Hello i currently have a 73 pantera and want to remove the non working vents or Louvers behind the rear windows for repaint currently a satin type black on a red car.Can't figure out how to remove them without bending or possible breaking them.Probably a simple task.
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They have studs. Don't recall how many. BTW we refer to them as gills. Simple depending on corrosion.
I’m not sure I can agree removing the gills is a “simple” task.
There are studs, five or seven?? and mine have U-shaped standoffs and wing nuts. Yours may be different.
to access the studs, you will need to raise the rear of your car and place it on jackstands, remove both rear wheels, remove both splash shields, and then you will have access.
Simple…. 😉
Larry
The gills in later Panteras do not have threaded studs. They have posts that push into plastic grommets. The grommets have become hardened over the decades and gills can be difficult to extract. The gills, posts, or the paint and sheet metal could be damaged if forced. You can see if you have grommets from the back side of the wheel well. If you have them the gills will need to be pried off carefully. Maybe use a heat gun to soften the grommets.
Once the gills have been removed they will likely push on and off much more readily.
@stevebuchanan posted:The gills in later Panteras do not have threaded studs. They have posts that push into plastic grommets. The grommets have become hardened over the decades and gills can be difficult to extract. The gills, posts, or the paint and sheet metal could be damaged if forced. You can see if you have grommets from the back side of the wheel well. If you have them the gills will need to be pried off carefully. Maybe use a heat gun to soften the grommets.
Once the gills have been removed they will likely push on and off much more readily.
This is something that I was not aware of. I'm preparing my car for paint and would consider switching it from threaded studs to the push in studs with grommets.
That is contingent upon it being a simple thing of just adding the grommets?
I don't see the grommets listed over at Wilkinson's. I haven't checked with Hall yet.
Can anyone here add to the information that I need to do this conversion?
From what I see from the pictures posted, the grommets resemble those used on the windshield wiper grills in the front?
Those I can confirm are hard "plastic" and require a very accurate and firm application of force to install.
I think Wilkinson said the grommets for the wiper vents and gills are the same and I am pretty sure he has them. Take a close look at the back of my gills. The posts are different than threaded studs. You would have to extract your studs and replace them with posts.
Marlin, my car in the pictures is also a 74 and is #6973, a fairly high number. It is originally from Europe but I don't think that makes any difference in this case. What number is your car?
