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Buying a Pantera- more advice please

C coreypriceMember
I'm really new to this board and I don't own a Pantera (yet). I've been following cars for sale on auction sites, PIM, Provamo, etc. etc. for about a year now. There aren't too many Panteras in Utah where I live, so I rarely get to see one that's for sale up close.

My questions are:

1. What price range should I be looking at if I want a decent car, not too many problems, decent engine & ZF, decent interior and limited rust problems? In other words, a good car to drive to work once a week or to just go for a drive. I've read many of the websites, and I'm really looking for some different opinions that I know are out there.

2. What price range should I be looking at if I want a decent project car? I really like the "journey" of completing a car, and I realize that a project car will cost more long-term than buying a decent car. I like that I can rebuild it my way. What should I be looking for?

I don't mind doing repairs, etc. and I'm definitely a do-it-yourself kinda guy. I've met Brooke Pitt and talked thru what to look for many times. Brooke has been very helpful, and his project car was the first Pantera I've ever seen up close (Utah has very few P-cars running around, and I hardly ever see them. Someone had a blue one on the back of a roll-back on the freeway a year or so ago). I've since seen others.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.
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garth66garth66"When speed is the only thing that counts"
quote:
1) $30-35K

Some excellent cars to be had in this price range right now. Nice paint, mostly original, standard/tasteful upgrades, rebuilt engines, etc. Great time to buy!
quote:
2) ~$22k

BEWARE of rust!!! That $22K screamin' deal will quickly become a moneypit if it has rust. Rarely is rust confined to just one localized area. These cars rust from the inside out.

Check out my "How to buy" page for more info...
http://www.banzairunnerpantera.com/how_to_buy.htm
markcharltonmarkcharltonOld enough to know better and still young enough not to care. My '71 Pantera
If you are a pro bodyman then, yes, rust you can fix.

If you're a guy who can spin wrenches then pretty much everything else is easy except fixing a ZF. Since they are mostly pretty solid, major rust is your big enemy. And, unless you ARE a bodyman, it will soak all your time, money and energy just getting your car solid enough to be a beginning point. Just read the horror stories on this forum from guys who found out the hard way.

There seem to be a lot of reasonable looking cars for mid $30s and if that is too much, I suggest holding off and saving more until you can avoid buying a $20K car that will cost you another $20K to be a $30K car. Just my 2¢. Have fun with the search!

Mark
bosswrenchbosswrenchMember
Besides what Mark mentioned, you might be able to fix 'normal' rust issues, but Pantera body panels are not common, are expensive to purchase, and replacements don't often fit well without major rework since everything is welded together. The only comparable cars might be a Porsche or an XKE Jag. Then, once the body/chassis is driveable, you get to start in with the engine, chassis and maybe the interior. Virtually no one is good at reworking all those areas. And as has been mentioned, a complete rebuild of a bad ZF will run $11,000 or maybe more. Once again, ZF parts are not common and are expensive. And some neglected Panteras have serious electrical issues in their mostly-Lucas wiring. Any Brit-car experience?
Bottom line: find a car with upgrades already done and little wrong with it, so you don't spend all your time working on the thing while others are out driving... Average attention span on projects like this is around 9 months; if the thing is not driveable by then, it likely will eventually be sold to some other I-can-fix-it-easy guy.
George PGeorge PAdmin.
Buying a Pantera that's already been restored, rust-proofed and professionally painted is the best route every time. I realize that everyone's taste is a little different, and the modifications done by a previous owner may not be your cup of tea, but it is easier to replace parts you don't like, for instance wheels & tires, mirrors, seats, steering wheel, intake manifolds, camshafts, mufflers etc than to repair a car with major issues. It will be less expensive in the long run too.

If you're going to go looking for an un-restored car in hopes of finding a bargain, then look at 1974 models. Car for car, they have the fewest issues and the fewest rust problems. If you don't like the big bumpers of the L models, they can be removed very easily. That's the path I followed.

There is quite an overlap in price between restored Panteras and un-restored Panteras in good condition. So don't limit yourself, look at both types of cars until you find the one that fits you. I also suggest working with Mike Mayberry, the former owner of Mayberry Lincoln Mercury.

-G
Last edited by George P
backmarkerbackmarkerMember
Corey I am a new Pantera owner myself. I would reccomend you attend an event like a Pantera gathering, tech session, or any gathering of Pantera owners. I attended the Canadian gathering in Kingston Ontario before I bought a Pantera and not only did I learn alot about the cars and what to look for, but I met a wonderful group of people. Also bring your signifigant other as this will help............
What worked for me was finding a rust free updated car.
markcharltonmarkcharltonOld enough to know better and still young enough not to care. My '71 Pantera
Corey,

In the last year I have seen some very solid cars (that I knew to be solid) sell for the $40K to $50K range. Cars where everything is perfect run in the $60K up range, depending. I don't think prices have gone up since then, so you should do even better. You are in the right place to find your car. There is barely a Pantera out there that hasn't been owned or seen by someone here and you will find we are an enthusiastic bunch when it comes to helping someone find (and inspect) the right car.

Mark
backmarkerbackmarkerMember
I think Mark is right about the pricing. We as a community would be willing to take a look at any cars in our area and let you know if we think that it is worth your while to view it yourself. Also I would not worry about only finding a Pantera in your area. There are very reliable shippers that can transport from coast to coast. I even had mine shipped internationally from across the border in Canada. How about a shoutout to members who know of a vehicle for sale that match your criteria.
C coreypriceMember
Thanks everyone. I have added up what it would cost to resurrect a project car, and it's always more than a decent, not quite perfect but decent car. I guess I'm not valuing my time, I don't intend to really modify the car (like cutting or flaring fenders, etc) and I would worry about losing interest after a while.

I'll start another thread on a car I saw here in Utah.
does200does200Member
NADA link below seems about right for a non modified body car, close to what most are saying here too. However there are deals to find on occasion and hardship selling too where people need cash. But nice cars are getting harder to find, so if you see color, condition, etc that you are happy with then just bring lowball cash on the spot and see what happens. You can always negotiate up. If you ponder too long on a nice car that suits your tastes for reasonable price, it will be gone. If you can do some work yourself on a basic car that will save you some. However changing some things like paint color or doing an engine bay paint and dressup could be mucho dolla if you checked what real nice paint jobs cost lately. http://www.nadaguides.com/defa...i=68328&z=92604&da=1
fourdoorbronkofourdoorbronkoMember
The black car mentioned in Boise will need some work, but he has quite a few extra parts that I believe come with the car.

The NADA price has actually dropped from a few years ago. I printed it out in '06 when working on buying 3168.
Buying a close to stock car seems a bit more straight forward than looking at some of the highly modified cars. Much easier to follow the NADA price guide on a stock(ish) car.
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