Crash Repair

I my opinion......you would be doing yourself a favor if you bought a good unwrecked shell and put all the parts from this car on the new body. I'm sure this car could be fixed, but it would be more cost effective to replace.

Bill, have you ever worked with that graphite carbon epoxy?? Is it real tuff to work with???

No. But I have worked with fiberglass. I think, it would be similar in the fact that it is cloth, and it has to be saturated with catylyzed resin. What do you have in mind?

50k in damages,wow all you need is a fender,door and rear qter.and any possible hidden damage,where is the 50k repairs!granted i'm a newbie,but i don't see it,maybe 5k to fix,or is it the old"but is a pantera"go into a body shop,tell the est guy you want your 70 mustang totally repainted in a good quality job.1500-2500,so you bring it in and you've all heard it"my god!it's a boss car"that'll cost ya 15k to 20k to paint.please how did you come to a 50k repair bill?remember now i'm a newbe.thanks,les.

Check out the "Barrett-Jackson" thread, and look at LF-TP 6511's post, and his pics of the before and after crash repairs. That was $35,000 in damage - damage that, if sustained in my Torino Cobra might be about $2500 to fix if that. You don't just go pull a Pantera fender and door at the local pull-a-part.

quote:

Originally posted by lastpushbutton:
No. But I have worked with fiberglass. I think, it would be similar in the fact that it is cloth, and it has to be saturated with catylyzed resin. What do you have in mind?

Well the metal body on that car is too bent up to fix, so why not make a graphite carbon one and take the parts off the metal one and have an all graphite carbo Pantera??? No more rust.

I think it's a bit more complicated than that. I say part the sucker out or tranfer the parts to another shell. The Pantera is soposed to be steel. You could go with a full tube chassis and 'glass body like Jerry's car.But I don't think your going to have the comfort of an enclosed cabin. Looks like we have a new sorce of Pantera parts. Think of it this way. Your Pantera just became more valuble because there is one less. I would like to know how the insurance paid off?

quote:

Originally posted by cjjtulsa:
Check out the "Barrett-Jackson" thread, and look at LF-TP 6511's post, and his pics of the before and after crash repairs. That was $35,000 in damage - damage that, if sustained in my Torino Cobra might be about $2500 to fix if that. You don't just go pull a Pantera fender and door at the local pull-a-part.

I don't have a link to Larrys page right now. But wasent that $3500 not $35,000 for his front fender repair?

quote:

Your Pantera just became more valuble because there is one less.

True, but one more person who really wants one will have to do without. We can not be so selfish as to not consider the needs of those doing without.

cjjtulsa ...those prices for body work seem a little low....here is 10k in which the insurnace co fixed my car after shipping from cali to ny. 50k sounds right ...that car will never be right .. it has major

I'm with LPB but a shell and that car and swap the parts.

Ron

In the other thread he said that the insurance claim was $35,000 which was paid by his insurance company.
He needed a bew left fender and the bottom of the nose replaced. The door was repainted.
The car you are speaking of if one extrapilates a number has to be over $50,000, maybe $75,000.
This was one of my points in that thread were we were discussing Pantera values.
Stated value insurance on a Pantera should be over $100,000 in my opinion.
These cars cost two to three times what they are worth to fix.

quote:

Originally posted by lastpushbutton:
I my opinion......you would be doing yourself a favor if you bought a good unwrecked shell and put all the parts from this car on the new body. I'm sure this car could be fixed, but it would be more cost effective to replace.

AMEN to that Bill,

Les, this car is repairable, for that matter ANY car is repairable, it just takes MONEY and TIME.
I believe that $5000 is a good starting point for the Parts (if your thrifty) that are going to be needed to fix this vehicle. Most collision shops, that have the equipment to repair this damage, don't want to repair this damage. This is what we in the collision industrie call a loser! These cars take up a lot of space and time, both of which work against the bottom line profitibilty. Now on the other hand, if you have the skill, equipment, and access to the parts needed to repair this, $10,000 (current bid) sounds like a steal, as long as you don't mind working on this car for the next year for free.

Just my 2 cents
Mark 6808

We are in the Pub, right? I have a feeling of well being. Knowing I don't have to fix this mess. I would like to borrow the tranny while I have mine gone through though threw?

quote:

Originally posted by lastpushbutton:
We are in the Pub, right? I have a feeling of well being. Knowing I don't have to fix this mess. I would like to borrow the tranny while I have mine gone through though threw?

