Guide: De Tomaso Pantera GT5S
Background
When De Tomaso unveiled the Pantera GT5 at the Turin Motor Show in November 1980, sales of the existing narrow-bodied Pantera began an inexorable decline.
The GT5 tapped into the zeitgeist for brawny wheelarch extensions, deep side skirts and massive spoilers. It also enabled De Tomaso to adopt the latest low profile tyre technology pioneered by Pirelli’s revolutionary P7 line.
Thanks to its facelift, the Pantera GT5 came to be regarded as a less expensive and easier to maintain alternative to the Lamborghini Countach. The Countach had itself undergone a similar programme of upgrades in its transition to S specification.
Unlike the Countach, which came with a complex dual overhead camshaft in-house-built V12 with six enormous Weber carburettors, part of the Pantera’s appeal was a result of its uncomplicated Ford V8 that practically any half decent mechanic could work on.
Although the GT5 provided an upswing in sales, its somewhat crudely incorporated bodywork additions soon began to look dated. As a result, Alejandro de Tomaso commissioned a second iteration of the wide-bodied Pantera.
The resultant Pantera GT5S broke cover at the Turin Motor Show in November 1984. It was offered alongside the long-running GTS and GT5 Panteras, the four-door Deauville and the two-door Longchamp (which could be specified as a Coupe or a Spider).
Unlike the GT5, which came equipped with unrefined fibreglass bodywork additions, the GT5S ushered in a smoother all-steel body. Importantly, the wheelarch extensions, side skirts and deep front spoiler were now more neatly integrated. This gave the GT5S a look in line with the increasingly curvaceous design language adopted during the second half of the 1980s.
Chassis
Under the skin, the GT5S incorporated all the upgrades that had been introduced with the GT5. They included bigger ventilated front brakes, reinforced suspension, lower ride height and lower floor rails.
Also present were the same handsome 15-inch Campagnolo wheels that resembled those originally used on Group 4 Panteras in the early 1970s. Wheel size was 10-inches wide at the front and 13-inches wide at the rear. Pirelli P7 tyres were standard issue.
Once again, the familiar Tipo 874 steel monocoque had a 2500mm wheelbase and square tubed rear subframe as per all Panteras. Similarly, bodyshells were fabricated by Carrozzeria Embo of Modena who had taken over production in 1978.
The fully independent suspension layout used on the Pantera had originally been designed by Giampaolo Dallara. It featured double wishbones and coil sprung telescopic dampers all round plus anti-roll bars at either end.
An 85-litre fuel tank was mounted in the left-hand side of the engine bay up against the rear bulkhead.
Engine / Gearbox
At the heart of the GT5S was Ford’s familiar 5.7-litre 90° Cleveland V8 which featured a cast iron block and heads. Unlike the complex DOHC four valve per cylinder engines which were by this time the norm for most high end Italian manufacturers, the Ford engine ran pushrod-actuated overhead valves.
Displacement was 5763cc thanks to a bore and stroke of 101.6mm and 88.9mm respectively.
With an 8.2:1 compression ratio and single Holley four barrel carburettor, peak output was 350bhp at 6000rpm and 333lb-ft at 3800rpm.
Transmission was via a five-speed ZF gearbox, single dry-plate clutch and limited-slip differential.
Bodywork
The cosmetic redesign carried out on the GT5S was one of the last jobs overseen by Aurelio Bertocchi before he departed De Tomaso Automobili.
Bertocchi toned down the super aggressive appearance of the GT5 to more neatly integrate all the features that made the widebody Panteras so visually exciting.
Bulbous fenders gave a Coke bottle effect; those at the rear were ventilated at the leading edge to assist with brake cooling. The fronts merged with a jutting chin spoiler that housed a pair of Carello fog lights either side of the rectangular nose intake.
The front lid, doors, cockpit glass, engine cover and the pop-up head and tail lights were the same as other Pantera variants.
Visually the GT5S was a match for anything Lamborghini or Ferrari had to offer.
By this stage, all chrome body trim had long since given way to the more fashionable anodised ‘black look’.
Interior
Inside, the GT5 and GT5S were identical. Both blended finely crafted fixtures and fittings that were a world away from the original, rather cheap specification that came to define the Ford era cars. However, some of the rudimentary switchgear from the Ford parts bin still remained, most of which was arranged in the same haphazard manner as those very first Panteras.
Leather was used to cover the plush Maserati Quattroporte-style seats, the transmission tunnel, dash top, door panels and centre console.
Air conditioning and electric windows were standard along with central locking and electric mirrors.
A three-spoke leather-rimmed Momo steering wheel fronted a dash that incorporated a veneered wooden dash to match the inserts applied to the door panels.
Options
Buyers could equip their cars with a host of optional extras to include a steel Countach-style rear spoiler, heavily bolstered sports seats, a choice of wheel colours and leather instead of wood inserts for the dash and door panels.
