Looks like Bob Benson's car. From the looks of it, it's participating in the Optima Street Car Challenge. Right on!
http://instagram.com/p/ga1EnBHkA-/
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It IS Big Bob's Pantera. He's entered in the invitational Pirelli Tire Challenge this Saturday at Spring Mountain racetrack, part of SEMA wwek in nearby Las Vegas. There are also race-prepped Vipers and Corvettes which he plans to put a hurt on with his home-built '71 Pantera. And since he drives the thing hard at autocrosses and open track events, he expects past experience will help him. He's run Spring Mountain several times with POCA and other venues and autocrosses all over the S.F. Bay Area with it. Hopefully the Dart stroker will hold together for the events planned.
Makes me smile every time I see the car, 'cause Bob bought it from a friend- a little old ex-CHP officer who'd bought the Pantera new, painted yellow with leopard-skin upholstery(!), and never drove it hard for the 20 years he had it. He mostly used it to tow a small Formula car to autocrosses; Bob removed the trailer hitch, pulled the stock motor, added a sprint-car wing and 17" wheels, black paint, a 650-bhp Dart stroker and drives the poo out of the thing at every chance. Last time I saw it was when he drag-raced it at the 2012 AZ Fun Rally- got a 10.71 time I believe. Hope he does us proud.
Makes me smile every time I see the car, 'cause Bob bought it from a friend- a little old ex-CHP officer who'd bought the Pantera new, painted yellow with leopard-skin upholstery(!), and never drove it hard for the 20 years he had it. He mostly used it to tow a small Formula car to autocrosses; Bob removed the trailer hitch, pulled the stock motor, added a sprint-car wing and 17" wheels, black paint, a 650-bhp Dart stroker and drives the poo out of the thing at every chance. Last time I saw it was when he drag-raced it at the 2012 AZ Fun Rally- got a 10.71 time I believe. Hope he does us proud.
Would love to hear an update on this story when the time comes... Good luck to Big Bob! Go get em' ...
Word on the street says it will air sometime in Feb 2014