Hello everyone.
I am soon about to embark on a ‘nut & bolt resto-mod’ rebuild of a 74 Pantera.
I intend to replace all mechanical components and am seeking some advice from those far more experienced than I am with Pantera stuff.
Let me begin the story by saying that my ‘affair’ with a Pantera started some 35 to 40-years ago when I first heard a deep thunderous rumble long before I saw the car appear that was making it. When the vehicle in question came over the rise and into my view – it was - what to the best of my recollection – was a red GT5 bodied car (then owned by a later known and notorious embezzler – and most probably purchased with other people’s money) with a BIG rear spoiler - and at that point - I was ‘smitten’ with a Pantera – I had to have one – one day.
Around the similar era – a good mate of mine (passed away some 20-year ago) purchased a RHD Pantera that was supposedly originally given as a prize to Jody Scheckter for winning the South African GP (or some ‘story’like that). My matealways had it apart for some modification – HA – modifications that never seemed to be completed. I can remembermy mate saying that he had the choice of the Pantera or a Dino – HA – in my opinion he made thecorrect choice and purchased the Pantera. Yes - a Dino sells for much more these days than what a Pantera would– but who cares – in my opinion - if you worry about what your car is worth as an investment asset’ – then you have it for a purpose that has no interest for me.
Back to ‘build business’ – the project will bea ‘cost is not the focal point’ (HA – famous last words) – ending up with exactly what I want is the focal point – not what it cost or what it is worth when completed – I could not care if the final resultis worth ‘$100.00 or a $100.0M’.
I intend to run the car very-very low and with a hydraulic lift (I have seen it successfully installed on a ‘GT40’ here) to hopefully ‘ease the pain’ a bit when scraping over speed humps on suburban back streets (HA – maybe a plywood belly strip as per ‘F1 technology’). I am not talking about what is in my opinion – somewhat ‘useless’ airbag type suspension that bottoms the car out down to the road surface when parked– I will be running very-verylow on coil-overs – HA – hopefully still with a ‘few mm’ of suspension travel left.
What I want to achieve is something that is still‘1mm’ above being impractical (HA – if that explains my ‘form over function’ plans) – this is not a race car or an off-road buggy – it is about building something exactly as I want – not what anyone else thinks is ‘good or bad’ (no offence to anyone). I intend to run GP4 type flares and 335/30/18 rears tyres on 12-13” rims – any larger rim width would probably end up with ‘questionable’ tyre stretch.
The issue I see when taking a Pantera way-way down in suspension height, is the excessive negative camber that results.
Is there anyone that has any worthwhile suggestions or iswilling to provide with me a complete suspension packagethat will allow the car to be run very low and also help eliminate the undesirable negative camber and bump steer etc?
I am seeking ‘state of the art’ fabrication//tech that allows proper//effectivetyre contact when running very low. I have seen a ‘low-low’ Pantera – but due to severe negative camber - it looks like the rear tyres would be lucky if they had 50.0% contact with the road – and therefore in my opinion – pointless and of course wears out tyres in a very shorttime (speaking from the experience of having ‘heavy’ negative camber I used to run on the front of my 930 Porsche years ago – HA – the outside of the front tyres always looked brand new – whilst the inner was often very quickly down to the belt – great for track – not so good on the street and could also become dangerous).
I have seen CNC suspension arms and also some steel fabricated arms that are longer than stock. I am not in any manner wanting to ‘cast aspersions’ on anyone’s CNC arms – but I am not sure if these would be ‘longtermers’ for regular street use? A total redesign//replacement does not ‘scare me’ IF I can find a competent suspension Engineer to undertake the work//fabrication//machining.
Due to a chronic shoulder injury that can at sometimes causes me to become almost ‘one handed’ – am I going to require power steering with circa 275 width front tyres? If so – any suggestions on the type of power rack – OR – anyone with experience with electric power steering on a Pantera?
Also – (pinching a photo from an old post on here – sorry – I forgot the original poster’s details when I copied it) for discussion purposes here – can anyone provide me advice of where I can obtain flares the same type as in the picture (am I correct that these are GP4?) - preferably in carbon (CRP) rather than fibreglass (GRP)and that fit asgood (or better) as the ones in the photo? I am also cautions that CFP is somewhat inflexible and therefore may cause other problems in contouring tothe front guards and quarter panels unless accurate to the ‘nth degree’.
I would also consider bolt on flares in steel IF the steel flares were of suitable quality (I have heard a lot of ‘horror stories’ about both steel and plastic flares that do not come close to fitting). I do not want to weld GP4 flares on as I do not like the lookof the finished product. I prefer bolt on whether plastic or steel flares.
I intend to run an all aluminium Cleveland with 8-stackEFI and an Albins transaxle (made here not far from me in Australia and the Albins are ‘bulletproof’)– and as big Brembo brakes as I can install with17” front and 18” rear.
I would like to exit the exhaust pipes in the centre where the air-con condenser normally resides, but I would also like to keep air con (Summer can getvery hot here in Australia). Does anyone make an effective air con condenser relocation package or have any suggestions?
I am also converting it from LHD to RHD – anyone with experience in doing this? Nothing welded under the dash phases me – it all looks straight forward, but the ‘voice of wisdom’ from anyone with previous experience would be appreciated.
I have ‘glanced’ at a Roadster Shop chassis – but not sure if I want to remove so much of the original Pantera steel (HA – yet to see how much is left after it comes back from a Redi Strip paint and rust removal visit)
Any (sensible//relevant – HA) suggestions welcomed.
Hello everyone.
