Congratulation Jani on the birth of your son.
I'm just an uncle five times over and happy with the on/off switch:-)
Phil
79 Longchamp GTS 3061
Congratulations Jani.
A baby is just perfect for the back seat, not room for much more behind the driver's seat when I stretch my legs...
A baby is just perfect for the back seat, not room for much more behind the driver's seat when I stretch my legs...
Thank you all for congrats.
Been extremely hectic lately, both home and work.
Haven´t had any chance of doing anything to the car but we finally got it drivable, so could go to the Cruise-Night. Which was fun, until the radiator boiled....
Added a photo.
Not happiest of the campers at the moment.
I was pretty happy with the performance thou´. Never took it above 4000 rpm, but the rebuilt and upgraded engine felt strong, and the rear wheels slippery...
Been extremely hectic lately, both home and work.
Haven´t had any chance of doing anything to the car but we finally got it drivable, so could go to the Cruise-Night. Which was fun, until the radiator boiled....
Added a photo.
Not happiest of the campers at the moment.
I was pretty happy with the performance thou´. Never took it above 4000 rpm, but the rebuilt and upgraded engine felt strong, and the rear wheels slippery...
Spring is coming soon, so the prepartions have began.
The prototipo bumpers are under construction at the moment, and I am fairly certain that I´ve figured out how to make the rubber parts for the bumpers too.
To do list before the driving season begins:
Prototipo front valance
Precautionary brake overhaul
Dual electric fans to replace the visco single one
Custom middle sections for the exhausts
Refinishing the wheels
New tires
Replace the electric mirrors with Ford sport mirrors
Paint...?
A/C overhaul will be probably for the next season.
P.s. The fuel consumption for the 500km journey to hibernation was 18 litres/100km. Better than I was expecting, considering the fine tuning isn´t done yet.
The prototipo bumpers are under construction at the moment, and I am fairly certain that I´ve figured out how to make the rubber parts for the bumpers too.
To do list before the driving season begins:
Prototipo front valance
Precautionary brake overhaul
Dual electric fans to replace the visco single one
Custom middle sections for the exhausts
Refinishing the wheels
New tires
Replace the electric mirrors with Ford sport mirrors
Paint...?
A/C overhaul will be probably for the next season.
P.s. The fuel consumption for the 500km journey to hibernation was 18 litres/100km. Better than I was expecting, considering the fine tuning isn´t done yet.
Looks great! Keep the updates and pictures coming. I love the color.
And remember...
Those Italians are known for their sculpture.
And remember...
Those Italians are known for their sculpture.
HI
Looks like you were thorough when fixing the rust. I've band-aided my panels, this year I'll finish the job. I got a little scared of what I'll find, looking at your pictures.
The visible rust on my car is in the c-column, around the bracket that's welded on on the inside to hold the rear window openers. And 30-50 cms below, just above rear wheel well, it rusts from the inside as well. This goes for both sides of the car. Maybe you should check your car in those areas? My car looked OK until bubbles came, the nice Italians that had the car before me painted over bondo without welding first...
I can send pictures if you want
Looks like you were thorough when fixing the rust. I've band-aided my panels, this year I'll finish the job. I got a little scared of what I'll find, looking at your pictures.
The visible rust on my car is in the c-column, around the bracket that's welded on on the inside to hold the rear window openers. And 30-50 cms below, just above rear wheel well, it rusts from the inside as well. This goes for both sides of the car. Maybe you should check your car in those areas? My car looked OK until bubbles came, the nice Italians that had the car before me painted over bondo without welding first...
I can send pictures if you want
Added a photo about the rear bumper build.
A photo of the front bumper, as it is now. Not the final version, but we´re getting there. The plan is to have the design finalized by next saturday.
Edited the front bumper photo, and added a rear bumper photo. Design is frozen, and should be ready in about two weeks. I´m very exited about the progress.
Rear bumper is ready for the paint shop.
Bumpers are ready for the paint shop! Here´s the side view. Car goes to paint shop on saturday, where the final mods will be done, before a new coat of Celeste Chiaro Metallic will be applied. After that the prototipo front dam will be created, and the car will be a pretty faithful recreation (externally) of the 1972 Turin auto salon prototipo..
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Car has been delivered to the paint shop. Deadline for the completion is the first of may, and the color is Celeste chiaro metallic. Happy with how the bumpers turned out. IMHO they look so good in bare metal, that I am almost regretting painting them. Paint shop will preform some surgery: The front grille was tilted forward on the production models, so mine will be modified to be more upright as in the prototipo.
The front of the car looks a bit light at the moment, but I am sure that after the front air dam has been added, grille tilted, and the side signals deleted, it will be a bit more Kirk Douglas...
P.s. The lack of comments is starting to worry me. Does every one think I´m uglifying my car?..
