Re-registering a Pantera with no docs

[ajg193]

Latest issue of beaded wheels has an article that might be useful for this situation.

 

The national / Alexander Turnbull library in Wellington has archives of all vehicles sold in NZ from 1924-1974. 

Catalogue is called Registration of motor vehicles in N.Z. arranged in postal districts / New Zealand RMTA

You'll most likely have to go there in person but they can possibly do an interloan to your local library.

Gives rego number, model, name and address of owner etc

[JustHarry]

22 minutes ago, ajg193 said:

Latest issue of barry wheels has an article that might be useful for this situation.

 

 

[sr2]

Guys, thanks for all the response / advise.

I think we may have made contact through a 3rd party with the original NZ owner.

I have to respect the mans privacy (he's 85 years old)  so can't mention names, will keep you all informed with progress.

[Flauski]

The old MVR (Motor Vehicle Register) is absolutely riddled with errors from clueless people doing data entry with no knowledge of cars in the 60s-90s.

I looked into a snapshot of Datsun 1600 (510) records for a particular year and found no fewer than about 20% errors in chassis numbers, name of the vehicle and engine numbers.

Like Bart, I have had 3 vehicles with wrong details. The records are incredibly poor and I have even seen a bunch of 70-90s cars registered with 'sports car' in the name.....which is never the name of any model of car.

I have been down this path before with an incorrectly registered Suzuki GT250. It was re-registered and when that was done, it was registered as a 1991 instead of a 1981. I tried to change it due to it being close to eligible for the 40 year rego cost difference (close to 1k rego vs 60 per year.)

Basically I had to prove and apply (using the alternative documents path that Goat talks about.) I got a letter from Suzuki saying they never made that bike in 1991 and the frame number was from 1981.

So through the 'alternative documents' process I paid $200+ to only 'apply' to Land Transport. This does not mean it is a given and there was no guarantee that they would agree. In the end they did but remember it was their data entry fuck up in the first place...... There are a ton of people working for Land Transport that have no knowledge of classic cars and no care either. You really do have to hope you get someone decent sometimes.

If I was you, I would get an aficionado Pantera foamer (from a club in the USA most likely) explaining the chassis number as you have above, the car's chassis number is correct, original and unmodified which demonstrates the registration record is wrong. 

A photo of it back in the day would work wonders too, or trying to find a previous owner as mentioned. 

 

Good luck, totally worth it, looks awesome!

 

 

[locost_bryan]

You have to remember everything was handwritten back then, so it could have been filled in wrong by the salesman or office girl, transcribed wrong by the Post Office clerk, or transcribed wrong when the records were computerized. I imagine very few involved would have had any knowledge of cars or the various manufacturers' coding systems, including most car salesmen (beyond which option codes gave them the biggest commission). 

[sr2]

Just a quick update. I've been in contact with the original NZ owner, he's a real character. At the age of 85 he's just bought a McLaren only to find he couldn't get in or out of it, so has bought a new supercharged Vantage as well! (Oh how the other half live).  Good news is that he's helping all he can and although he hasn't any registration details he does have some early pictures and has offered to swear an affidavit saying that to the best of his knowledge it is the same car. Being an ex MP and well known public figure it will hopefully add some weight when we put in an "alternative documents application" to NZ Transport.

I'm still researching the cars history; we bought it as a pile of parts from a Turners Police auction after it had been confiscated in 2000 under the proceeds of crime act and had been in police storage for about 6 years, (the previous owner had been locked up for manufacturing meth!). It's a crazy story and I'll post a quick thread of the rebuild when the history is all confirmed.

 

A quick few pictures of the almost completed car.

 

 

 

[ajg193]

Does the old guy remember what it's rego number was? There's a reasonable chance I have the plates somewhere under my hydraulic press

[sr2]

15 hours ago, ajg193 said:

Does the old guy remember what it's rego number was? There's a reasonable chance I have the plates somewhere under my hydraulic press

Sadly no, he's had his wife and his secretary search high and low and all they have is a couple of grainy photo's that do not show the number plate. Bugger!

(Thanks for the offer mate, this forum rocks).

[Unclejake]

There's a reasonable chance this vehicle was once sold by The Checkered Flag motor company in Pt. Chev, Auckland. 

Google suggests they're no longer in business but I guess it's possible some records still exist if you could get in touch with whomever owned the business. 

A long shot I know,  but IIRC they had a thing for Panteras. I came very, very close to buying a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth from them a long time ago but pulled out due to concerns wrt the valve guides. That was a very brutal car to drive, but quite good fun

[Early jap nuter]

Old guy that owned checkered flag motors is long gone and was not the most honest guy so I’d say any paperwork was “lost” when they closed 

[GregT]

It might be worth starting a thread on The Roaring Season -a kiwi based motorsport forum. Several photographers regularly post historic shots.  I'd  give as much history as you can without naming owners. If it's been at a gathering/concours/exhibition in the past someone may well have a pic of it. And a lot of those shots are front on.

[shrike]

Not sure if youve seen this

[dabuzz]

On 03/09/2024 at 18:25, sr2 said:

 

 

 

 

Dream car!!!! she's a beauty well done.

That's not the one that was stolen last year in the background? cant be too many yellow Panteras around.

 

[sr2]

On 30/09/2024 at 11:59, dabuzz said:

Dream car!!!! she's a beauty well done.

That's not the one that was stolen last year in the background? cant be too many yellow Panteras around.

 

LOL, it would be great if it was! The car is at Hampton Downs, the yellow car is a fiberglass kit car. The rumour mill has it that the Yellow Pantera was stolen by some gang; have to say I cannot think of a more conspicuous car to choose to steal! (Mental image of some  guy in a South Auckland public bar - "hey bro - wanna buy a cheap De Tomaso?).

[dabuzz]

Agreed possibly the dumbest car to want to steal. 

such a shame it happened though.  

[RXFORD]

Spotted on Marketplace. 

Profile looks pretty suspicious being started in 2024.

But its Rhd and the ferns look like its NZ.

 

https://www.facebook.com/share/14M1LGgMag/

[Nominal]

A replica maybe? Body looks to be fibreglass.

[sr2]

On 01/11/2024 at 18:10, Nominal said:

A replica maybe? Body looks to be fiberglass.

Yes it does look very much like a replica with the fabricated chassis and of course the fiberglass body. To the best of my knowledge there were a number of Pantera kit cars made in the states of varying quality. Would be great to learn the history behind this one.

[smokin'joe]

9 hours ago, sr2 said:

Yes it does look very much like a replica with the fabricated chassis and of course the fiberglass body. To the best of my knowledge there were a number of Pantera kit cars made in the states of varying quality. Would be great to learn the history behind this one.

Fairview Fibreglass has the moulds from the previous kit-builder here in NZ.
give Donny Weir a holler and he may have details of previous builds