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I'm 15 looking for a pantera project I could do with my grandpa I really like panteras If any one hears about one for sale please email me at rlarson1999@gmail.com
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Hi Richard -

Good for you, and good luck on your search.

I'm from Ohio, and I got hooked on Panteras when I was about about your age. I couldn't pull it off back then, but I finally did when I got a little older.

I didn't have a Grandfather who was able to help.

You may have a tough time finding something in your price range now, but keep looking, and see if you can hook up with some of the POCA members in the area - you never know what may turn up.

Good luck. PM me, and let me know what part of Ohio you are from.

Rocky
Last edited by rocky
Richard,

Welcome, I envy your dream, many teenagers don't know what they want let alone take action to try to follow it.

As tight as your budget may be in what is a strong market currently, things can turn up or turn around and the bubble burst. It's just that a bunch of self obsessed investors have gotten on board recently and they will constantly talk up their investment.

The best deals come by word of mouth, so you are right to put out lots of feelers. Trawl Craigslist and lesser sites regularly for those elusive barn finds etc. that need to be acted on right away. You might be able to pick up a partial car initially with parts missing that you can build and add to as time and budget allows. Keep steadfast to your dream and keep saving as well and you can make your dream a reality at some point.

Don't listen to the negative comments of the few, they have either forgotten when they were 15 (or perhaps never really were) or all the fumes from cleaners that are required to clean all their investment cars have gone to their head. Scratch that they probably have 'people' for that so they can spend more time on all the forums adding true value Big Grin

Julian
Hi Richard, and welcome to the forum.

When I was a kid, a local guy was importing and selling Panteras. Occasionally I'd spot one growling it's way through our small town. Quite jaw dropping for a country lad back in the '70s, I can assure you. I probably lusted after one for 20+ years before owning one became a reality. But lots of other pursuits got in the way...

I agree that a car in your price range will take lots of searching. During that time, maybe your budget will grow too.

Learn everything you can about Panteras, like the cost/s of various parts and problem areas to beware of when inspecting a car. You'll want to find the best project candidate you can, and knowledge will help with that.

If it's your Grandpa helping, you might consider starting on a lesser car. Grandpas have a troubling way of passing away before us, and you should avail yourself of his presence while you can. If you fix one car, perhaps you can sell it for a profit and put the profit towards the Pantera you want. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to have him help you on a few cars.

A car dealer once observed to me: When you go to buy something, you want three things: You want it cheap, good, and soon. You can have your choice, so long as you settle for two of those. You want a good one now, it's going to cost you. A cheap one now might have some issues. To find a good one cheap you'd better be prepared to wait. But it'll likely be worth the time spent.

Good luck on finding your car and spending time with Grandpa!

Paul
Mark -

I wish you could soften your delivery, not your message.

Your advice on looking at Mustangs is good advice.

You don't want to get a young kid thinking that Pantera owners can be condescending jerks.... That reputation is reserved for Ferrari owners... Wait - don't you have a Testarossa?

Sympathy


Rocky
Last edited by rocky
The problem Mark, IMO, is YOU seem to rub EVERYONE the wrong way! Not by your points (which are mostly valid and well thought out). It is they way you choose to get your message across. You call it not sugar coating, I call it not being an a$$hole...

There is a reason you get negative comments on most of your posts. Quit trying to show how intelligence you are and focus on getting the message across without being condescending.

Nevermind, you won't take the intent of the message to heart.
There isn't anything wrong with wanting to buy a car whether it is a project level or otherwise.

That's how I got mine.

The cost of course is going to be what you can negotiate the actual purchase price for.

At this point no one really knows what a realistic "buy in price" is.

The way it is done is looking at an advertised car and making an offer on it.

That is the way it has always been done, and how it always will be done.

I wish you best of luck on your purchase whenever and wherever it happens. It will.

Don't be to concerned with the hissy fits that this group gets into. It happens all too often. They eventually will get over it...or should anyway. They are all mature adults right? Wink
It's time George steps in and sets things straigth.

The tone on this forum has been getting more and more hostile to a point where other members stop contributing - some even turning away from the forum permanently. WHAT a shame. Too many post, in my view, are "posts for posting" not adding real value to the fading community.

