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In 1975, before he became MotorWeek's trusted voice for 45 seasons, John Davis had a purchase decision to make: Jensen Interceptor or De Tomaso Pantera? Both were exotic cars with American engines he could actually work on. He chose the Pantera—specifically a two-year-old 1973 L model he found in Norfolk, Virginia.
The catch? A family bought it for their son's high school graduation. The son promptly wrecked it. They had it partially repaired, sent him to the Navy, and sold it to John.
John drove it home and completely disassembled it. Every part. His entire apartment became a workshop—engine components in the kitchen, transmission parts in the bedroom, body panels in the living room.
Italian exotic styling. Ford 351 Cleveland V8 power. American engineering he could wrench on himself.
He rebuilt everything that didn't move. Daily Driver until 1979
Decades later, after reviewing thousands of cars on America's longest-running automotive TV show, one truth remains: "I still miss that car today."
The host who's driven everything shares the restoration story that started it all—complete with apartment management nightmares and why choosing American-powered exotics changed his automotive journey.
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Episode Transcript
But what I really wanted was something, quote
unquote, like an exotic car, butthat had an American engine that
I could work on.
I wasn't really interested indoing anything European.
It would be way beyond myskills.
And there were two particularcars that were making the rounds
that were reasonably affordableon the used market at that
(00:24):
point.
One was the Jensen Interceptor,which had a Chrysler uh V8 in
it, and the other was the DiTommaso Pantera, and before that
the Magusta.
But the Magusta was nothing buttrouble.
Of course, so was the Pantera,but less so.
I don't remember how I narrowedit down, but I came across a
(00:46):
two-year-old, and this is 1975now, a two-year-old Pantera down
in Norfolk, Virginia.
So a 73 model, which was whatwas the first, what they call
the L model, which meant it hadrubber front bumpers to meet the
U.S.
safety standards.
I went down to Richmond.
(01:06):
A family had bought it for theirson, you know, as a high school
graduation project.
And I think he he prompt wreckedit.
They got it repaired, they senthim off to the Navy.
I drove the car home, completelytook it apart, filled up my uh
little one bedroom apartmentwith car parts everywhere, and
(01:26):
pretty much rebuilt uheverything that uh didn't move
and uh drove that until uh 1979.
So, and I still miss that cartoday.
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