[DeTomaso] A thanks very much to the Pantera community as a whole

[Kirby Schrader]

A story….

Since Dylan won’t tell it, I will. It could be a really long story… all six years of it, but here’s the condensed version.
:-)

Once upon a time, I had a Group 4 body… I planned to create a race car out of it at some point once I got back from Brunei.
A certain individual convinced me to not spend money on doing that, but rather, get a Superformance GT40.
OK, so I did. Took delivery of it in 2007.

I was ready to sell the Group 4. I had bought it from Keith Verges way back in 2002 or so….
First big favor was that Dave Bell and Fred Hall drove up to Dallas and picked up the car and refused any refund at all. All while I was in Brunei.

The car sat in Tom Upton’s old facility for a long time… in fact, I had two Pantera bodies there. Then Tom sold the place and I had to move them. Gray Gregory kindly allowed me to store both cars at his ranch. Little did I know that in the future he would become my son in law! But that’s another story.

One year in Brunei, said they. One year turned into five and eventually I got back to the USA in 2007. The stock body was gone. Another big favor happened….
The Space City guys stripped it bare and parts stored while the body was swapped to Kirk Evans for some new Pantera goodies.

Ready to sell the Group 4, my son, Dylan, said ‘No, Dad! I want a Pantera and I want that one!’
OK, I’ll give you the body, said I, but the rest is yours. I’ll help, but I need more than enthusiasm. This will take work!
And lots of $$$$.
All the parts off the other body are available. Early body parts, later body.
This became a real challenge.

So, we went to Gray’s, picked up the body and trailered it home. While loading, Gray commented on what a crappy state the body was in and Dylan exclaimed, ‘It’s a diamond in the rough!’ Gray said, ‘Yeah, I see the rough alright….’.

So, off we went home. This was in 2008. One the way home, a guy pulled up beside us and said, ‘Hey, that’s a Pantera! Whatcha’ gonna’ do with it?’ Dylan replied, ‘Fix it up!’
Good luck, was the reply…. and he drove off.

The body looked like this when we got it back to my new garage, which wasn’t even finished yet..


Keep in mind that the body had been stripped for racing and had a roll cage in it. Dylan insisted on keeping the roll cage, but over the years of building the car, various parts of the cage kinda’ disappeared….
Try taking a stripped body from race to street… Ain’t much fun.
Even I learned things about a Pantera during the saga.

Fast forward. Fun Rally in Houston coming. Our goal? Have three Panteras there. We made it, but damn… the stress was tremendous. There were times that I didn’t even want to go to the garage… But in the end, the red race car got a new engine with Webers, my silver car was running well enough to get there via Mike Trusty and his friend and yep… Dylan managed to drive his there, too! It wasn’t finished, but it got there under it’s own power.
If you happened to be there on Friday night, all three of our cars were present while Taphorn and Tjaarda walked the display.

In the end, many thanks go out to the Pantera community at large. Donations at the Reno Fun Rally got Dylan a new Pantera Performance radiator. People found old consoles and sold them to Dylan at a decent price. Other parts came… just had to ask and the community responded.
Space City guys donated half shafts, carburetor, valve covers, etc. etc.

Good old Dad donated a 377 Cleveland and we rebuilt it. Long story there….

Suffice it to say, Dylan had his first drive documented here.
http://www.spacecitypanteras.com/Movies/IMG_0361.m4v

But the best part, to me, was last Sunday. He put the passenger seat in, put the new tags on it and said… I’m going to take it for a spin and get a sandwich for us.
He got back, parked it and got out of the car almost in tears… Oh, no… I thought. 
What’s wrong now?

Dad! Nothing!
The stress is gone! It’s great.
Dad, I’m almost in tears thinking about it.

It’s fast! It’s smooth! The A/C works! The brakes work! People look at me.
It’s a bad ass looking car!

Yup.
And son, you can tell people YOU built that car out of nothing.
Well, Dad helped a little bit...

Gotta’ love it.
The next generation of Pantera owners is here.

FWIW,
Kirby
 
 
-------------- next part --------------
   A story....

   Since Dylan won't tell it, I will. It could be a really long story...
   all six years of it, but here's the condensed version.