Why not keep it to facts. Richard asked for help finding a project not reasons not to find a project. WHO knows what his resources are? Budget may be unrealistic but hey, his grandpa may be Donald Trump !! Not really our business.

Those Projects are out there, you may not find them on ebay though - an example is my recent GTS/Gr4 project you'll find in the specific car forum - that project was a sub-$8000 find.

BTW, I haven't posted on that thread for a while - Just saying!!
quote:
Originally posted by Push1267: The tone on this forum has been getting more and more hostile to a point where other members stop contributing - some even turning away from the forum permanently. WHAT a shame. Too many post, in my view, are "posts for posting" not adding real value to the fading community.


I couldn’t agree more. My forum membership predates George. I’ve met and made a lot of valued friends. Some I’ve had the pleasuring meeting and some not. Unfortunately, many of them don’t post here any longer and it’s always the same reason. The forum has been taken over by a couple of individuals that seem to have nothing better to do than overwhelm the forum with posting volume of the nature that adds little value and worse yet discourages participation by longtime members and new members from joining. I know of late I’ve lost interest as every time I tune in these days the threads are plugged up with same nonsense and vitriol….and the sources of the troll behavior are always the same.

quote:
Originally posted by 1Rocketship: I'll present you will a challenge... You STATED..."There is a reason you get negative comments on most of your posts".
I have 749 posts..."most"( more than 50%) as you claim would be 375 negative comments!!!
FIND JUST 100 Negative comments & I will leave Pantera International permanently!!!
DON'T find 100 negative comments & you leave permanently!!!
Are you going to stand behind YOUR accusation or run & hide???!!!...Mark


As opposed to challenging the forum member(s) to cull through 749 posts, I’d suggest a far better use of their time would be to simply send one short PM to George expressing their view on whether the forum would be a better place with or without you……

K
quote:
Originally posted by Marlin Jack:
...To 'Richard99' and ONLY to Richard!!

I once read, "How do You expect Your Dream to come True, when You Don't even have a Dream?"
I admire You! You have your whole life ahead of you and you wish to build your own Pantera with your Grandfathers' help. IMO, The Most Bad-Assed Machine to Ever Roll on the Face of this Earth.
Try to spend as much time with Him as possible, believe Me, they're gone in an Eyeblink!
All I can add in advise, to a young teenager is, 'invent' an income. There is Always a Way!
Work Your Behind Off and Save, Save, Save! And Keep Searching!
You can have anything in this world, You Want!
You just Have to Want IT 'Bad Enough'! The day WILL COME, when You'll be in The Right Place, At the Right Time, with the Money.
I had a Dream Once, I was in a Combat Zone...Now I've been Driving It since 2001!

Keep the Dream, Good-Luck, and say Hi! to Your Grandfather for Me! 'He Knows Stuff'!

Marlin
A 63 year old Vietnam Veteran


AMEN Marlin!
I will admit I wrote to George a month or so back expressing 'concern' over the way I saw the forum was heading. I know of at least one other person who did similar as they contacted me after conversing with George.

I'm aware of one person in the last week who told me they no longer visit PI, specifically citing "1Rocketship" as the reason. A second I was searching for a post from, that person had left completely, all prior posts deleted. I do not know if that happens when one resigns or whether that individual felt it necessary to delete his record to disassociate with the forum. Either way it is a shame if true historical technical content is deleted.

Another factor is Employers will search out prospective employees on social media etc. so for some posting or being associated with other than technical discussion is something they are wary of. I admit it's tough to ignore some of the tirades, but I try to do so in an effort to not become part of the problem..... I don't always succeed. It is clear however to many that something needs to change. If as stated earlier we are all adults (notwithstanding poor Richard, who is probably more mature than some adults here!) then the guilty parties should be able to recognize the number of people speaking up, and thus take action to change and no further input would be required by George.

I would also respectfully request George try to separate this thread from Richard's original post/request. If I were him I think I'd already be looking for a different project, not because of the funding, simply reading the thread would have been enough!

Respectfully,
Julian
My grandpa and I have rebuilt a 1962 Chevy c10 straight six. my dads boat has a 351 Cleveland on it and we have done work on that. my grandpa has a lot of experience with engines he used to build British race bikes and he's got a shop with all the tools we would need. Thank you guys for the advice
Richard,
Dreams come true!
When I was a boy 12 years old (and way before that) my parents would load us all in the back of the wagon and drive 714 miles to Detroit to see my grandmother.
(what are seat belts, when your in the "way back" of the wagon ... but I digress.)

