GT5S flares build

Jan,

From what I have heard the Hall steel GT5-S fenders are notoriously bad for fitment, especially the right quarter.

Pat Mical seems to be the outspoken authority on this and told me he had done 4 GT5-S conversions, it may pay to give him a call.

I also had contact from a guy called Giuliano Belle in Orange County, CA. Apparently he has an old italian metalworker that hand forms fenders on the car, he sent me photos of what looed like Pat Hollerans car in the making.

Wow! What a difference. What's with the rear bumper? Got a picture?
That front profile is different too.

I see no seam on the rear? You mean to tell me that is hand formed on the car?

Shaved door handles?

This guy is amazing!

Doug,

Apparently the bumpers were formed from metal, I seem to recall a cost of $5K. I think I'm right in saying that these are the ones that PI used for moulds for their fiberglass wide body bumper kit.

Below is a colage of the 4 photos he sent me.

Julian

First, let me say that I like it. The person who did this is truely an artist.
The nose looks remarkably like a GT40.

Having said that, this car to me is no longer a Pantera.

I think at some point it is better to trash the old design and just start new.
Let the Pantera be what it is. It is yestertech. There is nothing wrong with that.

Changing the Pantera to that extent is like trying to evolve tyranasaurus rex into a civilized modern creature in a petting zoo. Let him be what he is best. The badest badass of all time.
You can't give one to your four year old daughter and have her dress him up in Barbies cloths and take him to a tea party.

Sorry, just my horribly twisted opinion.

I like Pat's car too, but am thinking of staying with the more traditional GT5S appearance. Can anyone lay out the difference between GT5S flares from the factory and the aftermarket flares like from Hall?

Jan,

Following is a direct e-mail quote from Pat Mical that I receievd in response to a post on the 'DT e-mail list' regarding GT5S flares.

quote:

I have built one of the only 90Si in steel, I have built 18 GT5,6 GT4, 4 GT5S. The steel that Gary Hall & Larry Stock & others sell is made by the same person for the GT5S. The right Qt. dose not fit the car. All of the cars that Hall has done look like Kit cars, they are not doing the cars like the Factory ones. Call me at 978 649 2211.

I suggest to give Pat a call and get the info. first hand.

Julian

quote:

Originally posted by Joules5:
I suggest to give Pat a call and get the info. first hand.

Julian

Thanks Julian. I did email Pat Mical last week and he basically doesn't like the aftermarket flares...don't fit well. But I was just wondering if you can tell from the finished product if you put two cars next to each other, one done with factory GT5S flares and the other with the aftermarket GT5S flares...what's the diff?

There was a guy selling all the GT5 sheetmetal on the site a month or so ago .. he was out of sweden .. if that helps any ? I think he wants 5k.

Ron

Geez, I sure got edecated off line from a few people. Seems the real factory GT5S flares go for around $25K - $30K just for the metal alone, but well worth it. Seems the aftermarket flares are quite different in many respects.

How come no one does the Group 5 flares?? Those were the last of the raceing Panteras and I wonder why folks don't try and duplicate those???

Does 200,

Your questions re GT5S flares indicate you are unaware that they were handbuilt of several pieces of metal for each car on the line. My GT5S sat next to a Hall conversion and the Hall car did not match up. The flares looked cheezy. The clone car was beautifully finished. But it was what it was, a clone or fake GT5S. Take your time a buy a real one. Or if you must have a clone, get your car to Pat Mical. Do not waste time elswhere for this purpose for marginal results.

quote:

Originally posted by phill1:
Does 200,

Your questions re GT5S flares indicate you are unaware that they were handbuilt of several pieces of metal for each car on the line. My GT5S sat next to a Hall conversion and the Hall car did not match up. The flares looked cheezy. The clone car was beautifully finished. But it was what it was, a clone or fake GT5S. Take your time a buy a real one. Or if you must have a clone, get your car to Pat Mical. Do not waste time elswhere for this purpose for marginal results.

Phill1, you are absolutely correct. My red 73 GT5S was built with GT5S factory flares by the rod builder Fat Jack, and I am considering doing another GT5S build down the road. I didn't realize what a difference there is in the flares from factory vs aftermarket, not only in price but in quality. A pre 74 car allows me to put in a radical engine without smog testing DMV BS here in CA, so I am not too into the real GT5S made in the 80s.

Reminder, whils the SMOG testing for old cars is gone, the OEM requirement rules are still in effect in CA. Most guys don't care or understand what that might mean to them.

You mean no bumpers? I don't think they will bother the owner much for that.
Ford was granted some exeptions on the car as far as emissions equipment is concerned when the car was new.
For instance it has no air pump.
It wasn't exempt from passing the emissions test for it though.

This is one of the reasons you see so many 71-4 GT4 and GT5s replica, flared Panteras in the US. If you have a Pantera that has to go through emissions testing in the US, I'll bet you considerably more then a nickle that it will never get through unless you cheat.

An '85 would never pass CA emissions as built.

quote:

Having said that, this car to me is no longer a Pantera.

I think at some point it is better to trash the old design and just start new.
Let the Pantera be what it is. It is yestertech. There is nothing wrong with that.

Thank you Doug. Exactly my sentiments.

I was kinda hiding off in the corner on Pat's cars, afraid the Family would strike me down if I spoke ill of them.

Glad to see others feel as I do.

Larry