VIN: the Ecurie Franco Britannic De Tomaso Pantera Gr.4 chassis 2824
History of chassis 2824
Chassis THPNLM02824 was one of the works-prepared Group 4 Panteras allocated to De Tomaso’s official motor sport partners in 1972. It was supplied to the French De Tomaso distributor, Franco Britannic Autos in Paris.
Completed on March 31st 1972, the car originally appeared with a VIN plate numbered 2342 (the car sold to Italian privateer, Aldo Valtellina). Elsewhere, the chassis was correctly stamped 2824.
Like all the 14 Gr.4 Panteras built, 2824 was originally painted two-tone red and black.
It made its competition debut at round two of the inaugural European GT Championship: the 1972 Grand Prix Paris de l’ AGACI at Montlhery.
The Montlhery event marked the race debut for the Gr.4 Pantera; previously it had only appeared at the annual Le Mans Test weekend.
Jean-Marie Jacquemin took the wheel of 2824 and was second fastest in practice behind the Robert Buchet Porsche 911 2.5 ST driven by Claude Ballot-Lena.
Two qualifying heats were then held followed by a 50 lap final. Jacquemin won his heat and finished 19 seconds behind Ballot-Lena in the final.
For its next appearance, the Le Mans 24 Hours, 2824 was fitted with a fresh Holman Moody engine and the roof was painted with a French tricolore.
Ominously, three of the five Panteras in attendance blew their new engines during practice. The 500bhp unit fitted to chassis 2824 did make it to race day and the Franco Britannic car qualified fastest of the Panteras in 37th.
Unfortunately, in the race, Guy Chasseuil retired chassis 2824 with a blown head gasket after only 16 minutes. Jean Vinatier did not get to drive.
Chasseuil and Vinatier teamed up again for 2824’s final outing of 1972: the end-of-season Paris 1000km non-championship race at Montlhery. They qualified fastest of the GT cars in 19th but retired after twelve laps with a blown head gasket.
Ecurie Franco Britannic used chassis 2842 just once in 1973.
Chasseuil and Vinatier attended the Dijon 1000km World Sportscar Championship race in April for which the car’s original red / black colour scheme had been changed to blue / black.
On this occasion, 2824 was third fastest GT qualifier behind a pair of the latest Porsche 911 RSRs.
The race ended with another DNF. This time the Pantera lasted 36 laps before a broken oil pump forced it out of the running.
Chassis 2824 was later sold to wealthy American privateer, Gregg Young. Young ran the car once (posting a DNF at the 1974 Watkins Glen 6 Hours) before passing it on to his co-driver from the Glen outing, Bob Grossman.
In 1975, Grossman failed to finish at the Sebring 12 Hours (co-driven by Marty Hinze) and the Watkins Glen 6 Hours (co-driven by Elliot Forbes-Robinson).
2824 was subsequently retired from competition duty and went through than hands of several US owners including George Stauffer.
Notable History
Red / Black
Stamped number 2824 but factory fitted with VIN plate number 2342
Franco Britannic Autos, 21 Avenue Kleber, Paris / 25 Rue Paul-Vaillant-Couturier, Levallois, Paris
16/04/1972 EGT Montlhery (J.M. Jacquemin) 2nd oa, 2nd 2.0+ class (#6)
11/06/1972 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (G. Chasseuil / J. Vinatier) DNF (#33)
29/10/1972 IND Paris 1000km, Montlhery (G. Chasseuil / J. Vinatier) DNF (#20)
Colour changed to Blue / Black
15/04/1973 WSC Dijon 1000km (G. Chasseuil / J. Vinatier) DNF (#30)
Sold to Gregg Young, Connecticut
13/07/1974 WSC Watkins Glen 6 Hours (B. Grossman / G. Young / T. Zeccoli) DNF (#57)
01/1975 sold to Bob Grossman, New York
21/03/1975 IMS Sebring 12 Hours (B. Grossman / M. Hinze) DNF (#57)
12/07/1975 WSC Watkins Glen 6 Hours (B. Grossman / E. Forbes-Robinson) DNF (#57)
05/1976 sold to Tom Juckette, Iowa
01/1985 sold to Kenton Copple
02/1985 sold to Dale Bergman, Colorado
05/1988 sold to Jim Jannard, California
06/1990 sold to George Stauffer, Wisconsin
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
