Pantera #1952 - AMX3 Prototype ?

Is this the right area for me to keep posting to? Admin , feel free to move this threat if you like.
Tom


Wow,
What a day, it has been just over 1 month since we brought Dave Ward to fiberglass reproduction AMX/3 body and he is just flying. Lots of progress happening very quickly and the quality is superb. Dave has so much experience with the Big Red Camaro and other race cars that he is known for over engineering and building strength beyond what is required. Thank God, because if my butt ever rolls one of these fancy firecrackers I want to be in a Precision Welding chassis made by Dave Ward. Super strong! As you can see from todays images, the Wilwood pedals are in place, the front left wheel is bolted on and the front tires are 295 in width, on the rear they will be 345. Wow, those are some big meats! I love traction, it's loosing it that scares me, with tires this wide, the end of adhesion will be pretty far away. What can I say, I am not a chassis builder, so observing one of the best in the world in action, is a thrill. The front sway bar you may notice is not a C4, it is a NASCAR thing and you wouldn't understand, or maybe you would? Do I sound pompous and arrogant today? Well I am!
Tom













We may not run a power steering pump, because the front end is so light we might just connect a hose to each end of the fittings and loop it back into itself on the rack to let it keep a little fluid inside as a manual rack and pinion, we'll see. Tim Burton and I had lunch together today as well. I can't express enough how important his contribution is to this project. Tim is performing so many critical jobs to support Dave's work. Not to mention all the pictures he takes, thanks Tim. Thanks Dave. Thanks Richard Teague. Thanks investors.
Your fan,
Tom Dulaney

What a great project! Keep the photos coming! Please. Will the car be fitted with 17-18" wheels?

Cuvee,
Thanks for posting a question, yes, the car will have 18" HRE wheels for pictures when it is completed. However, there are those who prefer the look of 15" with large sidewall tires. The wheels that are on it now are just to roll it around and check clearances.
Tom

As you can see Dave Ward is just as much an artist as he is a welder.
Tom

Tom,
Thanks for the continued updates. I can tell that there is a lot of love and care going into this project.
Jeff

That is a very solid looking frame and the construction quality looks first-rate. Please keep sharing! Great work!

Mark

Jeff and Mark,
Thanks for the encouragement and support. I am obsessed with this project, the rest of the world has turned to grey with a low volume compared to the bright light and beating drum of the AMX/3 reproduction.

Dave Ward is doing a great job on using the 1970 AMC steering column.


Look at how nicely the AMC column is integrated to connect with the Corvette C4 steering rack.
Tom

Tom,
Thanks for the update!
Looking good.
Can't wait to see the engine and transaxle go in!

Tom,
Curious why the 70 AMC steering column ?
Jeff

Brooke,
Me too, I am eagar to see the back end completed, then it will really look like a car. The Mendeola transaxle we are using is only the second one to leave the factory, so there is a little bit of fabrication and R&D going into this.

Jeff,
I wanted to give the interior a look similar to the 6 steel Italian made AMX/3's from 1970, and they used a regular production AMC steering column.

Thanks,
Tom

Are there pictures available that show the interior? Looks rather radical. Interesting watching the fabrication in progress. Quite the undertaking. How much of it is pre-engineered and how much design/build?

Tom,
I saw this car at the AMC nats in Denver last year. The rumor was the owner was going to finish it into a working car instead of the "pusher".
As you can see they even have pantera wheels on it.

I saw the Yellow AMX/3 also in person at a show at Amelia Island FL about 9 years ago. They are a very interesting car for sure.

Which brings me to my next question, are you considering making a billet 17 or 18 inch reproduction of the original AMX/3 wheels?
I read where the car was going to have HRE's on it and was wondering if it was temporary.

The Pantera guys have had billet reproductions for years and they are very popular. That way everybody can run modern rubber but keep the original styling.

The fab looks very cool, keep up the good work!

Tom,
That looks like a hell of an undertaking - always have wanted to build a car from the ground up! Your chassis builder is an artist for sure. Figured that out pretty quick when you said he was involved in the buildup of Big Red! I remember reading about that car & it's showing at the Silver State ORR a few years ago - AWSOME! Keep the pixs of you project coming.

