There are certain hallmarks of a car that tell you everything you need to know about it. When it comes to assessing projects and preservation, the clues are sometimes obvious, sometimes not, but cars like this 1972 De Tomaso Pantera appear to be loaded with bread crumbs that back up the seller’s description. From the ancient New York State license plates and registration paperwork to the highly original condition of the body and engine compartment, there’s little doubt that this desirable “Pre L” Pantera is as honest as described. Find it here on eBay offered with no reserve and current bids sitting at $27,000.

The seller reports that this Pantera belonged to his late father, and if I had to guess, it was parked in the garage you see in the photos. Because the Pantera was likely used not far from where it’s currently stored – Syracuse, New York – it has some mild rust issues. I say mild because the disclosed areas of concern in the listing photos seem quite meaningless to someone who lived in the northeast and New England until recently, but for a purist, repairing rocker rust may be a bridge too far. Still, this Pantera seems so achingly honest and unspoiled that I’d consider it worthy of the bodywork investment.

It’s also a desirable “Pre L” model which had a few very important distinguishing characteristics from the later cars. First, the bumpers are the preferred smaller chrome assemblies, which would later give way to the ugly black rubber covers that obscured the entire snout once U.S. safety regulators had their way. There’s also the dashboard, which featured the separate binnacles for the speedometer and rev counter. The rest of the cabin is standard Pantera fare, with the iconic vertical gauge array in the center stack. The black leather seats appear decent overall, especially for an unrestored car. There’s some further evidence of rust in the door hinge area.

The Pantera is equipped with its original 351 engine, that the seller mentions ran lower compression beginning in 1972 to account for shifting emissions standards. His father apparently tried to remedy that by adding a Cobra Jet camshaft and factory exhaust header to “…reclaim some lost power.” This engine was last run 40 years ago, and while still turning freely by hand, it will need the full assortment of first-startup activities to prep it for running once more. While the rust may spook some buyers, vintage collector cars rarely appear as honest as this one. Would the visible corrosion stop you from bidding on this Pantera?