox linkage. The car comes with a large number of spare parts, as well as a number of period archives, drawings, race reports and period tuning notes. With its valid FFSA technical passport, the car is ready to race with all its new FIA safety equipment, all holding the necessary valid approvals (fuel tank, bucket seats, harnesses, fire extinguishers, etc.).
Eligible to take part in a number of prestigious events around the world, including the Le Mans Classic as part of the Endurance Racing Legend line-up, the Festival of Speed at Goodwood, the Daytona Classic and the Rolex Monterey, to name but a few, this ADA Engineering Pantera is just waiting to shine on the racetrack, while paying tribute to the De Tomaso legend!
Photos © Sian Loyson
Auction estimate: €350 000 / €450 000 - No reserve
