Interiors are like underwear - you should change it after 50 years! 😂

Not you!

I expect another major project!

Here is what I decided… American muscle car  vinyl of the  period  is  out…. and so  is -all black-

the car has an American 🇺🇸 heart ❤️ but the styling is Italian…. And that theme should be continued…. I will show what I came up with as I get my pieces back and here it is…

peekaboo

@rocky posted:

Not you!

I expect another major project!

I know… 😔. I don’t do the upholstery myself… But I still had to think about it and come up with a design..

You are eyeballing my engine- right?!!

And…

Closing holes… I love working with fiberglass…

Did the same thing on my dash. Now there is plenty of room to put everything and don't listen to the radio anyway.

Nice… it’s the way to go and move stuff around!

I also rebuilt the 8mm thin strip over the top of the heater control panel rebate so there was no visible gap above the control panel  when fitted into the dash .

I convinced myself this had been cut out or broken out by others sometime in the past and was in fact missing. Now I have seen yours I am not so sure ! Mine looked the same as your photo but rougher.

Once the thin strip bridged the top the dash panel was allot stiffer. You can still maneuver  the assembled control facia and linkages in and the panel sits on four continuous edges not three.

In hindsight I would still do this.

50 years is a pretty nice longevity all things considered. Vinyl will outlast anything but I thought that the species it derives from went extinct?

I have found personally that the adhesives available to use in combination with the upholstery foams is only good for about 20 years.

There are some surprisingly difficult decisions to make. I don't aim at 50 years now. 20 years is even doubtful as well?

Good quality leathers will last 20 years or more. The stitching done on the original dash covers is close to being impossible now to duplicate. Even the thread quality and composition enters into the picture now as well.

The seamstresses used back then are beyond just plain high quality talent. It is almost "Godlike" if you ask me.

You can find leather workers that can do wallets but those are only a stitch run of a few inches at a time. Nothing like a dash as complex as a Pantera type 1 dash.

@Percy Funny… I was wondering the same thing… broken or original….

but it seems it’s a continuous cut on the right side so I go with original!

@panteradoug doing this kind of work is art … and doing it in two tone like I decided to have in my car makes it twice as unforgiving! My upholstery guy did pretty good I think! Fun fact: the leather is from Italy… coincidence???

@LeMans850i posted:

@panteradoug doing this kind of work is art … and doing it in two tone like I decided to have in my car makes it twice as unforgiving! My upholstery guy did pretty good I think! Fun fact: the leather is from Italy… coincidence???

European leather is the best. North American leather is generally scared. We used what was labeled at the time as Mercedes Benz leather. Others here use "furniture grade" leather which is generally not as soft and pliable.

Best of luck on the outcome.

Furniture Leather is like “human repelling” to me…

it’s like a new towel that is water repellent!

regarding the outcome… I hope it looks as good as it looks good in my head!

you guys gonna tell me….. I know it…

Does anybody know where that single orange wire goes?

The later cars had the short harnesses coming off the backs of the speedo and tach like that. Making individual wire connections from behind after the instruments are installed in the dash is not as much fun as connecting one multipin socket

That orange wire should be the backlight for the tach which goes into the remaining bulb holder hole there on the back.

Good place for one of the Jon Haas LEDs. really brightens it up. Speedo too.

@larryw posted:

The later cars had the short harnesses coming off the backs of the speedo and tach like that. Making individual wire connections from behind after the instruments are installed in the dash is not as much fun as connecting one multipin socket

That orange wire should be the backlight for the tach which goes into the remaining bulb holder hole there on the back.

Good place for one of the Jon Haas LEDs. really brightens it up. Speedo too.

Thank you very much… grasshopper is still learning…‼️

Installed heater outlets for windshield and sealed !

mounted clock permanently

Here it is…

When installing those bulb holders into the sockets be careful the little copper grounding tab goes inside the socket. It is not difficult to have it wind up outside and compromise your bulb grounding. Easy to do when fumbling around behind after the gauges when installed in the dash.

Good reminder Larry.

In addition be careful with those replacement bayonet LED strips.

