Pantera # 5357 - Rocky's 1973 L model

Thanks, guys -

Will keep you posted on the progress. I have come this far - can't give up now!

Rocky

PS> The Texas guys probably have recommendations on rear window gun racks - they just take the ones from their trucks, and cut them down a little!

Pictures from ESTuned Dyno Day.

I ran my car on the dyno here in Tucson. Everyone wanted to see the Pantera!

It was a whole new crowd of people, lots of young kids.

It was a fun time. I didn't put down the massive horsepower (I am running my basically stock, original motor with 100K miles on it), but it was close enough to the advertised numbers to satisfy me... but I need to get my "new motor" back together!

Click Here for The Video of My Pull

I fix my original bumper by installing aluminum piece under and it looked great but body shop left it in the sun and it split edge of bumper. I purchased fiberglass bumper but it was way to small. purchased 2nd one from Steve Wilcoson and it fit great.

quote:

I purchased fiberglass bumper but it was way to small.

I guess I got one from the same batch....

do you think the fiberglass front bumper could be cut and extended to fit better?

I think so, but the logo pocket is in the center. So you have to either cut it in two places, or you have to do the minor fiberglass/bondo/filler work to fill the sides of the hole.

It's just beyond my skill level to chop that thing in half, and then put the pieces back together to make it look right.

Rocky

it might be worth letting a body shop fit it.

I would think two cuts, three pieces of the two bumpers and the center wing. with the two ends fitted, patch the wing back in.

I have daydreamed the center wing being raised about 1" for more nose down force.

David's thread is catching up to me in views, so...

Took the Big Cat up to the top of Mount Lemmon today.

The trees started falling over, and dropping their pine needles as I drove by looking for a parking spot!

I'll be joining you soon with my cat for some cruises.

We are looking forward to that day! You need to update your Avatar to show the new Group 4 look!

Can't wait to see your car on the road!


This One!


It's gonna be awesome!

quote:

Originally posted by PanteraDoug:

I am quite sure that those fiberglass bumpers are manufactured and supplied by Kirk Evans.

I am using one. It IS from Hall Pantera.

Doug,

I do not supply any fiberglass to Hall Pantera or any other vender but Ron McCall. I do supply Pantera Performance but have not sold them bumpers for years.

My bumper is distinctive---it is widened to fit the car and has hard line corners rather that radiuses. The important issues is it fits the car.

Here is one just finished with recessed daytime driving lights mounted. You can see the front outer hard line corners in this picture. The customer did let me knew the one side of the car was crashed and the work was poorly done so they did have some minor fitting but it was not do to the bumper's construction.

Another shot with the lights on. I am building some new mirrors that you can actually see what's behind you, that fit the car properly and will be easy to install. The last attempt to fix the BMW replacement mirrors worked but is way to labor intense to build and finish the new mounts. I will post something on a mirror thread later.

I've worked very hard making sure each part fits the car so if someone thinks they have an AmeriSport part that does not fit, please contact me direct. If it is mine, I'll figure out what the problem is and if it is not mine, I'll do my best to talk you through a procedure that will make the part work.

Took the Big Cat up to the top of Mount Lemmon today.

The trees started falling over, and dropping their pine needles as I drove by looking for a parking spot!

[/QUOTE]

Nice work Rocky, Congratulations!

quote:

...any fiberglass to Hall Pantera or any other vender but Ron McCall

Thanks, Kirk for the follow up.

I may give you a call, I put some energy and $ into the bumper, and would appreciate the help from an expert on the fitting.

Rocky

I bought my bumper around 1985 from Hall. It fits so well and the fiberglass is so nice I presumed that you made them.

quote:

Originally posted by Kirk Evans: Took the Big Cat up to the top of Mount Lemmon today.

The trees started falling over, and dropping their pine needles as I drove by looking for a parking spot!

I did that drive a couple times with a buddy stationed at Davis Monthan AFB. It was 112F in Tucson and 65F when we parked the car to start hiking. You could feel the temp drop by the minute as we circled and switched back up the road.

Best,
Kelly

Kirk,
Are those lights LED? Look fantastic. I'd like someone to something similar to my metal bumpers except incorporate the turn signals.

quote:

Originally posted by Husker:
Kirk,
Are those lights LED? Look fantastic. I'd like someone to something similar to my metal bumpers except incorporate the turn signals.

Jon Hass makes them. It's a nice set up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXDMgswNPps

Daytime driving LEDs plus turn signals. I think you need to make a separate key on wiring change if you want the "driving lights only" to come on.

Actually I was looking for this:

I understand now. When you said steel bumper, I was thinking front early. You are talking late model rear full width bumper, correct? Maybe we should discuss this by phone.

Kirk,
I replaced my early steel bumpers with the built-in turn signals with euro bumpers. Consequently I no longer have front turn signals. I've been researching options and thought this concept for the rear bumpers could be used for the fronts as well.

Getting ready to take my car down for a motor swap.

Here's the new "accoutrement" to top it off...

A Blue Thunder Pantera manifold.

Ports...

that is a "clean" looking manifold!

More Pantera Porn...

It looks better in the flesh! The grooves are really shiny!

Can't wait to see it on the car!

Rocky

Really nice Chuck. I'm jealous.

For those looking for a nice, compact lifting fixture, you can check out my article in the November 2107 (oops! 2017) POCA newsletter.

Here's a picture of it mounted on my engine, ready for the pull.

More pictures of it in action tomorrow in the AM.

Rocky

November 2107 ???

It's an advance copy!

Rocky; Really like that engine lift!

Thanks, Jag -

It worked well on the pull....

Note that the rear clevis hole is not optimal. The balance point is closer to the inner set of intake manifold bolts.

Rocky

The most bizarre thing I have ever seen...

I have had a giant Palo Verde Beetle stuck inside my cooling system for the last year of operation.

We need to figure out what these things are made of, and build our vehicles out of them.

Good thing for the High-Flow Robertshaw thermostats.

This was my "spare motor" and had been sitting in my garage for a while.

Apparently I had not sealed up the Thermostat opening when I pulled this motor and this guy got in.

He couldn't have gotten in through a radiator top-off, so he had to be in there since the motor was installed in ~ June of 2016.

Unbelievable.

Rocky

You must be using the older anti freeze.

If you used the safe, envorimental friendly stuff, he could have crawled out when you removed the housing

I'm looking forward to an evaluation of the Blue Thunder manifold, compared to the previous Edelbrock manifold..

And a report of how the motor performs sans the beetle.

Gives new perspective to the term, "getting out the bugs"?

New motor going onto the dyno for break-in. Should be running on Tuesday.

OBTW: Steve's thread on the Mangusta Rosewood shift knob encouraged me to think about other options than my anodized knob.

Here's a couple of neat options (the black one is ebony wood). The item on the right is a hand made DeTomaso Wine Bottle corker.

Couldn't help but show them off.

Rocky

Engine looks great Chuck...can’t wait for Dino results!

Dyno...damn auto correct!