Bill, foot the shipping bill, and you can borrow my spare (dash 2)

WHAAAAAHOOO! I have an express bill # and a reiciving dock!

CJJ,

just in case you weren't aware, last push button & Mark 6808 are both in the auto body repair business, their advice should be taken seriously.

your friend on the DTBB

I understand. After hearing of some of the repair prices, I'm not sure I'd want to buy one with any more than a door ding or a hail dent. A wiped left side is enough to send me running in fear.

quote:

Originally posted by george pence:
CJJ,

just in case you weren't aware, last push button & Mark 6808 are both in the auto body repair business, their advice should be taken seriously.

your friend on the DTBB

George, were in the pub, EVERYTHING we say should be taken with a grain of salt

Hey, how many buttery nipples have you guys had?

quote:

Originally posted by PanteraDoug:
Hey, how many buttery nipples have you guys had?

No buttery nipples, GREYGOOSE ORANGE and LIME PERRIE, 3x

How about a couple greygooses with a splash of apple .... LOL

I have to add ... LPB and MARK ... the autobody business is very very labor intensive .. I dont know how you do it ... I did it as a kid 14 thru about 28 .. but became lethally allergic to the fumes .. not the day I was painting but the day after. So I stopped .. was trained by an old timer to do metalwork, hammering and shrinking with a torch and with lead on and such on cars like Rolls etc,and matching and blending colors with wet sanding and feathering and clearing. I have to hand it to you guys .. today the market is tough. I'm in the HVAC and Plumbing business and thats labor intensive to .. so I say I understand when you say LOSER with your business hat on .. but it could be a money maker and part the sucker out or like you say find a shell and swap the parts.
Hey good luck to the lucky winner.

Ron

I must admit that I have a solid car and only had to scrape to bare metal and repaint. So I don't have labor cost experience with a Pantera like this.
I realize that I'm looking at about $10,000 in parts for this car.
The roof looks like the tough part to straiten.
Are you guys actually saying that it is a looser with $40,000 in labor and it will take a year to do?
I thought that CanadianAndrew just said that it was worth $50,000 when it was finished.
He didn't say what the estimate total amount was.
I suppose that no one wants to venture a number?

Well there has been alot of talk about what it will cost to fix it, But what would you say its reserve price is set at? Or better yet what is the parted out value?

Just curious

Greg

I willnot venture a estimate as I can estimate HVAC and Plumbing to the penny ..so I leave Autobody to the other boys. If who ver buys it .. buy the sheetmetal to fix it and supplys it to a shop ... the professionals need to cut away the damage parts that dont unbolt .. and pull the car back to earth .. then the rewelding of new parts will start ... then maybe someone with reasonable mechanical experience can put back stuff like motor, interior and cosmetic stuff. I think this is a body mans dream if its done as filler work or for personal use if your in that business.

Ok my 2 cents.

LPB called it. This is a parts car fellas... the buckle on the roof says so. Buy a Pantera shell and marry the two cars.

Even Kirk Evans says so.

http://pantera.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/765004...340053663#2340053663

Josh

Just be thankful no one was hurt - physically, that is.

But I'd love to hear what Johhny Woods would say about this wreck. I loved his awesome website showing the work he did on his car. This looks like a walk in the park compared to that - of course he spent 7 years at it!

My advise would be don't even consider buying this car unless you are capable of doing all the work yourself, and Perticlaly want a major project. Restoration is hard enough without having to jig the car straight before you even start. Paying someone to fix this car would be madness. You would be better off saving your money for a nice car, no matter how long it takes.

A few people will be looking at this car thinking 'I can get into a Pantera cheap here' and spread the costs out over a long period. This is called a money pit.

If you paid a body man to fix this you would have to wait for years and you would undoubtedly spend more than the cost of really nice Pantera that had never been wrecked. You would also have a very hard time finding someone who would do the job right. Nobody cares about your car as much as you do.

