533 c.i. Big Block Ford Pantera

 

A brief word about the Pantera

Ford Motor Company under the direction of Henry Ford II(Grandson of Henry Ford) . and the ever capable Carrol Shelby. won the 24 hours of Lemans four years in a row from 1966 to 1969 with their GT40 Supercar.

After winning four years in a row . and handing Ferrari it's ass on a platter. Henry Ford II made overt motions to Enzo Ferrari to purchase Ferrari and bring it under the wing of Ford. Enzo was very incensed. and told Ford II that the company was not for sale at any price. So.

Henry Ford II. went looking to purchase an Italian coachbuilder. which he found in Detomaso S. P. A. in Modena. Italy. He also acquired the Ghia studios. and the Pantera was born. The bullet proof 351 Cleveland V8 engine from the Mustang was chosen. and the German ZF five speed transaxle from Ford's GT40 race car was employed to stir the gears.

The Pantera was sold through Ford dealerships in the US beginning in 1971. The initial MSRP was slightly over $10. 00. though most dealers were selling them for around $14. 00. This was about $6. 00 less than a Ferrari at the time (in 1971 a new Daytona was about $20k). and the Pantera was noticeably faster. Stock zero to sixty time in 1971 was 5. 5 seconds. top speed 175 mph (Road and Track 8/71).

Less than 2300 Panteras were sold during their US importation of model years 1971 through 1974. After Ralph Nader lobbied congress regarding bumper laws. importation . and modification for the US market would prove to be too impractical for the US market. Detomaso continued to sell the Pantera to other markets in the world until 1996 on a custom order basis. This is truly an exotic and scarce automobile.  

This car was secured in 2000 and has had its original 351 Cleveland placed in temporary storage while a bored and stroked Big Block Ford occupy the engine bay.   This 533 c. i. engine has more than enough torque to make this car an absolute thrill to drive.   This along with several other subtle upgrades keeps the Pantera's claim of being one of the ‘most modified production cars' ever made.

This Car's History & Specs:

1973 DeTomaso Pantera  Vin# THPNNR05796  with 60. 00 original miles.   Third owner.   Did an engine rebuild and suspension upgrade in 2003 and then an 18 month extensive restoration starting in 2008.   Less than 1000 miles since restoration.   Car is being sold with a 533 c. i. (8. 7 liter Big Block Ford) . done up with the Byars Brothers – California style conversion with 180 degree headers. This car was featured in the 2008 No. 3 POCA Profiles magazine in the Fall of 2008.   Has won over 75 awards in local events.   Modifications and upgrades are numerous.   The original numbers matching 351 Cleveland is also available for sale.

Below is a list of Modifications. refinements. reengineered systems and tasteful improvements made in the 14 years I've owned it.

 

Block:  

1975 Ford 460 Block w/ 10. 322” Deck height. #D1VE-6015-A2B Bored:   . 080” from 4. 360” to 4. 440” Block decked from 10. 322” to 10. 302” (-. 020”) Scat Stroker Crank 4. 300” (from stock 3. 850”) Internally balanced with Mallory metal 4340 Forged Eagle 6. 800” ‘H' Beam Rods Compression Ratio = 10. 0:1 at Zero deck Balanced JE (#170880) Hypereutectic Flat-Top Pistons (588 grams ea. ) w/ 22 cc valve relief.   Set-up w/ . 004” sidewall clearance. Compression Distance is 1. 350”

Intake:

·         Ford Motorsports M-9424-G429 Victor Jr. (Same as 460 & 514 Ford SVO Crate engines)

Heads:

·     Ford Motorsports Super Cobra Jet – ‘Jon Kaase' designed

·         Aluminum Cylinder Heads M-6049-SCJA

·         2. 20” Intake. 290 cc runner. flows 330 cfm

·     1. 76” Exhaust. 148 cc runner. flows 225 cfm

·     72cc combustion chamber

·     Autolite #3910 Racing Spark Plugs

 

Cam:

·         Lunati VooDoo  – Hydraulic grind #61601LK

·   Intake - . 535” lift. 256o adv. Duration. 213o@ . 050” lift. 112o lobe center

·         Exhaust - . 535” lift. 262o adv. Duration. 219o@ . 050” lift. span >  114o lobe center

Valvetrain:

·   1. 73:1 CNC T6061 Aluminum Roller Rollers

·   Ford Racing Pushrods P/N M-6565-P460

·   Length - 8. 800” Intake & 9. 150” Exhaust

 

Carburetion / Fuel:

·EZ EFI electronic fuel injection

·EZ EFI variable pressure fuel pump

Transmission:

·         Original ZF case #7710. R&P #5819. completely rebuilt and polished by Dennis Quella. Castle Rock. CO. (2011)

·         New steel synchros. new 2nd gear cluster. new overdriven 5th gear (. 620  in place of stock . 704)

·         Powdercoated end and side plates. added top-side fill plug.

