quote:OK, i'm guessing pantera ign locks work the same as most other cars:
Good guess, but wrong
The early Panteras had a first generation Capri ignition. It has NO release hole in it to allow the barrel to be removed. Now it is fairly easy to drill said hole, and then you can depress the piece of spring steel on the barrel that holds it in the housing. Why this ignition was done this way is totally weird - I agree, most barrels DO remove just as you wrote. Just another 'fun' part of owning a Pantera
Now, all that said, the problem here is on an '87 Pantera, and I have no idea where DeTomaso sourced the ignition for the later cars. Pretty sure he was not still using the Capri unit by then, though?
Any good locksmith - not some kid at the Home Depot, should be able to remove the key stub, and then match the key to the appropriate blank and cut a new key. Just drive over and give some old gray haired locksmith a good story to tell his wife that night -
Larry