Update 2/20/13 – It appears someone jumped on this rare Italian sedan already. Hopefully it’s going to a good home.
For those that recognize the Italian brand De Tomaso, most probably think of the Pantera, but it wasn’t the only car the company ever built. They not only built a number of sports cars, they also built a small number of luxury sedans. This 1978 Deauville is one of only 244 ever built and 1 of 6 to be sold in the States. It was found in a barn in Florida and is now being auctioned off here on eBay.
Since De Tomaso owned Maserati, they based the Deauville on the Quattroporte and looks very similar inside and out. The interior is complete, but is rough and is going to need to be restored. Thankfully all the hard to find parts are still in place. Given its relation to the Maserati, we would assume many of the parts are interchangeable and shouldn’t be hard to find.
De Tomaso shoved the same 330 hp 351 cui Ford V8 that they put in the Pantera under the Deauville’s hood. The seller states that the engine turns freely, but doesn’t run. It needs a fuel tank, as the original is missing, and will obviously need a complete service. Much like the interior, we doubt it will be difficult to find mechanical parts, as De Tomaso often used parts from other cars.
This rare sedan needs some work, but looks to be solid. With any barn find from Florida, we recommend going over it closely to make sure there isn’t any serious hidden rust. With some work, this could be a fun driver and the Cleveland V8 should make it a blast. Hopefully it’s in good shape underneath or it could be a difficult project for someone to justify.
I liked exotic italian cras , and unusual stuff like this before hey climbed into silly money territory.
I would have liked this for my own use BEFORE his flipper got his hands on it.
He won’t even get the car together and running for $25 k ???
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Ohh, and I love when these clowns grab numbers out of thin air.
HOW do you claim “6 cars like this existed” in the US ?
Is he working for the US customs and tracking every DeTomaso that comes into the country ?
Ridiculous !
Oh Mr. Horse Radish – the description says one of six SOLD in the States – that would mean sold NEW – it doesn’t include any that would be imported over here after sale. Generally, by the time the 70s rolled around, records are usually accurate when it comes to new car sales. I’m sure there are exceptions to that.
I’m with HR…..the listing says that 6 cars ‘EXISTED’ in the USA (=caps in the eBay listing), so you don’t know where that number came from, but you do know it’s small, as in: “It’s unlikely there are any spare body/interior parts available anywhere”.
It’s easy to rig up a small container of gas in the engine bay to ‘fire up’ that Cleveland V8 just to see if it will…..fire up as claimed. Not done = lazy flipper.
Bottom line (restoration): It’s certainly rare, and carries a legendary small-maker exotic name, but that interior is going to need some expensive work, and so is the body to fix the rust and then paint the whole car, and the drivetrain will need to be evaluated and serviced at a minimum because its has not been run on the road for a long time, and gas tanks found and installed, and the bumpers chromed, and……
Bottom line (financial): The SCM Price Guide doesn’t list the Deauville, but it lists the very similar Longchamp, of which more were made (395 coupes). These were very similar to the Deauville underneath and had a similar, but 2-door, body. The value range for a #2 condition Longchamp is $20K to $35K. Since 2-door coupes are always more desirable than 4-door sedans in the collector market, this tells you that a Deauville is worth less than a Longchamp. This Deauville is already bid to $25K, so the new owner is going to be underwater the moment he pays for it, and for a long time afterwards—-probably fiorever.
I guess that’s the long version of what I wanted to say.
Thanks
looks like we will see this again, some nigerian scammer must have hit the B.I.N. button….cashiers check in the mail, and please, forward the excess cash to this account, please….
I like it! I knew of the Pantera, Mangusta & Longchamp. DeTomaso sure loved those 351C’s. I do believe the BOSS 351 was rated at 330hp but that was in 70′.
Yes I have seen the Mangusta & the Panteras, but never heard of a Longchamp.
http://www.staufferclassics.com/78longchamp.html
I really like this site, every once in a while we get to see cars even serious car guys have never heard of. Oh & Jeff, nice one & nicely finished too.
$25,000 !!!! And it doesn’t run !!!! It is nice to to see cars that are rare, but the prices are getting stupid. Sure do miss the old days when you can buy a car and fix it up and not have so much $$$$ tied up in it and you could enjoy it without worring that you might get a scratch on it, but then I miss gas at 27 cents a gallon, it sure is a bitch gettin old :-)
First part, like I said.
Second part: mind you flippers have got very sophisticated.
Offering a car, WITH LOTS OF POTENTIAL.
They make the profit, and buyer puts in all the work.
Nothing wrong with that picture , is there ??
This car has similarities to the later Jaguar XJ series, front end (88-94′), body lines, gas cap placement (80’s) & interior dash layout & shifter (80’s).
Yes I noticed the Jag parts as well including the 2 gas tanks & the frequently failing switching system no doubt, also looks like a lot of the trim around the side glass & the side glass looks Jag.
One of the better looking Italian 4 doors. Well, it sure would help if the fuel tank is a Maserati part. Assuming you could find all the bits and pieces you’d need to restore this, what would you have? A rare orphan Italian 4 door Ford hybrid derived from a 4 door Maserati that had its own problems. I think of this as an italian version of an XJ6, it even has two gas fillers. Florida sun and salt air sure is tough on bodies and interiors, that poor thing is really cooked and there has to be rust somewhere. Good luck to anyone who takes this on. This looks like a multi year project and the restoration parts, body work and interior won’t be cheap unless made by Ford. Maybe $10K, certainly not $25K
I wonder what they want for the tiger next door.
If I were a potential buyer, I would want better photos of the “easy repair” rust in the doors & quarter panels.
I LIKE THIS CAR AND THE FACT THAT IT HAS A FORD MOTOR HELPS. LET’S US AMERICANS WORK ON THEM A LITTLE..
~ we’ll have to watch for this to come back as another incarnation. someone buying at BIN means they have a higher opinion of the project than i have.
Why do you aways say FLORIDA cars are rusty? Maybe if there sitting at the bottom of the gulf. But no youre wrong wrong wrong.we dont have rust buckets here..unless its some yankee salt car. And thats the way it is!
@ dave I live in So. Fla. & yes cars rust here as well, from the top down from the high heat/ sun, humid climate & if the car lived near the shore.
Far too much money, £10,000 buys a good one, I don’t think there are any interchangeable parts from the Maserati and nor was it based on the quattroporte, you only have to see them in the metal to see that.
Agreed more Jag then anything else.