Overview: 1983 De Tomaso longchamp Coup

A sleek and stylish high-performance GT car with all-independent suspension and Ford 351 ‘Cleveland’ V-8 power, this De Tomaso Longchamp is one of only 395 coupes built between 1972 and 1989. The 351C engine was recently and completely rebuilt with new forged pistons and a mild Crane hydraulic cam, and topped with Jacobs ignition, Edelbrock intake, and a Holley carb. As offered, it is a very nice and collectible example of its very rare breed, with Italian flair and reliable Ford V-8 power.  

Having relocated to Italy during the late 1950s, former Argentine racing driver Alejandro de Tomaso began designing and building racing cars. The first De Tomaso model was the sleek Vallelunga debuted at the 1964 Turin show. Featuring a cutting-edge mid-engine design, Ford power, and a rear transaxle, it established De Tomaso as a marque to watch on the road and track alike. By 1967, De Tomaso followed with the beautiful Ford V-8 powered Mangusta (Mongoose), a racer for the street largely based on the stillborn Ford 70P racer and a Giorgetto Giugiaro-penned design for Iso that had been rejected. The Pantera, styled by American designer Tom Tjaarda and built by Ghia, followed the Mangusta, with distribution in America by Lincoln-Mercury dealers from 1971 through 1974; however, the Pantera was produced through 1985 and beyond.

The Deauville, a distinctive and lovely sedan in a similar vein to Jaguar’s XJ6 and Maserati’s Quattroporte, but with less complexity, was launched in 1970 with just 355 produced through 1989. Powered by Ford’s 351 cubic-inch ‘Cleveland’ V-8, the Deauville was an excellent performer capable of sprinting from rest to 60 mph in as little as 6.4 seconds en route to a 143-mph top-end charge. For 1972, De Tomaso launched the Longchamp, a competitor to the Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC based on a shortened Deauville chassis and retaining its all-independent suspension layout including wishbones and coil springs. Power was again delivered by a Ford 351 C V-8, in 330-bhp tune. Featuring a taut, athletic body design, the Deauville was nearly rare as its predecessor, with just 409 examples produced through 1989, comprising 395 coupes and 14 open spiders. With De Tomaso’s acquisition of Maserati during the 1970s, the Longchamp was fitted with a Maserati V-8 engine and renamed the Kyalami. As expected, Longchamp performance was strong, with nearly 150 mph available.  

This example of the very rare Longchamp benefits from a recently completed and full engine overhaul. The Ford 351C engine was totally rebuilt with new internal parts including 0.040 over forged pistons, new 0.010 over connecting rod and crank bearings, and a mild Crane hydraulic camshaft featuring 0.500-inch lift plus a double-roller timing chain. Other outstanding performance items include a Jacobs ignition system, Edelbrock intake manifold, and a Holley carburetor. A very nice and highly collectible sporting coupe, this extremely rare De Tomaso Longchamp marks a fascinating and attractive Italian GT car with excellent performance capabilities with reliable Ford V-8 power and all-independent suspension.