I am soon about to embark on a ‘nut & bolt resto-mod’ rebuild of a 74 Pantera.
I intend to replace all mechanical components and am seeking some advice from those far more experienced than I am with Pantera stuff.
Let me begin the story by saying that my ‘affair’ with a Pantera started some 35 to 40-years ago when I first heard a deep thunderous rumble long before I saw the car appear that was making it. When the vehicle in question came over the rise and into my view – it was - what to the best of my recollection – was a red GT5 bodied car (then owned by a later known and notorious embezzler – and most probably purchased with other people’s money) with a BIG rear spoiler - and at that point - I was ‘smitten’ with a Pantera – I had to have one – one day.
Around the similar era – a good mate of mine (passed away some 20-year ago) purchased a RHD Pantera that was supposedly originally given as a prize to Jody Scheckter for winning the South African GP (or some ‘story’like that). My matealways had it apart for some modification – HA – modifications that never seemed to be completed. I can remembermy mate saying that he had the choice of the Pantera or a Dino – HA – in my opinion he made thecorrect choice and purchased the Pantera. Yes - a Dino sells for much more these days than what a Pantera would– but who cares – in my opinion - if you worry about what your car is worth as an investment asset’ – then you have it for a purpose that has no interest for me.
Back to ‘build business’ – the project will bea ‘cost is not the focal point’ (HA – famous last words) – ending up with exactly what I want is the focal point – not what it cost or what it is worth when completed – I could not care if the final resultis worth ‘$100.00 or a $100.0M’.
I intend to run the car very-very low and with a hydraulic lift (I have seen it successfully installed on a ‘GT40’ here) to hopefully ‘ease the pain’ a bit when scraping over speed humps on suburban back streets (HA – maybe a plywood belly strip as per ‘F1 technology’). I am not talking about what is in my opinion – somewhat ‘useless’ airbag type suspension that bottoms the car out down to the road surface when parked– I will be running very-verylow on coil-overs – HA – hopefully still with a ‘few mm’ of suspension travel left.
What I want to achieve is something that is still‘1mm’ above being impractical (HA – if that explains my ‘form over function’ plans) – this is not a race car or an off-road buggy – it is about building something exactly as I want – not what anyone else thinks is ‘good or bad’ (no offence to anyone). I intend to run GP4 type flares and 335/30/18 rears tyres on 12-13” rims – any larger rim width would probably end up with ‘questionable’ tyre stretch.
The issue I see when taking a Pantera way-way down in suspension height, is the excessive negative camber that results.
Is there anyone that has any worthwhile suggestions or iswilling to provide with me a complete suspension packagethat will allow the car to be run very low and also help eliminate the undesirable negative camber and bump steer etc?
I am seeking ‘state of the art’ fabrication//tech that allows proper//effectivetyre contact when running very low. I have seen a ‘low-low’ Pantera – but due to severe negative camber - it looks like the rear tyres would be lucky if they had 50.0% contact with the road – and therefore in my opinion – pointless and of course wears out tyres in a very shorttime (speaking from the experience of having ‘heavy’ negative camber I used to run on the front of my 930 Porsche years ago – HA – the outside of the front tyres always looked brand new – whilst the inner was often very quickly down to the belt – great for track – not so good on the street and could also become dangerous).
I have seen CNC suspension arms and also some steel fabricated arms that are longer than stock. I am not in any manner wanting to ‘cast aspersions’ on anyone’s CNC arms – but I am not sure if these would be ‘longtermers’ for regular street use? A total redesign//replacement does not ‘scare me’ IF I can find a competent suspension Engineer to undertake the work//fabrication//machining.
Due to a chronic shoulder injury that can at sometimes causes me to become almost ‘one handed’ – am I going to require power steering with circa 275 width front tyres? If so – any suggestions on the type of power rack – OR – anyone with experience with electric power steering on a Pantera?
Also – (pinching a photo from an old post on here – sorry – I forgot the original poster’s details when I copied it) for discussion purposes here – can anyone provide me advice of where I can obtain flares the same type as in the picture (am I correct that these are GP4?) - preferably in carbon (CRP) rather than fibreglass (GRP)and that fit asgood (or better) as the ones in the photo? I am also cautions that CFP is somewhat inflexible and therefore may cause other problems in contouring tothe front guards and quarter panels unless accurate to the ‘nth degree’.
I would also consider bolt on flares in steel IF the steel flares were of suitable quality (I have heard a lot of ‘horror stories’ about both steel and plastic flares that do not come close to fitting). I do not want to weld GP4 flares on as I do not like the lookof the finished product. I prefer bolt on whether plastic or steel flares.
I intend to run an all aluminium Cleveland with 8-stackEFI and an Albins transaxle (made here not far from me in Australia and the Albins are ‘bulletproof’)– and as big Brembo brakes as I can install with17” front and 18” rear.
I would like to exit the exhaust pipes in the centre where the air-con condenser normally resides, but I would also like to keep air con (Summer can getvery hot here in Australia). Does anyone make an effective air con condenser relocation package or have any suggestions?
I am also converting it from LHD to RHD – anyone with experience in doing this? Nothing welded under the dash phases me – it all looks straight forward, but the ‘voice of wisdom’ from anyone with previous experience would be appreciated.
I have ‘glanced’ at a Roadster Shop chassis – but not sure if I want to remove so much of the original Pantera steel (HA – yet to see how much is left after it comes back from a Redi Strip paint and rust removal visit)
Any (sensible//relevant – HA) suggestions welcomed.
Have a safe and nice day all – CHEERS from AUSTRALIA.