I see now that the "pusher" is actually your car also and is what you used for the molds.

I guess putting it on the street must have meant in a reproduction form.

Keep the pics coming!

Brooke,
Thanks for posting the picture. Yes, the Italian made AMX/3's used a Campagnolo wheel, just a defferent style than the Pantera. That's why I bought those wheels for the Paneta chassis that you saw in Denver. The AMO show was a lot of fun and we got a great parking spot next to Shirley Shayhans "Drag-On-Lady", very cool. People can run whatever wheel they like, but the new chassis has a Chevy bolt pattern now due to the Corvette C4 parts we are using for suspension, steering and brakes. I sold the Pantera chassis and those wheels, it was cool for the show though.
1973UFO,
We are very fortunate to have Dave Ward building our chassis, I will keep the pictures coming.
Thanks for the support guys, your comments keep me motivated and on target.
Tom

I went up to see Dave Ward at Precision Welding yesterday and I am very happy to report that the body was on the chassis for the first time. Dave has done a lot of work on the rear end since I last posted pictures.

As you can see from these recent pictures, Dave Ward has added a more developed front clip, like the rear, it is removable in case of an accident, it can be replaced separately. The halo hoop roll cage above the driver has taken shape, as well as some other more subtle details. Sorry for the delay in posting the chassis update pictures. I know there are those of you, like myself, that have become addicted to seeing this project progress. My good friend Tim Burton who lives near Dave Ward's shop in San Bernadino, was taking pictures of the chassis on a regular basis and e-mailing them to me in San Diego for this website. However, Tim, his wife Shirl and son Cole recently moved to Colorado. Thanks Tim for all the pictures you took, Happy Holidays. So I have not driven up to San Bernadino in a while to take pictures, I have been driving south to Mendeola and Meziere to work on some of the custom parts we need. Thankfully Dave Ward got his digital camera going and e-mailed these pictures today. Dave told me on the phone yesterday that he will be mounting the radiator next, the fuel cell area is completed, it is just not pictured here.

Here is an update on the Mendeola and Meziere custom pieces.

Mike Mendeola now has the correct welding rod for adapting the Porsche 930 Turbo CV bearing assembly into the aluminum C4 Corvette upright, this will allow us to use CV's instead of half shafts, a very important piece to be able to set the chassis on the ground on it's 4 wheels and tires. Mike Mendeola will then make the custom bellhousing, so we know the exact distance between the AMC 390 V-8 engine and SDR 5 speed transaxle. The transaxle mounts are completed on the chassis, but there are no engine mounts until we have the bellhousing.

www.mendeolatransaxles.com
Clearance is very tight between the engine and the rear bulkhead so we will be running a WP127 plate on the front of the engine with two fittings and hoses to a 300 series remote pump off to the side, where there is more room. These electric water pumps flow 55 gpm, so we will have plenty of cooling. The Meziere family will be supplying our starter as well as the water pump.

www.meziere.com

Tom Dulaney
President
Sciabola Inc

Tom,
Thanks for the updates!
I wondered where you had gone. I checked your web site and didn't see any updates there either.
Good to see its moving along.
How soon until the engine and trans are fitted?
Keep up the good work.

quote:

new chassis h

Brooke,
The goal is for me to bring the chassis home by the end of the year, we'll see. There are a couple of custom pieces we need to get it on 4 wheels and then to install the drive train. The first quarter of next year should be pretty interesting, I am planning on taking it to 3 shows, Knott's Berry Farm Kit Car show, West Coast AMC Show at the NHRA Museum at Pamona and the AMO International Show in St. Louis. The last one in St. Louis is the big one for me, in July. It would be great to do donuts in the parking lot with red paint on the body.
Tom

Tom,

> AMO International Show in St. Louis. The last one in St. Louis is the big one for me, in July.

I live in St. Louis. In case you don't have any contacts here, I've got a 40'x56' shop with
two post lift and a large parking area with room for a truck and trailer. If I can be of any
help, let me know.

Dan Jones
1974 Pantera L