My uncle ran the paint shop for a Lincon Mercury dealer. He would take me to work every year to give me something to do, I would hang around the show room that year he had a Pantera on the floor, people everywhere, he had a guy fire the car up on the floor I fell in love. I could barely see over the roof, sat in the seat and grinned ear to ear.
Zoom forward and low and behold there is one in my garage now... never give up. maybe when I am 77 years old and can't get in and out of the car anymore ... and you are 35... look me up!

ps Welcome!!! There are a lot of good people here.
Hey Richard....go for it! I did a '73 vette with my dad when I was 15. Of course we didn't have anywhere near enough money to do it. But we had time. Took four years and a shoestring budget. I still have the car today (35 years later....) and all the memories.

Going to start on a Factory Five type 65 coupe with my son next year when he is 13....and no I don't have enough money to do it either. But he can't drive it (legally Wink ) for a few years anyway....we've got time.

The journey is what is important...
My dream of owning a Pantera started 34 years ago, when I was 14. I swore I'd own one someday.

I saved for close to 5 years, went through a few other toys (Porsche race car, hopped up turbo Subaru BRZ, nice newer twin turbo BMW) but in the end I sold off what I had and finally went for it and bought my dream car.

Unfortunately, in my case, certain circumstances made it not my "dream" car, but it IS a bada$$ 600-plus HP sweet Pantera that I own, and will have back on the road in a week or so (as soon as I get my new throttle cable).

Stick to your dream. It doesn't have to start with a Pantera, because you're going to have to save quite a bit to find a decent example that doesn't need a lot of work or money.

I'm 48, just had open heart surgery, which had a large affect on my perspective about life, and my dreams are what drive me in life. When I wake up, I'm thankful every day I wake up at all, then I remember I own my dream car, life is good.

If you're dead set on a Pantera, save save save your money. IMO better to buy one that's already been gone through, or in good condition, than pay less for a project, for a number of reasons.

Projects often never get finished (1) Projects always cost way more than you think (2) Projects can discourage you and force you to give up (3).

I thought I was buying a solid car when I bought mine, but it ended up having a lot of issues that happened before I bought the car, and I was told many things about the car that weren't true, so I got stuck with a nice car, but I've been doing nothing but work on it, fixing the things I was told were "new, fresh, or in good condition" so also be careful when it comes to buying one.

Research it's history, have an INDEPENDANT shop do a PPI (pre-purchase-Inspection-it's worth the couple hundred bucks if you're serious about a certain car), a big mistake I didn't make that I'm paying or now.

Even if you build some other cars with your gramps, you'll gain experience, save yor money, and get a good, solid Pantera with a known history when you are able.

Just like you, my dream of owning a P-car started when I was 14, but I had no help, so I had to wait til I was 47 and had the money to finally go out and get one.

Panteras are amazing cars. Total PITA's to work on, but there's only one or 2 other cars I'd love to own more, and they are WAY out of my reach finacially.

Stick with your dream, I wish you luck.
Assuming your desire is genuine Richard, and this is not some cheap appeal to emotion type play to find a Pantera for your father/grandfather to flip, I will tell you, you are in for a long haul. Prices have increased quite a bit, even for projects.

Leave the sob story out of your profile, search craigslist at the national level, and join the discussion for more than a few weeks, and you'll be better received by even the most condescending of individuals which in reality is a rare breed here.

Being a younger owner of any classic car, you will deal with condescending people regardless. 6 years ago I finally got my pantera at 30 and I still get the "what are you doing with that car?" type condescending remarks when I run into people that find out I am an owner of one. In person though 99% of the owners have always been very supportive and I have met some great people with this car and very like minded individuals.

Good luck in your hunt.
I guess my question would be if you find a Pantera Chassis

That needs quite a bit of work
With no engine
but does have the ZF and other main components
Is it really out of range?

If you are doing the work yourself, sure things will cost but it takes time to build too. The more manual work it needs and the more time you put in it, the more you can spring for a few more things here and there.

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