Red Roar 1978 24SE restoration starts
 

HI, firstly an introduction so a big hello all the way from the UK from Russell (Red Roar) and Simon (Dealse) on here.
I have no idea how rare a classic Pantera is in the UK but we have taken on a project to bring one back to life and then ship all the way down to Palma Mallorca in Spain.
Never having restored a boat before brace yourself for really stupid questions coming your way. We are going to be amazingly grateful though so please feel free to laugh at our expense as we ask the most obvious things but i always work on the principle of; the most stupid question was the one you didn't ask.
I have ploughed through a few of the posts of the rebuilds that have been started in the past few years and have learned a fair bit from masters at it clearly.
She isnt in really bad condition so we arent taking her all the way back as regards the paint.
she will have a new engine (the 5.7 chevy blew up) and will be rewired from scratch and a new console made (we dont like the one there although it does say pantera on it it is all in rough condition, see below).

Red Roar was originally a black and white 24SE called Bald Eagle and used to race over here in the Isle of Wight Cowes races from what we gather. Apart from that we dont know much else about her.

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps60577964.jpg

we have an initial question that Simon asked before but we didnt have any pictures to explain it so here we go, our first question of about 200 i reckon so to keep everything neat and not mess up your forum we have decided to start our own thread and keep it all together.

question
originally the boat had sat outside for some time and taken on some rain water. we tried to hoover it out from down below but it seemed to keep coming so we lifted the carpet up and found hole 1 about an inch round and not a neat hole either and water oozing up from it. we lifted the nose up and drained the water back as was suggested but there seemed to be an awful lot of water. so what is this hole for down below ? we dont understand it as it was covered with glued carpet. so....do leave it and just glue new carpet over it ? do we then make a hole in the carpet to drain out into it ? do we not need that hole and fiberglass over it ?
picture taken from inside the boat looking back out toward the door from below

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps5b2e7f3c.jpg

Holes 2 and 3. These are toward the corners in the floor of the top deck section you can see a pair of one inch holes below the speaker cut outs in the floor. These again are pretty rough holes and just seem to drain to below.
Same thing really, what are they for and what do we do about sticking the carpet back down over them. ok to do ?

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps65f05969.jpg


next question about any restoration is originality, does it matter a hoot ? the old console is horrendous and we wanted to throw it and build another but how much of this is a "must keep" kind of thing ? is anything you see original ? the gauges dont seem to too bad but everything is out of date as regards technology so what to replace it with to keep it neat, simple and give us the basics?

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps9a5b4e94.jpg

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps19ebec77.jpg

Well once again hello to you all and i look forward to the various conversations here we are sure to have over the coming months and to bring some amusement i am sure. Might be pretty shocked but if there are any Brits on the forum might be fun to meet for a beer or ten at some point.

Russell (Red Roar) and Simon (Dealse)

Hi there they are most likely drain holes taking the water from the floor down to the bilge .
Where are you based in the uk as I have a Pantera here as well .

Nice piece. Regarding your holes, my boat has similar ones and it seems they are to drain any water into the bilge so it can drain from the transom drain plug. Your original dash is hiding behind those ugly fake wood panels, looks as if they used them so they could securely mount the current gauges without doing glass work after removing the factory gauges. Look at the dash "VintageChromoly" did in his resto, looks beautiful.

The bottom of the stowage compartment with the holes is, most likely, rotten. I would cut it out and start there. They are drain holes to the underside and there should be a 3/4 inch PVC pipe to drain the water to the bilge.

You have found an awesome boat to start with.

I love the windshield!

Please keep updating this thread and sharing questions and what you learn along the way.

Also, what's the HIN number?
That has to be one of the first SE models produced.

ok great info as we now understand it more thanks. we have managed to strip more back and found inspection holes to look through and it all looks to be fine underneath and all clear. we can now see the standing water and managed to get a wet vac and suck the lot out so starting to dry.
we can also see how the compartments join and have now found the other end of that 3/4 pipe mentioned.

ok so next question. the boat is very sort of storage space of course but down below we do have a WC. whats the thoughts on one of those as we are thinking get rid and have a cool box or something ?
or where do you keep the beers cold normally ?
we have checked the WC outlet pipe and i think it would strictly be a number ones only device. (apologies to those eating while reading this)

well on a list of things to expect that wasnt one of them Paul.
we are in Hertfordshire where are you ?

we have been all over the boat now so we havent seen a plate of any description so would the HIN be on the documentation ?

I am on canvey Island Essex not too far from you .
You are at the right place lots of guys on this site have lots of experience Doing up these boats good luck .

HIN should be on the starboard side transom just below the rub rail. In the recent era Pantera uses a HIN plate affixed to the hull but back then they may have scribed it into the gel coat. It's possible it has been covered up if the hull was repainted. If you see two empty holes about 3" apart then probable the plate was removed. You can see the silver HIN plate on my boat just below the rub rail.