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Fun Stuff and the Pantera

ahudsonahudsonMember
I have nothing of importance to share, other than a little renewed enthusiasm for these great rides. Recently, and readying for the Spring season, the Pantera got - -

1. Blue Thunder intake, Holley, 'OEM looking' breather installed.
2. Radiator pulled, cleaned, repaired.
3. Water temp gauge acting weird, so new sending unit.
4. While in there, new Eastwood sound barrier (added to existing sound barrier).
5. New alternator belt, general cleaning.
6. Headliner sagging. Pulled it down, 3M Super Adhesisve spray. Added accoustifoam to roof first. Fits better than ever.
7. Fixed interior light.
8. Pulled wheels, ran rod into frame drain holes there and under car. All kinds of dirt and stuff vacuumed out. Unbelievable.
9. Sprayed Frame Coating/Rust encapsulator (Eastwood) via long spray tube. Stuff got into crannies everywhere.
10. New Motorcraft battery, new hold down rods, added ground strap to battery and 2 more in engine compartment.
11. Detailed wheel area, engine compartment.
12. Washed, clayed, polished, waxed entire car.

Truly, it was all a joy. Okay, the rust spray stuff was seriously gunky, but rewarding still.

The car looks and drives better than it has the entire time I've had it. Little by little, improvments happen, and the car just smiles. Me too come to think of it.

Just wanted to share.
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ahudsonahudsonMember
quote:
Originally posted by Mark Charlton:
Very inspiring Adams. If I made a list for my car from the winter, it would be pretty short:

1) Got dusty

But you're right about the small improvements making a great car even better over time. Keep enjoying the ride!

Mark


And your list on the Mangusta?

1) Got rusty.

Kidding. That's no fair that you too aren't busting your knuckle reaching under the seat to grab the errant 10mm socket that wouldn't fit around the 'dog door' because the STUPID HANDBRAKE is in the way then getting ONE drop of blood on the pants you SWORE you wouldn't do 'car work' in. But, it's all good.
ahudsonahudsonMember
quote:
Originally posted by OSOFAST:
Great to hear Adams, so what do you think of the Blue Thunder? Was it worth the effort?
Jeff


I must say, 'yes'. My 4300 had been rebuilt, and it worked fine enough. Car started fine (though was occasionally a bear to 'catch' after sitting for awhile. One pump too few; two would flood.)

Pulled okay with the stock setup, though wheezy in top rev ranges; sounded all breathless.

Idled fine as stock, never a problem there. Car occasionally backfired through breather on decel and then reeked of fuel.

In time, slipped toward richness, blooming idle (sooty rear end, rougher idle, harder to start hot or cold.) So the time had come to do the Blue Thunder.

BIG DIFFERENCE.

The exhaust note has changed for the better. (A surprise to me at first start up.)

WAY better mid-upper throttle response. no more breathless feeling up top. I find 3rd gear more usable than ever.

Starting is one-pump cold, none warm. BAM! It's on.

Final benefit: I also like the look. I tend to think too much about the aesthetics, but as a recovering artist, can't help it.

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ahudsonahudsonMember
quote:
Originally posted by DeTom:
WOW! That is beutiful. How on earth do you keep it so clean? It looks like a show room car.


THANK YOU! I DON'T keep it clean, but had just spent some time getting it clean for a little show and go thing I went to. Was parked next to a Ford GT and some other newer/nicer stuff and I didn't want it to be embarrassed!

By summer's end, it won't look like this. I do appreciate you saying something, especially since my wife looked at it and said, "Now what did you spend all that time on?"
markcharltonmarkcharltonOld enough to know better and still young enough not to care. My '71 Pantera
quote:
Originally posted by DeTom:
WOW! That is beutiful. How on earth do you keep it so clean? It looks like a show room car.


Um, that's because it is IN a showroom. Look, he even has a Ferrari Testosterona and a front Porch in there. Goodness knows what else lurks in the shadows. Big Grin

I must say I'm pretty impressed with how well Adams has hidden the "mod" updates to still retain the original look. Very well done!

Mark (who is envious of the showroom approach)
ahudsonahudsonMember
quote:
Originally posted by Mark Charlton:
Um, that's because it is IN a showroom. Look, he even has a Ferrari Testosterona and a front Porch in there. Goodness knows what else lurks in the shadows. Big Grin

I must say I'm pretty impressed with how well Adams has hidden the "mod" updates to still retain the original look. Very well done!

Mark (who is envious of the showroom approach)


That front Porch can be YOURS my friend!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...m=290560260897#v4-39

Am replacing it with a clean white coupe (just got it yesterday after WAY too much looking). That one in the pic is a Targa, and has just had the beejeezus cleaned/corrected out of it. Its a very nice, 42k mile 1986 car. Tell your friends, neighbors, complete strangers.

I like the hidden mods too Mark. I don't know what it is, but I like when it appears like it 'could be' (or even should be) factory. Though with these cars, 'full factory' is not always practical nor advised.

For the record, my 'modded' stock-looking air breather added 75 horsepower. Really. Just ask anybody, especially those who get all their answers from highly-reliable internet forums.

Far as what else might be lurking in that place, I've been looking for a sackful of money, unable to find it though.
Last edited by ahudson
lastpushbuttonlastpushbuttonMember
Built motor, painted trans area, installed seat belts, caught car on fire. . Put memeory foam in new seat bottoms and backs under new covers. bent rim at tire shop. flushed tank,replaced sender, setup tank for dual feed. double insulate firewall. I needed that.... added new style deck latch. cut out rust. built front suspension. Last year... Fluidyne, Spal fans,built rear suspension. I think the only system I have neglected is the wireing harness! It works fine. Oh yeah, I'm building a new garage for 1362 now... with a bounus room.

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lastpushbuttonlastpushbuttonMember
quote:
Originally posted by A Hudson:
Okay, you definitely win the "Stuff I've been doing to my car" award. Wow Bill. Did insurance help on the little fire mishap? Keep us posted.
I was real lucky again with the oil filter ring mishap fire. It kinda wrinkled the paint under the left rear bumper, and took the color out of my date stickers on the tag. I did not call Hagarty. I'm just gonna 'suck it up' this time. Oh yeah, I replaced my hazard switch because the old one kept popping out. The new one has a light that works!
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