Reply to "Sticky #3: Pantera Seats"

The design team at Ghia (under Tjaarda) designed these seats. The seats were their solution for the Mangusta's lack of head room and leg room, rather than making the Pantera taller or longer. By reclining the seat backs the front of the seat cushion is kicked-up higher. This supports the thighs and bends the knees, thus creating legroom and improving comfort at the same time. Reclining the seat puts the driver in a reclined position and creates headroom.

Tom told me the foam blocks compressed and the seating became uncomfortable after about 20 minutes of driving. The shells were also a bit too narrow or too tall for those wide in the hip region. Rather than spending time developing the seats, Ford chose an alternative seat, the uncomfortable seats we all know and many of us put-up-with. The design team's solution for head room and leg room was thus defeated, and the Pantera isn't much better (if at all) than the Mangusta in that department.

The shells for these seats became the racing seats installed in Group 4 Panteras, optional in Group 3 and GTS Panteras.

I'm 6'2". I installed longer bolts and stacks of washers where the front seat tracks bolt to the floor pans, thus reclining the seat backs and raising the fronts of the seat cushion. It did indeed create headroom, leg room, and improve comfort. I can drive the Pantera for hours and arrive at my destination relaxed, with less fatigue than what I've experienced in cars with far more expensive seating.

I don't know if it creates enough headroom for 6'2" AND a helmet ... but for the price of two bolts and a stack of washers its cheap enough to experiment. I'd also recommend experimenting with this to anyone who finds the OEM seating position uncomfortable, whether or not you need head room or leg room. Start by raising the front seat track by 1", then increase the stack in 1/4" increments until you find the height you like best (if at all).