[DeTomaso] Re-starting my Pantera Restoration - Again!

audionut at hushmail.com audionut at hushmail.com
Mon Jan 1 18:34:55 EST 2018


Car doesn't know it's crooked?  Seems to me that should make it simple
enough.  Pull the door and modify it so it fits right.  A shop with a
talented guy ought to be able to do it.   May not be cheap but it's
gotta beat tweaking around with the entire body.
 Sent using Hushmail
On 12/31/2017 at 3:27 PM, "Charles Copeland"  wrote:Hey DeTomaso
Listers!
First of all, Happy New Year!
Second, I’m thinking that 2018 should be the year to – once again
– get
serious about restoring our ’72 Pantera that I started restoring
about 20
years ago or so.
Here’s where I really need some help.  The thing that always brings
the
project to a halt is the fact that, due to accident damage under
previous
ownership, the unibody seems to have about ¼ inch larger gap in the
passenger-side door opening and upper passenger side window cavity
compared
to the driver’s side.
Several body/frame shops, as well as at least one of our highly
esteemed
Pantera Parts Vendors, have told me that it’s not worth fixing,
can’t be
fixed, move on and get another car!  
I’m finding it difficult to believe that this problem can’t be
fixed but I
don’t know how and don’t have the requisite skills.  But, from
stripping off
the paint and bondo, it appears that the roof was brazed on at the
bottom of
the front roof pillars and at the top of the rear quarters.  So, I’m
thinking perhaps the alignment of the roof/pillars was just rushed by
the
body shop/backyard mechanic that repaired the car post-accident.
Can you all weigh-in on whether or not this lopsided unibody can be
re-aligned so that the passenger-side door fits correctly and there is
no
gap in the upper passenger-side windshield?  Or should I simply put it
back
together crooked like it was before?  After all it drove great!  I
guess the
car didn’t know it was crooked!
Oh, I should mention, the frame/suspension aligns perfectly – no
issues
there. Just poorly fitting passenger door and windshield.
Thanks,

Charles Copeland
-------------- next part --------------
   Car doesn't know it's crooked?  Seems to me that should make it simple
   enough.



   Pull the door and modify it so it fits right.  A shop with a talented
   guy ought to be able to do it.



   May not be cheap but it's gotta beat tweaking around with the entire
   body.
   Sent using Hushmail
   On 12/31/2017 at 3:27 PM, "Charles Copeland" <cwcopela at 1scom.net>
   wrote:

     Hey DeTomaso Listers!
     First of all, Happy New Year!
     Second, Iam thinking that 2018 should be the year to a once again a
     get
     serious about restoring our a72 Pantera that I started restoring
     about 20
     years ago or so.
     Hereas where I really need some help. The thing that always brings
     the
     project to a halt is the fact that, due to accident damage under
     previous
     ownership, the unibody seems to have about A 1/4 inch larger gap in
     the
     passenger-side door opening and upper passenger side window cavity
     compared
     to the driveras side.
     Several body/frame shops, as well as at least one of our highly
     esteemed
     Pantera Parts Vendors, have told me that itas not worth fixing,
     canat be
     fixed, move on and get another car!
     Iam finding it difficult to believe that this problem canat be fixed
     but I
     donat know how and donat have the requisite skills. But, from
     stripping off
     the paint and bondo, it appears that the roof was brazed on at the
     bottom of
     the front roof pillars and at the top of the rear quarters. So, Iam
     thinking perhaps the alignment of the roof/pillars was just rushed
     by the
     body shop/backyard mechanic that repaired the car post-accident.
     Can you all weigh-in on whether or not this lopsided unibody can be
     re-aligned so that the passenger-side door fits correctly and there
     is no
     gap in the upper passenger-side windshield? Or should I simply put
     it back
     together crooked like it was before? After all it drove great! I
     guess the
     car didnat know it was crooked!
     Oh, I should mention, the frame/suspension aligns perfectly a no
     issues
     there. Just poorly fitting passenger door and windshield.
     Thanks,
     Charles Copeland


More information about the DeTomaso mailing list