The DeTomaso Pantera is obviously a known quantity around these parts, but that doesn’t mean we’re still not surprised on occasion. Any time a classic sports or muscle car appears as a modified example can give enthusiasts some pause as to whether the changes are an example of some in-period style that should be preserved, or the bastardization of a model that should never be modified. This Pantera listed here on Facebook Marketplace is said to have under 5,000 miles on its heavily modified body which includes custom headlights and wider fenders and a supposedly rebuilt engine with no miles.

The DeTomaso Pantera has always been seen as a significant vehicle in modern car culture, but that doesn’t prevent it from showing up as a tatty project every now and again. We have seen some fairly tired Panteras over the years, and I have to believe it has something to do with the Ford Cleveland V8 that resides behind the driver: despite its Italian styling and limited production, some owners likely dipped a toe into supercar ownership thanks to the low running costs of the engine and transmission. Is that what happened here? Hard to tell, but it’s clear someone over the years was compelled to disassemble this Pantera to a significant degree and go to town on the bodywork.

As you can see above, the Pantera now sports exposed headlights; wider fenders; front hood vents; and an extra front air dam. For some reason, this bodywork also led to the interior being yanked out and left in storage. Photos show multiple stockpiles of parts removed from the Pantera over the years, including the seats, seals and weatherstripping, engine parts, and more. Hopefully, the stockpile also includes taillights, door handles, and other trim pieces that could prove costly to replace if they’ve gone missing. You’d likely want to replace the carpeting at this point anyway.

Now, I can’t tell from here if the bodywork is full of bondo and/or body filler or if the modifications were done at a high level. From this side of the monitor, the body doesn’t appear to be hacked up, and the modifications – your personal tastes notwithstanding – are cleanly integrated. The seller notes the Pantera sports “fatty” wheels, and they do sit outside the widened fenders by a decent amount. There is no transmission, but a rebuilt engine is included, and the seller notes its factory color is yellow, which has to be one of the rarer paint shades offered. Would you bring this Pantera back to original condition or preserve its in-period modifications?