just bought gt5-s #9376 in Maui

Nice example Gregg, Thanks for sharing

Hi Gregg,

Congratulations on your purchase of a very beautiful GT5-S.

I was actually slotted to buy this car from the previous owner Robert Sturh about 9 or 10 months ago. Robert bought this car from Mike Haber at Pro-Auto sight unseen. When the car arrived at Robert's place in Maui, Robert found it had engine problems. Mike Haber, when informed of this from Robert, offered to give a full refund on the vehicle, which is very fair. I believe Mike Haber even agreed to eat the shipping costs. Robert knew he got a super good deal on this car, so he decided to keep it anyways. Even though Robert only had the car for a very short while, he offered to sell me the car. We were discussing how he would rebuild the motor and the price I would pay for his car with the rebuilt motor finished and installed, but then unfortunately Robert had some personal issues to deal with and the deal fell through. A few months later another GT5-S popped up on the market and I bought it. The GT5-S I bought is a 1988 Amerisport with an aluminum fontana engine, the car was in excellent condition, near show quality. I paid 80k for it. To keep track of market trends on these GT5-S', would you like to share how much you paid for your GT5-S?

And once again, congratulations on buying this car. I really love the beautiful dark blue color against the light creme interior. When you get the motor rebuilt, this is going to be one fine car.

David

Welcome to the fold. Bob Stuhr passed away a couple of months ago before competing the car. I'm glad its in the hands of someone who will treasure the car. Bob was a great guy and a good friend.

I'll keep you posted on the rebuild..we just got all the parts in...tranny is in fine shape. Looks like it will just drop right in...

gregg

David

From whom did you buy the GT5s with the Fontana and where was it located? I'm sure you posted pics previously; however, would you provide me a link? How well does the car run? I believe it may have been a car that I was interested in purchasing at one time.

Gregg congrats on your ourchase. You do have at least a couple Amerisport parts on your new ride. Those are Kirk's louvres replacing the side gills.

JT

Aloha

I bought the car from Robert's mother right here on Maui when she decided to let it go. I believe it has the original 351 now, the Fontana was not in it when he bought it. We are rebuilding the engine from top to bottom. The car was imported by Stouffer Classics and I confirmed it with him.
Kirk Evens says this car may have been the other one on display at the Turin Auto Show in 1984, It was born red and along with the white one there was a red one displayed.
Here's a foto of the engine that was in the car when it arrived on Maui...

better foto

Hi JT,

Here is a link below of the GT5-S I bought.

http://forsale.classicandperfo...aspx?ad=14452&d=1238

The dark blue GT5-S that Gregg in Maui just bought and the factory red GT5-S that I bought were both for sale at the same time at Pro-Auto about a year ago. A gentleman named Frank saw both of these cars and chose the red 5-S (that I currently own) I guess he liked the fontana engine. Shortly after that, Robert Sturh bought the dark blue 5-S that Maui Gregg now owns.

When I was searching to buy a GT5-S, a couple of people here on the forum suggested that given the extremely small number of GT5-S cars produced, that I should be pro-active and start making some calls to GT5-S owners to see if they would be open to selling. Upon doing a little research, and with the help of a very nice and helpful forum member here named Dennis who used to live in Maui and was personal friends with Robert Sturh, I began talking to Robert and we made tentative plans for me to purchase his car. When that fell through I was lucky enough to discover that the owner of the red GT5-S that Frank bought brom Pro-Auto was open to selling his car. Both of these GT5-S are very nice and I would have been happy to own either one.

Gregg, I wonder if you plan to keep those after market wheels that are currently on your car or if you are going to swap them out? Those wheels were the only thing about your car that I wasn't crazy about. But maybe they look better in person. Anyway, when you get the engine all done it would be great to see more pictures of your beautiful car.

David

Nice Gregg!!! Welcome to the addiction!
There are plenty of people here who can help you with this!!!
Jeff

Davdi

I believe I saw that car about 5 or 6 years ago at the Fun Rally during the run to Mt Charleston. The owner, whose name I cannot recall, lived in the Mid-west. It was a beautiful car and I put it on my short list of cars to acquire. Unfortunately , I lost track of him. Fortunately, you found it.

