Some of you may know 2811, but a previous owner had installed the back facing shaker type scoop. I'm not sold on it. It's not bad, but I think I want to remove it for something more "normal" in it's place. See the photos. The screen it's mounted on isn't even fastened down at the front edge, so it rattles a bit. Any thoughts about what to replace the scoop with? Parts? How to do it?
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Remove the scoop and the screen it is sitting on.
throw the scoop in the trashcan.
save the butchered screen, as a Pantera owner should never throw out ANYTHING. In the case of the screen you may well find an owner who needs to repair his, perhaps with just the perimeter edging
get a parts wanted thread started asking for a late model engine screen. I see your car has the outdoor fuel filler so it probably came with the late engine cover. That is the one that has the solid center section as opposed to being all screen.
if you have no success with your parts wanted thread, send an email to Mike Mayberry, the former LM dealer who has an amazing stash of pantera parts.
mikedmayberry@hotmail.com
Larry
I don't mind the look of it. Regardless though don't throw it in the trash. Mustang guys will pay good money for a shaker. Is it fiberglass or cast?
By "normal" do you mean stock? There are a huge variety of options. There are some decent pictures on the web if you google "pantera air filter pic". I made a buck to make my own center cover. The original one did not fit well at all. The curvature was way off compared to the side covers. On my '71 the only fasteners are on on the side of the center cover. The front has a lip that slides into a "V" shaped channel on the firewall. I believe that's how all the center covers were setup. Maybe the later cars changed this. BTW the "dog bone" intake has been dyno tested against more conventional air filters and has negligible effects on hp.
Otis, it's cast...
I'd be glad to replace it with a screen just like it but without the giant hole drilled out for the scoop...
Early car
late car
The early cars attached the center with sheet metal screws
The later cars attached the center with quarter turn Dzus fasteners
I think you might be able to mix and match early/late pieces as I think the curvatures are the same. With my limited exposure to both, it appears the attachment points differ between the two, so the early screw locations don’t wind up directly above the Dzus fitting’s “large” holes.
Larry
Thanks Larry, that's helpful. Go back and look at my pictures. the screen on my car is longer than the places to mount it. As a result it rattles since it's only fastened down by two screws in the back. I'd be happy with a screen that fits the space properly...
Is the scoop preventing the screen from sitting down all the way in the back? If so once the scoop is removed it should line up properly, then find an air cleaner you like to fit the existing hole. My screen was cracked so it was not that big a deal to cut into a 2 piece design and make a hole for the plenum box I wanted to use.
Brian, a new reproduction cast shaker top is around $250-$300. An original Ford one can be double that. There might be a part number in side it. At one point I believe you could only find fiberglass reproductions. Cast were original Ford ones, now cast is available again. I think yours looks like a 69 Mustang version but it could be from a 70. It is Mustang though, not Torino. Like I said earlier don't just toss it. If it's not damaged you should be able to sell it and put the money toward an assembly you like.
Brian: You have to decide if you want to run an air cleaner that sits higher than the screen or not. If yes, then keep your screen and remove the shaker bit and get a new high performance air cleaner. You can trim the edge of the cut screen with pinch-welt trim. If you want to run an air cleaner that sits under the screen, that is a different research project to find an air cleaner that has a depressed base that allows such. You will then also have to look for either an original screen or you could attempt to find new screen material and have someone replace the original in the frame. As for the screen rattling, it looks like the side panels have been bent or pushed forward some such that the screen holes are not lining up with the side panels. They can be "manipulated" to get alignment. I used small bolts with wing nuts to allow for quick removal of the center screen when working there. There seem to be two schools of thought on the screen - the "all stock" purists and then those, like me, that bought a 3" K&N hi-flow air cleaner which sticks above the screen. But then my screen had already been cut by the PO so I didn't care.
Everyone should watch this segment on picking air cleaners
I don’t run with the cover…
Everyone wants to see your engine and transaxle anyway!
Rocky
Those guys have a dream job testing stuff on the dyno.
@Alesora, no everything is fitting fine, it just extends past the bracket is fastens to, thus the 1/2 inch overhang, and not bolted down on that edge.
@Otis, yes, I'll hold on to it or put it on Ebay
@Panterapatt, thanks, that's helpful.
I too run a Ford 13 inch though with a k&n and a drop base. The 13 inch size is quiet nice fitting under a late screen and getting a decent sized filter height.
Yea, that looks like a combo of wrong or bent parts or something. The center screen should be bent and sit inside the u-channel that is attached to the firewall. Maybe it is hitting something up front preventing it from moving forward enough.
