Stroked to 403ci: This 500-HP De Tomaso Pantera GTS Heads to Auction

Few Italian exotics of the 1970s combined raw Ford muscle with mid-engine packaging quite like the De Tomaso Pantera, and this 1977 GTS example takes that formula several steps further. Under the rear deck sits a 351ci Ford V8 that has been stroked to 403 cubic inches and fitted with aluminum Trick Flow cylinder heads, lifting output to a claimed 500 horsepower. According to the seller, the car has covered only around 500 miles since the build was completed, and the original V8 is included in the sale for anyone who values authenticity.

The Pantera arrived in 1971 as the successor to the Mangusta, adopting a mid-mounted Ford V8 layout but switching to monocoque construction for the first time in the company’s history. That change made the car stiffer, yet it also means rust can threaten structural integrity in a way that was less critical on the older Mangusta. This particular GTS, finished in Bright Red, is described as free of apparent cosmetic problems, riding on Campagnolo-style alloys and wearing a later rear spoiler while avoiding the huge fender flares of the more extreme GT5.

Delivered new in Switzerland, the car pairs its modified V8 with a five-speed ZF transaxle, four-wheel independent suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, and four-wheel power disc brakes. Inside, the seats have been retrimmed in black cloth and leather, an upgraded CD stereo and a three-spoke Momo wheel are fitted, and the factory Italian gauges remain in place alongside the gated shifter that so many enthusiasts consider essential in an Italian exotic.

After Ford ended its partnership with De Tomaso in 1975, later Panteras reaching North America generally arrived through private imports, and this 1977 car is one of them. It is scheduled to cross the block on October 24th in Fort Worth, Texas, where bidding is widely expected to reach six-figure territory.