All good choices, what you like matters most! Make it "your own". Enjoy the process and most important keep us in the loop with updates.
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Poseidon,
When I saw your first post I was a bit taken back that someone was going to turn a Pantera into a CC, but it looks like you weren't the one who cut the deck off. What did the original owner have in mind for a build? Please don't take my comment wrong. I usually spend my time in the Classic Offshore section. I love the old race boats. I do think you have a great project on your hands. By the way this is my first post. I need to get my count up also. I'm looking to post some pictures of a lost Shadow Cat race boat over in the classic section.

Poseidon,
Not being critical, just asking. Does a Pantera hull have enough freeboard to be comfortable standing and walking around once converted to a CC? I hate those low freeboard CCs that hit you in the knees. The sides need to at least come up to your thighs. Do you have to build up the cap to get the freeboard to a comfortable height?

One more question. In the shop pictures you posted. What is the mold up against the wall? That looks like a heck of a boat. I can also see another unfinished hull. That one has a raised cap on it that would get the freeboard a little higher. That one might be a little too high for appearances. Like Too Stroked commented, I'm also amazed how nice the outside of your hull looks. The rest of the boat looks like a good candidate for conversation/modification. Definitely look forward to seeing your progress and more pictures!

Correction. Conversion/modification. I'm sure it will make for good conversation also.

As for colors, I like Blue #1 and then Blue #3 combined with Silver #1. I'm not sure how it would look on a large boat, but I really like the huge metal flake from the 70's. I have seen it used successfully on motorcycle fuel tanks and fenders, but that's a smaller surface area. A lot of the bass boats use large metal flake in the gelcoat, but they usually have multiple colors in the overall paint scheme. I also like your idea to include a panther and the original font Pantera lettering.