How well does the FGontana motor run?

JT

Congrats on your sports car. It is beautiful.

congratulations Gregg

-G

JT,

The previous owner of my GT5-S prior to Frank S. and Pro-Auto was a fellow named Bob Rhoades. Mr. Rhoads is the guy who spent all the money restoring this car and putting in the fontana engine.

The Fontana engine in the GT5-S that I bought really wasn't practical for the street. It had a solid roller cam, heavy duty springs, low tension piston rods (which apparently reduces friction against the piston walls thereby increasing hp, but at the expense of causing blow-by. Good stuff for the track, not so good for the streets. I'm having the engine partially rebuilt and detuned a bit so as to make it reliable for the streets. I'll be one of the few GT5-S owners who intends to drive this car fairly often, so I want something fast enough to take to the track on occasion, but also reliable enough for the streets.

When everything is finished and I'm driving it I'll let you know how reliable it is. I've been told there were about 400 or so Fontana engines made in total. I think there are a few Pantera owners out there with Fontana engines, but I don't think they drive them much.

David

Aloha

This is the Profile which features Glen Pascals build of 9376....a 7,000 mile bone stck red car he completely dismantled and made it his way..his 11th Pantera....you gotta give the guy credit....
Gregg

Very nice, and nice shade of blue! I like da 5S style!

quote:

Originally posted by adoberetreat:
JT,

The previous owner of my GT5-S prior to Frank S. and Pro-Auto was a fellow named Bob Rhoades. Mr. Rhoads is the guy who spent all the money restoring this car and putting in the fontana engine.

The Fontana engine in the GT5-S that I bought really wasn't practical for the street. It had a solid roller cam, heavy duty springs, low tension piston rods (which apparently reduces friction against the piston walls thereby increasing hp, but at the expense of causing blow-by. Good stuff for the track, not so good for the streets. I'm having the engine partially rebuilt and detuned a bit so as to make it reliable for the streets. I'll be one of the few GT5-S owners who intends to drive this car fairly often, so I want something fast enough to take to the track on occasion, but also reliable enough for the streets.

When everything is finished and I'm driving it I'll let you know how reliable it is. I've been told there were about 400 or so Fontana engines made in total. I think there are a few Pantera owners out there with Fontana engines, but I don't think they drive them much.

David

I am not sure about how many Fontana blocks were made. Mine is number 701 and I bought it almost two years ago from Joe Fontana himself. It was one of the last three new 9.2 deck blocks that he had. If everything goes according to planned, it should be in the Pantera and running right before the Reno event. I should have about 2K miles on it by time I get there and it should be quite streetable. Jack DeRyke has started a somewhat informal Fontana powered Pantera owners group with some very good information on his Fontana engine build. Congradualations on the purchase of your 5S and hope to see it in Reno this June.

I thought for sure Paul was going to pick it up but I'm glad it's staying on island. I never saw the car when I was there for Robert's service. It was misplaced. Next time I'm there, I hope to see your new car if you go with the guys to Haleakala.

Robert was a good friend and he sent me pics the dealer took in the process of putting the car in an enclosed transport on the start of it's journey to Maui. In the background was SNOW.

Warm Alohas

Gregg,

Congratulations on the car and on getting her back to the state she once was in. I missed out that car by a week when Robert originally bought it and tried contacting people in Hawaii, without success, to express an interest in purchasing it after he passed away. If you get bored and decide to sell, keep me in mind. Otherwise, have fun and enjoy the car!

Mark

I found the pics that the dealers sent to Robert of his car being put on a transport.

Aloha and thanks.....

here's the car coming off the boat on Maui..

Interesting that this is a factory GT5-S, not an Amerisport. Yet this car has an Amerisport wing and the upper rear vent behind the window is another Amerisport feature. Personally, I like the Amerisport wing better than the factory wing and I like that back window vent feature from the Amerisport cars too. I suppose Glen Pacal did that. Nice touch.

This is one good looking GT5-S. You did good job getting this car Gregg.

David

Congrats Gregg,

Beautiful car !

Life is good for #9376.
Once in snow to Maui !

Jeff