VIN: the Herbert Muller Racing De Tomaso Pantera Gr.4 chassis 2859
History of chassis 2859
Completed on May 15th 1972, chassis THPNMR02859 was one of 14 Panteras built to Group 4 competition specification.
It was sold to Swiss racing driver, Herbert Muller.
Having spent many years driving for Scuderia Filipinetti, Muller had established his own racing team in 1971. That season, he campaigned a number of Ferrari 512s acquired from Solar Productions. The Ferraris had all been used for filming the Steve McQueen movie ‘Le Mans’.
Muller continued to use the 512s in 1972, but as the World Sportscar Championship had introduced a five-litre engine limit, his outings would be limited to Interserie events.
With this in mind, Muller purchased the De Tomaso to go GT racing. Bought through his Weiss Vien Spa company at a preferential rate (De Tomaso was keen to have its new model out on track), backing was secured from the Tabatip brand of Villiger tobacco.
Muller was one of several De Tomaso customers that received works assistance for 1972.
2859 was actually Muller’s second Group 4 Pantera. With his first (chassis 2263, the original Group 4 prototype) he appeared at the annual Le Mans Test and European GT Championship race at Montlhery. 2263 then sustained damage at the Monza 1000km World Championship event on April 25th. Although ultimately repairable, De Tomaso supplied Muller with a new car instead (2859).
Muller subsequently picked up wins with 2859 in the European GT race at Nivelles and the Deutsche Automobil-Rundstrecken-Pokal event at the Norisring.
For 1973, Muller joined Martini Racing to drive works Porsche 911 RSRs.
As he could not be seen racing a GT car from a rival firm, Muller leased the Pantera to Heinrich Keller.
Over the next couple of years, 2859 intermittently appeared under the Racing Team Grindelwald banner while still wearing its original red, white and black Tabatip livery. Keller’s best result was second in a non-championship race at Ulm in southern Germany.
Muller then sold 2859 to fellow countryman, Hans Stahli.
Stahli is known to have contested the Swiss GT Championship race at Casale in 1975 but the Pantera was soon retired from active duty.
Notable History
Herbert Muller Racing, Switzerland
Red, White & Black Tabatip livery
28/05/1972 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (H. Muller / C. Kocher) DNQ (#60)
11/06/1972 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (H. Muller / C. Kocher) DNF (#31)
02/07/1972 EGT Nivelles (H. Muller) 1st oa, 1st 2.0+ class (#25)
29/07/1972 EGT Nurburgring (H. Muller) DNS (#60)
06/08/1972 DAR Norisring (H. Muller) 1st oa, 1st GT2.0+ class (#15)
27/08/1972 EGT Hockenheim (H. Muller) DNF (#8)
10/09/1972 EGT Monza (H. Muller) DNF (#48)
Leased to Heinrich Keller (Racing Team Grindelwald)
06/05/1973 DAR Sembach (H. Keller) 6th oa, 6th GT2.0+ class (#479)
27/05/1973 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (H. Keller / C. Kocher) DNS (#57)
17/06/1973 IND Hockenheim Jochen Rindt Trophy GT race (H. Keller) DNF (#418)
08/07/1973 SWI Niederstetten (H. Keller) 8th oa, 8th GT2.0+ class (#??)
19/08/1973 EMC St. Ursanne Hillclimb (H. Keller) 42nd oa, 7th Gr.4 class (#120)
16/09/1973 IND Ulm (H. Keller) 2nd oa, 2nd GT2.0+ class (#??)
25/04/1974 WSC Monza 1000km (C. Kocher / R. Eggenberger) DNQ (#82)
19/05/1974 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (H. Keller / R. Eggenberger) DNS (#62)
25/08/1974 SWI Hockenheim (H. Keller) 1st GT3.0+ class (#??)
Sold to Hans Stahli, Switzerland
11/5/1975 SWI Casale (H. Stahli) 4th oa, 4th Gr.4 class (#??)
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: unattributed
