Conversion to Static Headlights

That picture is of Jerry Pentaleri's car. It was taken at Italian car day in Atlanta 2002.

Mike Dailey can confirm this but Jerry did this conversion himself. The car was sold in 2008.

My 2 cents,if you make this conversion you will decrease the value and market looking to buy a car with this non stock modification.

Jeff

Personally I can't say the lights on Jerry's Pantera do much for the look of the car and surely being that far back in the housing they must narrow the beam?

Ron (aka ACCOBRA) was doing some very tasteful lights on his restoration http://pantera.infopop.cc/eve/...562/m/8030023424/p/6

Similar can be seen on the orange 'BigPeso' car.

Julian

i guess it just comes down to taste, because i'm not personally into the orange cars setup. I definitely hear you on the nonstock and value aspect. I wouldn't do anything to the car that couldn't be easily changed back to stock.

This really isn't that big of a deal because I don't anticipate driving the car regularly at night anyway. Was more curious if this was something on the market as a quick conversion. Well I appreciate the quick feedback guys.

Hustler
I found the conversion I just did to be very simple and a great improvement in light and visibility. It would be fairly easy to convert back to stock and does not mess with the lines of the car when not on.

From the PIM newsletter
http://www.pim.net/PIMNewsletterSpring2009.pdf

If I wanted a Ferrari look, i would have purchased a Ferrari.

Love the look of the DeTomaso Pantera lights just the way they are .... Thanks.

IMHO - F360/430 look on a P car ... NOT FOR ME !!!

FWIW, perhaps a dozen or so Panteras have been converted to fixed headlights- which knocks about 10 lbs of weight off the nose. But it usually requires cutting the body down at least to the break-line for enough clearance so available headlight bulbs shine out. One Norwegian owner (after a collision) converted his headlights to Mazda retractibles- each with its own small motor. Porsche 914s, Firebirds etc use this more complex system. Again, it looks nice but seems like lots and lots of bodywork to get back to stock quality lighting for fast roadwork after dark.

Yeah cutting into a good body is not something I'd want to do personally. The two posted look like they required some body work and thats not something I would ever consider. This is kind of one of those "to each their own" deals as far as taste. The first one interested me because it looked like you could replace it back to stock fairly easily, while the others not a chance.

A lot of the conversions I saw on the net mimic the styles of other cars which I'd also agree is not very original.

Personally I think the Quad headlight conversion is the best aftermarket solution. You do have to cut the headlight buckets so not easily returned to stock, but the conversion doesn't require any paint work. It improves both the lighting and the look as the headlight buckets now raise to about level with the road, losing the 'frog eye' look.

Versions are available from Kirk Evans, Ted Mitchell and more recently www.saccrestorations.net or some people have even done their own.

I've seen one of these conversions up close, it did not look well. the lines coming down the pantera had to be changed to a wider configuration to accomadate the ferrari lights.
I saw this and thought " bummer".
Man if you want a ferrari get a ferrari.
I like the old headlights, there as cool as the Pantera.

Mark

quote:

I like the old headlights, there as cool as the Pantera.

Agreed! Frog-eyes forever!

Now here's another one that I think uses HID headlights from a Corvette...

Another...

Another view...

And another view...

And here's one if you really want to ugly-up your Pantera!

And then, because ugly wasn't ugly enough, they tried another headlight treatment on the same car to give it that Strosek-look that was popular on Porsches in the 80's...

Another view - ugh!

One more view, all dressed up as a wanna-be race car. Please make them stop!!!

quote:

Originally posted by garth66:
Another view - ugh!

"Night Rider"s Cousin!

Wow Garth you must know them really well to get so many pics of that car!

Personally Im not going to mod my headlights at all.
After all, the only time you will see them is when I am driving.... at night.....in the dark...

Unfortunately in Denmark we have to drive around with our headlights on all the time, so there is some incentive for an alternative to the Frog eyes. I have seen some cars with headlights mounted behind the front grill, in front of the radiator, so they are hidden and don't obstruct the lines of the car. I don't have any pictures myself, but wouldn't mind seeing some installations if there are some pictures out there.
Cheers, Tim.

Yea, what Garth said, I also think there may be an answer to not cutting on the body for those that have to change things, ever think about the off road community, light bars on the roof, roo bars up front & my favorite the baja bug special, drill two holes in the roof and mount your KC specials. All this from JC Whitney's.

These are the only pics I have from a car that was for sale a couple years ago, advertised as having a "Mangusta headlight conversion."

"Mangusta headlight conversion," one more pic.

Those body kits just make me sad. If you really want to body kit up a pantera so bad, why not just go buy a fiero and turn that into a steaming pile of turd.

Well, im really trying to see this from a different light? Maybe it's high time for a Woody Pantera too? There could be a run on these kits! WOW. KAUA-BUNGA MAN!!! Just joking, I think if one was to do this thing the Kirk Evan's approach is probably the way to go.

Mark

quote:

Maybe it's high time for a Woody Pantera too?

Too late, already done...

quote:

Originally posted by garth66:
And here's one if you really want to ugly-up your Pantera!

I don't like the car, but I think the headlights are OK. I am referencing the two-light-on-each-side configuration.

- Robert

are those covette lights on the yellow car?

quote:

are those covette lights on the yellow car?

I believe so, but I don't have any details.

I like the lights on this car, I think this very simple change that actually works to enhance the clean body lines of the pantera.
These light housings can be picked up at any salvage yard from a early 90's Geo Metro (almost a shame to put a Geo part on a pantera). Attaching to a stock pantera housing and fabricating a facade should be no problem. I plan to do this to my 73.

who owns the yellow car?
anyone have the contact info?

quote:

who owns the yellow car?
anyone have the contact info?

I don't know who owns it, but contact the owner of this Webshots gallery - where I found them:
http://rides.webshots.com/album/556572095KfXgPj

Invite him to join this forum too, and let us know what you learn... Year/model vette headlight buckets he's using, etc.

Garth, Thanks for the link. He's making some interesting and new mods. Can't wait to see the finished product.

Heres a slideshow of his restoration pics:


Oh well, I guess I can't embed the slideshow.

I found a couple more pics of a Pantera with the "Mangusata" headlight treatment. Don't know if it's the same car I posted previously.

"Mangusta" headlights, from front...

Ferrari 550 (I think) headlights...