·         New CV-style output flanges to accept CV joint style half-shafts.

Half-shafts:

·         Custom made 22mm HD CV Axles with Aero-style (shielded) inner boots and conventional Bellows style outer boots.

·         Adapter plates used on outside axle flanges to convert 6 bolt CV to 4 bolt U-joint mounting pattern. Easily convertible to round style outer axle flanges in the future.

Flywheel:

·         Custom Aluminum flywheel with steel insert.

·   Machined to accept BBF crank hub.  

·   Zero balance.    From:  Precision Pro-formance. span >  Brea. CA.

 

Clutch:

·   Dual-Disc Centerforce Clutch with Kevlar compound.   Good for 750 HP from Precision Pro-formance (Brea. CA. )

·   Hydraulic Throw Out Bearing replaces hydraulic slave and fork

 

Exhaust:    

·   Custom fabricated 180o headers with (4 into 1) 3-1/2” collectors with  Jet-Hot ceramic coating.

·   Welded flow-thru in-line low restriction mufflers

·   Custom fabricated Double wall Polished Stainless Steel GT-40 center exit exhaust tips

·   Custom made center exhaust tip bezel/grille replacing the original Air Conditioning condenser grille

·   Custom fabricated rear exhaust muffler to ZF transmission mount. displaying the 8. 7Liter displacement.

Ignition:

·         Ford Duraspark MSD magnetic pick-up style distributor with small (Canadian) cap & rotor and vacuum advance.

·       MSD #3134 8mm Ignition wires w/ MSD-6AL unit with rev-limiter chip. or Ford Duraspark OEM module box. (Either can be used as a back-up with simple jumper wire changes)

Starter:      

·     Powermaster #9504 starter with #604 11 tooth pinion. Modified case for clearance and pinion engagement.

·      Initial advance 18o BTDC. with mechanical advance = 36o (all in by 2500rpm)

 

Alternator:

·     Rewired GM 10-SI alternator w/ internal regulator or Alterstart  Load Boss 135amp GM style One-wire Alternator. Alternator indicator dash light is disabled with one wire alternators.

Cooling:     

·   Custom fabricated & Polished Aluminum 2-pass radiator from Wizard Cooling (Orchard Park. NY) 

·   Custom Laser cut Polished radiator shroud with twin SPAL sucker fans (1630 cfm each)

·   High Temperature premolded silicone radiator hose throughout (Blue)

·   Gates Green-Stripe commercial radiator hose used in straight connections. (9 year life expectancy)

·   Aluminum water pump had its inlet cut and rewelded at a backwards angle to allow plumbing to under floor pan coolant tube from front radiator.

·   Custom billet aluminum overflow tank mount

·   Custom fabricated thermostat outlet hardline to swirl tank.

 

Custom Parts:

·         Billet Aluminum Adapter Plate to adapt BBF Engine to ZF Bellhousing

·     Alternator brackets

·     Starter shims

·     Motor mounts               

·     Transmission mounts

·     Removable Crossmember

·     Custom made Engine dipstick

 

Shock Absorbers:

  Aldan – Eagle Double Adjustable. Nitrogen charged Coil-over billet aluminum shocks.

·     P/N #758 HP Front. 15. 5” extended. 11. 7” compressed. 3. 8” travel. 12” coil length. 350 lb. rating. Red/Yellow – code

·     P/N #755 Rear. 15. 4” extended. 11. 5” compressed. 3. 9” travel. 10” coil length. 650 lb. rating. Blue/White/Yellow – code (w/ Cleveland). span >  or  750 lb. rating. Blue/White/Green – code (w/ Big Block)

 

Sway Bars:

·           Front – Chrome . 875” O. D. solid with nylon ‘sphere-ball' A-arm mounts & Poly body mount bushings.

·           Rear – Chrome 1. 00” O. D. solid with nylon ‘sphere-ball' A-arm mounts & Poly body mount bushings.

 

Tires:

·         P335/35ZR-17 Kuhmo ECSTA V700 (new 05/12) on Pantera East (Marino Perna) 17” x 11” Billet Aluminum Campagnolo clones.

·         P245/45ZR-16 Bridgestone Front Tires on Pantera East (Marino Perna) 16” x 9” Billet Aluminum Campagnolo clones.

 

Electrical: 

·         Rick Moseley Relay kit to divorce headlight and cooling  fan loads from ignition switch.

·         Pantera Electronics ATO style fuse block to replace OEM Lucas barrel type fuse block.

