Front Lights

The manual system already exists, there is a manual turn knob on the motor lift system, it has pretty drastic gearing and you have to turn it for a while but it should work.

This problem shouldn't be a real big issue, where in CA are you? Shirley, there must be some other Pantera folks close by who can help out if you are not so comfortable with the electrical diagnosis side?

To answer your question, I needed to replace the motor. The original is frozen, dead, morto.
It is not a rebuildable motore.
I have my two motors from the doors to use, I had just did the Taurus motor replacement.

I installed my "new motor" and found that there is a clearance that you need to maintaine on the gears. The mounting bracket has slots in the bolt holes.

If they are too loose the gear slips and too tight and the motor binds.

Mine is working after about 30 hours of labor on it BUT it won't go all the way up. It stops about 1-1/2" short of the top.

It is not contacting the stop switch, it just stops. It is hell working on the motor because of the location and the access. It is possible that there is a short in the stop switch wire that is grounding out the motor at that position.

The wires are tight and have no slack. For now the lights are staying with the problem at least until it gets warmer. At 10 degrees F outside, it is still hell in the garage too.

Also I have the Vadar rectangular light conversion which complicates working on the motor and gears. It is more then a pain in the rear, it is living hell if you want to know the truth.

Also I prepared the light relays and located the into the front trunk because that's the only place left with any room.
The wires are dangling inder the glove box waiting to be tied into the system.

The PI Forum got me crazy with relays and the car now looks like I am in the relay distributing business. Some are completed, some, well...I think Detomaso never went this far with them simply because there is no place to put them all that is accessable.

I am changing my headlight motors for a couple reasons. I am going to running ALL air going through the radiator through the hood so no air goes under the car. I wanted the light bar gone.

I got 2 headlight motors for a 99 firebird. I am going to mount each individually on the back side of the wall left and right of the radiator.

Gary

Gary, dude, are you aware of what is involved in going to your plan?
Seriously, the single shaft is part of the bearing assembly for the pop-up design.
You are going to be stuck there for YEARS and all you are doing is re-inventing the wheel.
I think that you should seriously reconsider.

Heres my solution ...LOL

That is one solution, but you can fix the problem easier by just using a Ford window motor. The same Aerostar motor used in the windows will work for the headlights.

The gear is different on the two.
They have a different number of teeth.

Have YOU installed the Windstar motor in your Pantera?

quote:

Originally posted by PanteraDoug:
Gary, dude, are you aware of what is involved in going to your plan?
Seriously, the single shaft is part of the bearing assembly for the pop-up design.
You are going to be stuck there for YEARS and all you are doing is re-inventing the wheel.
I think that you should seriously reconsider.

PD, Some one has to re-invent the wheel. It won't be a bid deal. I have the motors, the pipe is already gone. I am going to stop by the bearing store and source a real bearing for the lights. I did several things like this when I restored the MGB. I am really approaching this more as a custom car. As deep as I am into the restoration project now is the time and it really isn't that hard. I try to use common parts such as headlight motors from late model common cars.

Some of the other changes to the car will include an electric pull down trunk latch. Aftermarket wipper motors (common and well built and domestically available) power steering, and on and on. I am even putting in a air cooled oil system ducted through the left side of the car....with fans. People say air coolers don't work you have to use the oil coolers which use coolant. Frankly I don't want to so I am going to use a fan sourced air system from the left vent window. If it doesn't work, I'll know better but I have wrench, cutter, welder and I am psycho so we'll see what happens. You know what that means? Gas tank moved to the right side which means built from scratch.

G

Ron,

What size metal did you use for your fab?

G

I like it when people call me PD. It makes me feel like an exec.

Wilkinson is the only one that offers PS for the Pantera.
His kit is over $1500 and he has changed the components a few times. The Pump is engine driven and is from a current production Mustang. No BFD.

It has variable rate capabilaties. Perhaps if I can get focused on the EFI thing the processor I use could control that also.

The issue is what rack to use that will bolt in.
If anyone finds that I'd appreciate the info.
I can build the system for the cost of the components myself, but I don't want to do trial and error fitting.

If anyone know the original source of the Pantera rack that would be helpful. Was it from an MG. It is said that that is where the Cobra rack was from.

If it was out of the German Capri, did that car offer power steering as an option?

quote:

I like it when people call me PD.

PD, I'm sorry to have to say this but I think you misread it. Here it is again.

"PUD, Some one has to re-invent the wheel."

%^))

PD I did not want to hijack Ron's topic so I started a Power Steering topic in the suspension section addressing your questions.

Gary

OWE MAN, that hurts.

I used 18 ga for patches ... it helps when welding ... and the headlights tubes are what we call sch 10 ... .120 thickness ...

This was not my post .. I highjacked it with fixed headlights... LOL

SPEAK YOUR MIND MAN ....

quote:

SPEAK YOUR MIND MAN ....

I like them Ron. Very simple solution. I was just curious what gauge you were using for that. Good stout gauge.

Gary

Today I located 4 needle bearings. They fit over the existing pipes (cut off). I will then need to make mounts for the needle bearings to bolt to the headlight mounts in the car.

I used the nice heavy guage side panels from a Air Handler and steel tube I had left from some beer conduits I used to build a restuarant .. LOL trying to keep the Pantera project cost to a controlable level. LOL

quote:

Originally posted by accobra:
trying to keep the Pantera project cost to a controlable level. LOL

I think that is exactly why I have been caught up in the grunt work. Other then welding gas, gloves, grinder wheels and some scrap metal, it hasn't cost anything.

In the end ... you can appreciate all your hard work more ... when you pay a builder ..whats there to appreciate .. how many checks one wrote. This is a hobbie and I love it ... no pressure only time and a little money. In the end no regrets you spent 60k for a car worth 60k.

Oh now my sales hot goes on ...anyone looking for headlight parts .. i got buckets, motor and hardware ???