@Panterapatt, could be. Is it difficult to remove the whole screen? I can only see two nuts holding it down in the back. (Towards the window)
It just lifts out if the two bolts in back are removed.
The center screen should only be held in place by two fasteners (dzus fasteners on the later models, and screws on the early ones).
There should be more fasteners further forward on the screen… if there are more holding it in, it’s definitely non-standard!
(Actually, I don’t think those holes on the corner of the screen are “standard issue”). Generally the center screen just screws onto the two side covers with four screws or Dzus fasteners.
Rocky
@BrianH posted:Thanks Larry, that's helpful. Go back and look at my pictures. the screen on my car is longer than the places to mount it. As a result it rattles since it's only fastened down by two screws in the back. I'd be happy with a screen that fits the space properly...
you need to use a firm foam rubber striping that is thin and fits between the screen and the side piece notches. That will stop the rattles.
@Panterapatt, ah, good one. I have something that will work I think...still thinking about just doing something else...
Does anybody know where I can get another of those screens? I'm not even sure what to call it...
Center engine cover. Post in the parts wanted topic. Make sure you specifiy what year you are after.
The owner who did the mod didn't go into much detail as to why the cover is longer. Do a search for 2811.
@BrianH posted:Does anybody know where I can get another of those screens? I'm not even sure what to call it...
Mike Mayberry (king) has a lot of Pantera parts and is a member on here and sells some of the parts on EBay or any of the vendors(PI Motorsports, Pantera Performance, Hall Pantera, Pantera Parts Connection, Pantera’s by Wilkinson, Full Throttle Pantera’s).
Before you buy anything I think we need to determine exactly what engine covers are currently on your car.
by your VIN number your car should not have an outside fuel door. But in the post by the previous owner which you recently commented on, the photos show an outside fuel door.
I strongly suspect this is where your fitment problems are coming from.
I think a previous owner converted your car to an outside fuel door, and the left-hand engine cover is not original to your car, or to the flat center screen
if I were you, at this point I would remove all three engine cover pieces, take good photos of each piece, especially on the edges that meet the center cover, and the edges at the rear window, and post those photos for our evaluation.
or you can buy a replacement center screen and then find out your problems are all connected to the left hand engine cover
Larry
@Larry. It is indeed an outside fuel door. Also, the scoop itself presses right up against the glass and sits very tight on top of the distributor, it's a snug fit. I suspect compromises were made to use the scoop...
If your distributor is the large cap, MSD ready to run distributor, that distributor is well known to not fit properly in a Pantera. It was a bad choice in the first place, and an even worse choice to actually install it.
A stock small cap dual point distributor, a small cap Duraspark distributor, a small cap Mallory Unilite distributor and a small cap MSD distributor will all fit correctly
once you get the center screen removed please give us a photograph of your distributor. Some of them with a large cap can be converted to a small cap
as for the scoop hitting the back window, 😳😳😤no wonder the center screen is shoved too far to the rear.
BTW, an earlier post by Alasorsa actually asked if the scoop was hitting the rear window. I know this is all new to you Brian, and you know we are all trying to help you. That being said, it would’ve saved a lot of back-and-forth in this thread if you had checked the fitment of the scoop when alasorsa made his post. Just saying…..
it is hard for us to productively help you when our suggestions are overlooked, and when pertinent information is only disclosed as the thread progresses
with this new information I would suggest you detach the scoop from the screen and then see how all three engine cover pieces actually fit when they are able to be positioned where they belong.
Larry .
And in Dave2811's "Bee magnet-topic" it was mentioned that the scoop was made to hide the MSD 8350, so be prepared to swap the distributor as well.
-Sami
@Larry, it is an MSD 8350. And believe me, I REALLY appreciate every word of encouragement or correction along the way. As I have said, I am not very mechanically minded and have never worked on my own cars. But I am just dumb enough to buy a car that really needs someone who CAN do their own mechanical work! I'll take it off and post some pictures...I know I can at least do that...:-)
Brian, I looked at the ProvaMO registry pics of your car. There are old pictures of it at PI Motorsports without the Mustang scoop. The screen is already longer than the side panels and appears to be loose in the picture. Just an FYI. Looks like it evolved along the way :-)
here's a screen shot (pardon the pun)
Whenever I meet a new owner, I often welcome them with something along the lines of….
you are now the new owner of a misunderstood, rust prone, Italian hot rod. Pantera ownership is almost always destined to be somewhat troublesome. But all the problems have functional solutions. Welcome to the club, misery loves company. 😁😁
Larry