De Tomaso also offered ‘Pantera GT5S’ graphics for the front spoiler, engine cover and side sills.
Longer rear axle ratios included 4.01 and the 3.77 ‘Le Mans’ configuration, the latter of which gave a top speed of 164mph.
Bespoke paint, leather and carpet shades could be specified given a suitably endowed wallet.
Weight / Performance
Although the GT5S body was made entirely from steel (whereas the GT5 had been a mix of steel and fibreglass), the new variant was just 3kg heavier (1420kg).
Performance figures were officially unchanged: top speed was 158mph and 0-62mph required of 5.3 seconds.
Production Begins
The first GT5S was chassis 9375 which De Tomaso presented at the Turin Motor Show in November 1984.
Right-hand drive examples started to roll out of the factory in early 1985 starting with chassis 9388.
Although it was De Tomaso’s flagship model and priced on a par with the Porsche 911 Turbo, the GT5S was significantly less expensive than the likes of a Ferrari Testarossa or Lamborghini Countach Quattrovalvole.
USA Version
After the split with Ford in 1974, De Tomaso withdrew from the US market for several years citing the cost of meeting ever more draconian safety and emissions legislation.
Soon after the GT5 arrived in 1980, De Tomaso signed an agreement with legendary Ford dealer, George Stauffer, who managed to gain type approval by fitting air pumps, catalytic converters, exhaust gas recirculation and a milder camshaft.
Between 1985 and 1987, a second organisation joined the fray: Amerisport, run by Kirk Evans in Ohio.
Amerisport purchased fully assembled cars that were fitted with Pantera L-type front bumpers but minus engines; this meant these Panteras were classed by the authorities as sub-assembly parts which avoided the need for costly Federal approval.
As Amerisport were therefore considered the de-facto manufacturer of these cars, they were issued with unique 17-digit VIN numbers which supplemented the original twelve-digit sequence found on the De Tomaso chassis plate.
Once landed, Amerisport fitted each GT5S with a special Cleveland V8 that featured a host of emissions equipment. This included an air box that enclosed the Holley carburettor, custom headers and catalytic converters. Each car was then individually EPA and DOT certified.
The first Amerisport Pantera GT5S was chassis 9381 which debuted in April 1985 at the annual Pantera Owners Club of America meet in Las Vegas.
Amerisport also offered a Grand Sport variant with extensive body colour coding, custom bumpers and the Amerisport rear spoiler with its drooping end plates.
Pantera GT5S Targa
Soon after the GT5S arrived, De Tomaso began to offer an official Targa conversion carried out by Carrozzeria Pavesi in Milan.
Pavesi had long been regarded as one of Italy’s premier coachbuilders; most of the firm’s work in the 1980s focused on converting fixed-head Ferraris and De Tomasos into open-top Cabriolets, Targas and Spiders.
Like the Longchamp Spider, which was an officially sanctioned model in its own right, each Pantera GT5S was dispatched from the factory as a complete car and transformed into a Targa at the Pavesi works.
Reinforcements were made to the floorpan, bulkhead, sills, windscreen and door gussets. The roof was modified to incorporate a Targa top that resulted in a slight loss of headroom.
The Pavesi conversion added around 30% to the price of a standard GT5S.
Production Changes – Australian Cleveland Engine
When De Tomaso launched the GT5S, they were still using up their supply of American-built Cleveland engines leftover from when Ford pulled out in 1974.
Ford had actually stopped making the Cleveland block in 1974 because it no longer complied with North American emissions legislation. By the mid 1980s, this lack of new production became an issue in Italy.
When De Tomaso’s supply ran out, the firm began to source Cleveland engines from Ford Australia who continued to build a limited number for domestic applications.
The Aussie power units featured a tougher block with thicker main webbing and were the motors of choice for many a NASCAR team. Otherwise, they were largely identical to the US-made Clevelands.
Production Changes – Windsor Engine
By 1987, the supply of Aussie blocks had dried up too and De Tomaso were forced to find an alternative for the last few years of GT5S production.
Ford’s Windsor unit was deemed the best option. De Tomaso offered it in two states of tune.
The entry level version produced 300bhp at 6000rpm with a compression ratio of 8.5:1 and a standard Ford Motorcraft carburettor.
The more potent Group 3 / Grand Sport iteration produced 350bhp at 6000rpm. It came with an 11.0:1 compression ratio, a four barrel Holley carburettor, hydraulic lifters, large port heads, uprated camshafts and special exhaust manifolds.
End of Production
Although De Tomaso discontinued the GT5 in 1988, the GT5S stayed in production until 1990. The last example built was chassis 9562.
Around 190 GT5S are believed to have been completed.
Of these, circa 25 were right-hand drive, circa 35 were dispatched to Amerisport and circa half-a-dozen were converted by Pavesi to Targa specification.
The GT5S was ultimately replaced by the heavily revamped Pantera SI.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: De Tomaso Automobili - https://detomaso-automobili.com/
