DeTomaso Pantera GT-S/C

[Joe Handley]

Came up with this idea when I was still at the LHS and we got in the Fujimi Pantera curbside kits. Bought one and never got around to aquiring the GT kit until after switching to my current job. 
 

The idea was to take one of ex-Polar Lights Ford GT kits and put the chassis and drivetrain from that under the Pantera body. Kinda surprised how close the two were in size and only had to cut down the GT pan a little and will need to hog out fenders to fit the larger rolling stock from the GT, especially out back.

Edited June 27, 2021 by Joe Handley

[vamach1]

I had never thought of doing that so I’ll be watching.

[Joe Handley]

Played around with the Pantera more tonight, looks like the engine bay parts for the GT fit with just a little modification to the Pantera’s interior tub. This is almost too easy at this point and it’s making me a bit nervous to start opening the arches now?

Quick question for anybody who looks at this thread,  I’d like advice for this situation. I’m Kinda debating if I want to cut open the hood or make a little window in the cover like many modern super cars with the buttressed B-Pillars use so you can “see” the engine while not seeing enough to realize just how basic both the GT kit’s drivetrain is and just how little there really is to the engine bays for both kits.
 

So, who thinks what on that?!

[Joe Handley]

And here’s where I’m leaving the Pantera for the night, this is going way too smoothly!

[matthijsgrit]

I love what you're doing here, great project and actually very logical (on a certain level).

But those tires! Man, they look like tractor tires to me. Some flatter rolling stock might have saved you from cutting up the arches. 

[David G.]

Interesting project.

I'm currently building the Heritage Edition of the Ford GT that you're working with so I feel like I have a connection to this one.

David G.

[Joe Handley]

1 hour ago, David G. said:

Interesting project.

I'm currently building the Heritage Edition of the Ford GT that you're working with so I feel like I have a connection to this one.

David G.

Your build is some of why this one has happened so soon!

[Joe Handley]

3 hours ago, matthijsgrit said:

I love what you're doing here, great project and actually very logical (on a certain level).

But those tires! Man, they look like tractor tires to me. Some flatter rolling stock might have saved you from cutting up the arches. 

 I do think that in 1/1, the GT tires would be big enough that the same amount of surgery would be required. There’s a lot of time where if you compare the tires on modern vehicles to a comparable vintage model, they look a lot bigger. For example, the factory tires on my Dad’s ‘20 Grand Caravan are about the same size as the factory tires the ‘87 Chevy Beauville, even though the GC is the smaller of the 2.

[David G.]

14 minutes ago, Joe Handley said:

Your build is some of why this one has happened so soon!

So I do have a connection to this one, I knew it!  

One thing I was wondering though, have you considered using the wheel sets from the Pantera?

David G.

[Joe Handley]

16 minutes ago, David G. said:

So I do have a connection to this one, I knew it!  

One thing I was wondering though, have you considered using the wheel sets from the Pantera?

David G.

Yup? and Yes, but I’m trying to minimize the kitbashing to these two models. Something else to is that in full scale, the problem with vintage rolling stock is that they don’t clear modern brakes, even if those breaks are from 15 years ago, so bigger wheels tend to be needed anyway.  A plus in all of this is that the huge tires, wheel openings, and flares should look pretty dramatic once done.

[stinkybritches]

I really like where this is going. 2 of my favorite cars put together.

[Joe Handley]

Messed around with a Model Master paint bottle that has some sandpaper attached to smooth out the wheel openings today. Still have work to do before I can start creating flares, but at least they look better now!

[cobraman]

Cool build idea !

[Joe Handley]

45 minutes ago, cobraman said:

Cool build idea !

Thanks Ray!

[Can-Con]

Pretty sweet Joe. 

You're making me want to dig out my old Revell Bora. ?

[David G.]

Looks like it's coming along quite nicely.

David G.

[NYLIBUD]

Saw this beast at a local car show recently.

[slusher]

very nice, Joe!

[Joe Handley]

A few update pics, got started on the fender flares tonight!, even threw the original chassis plate and rolling stock under it just to see how much I’ve changed.

[David G.]

The newer wheels make a big difference in the overall appearance.

David G.

[Joe Handley]

2 hours ago, David G. said:

The newer wheels make a big difference in the overall appearance.

David G.

They do, but I also noticed the altitude difference in the two chassis as well.  I noticed when posting these pics that the GT Chassis sits a lot lower than the Pantera’s does, despite the taller rolling stock on top of it, which seems to exaggerate the difference in tire size too.

[Dennis Lacy]

This is a rad idea! The larger GT wheels and tires reproportion the car very nicely and it’s looking even better with the flares. Looking forward to following along!

[Joe Handley]

16 hours ago, Dennis Lacy said:

This is a rad idea! The larger GT wheels and tires reproportion the car very nicely and it’s looking even better with the flares. Looking forward to following along!

Thanks, I’m about ready to get it into primer, think the flares might be close to ready!

[Joe Handley]

Another update on the Pantera, about ready to lay down primer to see what I have!

[David G.]

Great progress on this!

It seems like a chassis swap that might actually work well in the 1:1 world.

David G.