·         Custom MSD panel hoses MSD 6A unit. Tach Adapter and terminal strip inside Right Rear wheel well behind right door sill and door jam.

·         Replaced external voltage regulator and Stock Ford Alternator with 10SI GM style. internally regulated alternator.   Can install Load Boss 135A one wire alternator if needed.

·         Replaced OEM fan relays with dual 30A relays

 

  Exterior Mods: 

·         Aircraft style locking gas cap – Dennis Quella – Pantera Performance.

·         Halogen Quad Eye Headlight kit from Kirk Evans @Amerisport Industries  - eliminates the ‘Frog Eye' Effect.

·         Custom fabricated engine cover

·         Updated door window ‘wipes'

·         Rear exiting Dual 4” exhaust tips w/ 180o ‘Den of Snakes' exhaust headers

·         Rear bumper remounted 1” closer to body than stock

·         Welded up dealer installed antenna hole in LF fender and added roof antenna above rear view mirror area.

 

Interior Mods: 

·         Custom laser cut and chrome-plated Seatbelt Harness Mount

·         LED indicator lights for cooling fan operation

·         Custom ‘Push-Button' Starter console installed in OEM ash tray slot.

·         Custom Padded Dash cover with Pantera Script

 

Front Trunk Mods: 

·         Logo Embroidered front trunk carpet

·         Dry-cell Optima battery

·         Late Model GT5-S brake booster and Step-bore Master cylinder

·         New Hydraulic clutch master cylinder

 

  Tub Area Mods: 

·         Right side tub notched to accommodate #4 header bolt

·         Thermo-Tec Aluminum Panel heat shields on each tub area by 180o headers

·         Custom made Polished aluminum firewall and Gas Tank shield with Thermo-Tec heat insulation.

·         Firewall notched to accommodate larger BBF water pump clearance and Ford Duraspark vacuum advance diaphragm

·         3rd brake light wiring conduit made out of brake line

·         Entire rear wiring harness had been hidden from sight underneath wheel wells and between body panels. (right side)

·         Rerouted windshield washer tubing and pump electrical wiring.

 

Steering: 

·         Replaced Tie Rod ends with factory correct units.

·         Alignment by John of Marko Wheel. Rochester. NY

·         Added Positive caster to original caster deficient geometry by milling material off rear side of upper ball joint mount and shimming the front side. (3-3. 5 degrees)

 

Parts for 351 Cleveland format: 

·         Stock motor mounts

·         Stock ZF side brackets

·         450 lb. springs for rear coil-over shocks

·         Original AC Condenser Grille

·         AC Compressor. condenser. original condenser grille

·         Original headers with JetHot ceramic coating

·         Original ANSA exhaust mufflers with JetHot ceramic coating

·         Original Campagnolo tires and rims            

 

Terms And Conditions

 

Questions: Please feel free to contact me directly at any time with any questions you may have.

Odometer Readings: Due to demo test drives and mechanical inspections. the mileage of the vehicle represented might be slightly different than the mileage stated when the vehicle was first listed on eBay.

Bidding: Your bid constitutes a legally binding contract to purchase this vehicle. Please do not bid if you're not seriously interested or financially able to purchase this vehicle. Please read eBay's "User Agreement".

Bidder's Age: You must be 18 years of age or older to bid.

Financing: Not being able to arrange financing does not constitute a valid reason for deposit refund. So. be sure financing is in order or approved before placing a deposit on any car.

Warranty: Unless stated otherwise. this vehicle is being sold "as is". Manufacturer's warranties do not apply. No representations or warranties are made by the "Seller". nor are any representations or warranties relied upon by "Bidders" in making bids.

Payments: A deposit of  $500. 00 by Paypal must be paid within 24 hours of the close of the Auction.  The remaining balance must be paid within 7 days.

Taxes and Fees: "Buyer" is responsible for all taxes and licensing fees in their respective home state.

Title Information: I have clean title in hand. There is no delay in title transfer like in some other states.


Finalizing Your Purchase: Winning bidder MUST communicate with me by e-mail or phone within 24 hours of the end of the auction to make arrangements to complete the transaction. If we cannot confirm your intention to buy or the sale is not completed within 7 days. I reserve the right to re-list this vehicle or sell to any other qualified buyer.

Shipping and Delivery: All shipping charges are the "Buyer's" responsibility. I will help with shipping arrangements if need be. but will not be responsible in any way for claims arising from shipping damage!

Online Bidders are entering into a legal and binding contract to purchase the vehicle described above. If you do not intend to purchase this item. DO NOT BID!

I reserve the right to cancel bids at anytime for any  reason.

Want to buy this car?