Thought you guys might like to see some pics of our Panoz build-up this winter...

[Cobra4B]

My father and I got a Panoz GTRA (ex driving school car) last fall. This year we've done a few HPDEs in the car and have had a blast with it. The car is extremely robust, but it's very slow with a 240 horse 5.0 under the hood.

This winter we're re-doing the top end of the motor and swapping EFI to carb and re-doing the suspension with Panz GTS spec parts. The driving school car is setup to understeer heavily for safety, plus it's sprung way too soft.

Started collecting go-fast parts a few weeks back...

AFR 165s @ 58cc w/ ARP rocker studs, titanium retainers, and dual springs



Custom Ed Curtis spec'd cam and magnum roller rockers


Composite valve covers w/ breathers



Edelbrock Performer RPM manifold custom ported by Ed Curtis to the AFRs


Growing pile of parts


Still waiting on the pro-systems carb to come in and a few other small things. The suspension goodies are in the garage: new springs, fresh shocks, thicker rear trailing arms, GTS rear swaybar kit.

Car should make around 400 crank horse and it only weighs 2700lbs. The new suspension will tune out the understeer and make it neutral and more entertaining to drive. I'll update with pics as things progress.

~Brian

For thos that haven't seen it... this is the car.

[seamus2154]

Looks like a ton of fun. Good luck Jim

[XFordGuy]

Looks like fun! I still love small block Fords.

[jub jub]

A 240 HP 5.0 is rather lame. It looks like you've picked the right parts to breath a little life into the old gal!

Looking forward to your driving evaluation when she's finished.

[2MchFun]

"400 crank horse and it only weighs 2700lbs"

Between the power and the suspension tweaks it is going to be a completely different car - and a hell of a lot more fun

[Cobra4B]

It's allready a blast in the turns (other than the push) and under hard braking. I catch everyone then I get to the straights and people expect it to have a bunch of power because it sounds mean and the GTS has close to 500 and looks the same. Result... I get a point by, but nobody wants to let up and let my by. They think I'm not taking the pass when I can't catch them.

[ZO6 AL-X]

Nice little project.

[K M]

That sounds like it would be fun and it's a sweet looking car.

[JerryL]

I hope you bought it right, because those cars were beat into the ground !!!
However they had excellent maintainance, and are safe well built cars. This is a great car to use at drivers school to get your competition license.
Have a blast with it.

[Cobra4B]

We're fully aware of what we purchased. We both did the Panoz school at RA back in 2003. We were going to build my Z06 into a full-time track car, but when these became available we jumped all over them. We've had the car over a year now and it's been incredibly robust. Last fall I went through the entire car and was amazed at it's condition for an almost 10 year old school car.

Panoz built them right... the drivelines are near indestructible no matter what someone does to it.

Thes cars built up right are very competitive in NASA ST1... we'll be setting ours up for ST2. It's faster in the turns than my prepp'd Z06 and far far far better under braking as it has large Brembos all around.

Plus it's a dream to turn a wrench on... everything is easy to get to.

[Subdriver]

Very cool Brian. Good luck with your upgrades this winter. Let us know how the project progresses.

[Cobra4B]

Thanks Brad

Pro-systems carb came in today... also got replacement swaybar end blades in steel to replace the aluminum ones, one of which cracked last time out.

[Cobra4B]

Finally hauled it up to the guys at Performance Autosport (Performance Auto Sport in Richmond, Virginia).

Heading out


Unloaded at PAS


Some of the other cars at PAS... a mustang lovers dream



Dyno area w/ Phil's stang


Shop area


Will update as things progress.

[Cobra4B]

Finally an update... shop got behind w/ another customer's car. The "stock" motor put down 197/261 rwhp/rwtq which confirms the shortblock is 100% healthy.... time for mods!

here are the photos:

[No Doubt]

near indestructible no matter what someone does to it.

Where have I heard that before? Oh, yeah...that's right. :eek:

Have fun. Stay safe. :cool: