The Pantera Place
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Pantera Vendor Hero Stories
This page is dedicated to the Pantera vendors that have done heroic service or just do a great job for you. We have some pretty wonderful Pantera vendors that help make the ownership of our Panteras possible. Those great vendors deserve positive recognition! Think what it would be like to own an exotic car like the Pantera and not have excellent parts and service. Please email me some of the great things your favorite Pantera vendor has done for you!
Pantera Performance Center
In August 1999 I had an opportunity to visit the Pantera Performance Center located just South of Denver in Castle Rock, Colorado. The shop and parts areas are very impressive along with the helpful and very knowledgeable people that run the operation. I have been buying my Pantera parts from them since June of 1998 and they have really done a great job for me! I spent time with Dennis Quella, the owner of Pantera Performance and got to meet Rai Alice. What a great crew! After visiting, you just want to send your Pantera in and have it totally redone to Pantera Performance standards. See more of my visit!
Mike Dailey, Atlanta, GA
12/8/99Great Vendor story for Pantera Performance - I decided to replace my stock bushings on a 72 Pantera. Found I could not get the bushing out so I took them to an alignment shop to press the bushings out. After three tries they damaged two of the A Arms on the inside, where the bushings would be pressed in. Fortunately, they stopped work on the rest. Now what? PPC to the rescue. Called Dennis, and he said I’ll have them back in less then a week. I fedxd the arms to PPC and they returned as promised, but only better! Not only had the damage been repaired, The arms had been stripped of paint and were now reinforced in the weld areas. Also the ball joints were pressed out so that I could now have the arms powder painted. Fantastic service, quick turn around, and a reasonable price to boot! One of my favorite shops, they deliver consistent customer service.
Thomas Bechtel, Phoenix, AZ
12/9/99For what’s it’s worth, I’m a very pleased Pantera Performance Center user now for over 15 years. Dennis Quella, Kip and Rai are all extremely helpful and anything I’ve not been happy with, they’ve either replaced or given me my money back. Their stuff works and fits.
I recommend them highly to anyone who asks me; and to some people who don’t ask me! :-)))))Kirby Schrader, Huston, TX
12/9/99I've said it before but I figure it bears repeating--Dennis Quella and Pantera Performance Center are AWESOME.
I called him today to arrange shipping of my stock upper rear control arms for refurbishment and installation of new ball joint boots (thanks to several of you for the tip.) He mentioned that he doesn't work on stock upper rear arms much--most of his customers replace them with his adjustable units.
I explained that I had done just that, back in 1993 or so, only to discover that my car was actually slightly WIDER than stock in the rear (the result of two seperate rear chassis replacements) and thus I didn't need the adjustability; I told him I planned to install my reconditioned stock a-arms and then attempt to sell my adjustable ones and recoup some of my (considerable) investment.
He asked me where I'd purchased them, I told him I'd purchased them from him back in '93 or so, and he said, "Well, why don't you just send them back? We'll take 'em back..."
I told him I had put about 100 miles on them (during the one day I drove the car) and thus they weren't "new" anymore, and he said, "Aw heck, that's nuthin'. Go ahead and send 'em, we'll take 'em back."
WOW. I was really impressed with that. He certainly didn't have to do that, did he? So now I'll get my stockers looking all spiffy, plus have some walking-around cash (or at least credit) to my name.
I don't know if Dennis will want to give me FULL credit once he sees them--they bear the marks of several removals and installations, plus a chip in the powdercoat here and there. But in any case, even if he only gives me partial credit, I'm still doin' good!
So let that be a testemonial for you--Pantera Performance Center's customer service and the way they stand behind their products is UNMATCHED in this industry, IMHO....
Mike Drew, California
2/25/00Pantera East
When I started the restoration on my ‘72, I ordered all new rubbers (among other things) from Marino at Pantera East. 5+ years later when I finally began reassembly, I realized that one of the door rubbers that I bought was 3 inches too short. In addition, it seemed that it was awfully difficult to close the doors. When I called Marino he apologized for the too-short door piece and also indicated that the rubber was probably too thick. He then promptly exchanged the two 5-year old rubbers for two brand new ones!
Over the years he has ALWAYS treated me as I would like to be treated. I finally met Marino this year in Vegas. In addition to everything else, he’s a great guy.
PS. His 17x8" & 17x11" Campagnolo replicas are the best!
Lew Bonitz, Tempe, AZ
12/8/99I’m sure everyone has a story - but I remember being in a panic session in my driveway this past summer after having my Pantera only a few weeks. One of the rear wheel Wilwood calipers was leaking. I called Pantera East and talked with Marino Perna for over a half hour on my portable phone while he calmed me down and talked me through taking the caliper off and removing the puck without separating the caliper in half. He also told me about the single square cross section o-ring that I’d find and that would probably be the culprit. He was right - I had all new pucks and o-rings in my hands in a few days. A few weeks later, he walked me through buying a new radiator. He asked what I currently had and when I told him it was aluminum - he mentioned the inlet and outlets were probably on opposite ends of the radiator. He offered to send a 90 degree tube that I might need since the new radiator had both inlet and outlet on the same end. He said if I didn’t need the 90 tube - I could return it. Of course he was right and I needed it. I mentioned maybe laying the radiator down and installing sucker fans at the same time since I had everything apart anyway. He asked if I had stock fans. I told him I had the Mehira pushers. He suggested leaving the radiator vertical and keeping the Mehira fans since they should do the cooling job just fine. If he wasn’t so knowledgeable, and hadn’t asked me certain questions, I would have gotten only half the parts I needed for the brakes and radiator which would mean I’d have to wait another few days for the rest of the things I needed. He also didn’t try to talk me into a sucker fan setup that I didn’t need. I think he’s A++ all the way!!
I should mention I do not work for Marino and in fact wouldn’t know him if he walked in the door. I called him way back when, because he was selling some 10" campys that he mentioned in the forum. I called him and eventually bought them but had no idea he was Pantera East until we talked a little. I’ve even called him a few times only for info and he’s always been willing to help.
Fran Dicarlo, New London, CT
12/9/99Hall Pantera
My ‘71 Pantera needed a headlight switch to replace non-working one and also new headers to replace broken/blown out ones in order to be ready to run Silver State with TPR. I checked and found that Gary Hall and Hall Pantera would give a special discount and rush order delivery to all TPR members that were actually racing in Silver State. I took him up on it. Ordered my parts. Received a good discount. Received the parts and installed them in time to participate in the Fall version of Silver State race with TPR. This to me was excellent support from one of our key vendors. Not only to myself and TPR, but also to the DeTomaso Marque overall.
Dan Miller, San Diego, CA
12/8/99Pantera Parts Connection
Drove my ‘71 Pantera to Monterey CA for the car shows and Laguna Seca races, as well as planned to run the car on the track at Laguna Seca with Ferrari Club and POCA members afterward. On the way to Monterey my car showed clear signs of rear wheel bearing and axle failure. Being not only stuck in Monterey with a broken car, but also with a 6 month along pregnant wife, and seemingly no chance to run the car on the track, let alone get home, I was in dire straights. I checked around and found that Larry Stock of Pantera Parts Connection not only had parts available in the Bay Area not too far away, but Larry had brought his Pantera friendly tow truck to the event and he offered to tow my car to the Bay Area, set up a Nor-Cal emergency Tech Session comprised of half a dozen or more Nor-Cal members, supply the parts, the labor, beer and macaroons, good talk, a rest area for my pregnant wife and literally had my car fixed and driving down the road again in perfect health hours later. This to me was speaking a lot of not only Larry Stock and PPC, but of Nor-Cal Club, POCA and the genuine can-do, will help, we are all in this together attitude that is not seen too much in todays world overall. Well done and greatly appreciated.
Dan Miller, San Diego, CA
12/8/99PI Motorsports
A letter from a very happy PI Motorsports customer.
01/27/03