OK, let's suppose you buy this car for 10 or 15K with the intention of doing all the work your self. You still have to pay someone to jig it straight, unless you can do that yourself too.
So now the car is bent back into shape. You still have no panels on the left side. You want to get started fitting up the new panels (rear fender looks salvageable) but you're bothered by the little creases and ripples in the sheet metal panel below the roof at the rear, in the box section that runs across the top of the bulk head panel behind the seats, in the floor, in the rear chassis sections, etc,etc. There is only so much you can do with chassis straightening jig. I have seen body men hammer in the ripples and fill them with bondo (not my cup of tea at all) the only way to do it right is to cut the section right out and make a new one. Is this really necessary? no, nobody can see these ripples of coarse but you know they are there. Can you live with that?

So now you have got he car looking straight again, you can start fitting up the new panels. If they come from Italy, they will not fit well at all. You will have to extensively modify them to make then fit (except for the B post or coarse, mine fit like a glove)! By the time you have done all of this you will not have much enthusiasm left to get all the panel gaps perfect and get then to align with one another.

Next you have got the job of bending the door frame straight, even if you get it straight, will the stainless trims stay on? If you get a door off another car this is still a very time consuming job. If you pay someone to do it, expect wind noise. Nobody cares about your car as much as you do.

Johnny

I hate to see this one die. It's to close to a whole car. I hate to think that it could have been me. I'm thankfull that it isn't.
Panteras certainly aren't the only car that costs more to repair then it can replaced for. That is usually reseved to normal production cars though isn't it?
This doesn't make me want to drive my car. Quite the contrary.
I need to see my shrink now. I need to get enthusiastic about something again. Maybe we can do nude group therapy again?

quote:

I need to get enthusiastic about something again. Maybe we can do nude group therapy again?

Hopefully you don't mean "we... as in all of us together".... that is not something I want to see.

quote:

Maybe we can do nude group therapy again?

Oh no. Another thread that needs to be shut down!?

Well maybe that will get the Pantera some national press?
How big is George's hot tub?
...this could be a disturbing sight, just set up some Buttery Nipples after a couple of sips I won't care.

Doug my friend,

I'm glad you live on the right coast.

he, he, he ....

By the right coast you of course mean the correct course?
I don't know if there are any Pantera owners in my therapy group besides myself. I suppose the group would have to vote on admitting new members.
We don't allow any Corvette or Ferrari people.
I never considered owning a Pantera as part of my problem. Perhaps we'll have to discuss that.
When we do body painting I always like to use the blue.

quote:

Originally posted by LF - TP 2511:

quote:

Maybe we can do nude group therapy again?

Oh no. Another thread that needs to be shut down!?

LOL !!

Scary stuff indeed !!

I just find it odd that a Pantera, which is as desirable and collectable as it is, is basically a high-performance, visually appealing four-wheeled Bic lighter - a disposable car. If you crash it, trash it. Doesn't make sense. You'd think someone would reproduce decent, reasonable body panels for it, but then with the low production I guess it isn't financially feasible. It's a shame to see cars of this caliber and historical automotive importance relegated to parts cars because of what seems like a garden variety side-swipe. Kind of depressing to think that it's easier to save an AMC Pacer than something like a Pantera. I guess I can see why more than a few never leave the garage, except maybe on a trailer. Too much risk involved.

I understand the opinion that its best to part this car out. In business its not profitable. But then again something makes me think that some time soon down the road some one will be saying that was a mistake.

In my business I see people try to fix heating and airconditioning systems that are trash ... but they keep pumping big money into them. Same here I guess ... does it pay to pump big money into this car ??

All I can say is it wont be me.

Sadly, the pantera like many other cars seems to be worth more in pieces than as a whole wreck. BTW, I have a 1974 shell for sale. Everything from the doors back is in pretty good shape (doors, q-panels, rear clip, rear frame, wheel houses, rear deck lid, fiberglass trunk, seats) This has been parted out and only the sheet metal remains. No rust. It has a clear title, never was claimed by the insurance as a total loss so it does not have a salvage title. A good buy for someone in need of sheet metal replacement pieces and/or replacement title for another car. Only problem is the shipping from Hawaii.

quote:

Originally posted by cjjtulsa:
It's a shame to see cars of this caliber and historical automotive importance relegated to parts cars because of what seems like a garden variety side-swipe.

cjtulsa,
By no means is this a garden variety side-swipe, this vehicle was broad sided! Structurally, this car is compromised! The question I'd ask is, would I put a loved one in this car after it's repaired? My answer is no. On the other hand, I do think this car would be a great start for a full caged race car. Not saying it can't be repaired, just saying it shouldn't be.
Mark 6808