They tend to be fairly loose in the mounting socket - I think the LED mounts are slightly skinner than the bayonet bulb they replace. They can therefore subsequently fall out and rattle around inside the instrument. 

Try to get them as tight as possible by closing up the mount.  Make sure they are firm.

Here is a part that I’m sooooo threatening!
Taking all the gauges and switches out of the panel to recover it…. Dragging my feet 🦶

Challenge for everybody… What’s it gonna be?
Should be quite easy

Nothing??

Welded frame (1/4”)  and center (1/8”) on the back together..

Center is going to be black just the polished frame !

Seat preview

nothing crazy… No major side bolsters.. Still easy to get in and out…  daily driver  recipe..

Nice looking seats.  Who did the work?

@panterapatt posted:

Nice looking seats.  Who did the work?

Jose….
Now that is sad 😔. I have to get back to you with more information! He already did the dash too

Is that leather or pleather?

Fuel pressure, Parking brake light , push start,  ignition lock.

above is going to be the fan switch and the switch for the water heater valve.

@panterapatt posted:

Is that leather or pleather?

Italian leather.. sticking with the theme

well done!

@panterapatt posted:

well done!

He did a good job! Lots of drawings on my part to explain what I want…

@marlinjack posted:

...I am Highly Impressed with Your Metal Work...along with Your Drawing, all is Outstanding!

I went with RED LED's in the Dash, RED appears 'Fuzzy', But doe's Not ruin one's 'Night Vision'. All Aircraft Cockpit Gauges are Lighted in RED. Also did the Push to Start and Full Manual control of all Rad Fans.

MJ

I was working in Aviation for the last 30 years and built an airplane (as taildragger and later on amphibious floats all aluminum) and I’m still here to tell about…

thank you for the compliment… it’s a biggie coming from you!!

Looks great, Roland!  Keep the pictures coming!

What happens now on the outside is under

https://pantera.infopop.cc/top...committing-blasphemy

check it out

Door cards

Wrinkle black inside

almost looks like a factory part… lol

@LeMans850i posted:

Door cards

Slept over it… don’t like it… ☹️

well shi$ happens…

You might want to install them in your cat before you make a final decision.  Will look different in the car.

The hand pull handle finish will totally change the appearance of the door cards as visually this is quite dominant when installed   . Also the lower part of the panel will be obscured when its in the car making them look more balanced light/dark when installed and the doors are closed.

It could look great . Give it a chance. 

@Percy posted:

The hand pull handle finish will totally change the appearance of the door cards as visually this is quite dominant when installed   . Also the lower part of the panel will be obscured when its in the car making them look more balanced light/dark when installed and the doors are closed.

It could look great . Give it a chance.

….

looks like hockey puck with hockey stick

Center console.. firewall…

knobs : fan, electric heater valve, cig lighter

Center console

Firewall and rusted center piece

Roland,  One more day are you going to make it to the Palooza?  I hope so, wven it is not 100% complete, please bring it.  WE need all the Pantera we can get.  Or Goal is 60.  Larry

The interior looks really good

Inching my way towards completion….

still fiddling with electric… Hooking things up, fuse boxes relays… The usual

Doesn’t look much different than before BUT the upper dash is bolted in rock solid ‼️

I had my interior redone in leather as part of my project. I had the dash out anyway to replace the evaporator. The only upholsterer I found that would tackle the 2 pod dash was Chris McClintlock of Bux Customs in Pottstown, PA. They normally require the car on site but he allowed me to bring in my parts piecemeal and worked them into his busy schedule. He did need the car to do the door panels to ensure they would fit correctly. I stressed the importance that the seats needed to keep the low seating position for headroom. He cut a cross section of my seat to be able to accomplish that. I have always liked the look of Mangusta seats so that was the design we used. Last photo shows my new steering wheel.

DW, looks VERY Good!  Great craftsmanship! Very Clean.

I had to post This milestone:

All electrical components and lights and indicators are working….

What a fight it was!

Now I’m down to just the rest…

You've got an extra washer from behind your dash laying on your floormat!

@rocky posted:

You've got an extra washer from behind your dash laying on your floormat!

