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Craig, I like your color choice. It is like the color on my 63 Avanti which is a 1970s Cadillac Firemist. JWL

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It does look nice and coppery. Should be quite stunning in full sunlight.

Did you ever get a chance to see if there is a way to mount a floor pedal and underfloor power brake components without extensive mods? Am still trying to think of some way that the original suspended pedal and position could be retained yet have the proper ratio for something updated.

Was thinking one of the universal floor pedals would go in relatively easy and maybe a hydroboost unit or the electroboost master might fit in the same area as the original manual master. Price wise, a vacuum setup would be the choice but just don't see clearance for an underfloor booster without a big project in moving the left exhaust -- unless maybe it was remoted and moved somewhere else. There is that tacky Chevy trunk mounted setup that maybe could be fitted somewhere hidden or maybe a modern hydrovac setup.

63 Avanti -- one of my favorite cars of all time! Is it an R1 or R2?

Craig

Here's a picture of the trunk lid with Panther in my shop. I didn't include it in the above because it was not painted at that time.



Here's a picture of Panther safely secured and parked in my shop. He has been washed and is ready for the next stage on Monday, which is Boom Mat (acoustical and thermal insulation) of the entire interior.



Craig

Quote:

Thanks for asking. It is an R1 with the PowerShift. The color is Amberlite in the family of the Firemist pallet. The photo was taken by the PO when he showed the car at a Rose Bowl event several years ago. The car looks the same today. The trophy the Avanti won was conveyed with the car. JWL

The "Panther" rear fender script plates are done and attached. Here's a picture of an original one:



I had two large ones custom made out of 1/4in aluminum by Las Vegas Water Jet company. We then smoothed them out to remove the water jet marks, drilled & tapped them for 3 #6-32 screws and painted them Satin Black with a final paint of Matte Clear enamel. Here's the passenger-side one attached:



Craig

You changed the name from Panther to Panthar or else the second e is very stylized..

No, it's definitely Panther. Here's another slightly different view:



The slight change in the "e" from the original is due to the limitations of the water jet process (mostly stream width).

Craig

The front fenders, hood and front lower bumper are back from the Paint shop:







The final cost was nearly $5,000. The increase from the original estimate was because they wanted to final finish all the sheet metal and I agreed. The paint and body work is essentially flawless. I have to take it back after it is completely assembled and running for final cut and buff of the clearcoat.

Craig

That's a bargain in today's custom painting world.

jack vines