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Saturday, July 26, 2014

Pantera!

I have some friends who have asked me to help them locate a pre-1962 car for an independent short film they are working on.  As part of that effort to find period cars, I attended a car cruise in a neighboring town tonight... and I actually found two cars whose owners are willing to participate....for no pay, etc!  And I had a nice time in the process.

However, while returning home from the car cruise (top down, of course!), I heard an awesome noise ahead of me!  The unmistakable roar of a powerful engine entering the highway .... somewhere ahead of me!  I could hear it, but I couldn't see it.

Well, I am sure you know how THAT goes:  I HAVE to see what is making all that racket!  So I sped up.... and I could just see something very unusual way ahead of me:
















Huge roar every time he hits the gas.... but what the heck IS it?  I put the pedal to the metal..... I am gonna have a look at this guy up close, if I can catch him!

Meantime a beautiful newish BMW 6 series convertible in white comes FLYING past me, top down, four occupants leaning out looking at that car ahead.... they are after it too!  And the chase is on!
There is a fair amount of traffic on I-95, -----keeping things from getting tooooo crazy!-----so I soon start to catch up..... the white BMW cabrio is right on his bumper in the passing lane so...... zooom ...... I slide over into the travel lane, pass the BMW convertible (much to THEIR surprise, no doubt!) and pull up alongside this strange roaring monster!  OMG, it is a Pantera!  I have never seen one in person before, and I am now flying down I-95 as his wingman!  Very Cool!
Now the tricky bit!  As you can see, Baurspotting is hot ON THE CASE!  I am shooting pics with my iPhone.  I wish I could have gotten a video to capture the awesome SOUND of the Pantera but...... it was all I could do to manage these few shots.  Don't forget.... we are not doing the speed limit here!  I am well over 80mph to catch this guy!  And that is all I am gonna say about THAT!  ;)


















We are getting a little closer now.....  I really want to get a readable shot of that decal along the rocker panel!



Bingo:  PANTERA!  (Italian: The Panther!)

Wow!  Made my day!  Look at the size of those rear wheels!  The sound of that thing was just incredible!  Needless to say, I never would have caught him if he hadn't had to slow for traffic. This pic was taken in East Lyme on I95 tonight about 6:30pm..... by my hand held iPhone over the steering wheel at 80+mph!  Gotta love my BMW 323i Baur!  ;)

I want to extend a personal thank you to Donna DiNovelli, because if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have gone to that car cruise tonight, in search of her Holy Grail, and I would have missed out on this totally serendipitous, but awesome, little experience!  Thanks, Donna!  ;)  Things happen for a reason!

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