It’s one of the heavy stainless steel washes I replaced with titanium 😂

Engine stays in the cubby.. It’s closed up again… It’s been a while…

And:

I have to make me panels to cover the footwells / tunnel.. the originals got destroyed with speaker holes.. ☹️

note: the recessed power shut off

Finally an update on my interior….

i found the correct clips (small mod needed) for the top of the door panels so I don’t have to use screws..

I made a new, aluminum panel for the diver side footwell and it’s getting powder coated (electrical insulation) and I am making a fiberglass one because of complex curves for the passenger side.. both the originals where destroyed by loudspeaker loving previous Owner…

- note hole for the Battery shut off-

I also sent off my seatbelts.. 53 years Of service are long enough to Be dismissed!
The belts are getting redone.. I sent them to -seatbeltplanet.com   Very helpful and they did Panteras before ……… softly blending out •. •. • 🎈

🎼 I…. Just wanna’ rock and roll all night! 🎶  And party every day! 🎵

(you keep on shouting, you keep on shouting!!!)

@rocky posted:

🎼 I…. Just wanna’ rock and roll all night! 🎶  And party every day! 🎵

(you keep on shouting, you keep on shouting!!!)

‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

sorry I’m not used to that !  Means shouting… At least not where I come from…

won’t to do it again

(fixed my previous post above 👆)

I thought ALL Germans were KISS fans!

Finished the kick panels today… I covered them with felt and then vinyl..

… hole for battery shut off..

Recessed hole on panel and special nut to hold it on… Installed stud on the tunnel side. No interference with gas pedal foot

Drivers door finished…

just clips and door handle holding the card… like a normal car 😜

You’re a smooth operator!

You’re not bald, like Sade, are you?

😎

Rocky!

@rocky posted:

You’re a smooth operator!

You’re not bald, like Sade, are you?

😎

Rocky!

No, not bald… more the opposite…lol

Passenger side

My seatbelts with new webbing (and color) came back..

I send my original belts to seatbeltplanet

i love it..

wow, super fancy.  I like it. 

@rocky posted:

You’re a smooth operator!

You’re not bald, like Sade, are you?

😎

Rocky!

I think Sade has hair now.

@jwelch68 posted:

I think Sade has hair now.

After I drove my car only for less than a mile since I own it and well, the Seatbelt wasn’t really on my mind when I drove it for the first time, I discovered now that the original Seatbelt setup is a pain in the a@@!

i’m thinking….. 🤔

do I want to live with that? Looks alone, just doesn’t do it!

it’s all new but… Pain in the ass…

very disappointed in myself..

I should have checked before..

One thing the Pantera definitely does not have the storage inside the cab…

Now because I do not function without my coffee in the morning. I do require a cupholder… There were other Sports car manufacturers who did not provide cup holders either until a few years ago…

Here is what I came up with.. polished stainless steel:

Folded up, they do not interfere in anyway getting In or out.. and do not interfere when you drive with a cup or or a bottle in there.

Seatbelt 2.0

The red button is irritating… Thinking…

If anyone is interested in my original Seatbelt with the new webbing - PM me..

pictures further up in the thread 🔺

May I ask where you found the accelerator rubber pad please ?

@Percy posted:

May I ask where you found the accelerator rubber pad please ?

This is the aftermarket Billet gas pedal (no Rubber anywhere) from PI Motorsports

looks rubbery in the picture, but it’s only dirty

Ahhh very nice. Did you have to pull the pedal boxout to install it ?

And it looks absolutely rubbery .....like my fair lady .......

Ahh I have just realised it is handed one way - for left hand drive only. I could not use one if I had it.

No - I think I was incorrect - the pedal box assemblies and components look identical for left or right hand drive variants. So it should work regardless.

@Percy posted:

Ahhh very nice. Did you have to pull the pedal boxout to install it ?

No, it’s just a pin and a washer holds the gas pedal in place… Dive down into the foot wheel lol

i’m quite certain it works for the people who drive the wrong side of the road too

(I spent a lot of time trailering Aston Martins back-and-forth from Germany to England…  always had a great time there)