1spring 2003 number 114Spring 2003 Number 114

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Pat Holleran’s Pantera Evolution has gone way

The Holleran jewels, 2 Panteras, a 1966 Mustang “K” codeand a 1947 Buick Roadmaster lead-sled

Above: Pat Holleran - extreme DeTomasoenthusiast and executive.

House of Kolor shimmeringCobra blue urethane enamelpaint was sprayed by EddieMeek.

Pantera Internationalmember Pat Holleran is 39years old and lists hisoccupation as a hotelierand restauranteur. He has

worked throughout the country forhotel companies such as EmbassySuites, Sheraton and Hyatt Regency.He has been involved in the restau-rant industry for 20 years serving atsuch eateries as El Torito, Mimi’s Caféand Islands. Having done a great dealof traveling in pursuit of his profes-sion, Pat chose to venture out on hisown and subsequently purchased aSouthern California landmark, TheSportsmen’s Lodge which wasestablished in 1947. This facilitycovers 11 prime acres in Studio City,California and is distinguished for its

banquet and convention facilities.Recently the Sportsmen’s hosted ourPI fun run to the Nethercutt Collectionand will also serve up an Italian feastin June for our Petersen Museumevent. Pat has served as the eventchairman for both events. Pat and hiswife Stephanie take great pride inmaintaining and successfully operat-ing a business that was founded longbefore either of them were born. Thissame pride of ownership carries overinto our Spring cover car.

Pat first got hooked on Panterasas a young man when he visited hislocal Lincoln Mercury dealer with hisfather. At first sight, he told his fatherhe had to have one some day. WhenPat bought his first Panther, his fathersaid, “you are crazy, they are never

very reliable.” When Pat broughthome his second Pantera, his daddeclared in exasperation, “I officiallygive up!”

Other cars that have appeared inPat’s stable include several vintageCorvettes, Mustangs, a bug-eyeSprite, a Buick Roadmaster convert-ible, several Mercedes and even aStarsky and Hutch Gran Torino Sport.Talk about eclectic!

Prior to launching his latestPantera project, Pat was in search of aLambo Miura. While searching inOrange County, California, hestumbled into PI Motorsports wherehe was introduced to Jerry Sackettwho convinced him that he could own,build and drive a dream car Panterathat wouldn’t end up deposited on a

story and photographs by Dave Adler

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trailer, never to be driven on thehighway again or what is betterknown as a trailer queen. Pat isn’tsure he should love or loatheSackett’s advice.

The thinking behind this intriguingPantera was based upon Pat’s obser-vation of several GT5 and GT5-S cars.He liked the styling of these cars butthey just didn’t pop his cork. ThePantera 200 was another story butyou just can’t lay your hands on onewithout an act of Congress. Pat wasnot constrained by convention and didnot want to follow the well beatenpath of just building another clone ofa factory wide-body. Instead, heconceived his own definition of how abulging fendered, masculine stancedPantera should look. His scheme alsorequired that the widest tires possiblebe shoe-horned under the fat fenders.He realized he was deviating sharplyfrom the traditional look but yet, hefelt confident his idea would resultinto a vehicle that not only offered the“look” he desired but would also yieldperformance in excess of anythingoffered by any manufacturer. Holleranlayed out his agenda to Sackett andtold him to execute it to the best ofhis ability. The result speaks for itself.

In terms of the materials to beused, Pat considered fabricating thespecial fenders in fiberglass and alsoweighed simply purchasing the 5-Sbodykit that is on the market. Havingheard nothing but tales of woe intrying to fit the kits and also knowingthat after-market, DeTomaso cloned

Photo captions:Top left: Rear and front bumper capswere hand-formed from steel. The paint isas reflective as wet gloss. This car offersthe image and status that the ownerdemanded.Middle photos: Petite racing mirrors wereobtained and a custom mounting base wasfabricated. The mirrors offer adequaterear-view and their size does not over-power the clean lines of the car.Bottom left: 600 horsepower withoutsqueeze and 900 with. Forget turbo lagand uncontrollable power in-puts, thismotor offers instant and seamless grunt.Bottom right: Custom fabricated fat-boyexhaust tips and PI Motorsports mufflers.

