The Ex - Moretti, MOMO, Le Mans 24 Hours Entrant

1972 De Tomaso Pantera Group 4/5

One of just 14 factory built De Tomaso Pantera Group 4 cars, sold new to ‘Pooky’ and campaigned in World Sportscar Championship events and entrant in the 1972 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Owned and raced by MOMO founder Gianpiero Moretti in 1973 with a further World Sportscar Championship outing.

The only factory Group 5 Pantera, having been upgraded for 1976 and competed in the Giro d’Italia with then owner Ruggero Parpinelli.

Restored for historic racing in the unique Group 5 specification, utilising various upgrades including Gurney-Weslake engine and Hewland LG500 gearbox.

Eligible for the finest historic racing events worldwide including the Le Mans Classic, Tour Auto, Modena Cento Ore, Peter Auto CER 2, Masters Sports Car Legends and Algarve 300km. Accompanied by an extensive spares package including fresh spare engine.

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Price: £POA

Chassis Number: 02343

Registration Number: CVO 533K

De Tomaso Automobili

Founded in 1959 by Argentinian racing driver and enthusiast, Alejandro De Tomaso, De Tomaso Automobili was an outlet for its founder’s desire for high performance racing and sports cars. While of Argentinian origin, De Tomaso’s car manufacturing concern was based in Modena, the thriving heart of Italy’s iconic car scene.

It was in Modena that De Tomaso had met Isabelle Haskell, an American heiress and sometime racer, who had married in 1956. Haskell’s father was one of the founders of General Motors, and her family fortune made De Tomaso Automobili a reality, financing a substantial amount of the operation.

The first cars produced under the De Tomaso name were single-seat racing cars. Debuting in 1960, De Tomaso’s concern had produced a car to run in Formula 2, with a Formula Junior version swiftly after. De Tomaso had enlisted the help of a number of promising local engineers to create his early visions, most notably Gian Paolo Dallara.

With its first Formula 1 outing in 1962, De Tomaso Automobili built a number of models of Formula Junior, Formula 3, Formula 2 and Formula 1 cars through the 1960s and in to the early 1970s.

By 1963, the first De Tomaso sports car broke cover. The Vallelunga was a lightweight two door sports car with a backbone chassis, Ford engine and a competition focus. 60 were produced in total, giving De Tomaso a grounding in production cars.

In 1966, De Tomaso launched the Mangusta as their first V8 sports car, utilising the Ford 289 V8 engine to create a powerful and striking design. The Mangusta sold well, with 400 cars being made by the time its production ceased in 1971.

The Mangusta was succeeded by the Pantera. Bearing a larger 350 cubic inch, 5.7 litre, Ford V8 engine, the Pantera featured Tom Tjaarda design from Ghia and sold over 6,000 cars making it the most successful of all De Tomaso’s cars.

Competition use was still a focus of De Tomaso, and with the Pantera came a strong opportunity to compete on the world stage against the likes of Ferrari and Porsche. Aligning with the regulations for FIA Group 4, De Tomaso homologated the Pantera in 1972.

Making use of the ability to upgrade the drivetrain, suspension, wheels and brake along with a lightened chassis and wider bodywork, De Tomaso made the Pantera competition focused and the package was a promising proposition. In total, just 14 Group 4 Panteras were produced by the Factory, with their first public appearance being the Le Mans Test in March 1972.

As Group 5 came to the forefront in the mid 1970s, some Group 4 Panteras were upgraded further by their private owners in order to compete with the more open regulations of the class.

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This car, 2343

Chassis THPNMB02343 was completed in time for the beginning of the 1972 season as one of the works De Tomaso built Group 4 cars and was sold to Vincenzo ‘Pooky’ Cazzago of Italy. Finished in red with matte black bonnet, sills and engine cover, 2343 was prepared for Pooky by Scuderia Brescia Corse.

Pooky planned to campaign the new 2343 in both European GT Championship and World Sportscar Championship races, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans. While entered for the Nubruring 300km on the first weekend of April, 2343 was not able to race there while the homologation was yet to be granted to De Tomaso.

The first race for Pooky and 2343 instead came at Montlhéry for the Paris round of the European GT Championship two weeks later. With branding from Armi Beretta, the famous shotgun manufacturer, 2343 finished in 13th overall despite having shown a much stronger pace.

The following week, on the 25th April, 2343 raced in the Monza 1000km with Mario Casoni sharing the driving with Pooky. Having qualified 1st in the over 2 litre GT class and 14th overall, 2343 suffered engine failure at a late stage of the race and was still classified 2nd in class, with 7th overall.

In June, 2343 was present at Le Mans for the 24 Hours. With car number 73, 2343 was piloted by Casoni and Marsilio ‘PAM’ Pasotti. Having run in qualifying, 2343 fell just short of the time required to make the grid and consequently did not participate in the race itself.

