Pantera designer Tom Tjaarda passes


BtwoG

BtwoG

GT Owner
Dec 8, 2013
1,051
Atlanta, GA
Since there are a lot of Pantera fans (Cowboys from Hell not withstanding) on the forum, thought it was worth a mention. IMO the Pantera (along with the FGT) is another one of those elegant and timeless designs. I also didnt realize until I went to Wikipedia how many other cars Tjaarda designed. We'll have to give him a pass on the Qvale Mangusta.

1959. Ghia Selene I (with Sergio Sartorelli)
1960. Innocenti 950 S Ghia Spider
1960. (Innocenti) Ghia IXG Dragster
1960. Renault Dauphine Ghia Coupé
1960. VW Karmann Ghia 1500 (type 34) Coupé (rear design; main body design by Sergio Sartorelli)
1961. Ferbedo Automobilina pedal car (Ghia)
1961. Ghia Cart
1961. Innocenti 1100 Ghia Coupé
1962. Chevrolet Corvair Pininfarina Coupé (I)
1963. Chevrolet Corvette Rondine Pininfarina Coupé (I)
1963. Fiat 2300 Pininfarina
1963. Lancia Flaminia 2.8 Pininfarina Coupé Speciale
1964. Chevrolet Corvette Rondine Pininfarina Coupé (II)
1964. Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 Pininfarina series 1
1964. Mercedes 230 SL Pininfarina Coupé
1965. Fiat 124 Spider Pininfarina[3]
1966. Ferrari 365 GT California
1968. Chevrolet Checker Berlina (with Giorgetto Giugiaro)
1968. Serenissima Coupé (Ghia)
1969. De Tomaso Mustela (I) (Ghia)
1969. Isuzu Bellett MX1600 GT (Ghia)
1969. Lancia Flamina Marica (Ghia)
1969. Lancia Fulvia 1600 HF Competizione (Ghia)
1970. De Tomaso Deauville (Ghia)
1970. De Tomaso Pantera Ghia
1970. (Lancia Flavia) Giacobbi Sinthesis 2000
1970. Williams De Tomaso-Ford (Cosworth) 505/38 (De Tomaso Formula 1)
1971. All-Cars AutoZodiaco Damaca
1971. De Tomaso 1600 (Ghia) Spider
1971. De Tomaso Zonda (Ghia)
1971. Isuzu Bellett SportsWagon (Ghia)
1972. De Tomaso Longchamp
1972. De Tomaso Pantera L (Ghia)
1972. De Tomaso Pantera 290 (Ghia)
1972. De Tomaso Pantera GT4 (Ghia)
1972. Ford Fiesta (Ghia, Project "Wolf")
1973. De Tomaso/Ford Pantera 7X (Ghia)
1973. De Tomaso Monttella 1/1 197X
1973. Ford Mustela (II) (Ghia)
1974. Ford Ghia Coins
1974. Ford Maverick
1978. Lancia Y10
1979. Fiat Brazil
1979. Ford Mustang II Proposals (Ghia) (different variants)
1979. Zastava (facelifts of older Fiat-based models for Yugoslavia)
1980. De Tomaso Longchamp Cabrio
1981. SEAT Ronda
1981. SEAT Guappa Coupé
1982. Chrysler LeBaron
1982. Chrysler Imperial
1983. Rayton-Fissore Taxi Torino
1985. Chrysler Jeep (Interior)
1985. Rayton-Fissore Magnum 4x4
1989. Aston Martin Lagonda Coupé
1988. PPG 4x4 (USA)
1989. Laforza Magnum 4x4
1989. Zastava Utility vehicle
1991. Bitter Tasco
1992. Saab 900 four door
1992. Suzuki Coupé (for Bugatti)
1993. Fiat Iveco Truck Interior
1995. Lamborghini Diablo (Interior)
1998. Isotta-Fraschini T8 Coupé
1998. Isotta-Fraschini T12 Coupé
2000. Qvale Mangusta (II)
2001. Laforza PSV (II) (production engineering only)
2002. Spyker GT Sport
2003. Fiat Barchetta (Facelift)
2006. Shelby Series 2
2007. Tjaarda Mustang
 
Went to the garage and uncovered my 1971 Pantera in homage.
RIP!
 
Maverick too. I think Ford sold roughly 2 million Mavericks/Mercury Comets between 1970-75. That's a lot of iron.
 
Didn't he also have a hand in the 69-70 Boss 302's?
 
Sad day!
I will make sure to go marvel at his work tonight in my garage.
 
Dang, that rivals Giorgetto Giugiaro.
 
R.I.P., we won't see designers of that caliber for a while.
 
Joe Dozzo said:
Didn't he also have a hand in the 69-70 Boss 302's?
Click to expand...

That was Larry Shinoda.
 
Sad day Long list. Did not know his automotive impact was so extensive.

I agree with the "timeless" nature of the Pantera. After a (too) long rest, I am in the process of getting my '72 back on the road. This will speed me up in that process, and lead to a drive of recognition and respect.
 
Sad day indeed. What a great designer. We will never see these types again....
 
72 Pantera. Just got back from being detailed. Will be taking on the big boys this Sunday at M1
 

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I had no idea that he designed such an impressive list of cars.
 
Not just an amazingly talented designer, he was also incredibly humble ,kind and generous person. I feel blessed to have met
him on several occasions and seeing as how 80% of the cars that I work on are Panteras, I thank him every day for designing such
an incredible car.
RIP Tom
Ron
 
Pantera1889 said:
Not just an amazingly talented designer, he was also incredibly humble ,kind and generous person. I feel blessed to have met
him on several occasions and seeing as how 80% of the cars that I work on are Panteras, I thank him every day for designing such
an incredible car.
RIP Tom
Ron
Click to expand...
Private message
 
I had a 73 L that I bought from George Stauffer. It wasn't without its bugs (especially cooling), but with the addition of an Edelbrock Torker, a Holley 750, & GTS headers, it was one bad car for era. The design is so clean it still looks current.
 
I had the pleasure of spending the day with Tom and his wife in his studio/office in Italy. His stories of all the projects were mind blowing. At the time he had just finished the design build on a armored car for a central american "business man". "Just another very interesting project" he said.
 
Panteras were so well penned, they never looked out of date in the last 40+ years. Can't say that about many cars.
 
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