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sheetmetal would not result in thelook he wanted, Pat opted for havingfender panels hand- formed to hisspecification. The final result is aPantera with custom coachworkincluding the front and rear bumpers.As a matter of precaution, molds weremade of the one of a kind bumpers sothat future duplicates could berendered or marketed to folks thatwanted to capture the look achievedin this car. Antonio Brudaglio, anItalian metalcrafter worked formonths under Pat’s direction toachieve the final shape.

The original platform was a wellused but decently preserved Pre-Lfrom Northern California that wasoffered for sale as a semi-project car.A stripping of the paint revealed abasically sound car with minimal rust.While the metal work was beingperformed, dropped floor pans wereadded and the door handles and sidemarkers were eliminated. Custom airvents were also hand formed insteadof purchasing the pre-packaged kitmodels.

Pat agonized over the appropriatepaint scheme, finally deciding upon aCobra blue base with wide whitestripes. Not exactly a rare combina-tion and even though this mixture ofsolids and stripes has been done forthe umpteenth time, Pat is more thansatisfied with the final outcome. Thepaint is from House of Kolor, a customcandy blend that looks like it isdeeper than the Grand Canyon,especially when the light strikes it.The stripes are completely flush withthe blue layer and you can’t findwhere the edges meet by touch. Theengine bay was also smoothed andrefinished in matching Cobra blue.

Pat tells us that, “I have alwaysadmired the guys that build show carsand then drive the hell out of them,hard, fast and furious. That’s whatthis car was built for although I doubtI will be able to actually ever gothrough with that plan and at thistime, she truly is a trailer queen.”

As for motivation, Pat selected aPI Motorsports, Inc. “crate-motor” buthe wasn’t satisfied with only 540

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Above left and right: Before and after photos of custom fabricated hood vents.

Above: Italian metalcrafter Antonio Brudagliospent hundreds of hours crafting the fenders.

Above and below: The most striking attributeof the Blue Bomber are the unique rearfenders. Very defined and muscular, theyrepresent a pleasing departure from stock.

Above and below: The fenders were carefullyfitted to the wheels and tires for correct look.

Below: The side grate was specially shapedto blend with the unique rear fenders.

Below: The side of the one-off front bumperand cooling duct.

Below: Another departure from stock werethe extra-wide and flat front fender flares.

Below: Finished result makes the car lookphysical and sophisticated.

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horsepower. As a result, he went,“over the top” and specified a dualquad equipped induction system andmore go-fast parts to boost the powerto over 600 horsepower. On yeah, justin case an overly brave Viper ownermakes the mistake of choosing offthis blue Howitzer on wheels, Pat hasadded a custom built, twin nitroussystem that will bump the ponies upto a provacative 900. When the NOSbutton is pushed, it will feel like a jetpilot hitting Mach 2. Holleran cautionsother drivers, “don’t get in my way,this car is an ass-kicker”. Right on!

Pat’s engine is based upon aWindsor block that is now adornedwith aluminum heads that have beenbrilliantly polished on the outside andported, polished and blue-printed onthe inside. PI Motorsports Mind-Trainheaders handle the exhaust vaporsand have been ceramic coated. Thenice thing with this engine is that it isbuilt to last and run fast. It is essen-tially the same engine PI Motorsportsoffers its customers but with a littleextra spice. Ted Hoffman was leadmechanic on the project. The ZF wascompletely overhauled and beefed upby Lloyd Butfoy of RBT Transmissions.With proper maintenance andjudicious use of the ‘squeeze, the ZFbox should be able to stand up to theraw power delivered by engine.Naturally, the case was treated to apolishing as was nearly every nut andbolt in the car that would benefit fromsome brightening.

The interior was totally theinspiration of the owner. Customfitting this car to Pat’s 6' 2" frame, theamount of room is more than ad-

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Photo captions:Top: Dual quads are fed by braided steellines and Aeroquip fittings.Middle: The reflection of the twin NOSbottles is captured in the mirror-like finishof the engine bay. This enginecompartment has a presence all of itsown and is definitely cool looking.Bottom left: Shown are the Mind-Trainceramic coated headers mated with a setof aluminum heads that have beenpolished.Below: Dual Edelbrock 500 CFMcarburetors and Edelbrock manifold.

