Hi all,
Are there any tricks to installing new rear deck lid struts on a Pantera without a wing?
Thanks in advance!
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No, if you use aftermarket deck-shocks. Note- the upper eyelets unscrew on these. In case you intend to use NOS or rebuilt Sachs deck-shocks, mounting them upside-down can be an advantage if you also intend to actually drive the car. Mounted the 'factory' way, thrown-up water runs down the shock shaft and if there's the slightest opening between the traditionally loose fitting shock-boot and shaft, water will get inside. Sachs thoughtfully provided a steel ledge where the shock top is welded on, so that plus the tighter fit of the bottom of the boot to shock, generates a nice reservoir to hold that water for a good long time.
The standing water corrodes and pits the shaft and wrecks the seal, which may actually be partly submerged. Mounting the shock upside down fixes this condition. Some owners who insist the factory way is best (even when its inadequate) drill a tiny drain hole below the boot in that ledge. But its not crystal-clear where you should drill, since with the decklid closed, the shock is slanted, rather than vertical as when its open.
Same cause and same recommendation to drill drain holes in the lower rear frame rails, which fill with more thrown-up water and rusts- this time in a structural part of your car. POCA has published a diagram of where the drill holes should be added. Check to see if a thoughtful P.O. drilled them.
In my opinion doing it yourself could be a bit challenging due to the weight of the decklid and if you are not careful you could over extend the decklid into the hood if you have both struts off (oops!). Even if you put a strut clamp on one strut to try and change the other side the hood tends to twist due to its weight making it difficult to get the other strut out and you could bend the bottom hook that is welded to the engine bay. That is even more problematic when your new struts may be a different length than the ones being removed. Anyway, after a few challenging experiences my self in changing out worthless aftermarket shocks I figured out a few ways to support the hood better when working alone (photos below). In the end I found using the bungie and wood support together worked best for me.
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What do you think about electric jacks that are irreversible? Would they resist the ambient heat?
A helper is best. If you are installing the skinny aftermarket struts you'll need some spacers at the mounts. Figure it out before you've got things half apart.
Excellent comments and advise!
Thank you very much guys.
Warren
And only do one side at a time! I think I got my new struts from Wilkinson some years ago when he was having a sale. Easy-peasey to change out for the originals.
Thank you!
Also, buying from a vendor they came with all necessary spacers, so no back and forth trips to the auto parts store or the hardware store trying to kluge together the right spacers.
garth66 posted:And only do one side at a time! I think I got my new struts from Wilkinson some years ago when he was having a sale. Easy-peasey to change out for the originals.
Only issue I found with the Detomaso 18126A is that it took quite a bit of pressure to close my decklid and when I measured the strength of one strut years ago I believe just one strut alone was something like 150 lbs until it began to compress when pressing on it. So I took them both off and saved them for my winged car but didn't use them yet. My personal thought is the strength should just be enough to allow you to guide the decklid open or close with one or two fingers and it stays open rather than falling.
rene4406 posted:What do you think about electric jacks that are irreversible? Would they resist the ambient heat?
I have seen one Pantera that had such jacks that opened and closed the decklid from the touch of a button. Looked pretty cool in operation, although I wonder how much pressure is in that deck lid area alone rather than having shocks that just "assisting" you in opening and closing the hood by hand.
Pantera Electronics makes a power deck lid that works with a compressor. Inquire with him.
As far as problems changing the struts? Really? You cut a broom stick to hold the decklid up while you change the struts.
panteradoug posted:You cut a broom stick to hold the decklid up while you change the struts.
Just use a golf club, or better yet, an adjustable trekking pole.
Also, I believe IPSCO sells a deck lid strut repositioning system that takes the stress off the decklid...
Page 19 of their catalog.
https://ipsco.org/Pantera_file...Catalog%20013111.pdf
I am not sure if our other vendors have something similar.
Rocky
garth66 posted:panteradoug posted:You cut a broom stick to hold the decklid up while you change the struts.
Just use a golf club, or better yet, an adjustable trekking pole.
Yes. A 3 wood or a 2 iron. A putter is too short.
rocky posted:Also, I believe IPSCO sells a deck lid strut repositioning system that takes the stress off the decklid...
Page 19 of their catalog.
https://ipsco.org/Pantera_file...Catalog%20013111.pdf
I am not sure if our other vendors have something similar.
Rocky
Do you know of any cars with this set up installed?
panteradoug posted:rocky posted:Also, I believe IPSCO sells a deck lid strut repositioning system that takes the stress off the decklid...
Page 19 of their catalog.
https://ipsco.org/Pantera_file...Catalog%20013111.pdf
I am not sure if our other vendors have something similar.
Rocky
Do you know of any cars with this set up installed?
I have installed this lift system on numerous Panteras will excellent results! The design takes most of not all of the stress off of the hinge area and requires less powerfull shocks to lift the deck. I have repaired plenty of decks that were cracked next to the hinges. I even installed it on one car which had a wing and someone had added so much bondo to the decklid ( and the rest of the car) that the decklid felt twice as heavy to open as stock. The IPSCO system worked amazingly well. The car had so much Bondo that I had to source longer bolts for the mount that attaches the strut to the car!
Ron
rmccall posted:panteradoug posted:rocky posted:Also, I believe IPSCO sells a deck lid strut repositioning system that takes the stress off the decklid...
Page 19 of their catalog.
https://ipsco.org/Pantera_file...Catalog%20013111.pdf
I am not sure if our other vendors have something similar.
Rocky
Do you know of any cars with this set up installed?
I have installed this lift system on numerous Panteras will excellent results! The design takes most of not all of the stress off of the hinge area and requires less powerfull shocks to lift the deck. I have repaired plenty of decks that were cracked next to the hinges. I even installed it on one car which had a wing and someone had added so much bondo to the decklid ( and the rest of the car) that the decklid felt twice as heavy to open as stock. The IPSCO system worked amazingly well. The car had so much Bondo that I had to source longer bolts for the mount that attaches the strut to the car!
Ron
Does the re-location of the struts provide enough room for the rear roll bar braces to be installed?
With the stock struts, there isn't enough room for them.
rocky posted:Also, I believe IPSCO sells a deck lid strut repositioning system that takes the stress off the decklid...
Page 19 of their catalog.
https://ipsco.org/Pantera_file...Catalog%20013111.pdf
I am not sure if our other vendors have something similar.
Rocky
I have had the IPSCO Strut kit on both of my Panteras and they work great.
panteradoug posted:rmccall posted:panteradoug posted:rocky posted:Also, I believe IPSCO sells a deck lid strut repositioning system that takes the stress off the decklid...
Page 19 of their catalog.
https://ipsco.org/Pantera_file...Catalog%20013111.pdf
I am not sure if our other vendors have something similar.
Rocky
Do you know of any cars with this set up installed?
I have installed this lift system on numerous Panteras will excellent results! The design takes most of not all of the stress off of the hinge area and requires less powerfull shocks to lift the deck. I have repaired plenty of decks that were cracked next to the hinges. I even installed it on one car which had a wing and someone had added so much bondo to the decklid ( and the rest of the car) that the decklid felt twice as heavy to open as stock. The IPSCO system worked amazingly well. The car had so much Bondo that I had to source longer bolts for the mount that attaches the strut to the car!
Ron
Does the re-location of the struts provide enough room for the rear roll bar braces to be installed?
With the stock struts, there isn't enough room for them.
Yes
Thank you Ron. 