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Last Updated 04/17/07 |
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12-Steps to Pantera Ownership
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by Garth Rodericks
1. Join your local Pantera Owners Club and POCA (http://www.panteraclub.com/). Get to know other Pantera owners in your area. They will prove to be invaluable resources to answer questions, point out what to look for or avoid by showing you their cars, and they may know of cars available that have not yet been advertised. They will also serve as an excellent sounding board for your price expectations - they'll help you determine if you (or a seller) is "a dreamer," or if a car sounds like a good value. They may even volunteer to go and help you "check-out" a car!
2. Get to know other Pantera club members and their cars!
3. Learn everything you can about the cars - models, differences, upgrades, corrosion, availability and cost of various parts and upgrades you may need.
4. Thoroughly read Mike Dailey's "Pantera Place" website (http://www.panteraplace.com/), which is an excellent starting point to begin your Pantera education. Then, follow the links to any other Pantera websites (both vendors and owners) and use a search engine (i.e. Google) to look for any other owner or vendor sites to continue your education.
5. Regularly check any website advertising Panteras for sale (eBay too - but NEVER bid without actually inspecting a car, or having it inspected by a trusted club member or "expert"). And NEVER buy a car you have not personally seen. I was always amazed at how different my definition of "like new" was from those who told me a car was "like new." Caveat emptor!
6. See as many cars as you can - make appointments to inspect any and all cars within your price and geographic range (a $100-$200 round-trip plane ticket to inspect a car is cheap compared to the investment you're planning to make). My search ranged from Sacramento to San Diego, and included trips to Las Vegas, NV and Phoenix, AZ. I also planned flights to Seattle, Ohio and Chicago, but they proved unnecessary.
7. Follow-up all leads that appear on the Pantera International bulletin board, and let people know what you're looking for. I found a 71 for sale that was not yet advertised merely by telling a friend behind the Parts Counter at my local Ford dealership that I was looking for a Pantera. He knew of someone who had owned one for 19 years and was planning to sell.
8. Visit PI Motorsports in Orange, CA. They probably have the single largest collection of Panteras for sale under one roof anywhere in the nation. It's extremely valuable to compare them side-by-side, especially if one or two appear to be what you're looking for, and you go for a drive.
9. Determine what you want in terms of model, colors, level of upgrades, etc. Also, know what your budget is, realistically. A $20,000 car on eBay may appear to be a great deal, but it may also need another $20,000 worth of repairs and upgrades. Often, a car with modest upgrades can be had for less than it would cost to perform the same upgrades to an original car. However, buying an original car, or a "fixer," allows you to make modifications and upgrades as time and money permit. Know what you want, AND what you're getting into.
10. And remember: There will always be another car. Don't get swept away when looking at a car thinking that a certain car is the "perfect" or "only" car for you. There will always be another one, it just takes time. And perseverance.
11. Join Pantera International (sponsor of the PI Motorsports website and BBS).
12. Last, join your local Pantera club and POCA, and get to know other Pantera owners and their cars! It should have been the first thing you did. Good Luck!
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