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equate. The seats, dash and headlinerare all trimmed in super supple, opalcolored leather. The carpets are plushwool. Extra sound deadening materialwas liberally applied around thepassenger compartment, although thebasso profundo sounds of the 427 cannever be hidden from. Capping off theinterior is the application of costly,hand-turned stainless steel that Pathad admired on Rolls Royce andBentley cars. The metalwork offers astrong final accent that reflects theowner’s tastes. Another specialfeature found in the interior is themulti-media system that includes aKenwood touch screen display withAM/FM, CD, DVD, TV and GPSnavigation systems with remotecontrol. Yeehah! Under the front hoodare massive Alpine power amps thatdrive MB brand Quart speakers andan MB Quart sub-woofer mountedwhere the glove box used to reside.Mark Stephan of PI Motorsports

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White faced gauges, machine turned trim and glove soft leather are edgy touches.

Above: Drilled pedal covers from PIMotorsports, Inc.

Above: Isis logo on seat-belt latch. Above: Custom arm rests were extended toenclose the speakers.

Above: Specially fabricated roll cage ties into the rockers for extra strength.

Below three images: Extensive use of turned metal accents. Multi-media center is betterthan most home entertainment systems. All leather is glove soft and expertly trimmed.

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custom fabricated the sound systeminstallation, wiring and interior buildout.

So how does it run, you mightask? Pat offers this description, “anold friend of mine kept giving me ahard time about Panteras and thatthey were and never would be a realItalian sports, super-car. After myPantera thoroughly spanked hisTestarossa, the graphic with the weetike weeing on a Ferrari logo proudlyappeared on my side window and myfriend hasn’t offered anymore griefsince then.”

The car was completed approxi-mately four months ago and Pat haslogged 1,000 miles. Don’t ask howmuch Pat has wrapped up in hisdream car. When asked for the

Photo captions:Top left corner: Soft-touch toggle-type switches are mounted on center console.Above: Underside of fabricated amplifier tray exposes sound system wiring.Left: Underneath the tray is a port for the submerged Optima battery andan ear-splitting Kenwood amplifier. Wiring loom was created by Mark Stephan of PIM.Below left: White faced auxillary gauges are on the secondary panel. Video monitordisplays GPS data, DVDs and engine functions.Below right: Closeup of driver’s door panel with more turned metal trim work.Bottom left: Twin power amps were fitted to the front trunk area. Entire mountingrack lifts up for access to wiring, amps and Optima battery.Below right: A complete PI Motorsports, Inc. Arctic cooling system was selected byPat. This includes a Fluidyne aluminum radiator with twin, rear-mounted sucker fans.The entire front trunk area and components are remarkably well finished.

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bottom line, Holleran told us, “I am abit of a fool when it comes to restor-ing classics. I have an absolutefortune in this car, the amount or totaltherof, I am a bit embarrassed toadmit. I might consider selling the carbut it would take deep pockets for meto start handing over the keys.”

Watching this car take shape, Iwas somewhat cautious as to how thecar would look. Seeing the flatsurfaces on the front fenders wereextra-wide bulges and the verydefined rear shoulders on the fenders,I felt that the owner might be goingtoo far. When you exceed the originalenvelope, I had formerly believed youwere disturbing artwork. However,after seeing the dynamic and aes-thetic outcome of two years of work, I

Above and right: At Marina Pacifica inLong Beach, California near Pat’s home,this car conveys a look that screams,“get the hell out of my way, I’m comingthrough.”Below: Rectangular headlamps arefrom Vader.Bottom: Intimidating doesn’t begin todescribe Pat’s Pantera.

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must re-think the concept of Pantera customization. Here,Pat Holleran was not a slave to any conventions or pre-conceived notions of Pantera propriety and damnit, he builtwhat pleased him and I am convinced that a lot of other carlovers are equally as impressed. The seamless coachworkand excellent paint finish made all of the difference.

