mid-engine fest on BaT today

[autokunst]

In addition to a couple of bimmers, I noticed that there are a collection of mid-engine cars on the block today:
- 1974 DeTomaso Pantera (red)
- 1975 Maserati Merak (red repaint, was yellow)
- 1978 Ferrari 308 GTS (yellow instead of red)

Should be an interesting day to watch.

 

[zinz]

Growing up in a Ford household, I always had a thing for the Pantera.

 

[autokunst]

My compass of values was pretty far off on this set of mid-engine beauties:
- Pantera sold for $90k
- Maserati ended at $32,250
- Ferrari was bought well (I think) at $34,500

Growing up in a Ford household, I always had a thing for the Pantera.

When I was much younger, I had a friend that was really into Fords. I remember when he first told me about the "DeTomaso Pantera" - I had no idea what he was talking about. But I did know about BMW 2002's though...

 

[teahead]

HIgh watermark for a 328: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1987-ferrari-328-gts-9/

 

[teahead]

This one w/more miles didn't sell: https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1987-ferrari-328-gts-10/

 

[autokunst]

HIgh watermark for a 328

What's the difference between the 328 and the 308?

 

[teahead]

way more refined. Looks better IMHO (the 328 that is).

 

[Belgiumbarry]

i had the luck to have owned both... a '86 328 and a '86 Pantera GT5S.
Sold the 328 very quick... it's to "feminine" "fragile" for me ....
Also sold the Pantera.... in the end it wasn't "that". Wrenching on the engine is difficult , unless you sit on your knees upon the gearbox ... also drivers position is a bit weird , as you have the steering wheel between your legs.

Strange how one can dream of a car but the "magic" go's rapidly away owning it....

 

[zinz]

Pantera widebody a'la Countach !

Both look like a lot of fun.

Ed

 

[Belgiumbarry]

yes , the S is from "steel" ... it are factory steel flares. ( the latest production in the '80s)
Engine is a Ford Cleveland , .....and the most expensive part : ZF gearbox as in GT40's.
This Pantera came from the US and was "new" owned by Caroll Shelby !

 

[zinz]

very nice, indeed!

My first car had a 351 Cleveland, but not mounted mid-engine

1970 Ford Ranchero (this is a Google pic but mine was similar)

Ed

 

[autokunst]

Strange how one can dream of a car but the "magic" go

Not terribly different than owning a boat.

 

[Belgiumbarry]

Stephen... now you began i build my sailboat myself... took me 20 years. I started in ' 94 and finished in 2015 ! Have not worked 20 years on it... some years i did nothing but cars... Boat is just back in Belgium, we had him 2 years in the Med ( Cote d'Azur ) . I planned 5 to 10 years to build.... but was a bit optimistic. Building a 50feet boat is a huge task... i won't do it again but very happy with the result and proud !

 

[Gransin]

Stephen... now you began i build my sailboat myself... took me 20 years. I started in ' 94 and finished in 2015 ! Have not worked 20 years on it... some years i did nothing but cars... Boat is just back in Belgium, we had him 2 years in the Med ( Cote d'Azur ) . I planned 5 to 10 years to build.... but was a bit optimistic. Building a 50feet boat is a huge task... i won't do it again but very happy with the result and proud !

This is very off topic, but you can't just write that and not give us a picture

 

[autokunst]

Barry, would love to see pics of the sailboat. Several years ago I spent about a year and a half designing a Riva-esque 20' mahogany runabout that I was going to build. I even bought a few thousand dollars of very special, straight grained mahogany for the frame structure. But right about the time I bought the coupe, my wife told me I had to choose between building a boat or working in cars. I chose cars, which is why I am on this forum versus the Riva forum.

I still have all of that mahogany...

 

[Belgiumbarry]

OK, will give a little tour ...
it's a steel 50 feet sailboat with 2 Ford New Holland 100HP engines ( as in the tractors)
Mast is 21.5 m above deck , stepped on the keel , boom is 6.5 m
Weight 29 ton, of which 9 ton lead ballast in keel , rest is approx 2000 l diesel
1000 l water in 2 tanks
600 AH 24V batterie and start batteries
2 x 4 kW inverters to 220V ( all electric , no gas aboard ! )
Deckhouse with double safety glass , man, those weight alot...
big kitchen with even a american fridge ...cook plate ,oven,washing machine / dryer
3 ( dubbel) bedrooms with toilets
Bow and stern thruster , hydraulic with pumps on the engines
2 Anchors , hydraulic
6 Anderson winches , 68 and 58 , manual
Hydraulic steering
Central heating on fuel , radiators in boat , also for warm water production kitchen, shower etc
Compressor for air horns and dinghy
teak deck

i didn' keep a build logbook .... but some things i remember : worst job was grinding the filler outside... took + 600 hours ... Teak deck was glued and every strip at least 2 rivets with teak plugs...1.500 rivets are in there.
I had a car painter to paint ... while i was making paint by buckets. 8 layers . Took 1 week.

so you see, we can easely live aboard.

 

[zinz]

WOW! Impressive!

Bravo!

 

[Gransin]

Jaw just dropped to the floor, it would have taken me 120 years to build that
Very impressive, hope you get to enjoy it alot!

 

[autokunst]

Barry, it is clear that when you go, you go big! Nice work.
Unbuilt and only 40% the size, here are my design plans for the runabout (no one asked, but I am displaying anyway):

 

[Belgiumbarry]

Stephen... would be nice in mahogany ...you have to build that boat !

I worked without plans.... many pieces were made 2 times untill fit ... or changed..
What i have seen : at 40 i was more flexible at the build start ... my joints at 60 now are no more the same....
the build should have been in opposite direction : building a hull you can walk around in it but as you start mounting equipment it gets more and more difficult to reach things. Alot of jobs need first to be asked, on my belly , back or knees ?