IMO, hourly shop rates are somewhat meaningless. What matters is how much work the technician can accomplish in an hour. That's why taking your Pantera to a shop that specializes in Panteras should make financial sense. You aren't paying for someone to do a bunch of "head scratching" while they figure out the Pantera's peculiarities. Mind you, Pantera shops come and go too. Luckily, the Pantera community is pretty tight, so the bad ones disappear quickly. That being said, make sure you get a few positive referrals before you commit to a big job.
A long time ago, I asked Don Byars how long it takes him to completely disassemble a Pantera that drove into the shop. I don't remember the exact number but I remember being "blown away" by how quickly he could do it. That's what happens when all you do is work on one particular model of car for 40+ years!