PS. Please send 4280/Mark IV help option immediately by urgent priority post . Will guarantee excellent lodgings !!
Thanks for the kind words, and I couldn’t have done it without Wade (4280/Mark IV) as a doer, and a teacher!
Your car looks great!
Rocky
You do great work!
That mod was inspired by one of our AZ Pantera owners who had an electronics fail, and his starter started cranking (without him in it). The car went forward, jumped the curb, and rolled into a wall, stopping forward motion. The starter was still going, slipping the clutch.
He was able to reach in and shut things off instantly.
It was at that time I realized what a valuable mod a battery disconnect could be. I use mine all the time.
Obviously, all the Race Cars have them, so it may even add 5-10 horsepower!
Rocky
Completed my three-point seatbelt upgrade. My stock buckle cover was in the process of disintegrating, and since we have a track day at the end of the month...
I got the FJ-40 Toyota Seat Belt kit. It all went together very smoothly... The main challenge was the retractor mounting on the sill, bending the attachment bracket to a precise 20* angle (so the retractor is vertical), and the fiddly upholstery work to my bulkhead cover.
I think it came out pretty nicely.
The lower mount was made more challenging because my car (5357) didn’t come stock with a bulkhead mounted 3-point belt. If that were the case, this would really be a straightforward install.
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Also worked the carburetor (a 735 CFM Holley 4150).
The carb setup had been dyno’ed, and all the parameters had been optimized for my car.
But it had recently been running rich…. something had changed. It also had a slight bog on acceleration.
I was planning on replacing the power valve, and the accelerator pump diaphragm.
But what I found was that the bowl attachment screws on the primary fuel bowl had worked (slightly) loose. This was allowing fuel to bypass the metering in the metering block, and causing the rich condition.
Happy to get that issue worked out, a no-cost solution!
Rocky
Beautiful!
Another source of annoying noise - FOUND!
I had been struggling with a rattling noise that I was convinced was my shocks / springs losing preload as I went over bumps (because it happened shortly after I first installed them…)
But…. I kept checking them, and they were secure.
Then I found this….
I am pretty sure it’s the culprit, the two halves were loose in the caliper, and I could make them rattle by just touching it….
I’ll let you know (or delete this post) if replacement of the brake pad retained doesn’t solve my noise problem!
Rocky
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Nice! Looks like fun!
Rocky,
Your car is looking great. I'd say the kids are ready for a road trip! What was your process for the lower seat belt mount. I was looking at a floor mount, but I like you solution much better.
Hey Ken – if you scroll up the page, I’ve got my install documented. I used the Cool Cruisers of Texas (Taiwan) Toyota FJ-40 three point harness kit.
The lower mounting point just bolts inside the plate on the rocker.
I drilled through the lower box structure on the rear bulkhead to mount the reel. I put a doubler plate on the back of the box structure.
The CCOT kit comes with all the hardware you need, bolts and brackets. I don’t know if that’s the only place you can find it, but it was very convenient to order.
I think there’s a couple other people here that have used that same kit. Some of the later model cars (‘74s?) that originally had three point belts probably have an easier install.
My ‘73 had the reel inside the rocker, but the non-retractable belt hanging on the bulkhead. My wife always had a terrible time, trying to hook the shoulder belt, and then stab the tongue, while holding all the pieces together…. This is way better than that.
You have to build an angled spacer, or bend the mounting strap, so that the reel is in a vertical position. If not, the reel locks up when you try to pull the belt out.
Good Luck
Chuck
P.S. I think the kit was just shy of $200.
OMG Rocky……. You did everything!!! I am going to ask you a lot of questions if you don’t mind…
what a read….. 👍👍
Panteras are just so effing beautiful!!
Fixed my ignition buzzer today…. Easy.
Read the deets here….
Sent by me!