Pooky entered 2343 into the Zandvoort round of the European GT Championship, but didn’t arrive and instead the next race was at Monza for a National race where Pooky emerged victorious in 2343. A three month hiatus then followed until Pooky and 2343 returned to Monza for the European GT Championship in September. Having qualified 3rd overall, Pooky was classified in 6th having fought a sister Pantera, Porsche 911s and a Corvette, rounding out 2343’s first year in competition.

For 1973, 2343 was sold to Gianpiero Moretti of the famous MOMO steering wheel manufacturer and Monza resident. Moretti changed 2343’s colour to yellow with black sills with MOMO Racing Team adorning them, and the front splitter became more pronounced around the front wheels.

Moretti entered 2343 at the Le Mans 4 Hours in April however did not arrive and instead made his race debut with 2343 at the World Sportscar Championship Monza 1000km later that month. Sharing the driving with Corrado Manfredini, Moretti lined up 32nd for the race and were classified 15th overall its conclusion.

At Imola the following weekend, Moretti qualified 11th but problems ahead of the race meant the Pantera did not start. A month later, Moretti returned to Imola for the European GT Championship round and ran the first heat but did not start the second, leading to a DNF in the aggregate classification.

Moretti planned to race 2343 in the 1973 Le Mans 24 Hours and placed an entry with the car, however it was not accepted so the MOMO Racing Team didn’t run in the endurance classic. It wasn’t until September that Moretti raced 2343 again, running in the Monza 6 Hours with Gabriele Gottifredi.

The final outing for Moretti in 2343 was the Imola 500km on the 16th September 1973. While a non-championship race, it attracted strong competitors including the works Autodelta Alfa Romeo T33/TT/12s, Mirage M6s and Lola T280s along with a number of Porsche, Abarths and De Tomaso entries. Moretti lined up 11th on the grid and went on to achieve a fine 2nd in class finish.

In 1975, 2343 was bought by Ruggero Parpinelli and soon returned to competition. Parpinelli entered the European GT Championship Imola 500km round in April 1975. 2343 remained yellow over black and Parpinelli got to grips with the Pantera well, qualifying 13th. In the race, Parpinelli rose through the order to finish 4th overall and won the over 3-litre GT class.

Next, 2343 competed in the Trento-Bondone hillclimb taking 1st in the Group 4 class before being entered in the Giro d’Italia, although it did not compete on that occasion. Parpinelli raced 2343 in two Italian GT Championship races in 1973, taking 6th at Mugello and 4th at Vallelunga, highlighting the competitiveness of the big Pantera.

For 1976, 2343 underwent a programme of upgrades to be competitive in the de-regulated Group 5 category. With the work completed by the De Tomaso factory, 2343 became the only factory Group 5 Pantera.

Having gained re-profiled, aggressive and wider bodywork housing BBS wheels, 2343 underwent further changes including the fitment of Gurney Weslake cylinder heads, a four speed Hewland LG500 gearbox, larger brakes and various weight reductions.

Supported by the Sala-Malverti team, Parpinelli entered the now yellow and green pin-striped 2343 into the 1976 Giro d’Italia. With race number 596 and Pontara as co-driver, 2343 had an eventful run in the Italian road-race event. After crashing with the Marlboro Lancia Stratos Group 5 car, 2343 was repaired and taped up to continue but eventually put out of contention with engine failure.

Having been off the track for several years 2343 entered the ownership of Sig. Panizza. Painted red but retaining the Group 5 bodywork, 2343 was raced by Panizza in the late ‘90s and early 2000s.

In 2007, 2343 was bought by Rupert Clevely and moved to the UK where a full restoration to 1976 Giro d’Italia specifications was undertaken. Once completed, Clevely campaigned 2343 in events including the 2009 Tour Britania where it took 4th in class, and in Masters World Sportscars.

2343 moved to the current ownership in 2012 and has continued to be campaigned around Europe, running regularly in Masters and having also competed at the Le Mans Classic.

Continually improved and developed, 2343 remains immaculate and benefits from not one but two Peter Knight built Ford V8 engines with aluminium Gurney Weslake heads, both putting out around 500 bhp and over 500 lbft torque. While the engine fitted in the car has five hours use on it, the spare engine accompanying 2343 is dyno time only.

Further parts accompanying the Pantera as parts of the extensive spares package include a flight case with running spares and suspension components, straight exhaust pipes spare front splitters, body moulds, one spare set of De Tomaso centre split rims, two sets of the original BBS wheels, rear upright casting patterns and other original parts not used on the car today.

With FIA HTPs valid to December 2033, 2343 is eligible for a wide array of events worldwide. From the Tour Auto to Le Mans Classic, Masters Sports Car Legends to Peter Auto CER 2, Algarve 300km to the Modena Cento Ore, 2343 is also road registered in the UK.

As the only factory Group 5 De Tomaso Pantera and one of just 14 factory built Group 4 cars, 2343 is a unique and charismatic example of De Tomaso’s brutal Pantera. Now available to take on road or track with its next owner.