If you are interested in high performance handling for your modern day Pantera, sub frames braces are absolutely required because of:
-
Big horsepower engines that put more stress on the body
-
Big, fatter and stickier tires with a lot of traction that put more stress on the body
-
Big brakes that can put more stress on the body
-
Especially if you have a later car (post Ford production) that have fewer body braces
The following are the before and after pictures and information for the rear upper/lower sub frames that I installed on my Pantera #6859.
(Click to view)
These are pictures of my Pantera at a car show in 2001. Notice the Cobra R wheels with the SSII brake kit.
Two weeks after this show (in getting ready for the track), the pressure plate gave out on a test drive. I wrestled with doing a clutch job, or ripping the drive train out to rebuild the engine, ZF transaxle and coat the gas tank. I decided to go with the complete tear down and rebuild the drive train. In doing the rebuild, I decided to remove the stock welded in cross member and replace with an aftermarket sub frame.
I used the Hall lower, but not the Hall upper because I didn't like the design. That is why I bought the upper from Byers. I think the lower from Byers is the same as Halls, so you can probably by both from Byers. I also bought the lower front from Hall, but I haven't installed it yet.
Picture with the engine and ZF removed before the project started.
View of engine bay detail before Installation with the old cross member removed. I used a big cutting wheel to cut that sucker out.
View of the lower frames Installed. Note the brake line runs over the top of the new cross member.
View of the upper frames Installed. If you look at the lower portion of the bar, there are two pads that are supposed to be welded in. I didn't weld them on. I just made a pressure fit. Note the discoloration on the back of the right head. That is because the moron that assembled the engine put the head gasket on backwards (DOOOH!!!!). Since then, the engine has been rebuilt again and the car is 98% together.