Source: Larry Finch (posted to the DeTomaso Forum on June 17, 2003) with edits/additions by Garth Rodericks

The following maintenance items should be the first order of business for any new Pantera owner.

1. Add a Front Hood Emergency Release Cable (See TSB 9, Article 64).
2. Make sure your engine oil dipstick is the correct length. Early cars showed “Full” but were actually a quart low. (See TSB #5, Article 34).
3. Add Zerk grease fittings to your ball joints.
4. Replace stock ceramic/aluminum-strip fuses with GBC glass fuses and clean all fuse holders.
5. Make sure the throttle linkage has two return springs.
6. Relocate the water temperature sender from the surge tank to the engine block, if it’s not already been done.
7.  Change ZF gear oil.
8.  Change brake fluid.
9.  Change clutch fluid.
10.  Make sure distributor gear shear pin is upgraded to stock pin with a second smaller pin inside for added strength.
11.  Drill drain holes in rust prone areas, if not already done on your car. (See POCA News, Feb. 2002)
12.  Remove the stock spring spacers if they are still in there after thirty years. This will lower the car to the intended ride height as designed by Giampaolo Dallara.
13.  Bleed the cooling system to make sure all air bubbles are removed.
14.  Re-route overflow tank vent hose to exit behind the rear wheel.
15.  Add two heater hose shut-off valves in the engine compartment to assist the A/C in actually cooling the cabin.
16.  Buy and carry a fire extinguisher.