   :-)

   Once upon a time, I had a Group 4 body... I planned to create a race
   car out of it at some point once I got back from Brunei.

   A certain individual convinced me to not spend money on doing that, but
   rather, get a Superformance GT40.

   OK, so I did. Took delivery of it in 2007.

   I was ready to sell the Group 4. I had bought it from Keith Verges way
   back in 2002 or so....

   First big favor was that Dave Bell and Fred Hall drove up to Dallas and
   picked up the car and refused any refund at all. All while I was in
   Brunei.

   The car sat in Tom Upton's old facility for a long time... in fact, I
   had two Pantera bodies there. Then Tom sold the place and I had to move
   them. Gray Gregory kindly allowed me to store both cars at his ranch.
   Little did I know that in the future he would become my son in law! But
   that's another story.

   One year in Brunei, said they. One year turned into five and eventually
   I got back to the USA in 2007. The stock body was gone. Another big
   favor happened....

   The Space City guys stripped it bare and parts stored while the body
   was swapped to Kirk Evans for some new Pantera goodies.

   Ready to sell the Group 4, my son, Dylan, said `No, Dad! I want a
   Pantera and I want that one!'

   OK, I'll give you the body, said I, but the rest is yours. I'll help,
   but I need more than enthusiasm. This will take work!

   And lots of $$$$.

   All the parts off the other body are available. Early body parts, later
   body.

   This became a real challenge.

   So, we went to Gray's, picked up the body and trailered it home. While
   loading, Gray commented on what a crappy state the body was in and
   Dylan exclaimed, `It's a diamond in the rough!' Gray said, `Yeah, I see
   the rough alright....'.

   So, off we went home. This was in 2008. One the way home, a guy pulled
   up beside us and said, `Hey, that's a Pantera! Whatcha' gonna' do with
   it?' Dylan replied, `Fix it up!'

   Good luck, was the reply.... and he drove off.

   The body looked like this when we got it back to my new garage, which
   wasn't even finished yet..

   [cid:5A629514-D82C-443A-8C57-FFC5D70C4BDD at attlocal.net]

   Keep in mind that the body had been stripped for racing and had a roll
   cage in it. Dylan insisted on keeping the roll cage, but over the years
   of building the car, various parts of the cage kinda' disappeared....

   Try taking a stripped body from race to street... Ain't much fun.

   Even I learned things about a Pantera during the saga.

   Fast forward. Fun Rally in Houston coming. Our goal? Have three
   Panteras there. We made it, but damn... the stress was tremendous.
   There were times that I didn't even want to go to the garage... But in
   the end, the red race car got a new engine with Webers, my silver car
   was running well enough to get there via Mike Trusty and his friend and
   yep... Dylan managed to drive his there, too! It wasn't finished, but
   it got there under it's own power.

   If you happened to be there on Friday night, all three of our cars were
   present while Taphorn and Tjaarda walked the display.

   In the end, many thanks go out to the Pantera community at large.
   Donations at the Reno Fun Rally got Dylan a new Pantera Performance
   radiator. People found old consoles and sold them to Dylan at a decent
   price. Other parts came... just had to ask and the community responded.

   Space City guys donated half shafts, carburetor, valve covers, etc.
   etc.

   Good old Dad donated a 377 Cleveland and we rebuilt it. Long story
   there....

   Suffice it to say, Dylan had his first drive documented here.

   [1]http://www.spacecitypanteras.com/Movies/IMG_0361.m4v

   But the best part, to me, was last Sunday. He put the passenger seat
   in, put the new tags on it and said... I'm going to take it for a spin
   and get a sandwich for us.

   He got back, parked it and got out of the car almost in tears... Oh,
   no... I thought.

   What's wrong now?

   Dad! Nothing!

   The stress is gone! It's great.

   Dad, I'm almost in tears thinking about it.

   It's fast! It's smooth! The A/C works! The brakes work! People look at
   me.

   It's a bad ass looking car!

   Yup.

   And son, you can tell people YOU built that car out of nothing.

   Well, Dad helped a little bit...

   Gotta' love it.

   The next generation of Pantera owners is here.

   FWIW,

   Kirby

References

   1. http://www.spacecitypanteras.com/Movies/IMG_0361.m4v
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