Pat’s experiences with his car thus far are summed up asfollows, “My car has been overwhelmingly supported by thePantera enthusiasts. I recently dropped by PI Motorsports forsome follow-up work and several Pantera customers mademe substantial offers to buy the car. When I drive the cardown the road, guys and gals are trying to get me to pullover, pop the remote control rear deck and have a ‘showand tell’. I snuck into a humongous ‘Rod show in Temeculalast month that had over 800 pre-70’s rods and the reactioneven from hard core Hot Rodders was unbelievable.”

What advice can Pat Holleran offer other Pantera ownersthat want to build a unico-example? “The best advice I canpossibly give anyone considering a project like this is to findsomeone you trust to help spearhead the project like Jerryat PI Motorsports did for me and you should stay involvedthe whole way through.”

Above: The rear wing is an AmeriSport product sold through PIMotorsports, Inc. Normally, this wing is mounted directly to therear sail panels. Here, Pat ordered mounting pedastals to raisethe wing a few inches. Rearward vision is increased and the wingis more noticeable.

Above: The suspension parts were powder coated in black satinfinish. The shock absorbers are aluminum PI Motorsports, Inc.adjustable units. The half shafts are chrome plated.Below: When Pat rolls on the throttle, the power comes in with abang and lights up the rear tires. Having a car like this is a ton oftemptation. Pat has had the car up to an indicated 180 miles perhour and the engine was still pulling through its power curve.

Above: 17-inch diameterrims are 11 inches wide inthe rear and 8.5 inches inthe front. Michelin rubbermeets the road. Discbrakes are from Wilwood.

Above and below: Holleran isn’t tooconcerned should a Ferrari get brave andmake the unfortunate mistake of trying totest the capabilities of the Blue Bomber.

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Pat Holleran has a sweet collection of cars.We know that most Pantera enthusiasts alsoenjoy seeing other collector cars as do I.Last August, Pat purchased the former JimKilpatrick, twin-turbo multi-show winningPantera. This former PI cover car nowwears the Bad Cat I license plate.

Above: How does this look for another,Poverty Sucks poster? The two Panterasare stored on a car stacker hoist from PIMotorsports, Inc. The Mustang and Buickshare the double car side of the garage. Patis in the process of finishing off a one of akind car hauler so that he can truck his carsaround to shows, auctions and otherautomobile events. Both of Pat’s Panteras are street driven.After he purchased the twin turbo, he had ittuned for street use despite the fact that in15 years, the car had only been driven 6miles, mostly off and on trailers and inparades around Concours display areas. The twin turbo also runs nitrous as doesthe Blue Bomber. Theengine is an allaluminumFontanablock.

The Bad Cat I isestimated to have closeto one thousandhorsepower. Pat hasallowed me to drive hisBad Cat and ‘Bomber. Iwould start by telling youthat the Bad Cat turbocar is one of the mostfrightening Panteras Ihave ever driven. Whenthat car climbs on to theboost, it is like a sleeping

monster waking up. My passenger and Iboth felt that the front wheels may haveliterally been dangling in the air. My earswere flapping backwards, my hair-dochanged and my eyes were bulging out. Iwould have hated to have sampled a full shotof NOS on top of it. The Blue Bomber is more to my tastes. Patrelates that he believes it is even faster thanthe turbo car and is infinitely easier to drive.The stunning Wilwood brakes exceedcomprehension. When this car rolls downthe boulevard, terrified children start runningfor their moms. I am happy to see that Patwasn’t afraid to take chances when he builthis dream Pantera. I believe hisuncompromising tastes have helped raisethe bar for the modified Pantera class.Dave Adler

Pat’s Buick RoadmasterThis kool rod rides on a 1972Buick Electra sub-frame. The

engine is a 455 cubic inch block witha Turbo 400 slush box. The car has been

frenched, chopped, channeled and slammedthanks to hydraulics. Carson removable top is notshown.

1966 K-Code GT MustangRare tri-power carbs. Less than 100 built by Ford.

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Pat Holleran’s Outrageous Blue Bomber Pantera