The front of the car looks a bit light at the moment, but I am sure that after the front air dam has been added, grille tilted, and the side signals deleted, it will be a bit more Kirk Douglas...
P.s. The lack of comments is starting to worry me. Does every one think I´m uglifying my car?..
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Jani,
Fear not. You are doing a great job and many of us are following with interest and respect. I think the car is going to look great and I hope one day to add a Longchamp to my collection, perhaps even as my daily fair weather driver.
Keep up the posts and photos of your work!
Mark
Fear not. You are doing a great job and many of us are following with interest and respect. I think the car is going to look great and I hope one day to add a Longchamp to my collection, perhaps even as my daily fair weather driver.
Keep up the posts and photos of your work!
Mark
Mark is absolutely right, any sensible Pantera owner deep down inside wants a Longchamp :-) For those who don't know, the Longchamp is the best handling sedan I've ever driven...
Jani, don't throw out your old bumpers, I might want to buy them one day, they're like mine but look in better shape.
Reminds me of when I was close to killing a guy 20 years ago. I was fixing my 68 Camaro SS, and another guy close by was doing the same to his 68 Camaro. I was on a budget, apparently he was not. His front fenders had a little rust, so he ordered new ones instead of fixing the rust. Guess what he did to the old ones, the originals? He jumped up and down on them and threw them out. Needless to say he and I didn't have many friendly conversations despite our similar cars...
Jani, don't throw out your old bumpers, I might want to buy them one day, they're like mine but look in better shape.
Reminds me of when I was close to killing a guy 20 years ago. I was fixing my 68 Camaro SS, and another guy close by was doing the same to his 68 Camaro. I was on a budget, apparently he was not. His front fenders had a little rust, so he ordered new ones instead of fixing the rust. Guess what he did to the old ones, the originals? He jumped up and down on them and threw them out. Needless to say he and I didn't have many friendly conversations despite our similar cars...
Thank you for the comments. It´s been a long project by my standards, and sometimes I wonder that I´m the only one to whom it makes any sense..
Mikael,
My bumpers are in excellent condition. They are not the originals, as my car is a 2000-series car, and had the blade style bumpers from the factory. At some point the car went back to the factory for an update to a 3000-series (externally: Bumpers, mirrors, light trim). I´m not sure what I´ll do with the 3000-series bumpers, but rest assured, I won´t throw them away. I´ll either keep them, or sell them to someone who would need them.
Mikael,
My bumpers are in excellent condition. They are not the originals, as my car is a 2000-series car, and had the blade style bumpers from the factory. At some point the car went back to the factory for an update to a 3000-series (externally: Bumpers, mirrors, light trim). I´m not sure what I´ll do with the 3000-series bumpers, but rest assured, I won´t throw them away. I´ll either keep them, or sell them to someone who would need them.
The car back to Helsinki. Really happy with the paint work. Gorgeous color, especially when the sun comes out. Did a "transport installation" after picking it up from the paint, so I could drive it to Helsinki (450km..). The bumpers haven´t been fine tuned for photos, since they will come off again next week, so that the rubber parts can be manufactured. Getting close to finish..
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Another photo: Note the prototipo-like upright front grille. Signals are clear, unlike in the prototipo, but I prefer them like this.
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Jani,
The bodywork looks excellent, and it it should be interesting to see the finished result with the bumper rubbers fitted. I agree with an earlier comment you made, that the bumpers may look better in a chrome finish rather than the body colour, but then it would not replicate the prototipo.
Stuart
The bodywork looks excellent, and it it should be interesting to see the finished result with the bumper rubbers fitted. I agree with an earlier comment you made, that the bumpers may look better in a chrome finish rather than the body colour, but then it would not replicate the prototipo.
Stuart
Stuart,
I must say that I was a bit disappointed when I put the painted bumpers on, but I´m not giving up on them yet, as I think the rubber and polished alloy will make a difference. At the moment there is a bit of "had to paint them, since the chrome was falling off?" feel about them.
I will try to recreate the prototipo as faithfully as is reasonble. Some things will be different, as they would cost a lot to change, and I don´t think anyone would even notice them. Some things will be different, as I think they would´ve been changed for the production version in any case, even if the concept itself would´ve been the same. Interior will not be changed at all.
The clear signals are OK, IMO as the car has spent the first 32 years of it´s life in Italy...
I must say that I was a bit disappointed when I put the painted bumpers on, but I´m not giving up on them yet, as I think the rubber and polished alloy will make a difference. At the moment there is a bit of "had to paint them, since the chrome was falling off?" feel about them.
I will try to recreate the prototipo as faithfully as is reasonble. Some things will be different, as they would cost a lot to change, and I don´t think anyone would even notice them. Some things will be different, as I think they would´ve been changed for the production version in any case, even if the concept itself would´ve been the same. Interior will not be changed at all.
The clear signals are OK, IMO as the car has spent the first 32 years of it´s life in Italy...