What car was Tim Horton driving when he died on the freeway going way, way over the speed limit? One a lot like this 1974 De Tomaso Pantera. Actually, it was a 1972 model that did the Buffalo Sabres defenseman in, but who’s to care about the difference of a couple of model years when recounting such a tragedy? The macabre aside, this model is to be desired, and the one here on ebay is perhaps a chance to enter the exotic-car world. You can do that, or start down the path at least, with a bid of around $25,000. You’ve got five days, and then you’ll have to find a way to Idaho Falls, Idaho to put the Pantera on a truck should you hit the magic number.

The Pantera was a smart idea—Italian style and a mid-engined format sold and supported by Lincoln-Mercury dealers because the 351-CID engine was made by Ford. The Pantera was styled by Ghia and built by the Italian firm De Tomaso from 1971-92. It was sold in the US from 1972-75 by the dealer network where you looked for “The Sign of the Cat.” Interesting that for such an exotic, single-purpose car, the sales numbers were decent. About 1,000 Panteras found homes in America in 1972, and total US series production was around 5,500 units. Back when new, this was certainly an aspirational car, with the price being around $12K. A 1974 Corvette, by contrast, stickered for about six grand, and your average grocery-getter station wagon went for the middle of the $4K range. So you had to spend triple that, or double in the case of the ‘Vette, if you had to have the exotic two-seater.

All these years later, a Pantera remains reliable and easy to service, though the car in question here looks a little the worse for wear on the topside, and it has some surface rust underneath. How much it will end up going for, of course, is anyone’s guess. The market seems to be settled in the $75,000 range, though this particular model is a bit of a beater, to be honest, and might thus be had for more reasonable mon. As we know, however, the “Sold!” moment at an auction is only the first indication of what you’ll have tied up in the dream machine when it’s ready for public presentation. Still, especially for the person who is handy with a paint gun, this might represent an opportunity to acquire a car that will be very much the center of attention on cruise night. There is also an active club presence, as is detailed here, so you’re going to find lots of people to share your Panther (English for “Pantera,” if that isn’t obvious) love with.

Just don’t be Elvis if you get this car. He famously shot his Pantera, twice, through the dashboard, when it failed to start. The result was a flattened tire and shattered windshield. The car was sold in 1976 and eventually found a permanent spot in the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles. Will that be your inspiration to acquire this needy Pantera?