quote:Originally posted by PanteraDoug:
A Fontana block? Geeze I'm sorry. I didn't know?
...actually, that makes no sense at all. There is no mark in the stock oil pan to indicate the proper level. The ONLY standardization would be the dipstick.
Scientifically therefore, the only way I could concieve of obtaining that mark would be to install a stock Ford dipstick and tube, mark on a common point externally where that full, one low, etc, is, then install the Pantera dipstick and tube and line them up.
The adjustment could be done one of two ways, 1) adjust the length of the dipstick to coinside with those marks or 2)and I like this better, use a "stock Pantera dipstick and adjust the length of the tube to coincide.
Over at Hall Pantera, there is no one left who would know what Gary did, or had done with these things.
The four that I can think of would be Gary, the Byers brothers, or Mike Cook. Good luck with any of them. They are all as forthcoming as Gary is now with information on this.
Maybe Dennis Quella would know what's going on with the dipsticks but I wouldn't count on it and frankly in the 25 years I've had the car he would never talk to me on the phone. I would always have to leave the message with the girl, who would never call back, and if I was lucky in a week, she would have gotten an answer from Dennis.
Ditto with Steve Wilkinson. He wants nothing to do with whatever someone else has done to these cars and has had nothing good to say about any of it. That's where he does show his nasty streak on the phone.
In fact, if there are any of them that act like the guard in the Wizard of Oz, it is Wilkinson. Don't count on getting in to see the Wizard...even with the broomstick of the Wicked Witch!
Unfortunately on any modification on these cars, YOU have to document the changes AND be the authority on them too. I hope YOUR journey is a pleasurable one?
Like I said, this is just my 25 years plus experiences with the lot. Gary was by far the easiest to deal with.
He's the one I spent the $35,000 with. The others could care less?
Your mileage may vary?
Thanks bro! I agree, some people are better than others out there. I looked back at all the receipts on the car and saw 5qt oil changes, then 10qt changes later, so I figure this was after the Fontana block install & new pan. This seems about right since that pan visually looks pretty big to me. So I did 9qt for the 10qt pan and noted the level on the stick. Byars had a piece of this car for a while after Fat Jack & Joe Fontana, and Byars said 9qt is right after checking with them. I have always been doing 9qt in the past, but this time was just questioning it like the other dude that started this post. I checked with Hall too regarding sticks, and all they do now is make their own based on roto rooter snake coil welded to ford stick, so I would suppose lengths vary. I know mine is pretty long...that's what she said
