CAPITOL PANTERAS    
http://www.capitolpanteras.org/
 
May 2007
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We would encourage everyone to become a POCA member, if you aren't already a member.  Your membership in the national club helps fund your local chapter.  You can download a membership application at http://www.panteraclub.com  Please help our club grow.
 
 
CP Tech Session, April 15, 2007
by Jim Seiferling
 
The Capital Panteras held their annual Tech Session at the shop of CP member Rick Carlile.  We didn't have a large turn out but those who did attend got a lot done.  The only simple thing to do on our car was make sure the rubber on one of the wipers was securely clipped in.  Mike Drew arrived in his Pantera and we began working on various small projects; put the proper nuts on the rear upper ball joints, lubricated the rear sway bar bushings, and attempting to secure the wiring mess near the voltage regulator & MSD area on the firewall.  Jeff Budelli and John Worsley stopped by to act as cheer leaders.  One of my pipe organ friends, John Carlton, also stopped by and offered good suggestions when we came to stumbling points on Rick's TVR.  John's in the process of building a 1940 pickup streetrod and knows his way around old car stuff as well as he does a 1927 pipe organ.
 
After Mike's car was done, we tackled Rick's TVR race car.  The goal was to remove the entire suspension from all four corners, remove the steering rack, and remove the differential.  That pretty much filled out the afternoon, with Rick a happy camper with the TVR down to basically the tube frame.  With four guys we put him ahead of his restoration schedule by at least couple of weeks.  We're real good at taking things apart, now it's Rick's turn to put it back is race prepped condition.
 
Believe it or not, Rick was very happy to see this pile of TVR parts on the floor!
 
Mike called up Chris Difani to get some help with his sunken battery box.  Mike left us, but after only 3 or 4 minutes called my cell phone informing me that his Pantera's engine had stopped on the freeway on-ramp.  Rick and I got into our Panteras and met up with Mike on the on-ramp.  After a little diagnosis, we determined that he had no spark.  I did a quick test of the MSD box and concluded that it was dead.  Time for a phone call to AAA.  Rick was gracious and stayed with Mike, until the tow truck arrived and took Mike and his car back to Vacaville.  This allowed Emilia and I time to get some dinner and get home at a decent hour.
 
Not having the rear side windows in Mike's car made troubleshooting a bit easier.
 
The next day I went over to Mike's and did a second check of the MSD and totally convinced myself the fault was in the box and not a power issue or a dead distributor.  We jumped into my truck and headed to the local Kragens and picked up a new MSD box.  I had no idea that they would have one on hand.  We made another stop at a body shop that was repainting Mike's Campi's.  It was perfect timing having my long bed truck available, making transporting the four rims with tires mounted, back to Mike's house a snap.  I then proceeded to remove the old MSD box from his car and install the new one.  We held our breath, turned the key, and the Cleveland fired up.
 
We then went to work on his running lights and turn signals, with about 80% of them working.  One connector had some significant corrosion and we tried the WD-40 approach.  That seemed to work.  One of the lights didn't have a bulb in it; a no brainer easy fix.  The final one was a little more challenging.  The right turn signal/running light was behaving strangely.  The running light was bright and the turn signal was very dim.  My mind was focused on something messed up the turn signal wiring at the four way flasher, when Mike came to a different conclusion that the wires were just going the wrong filaments.  It never occurred to me that they could have been miss-wired by someone else years ago.  We swapped the wires on the turn signal and for the first time in his cars life all the lights worked properly!  With that sense of accomplishment, we went out for dinner and called the extended tech session over for this round.  Next stop for Mike in the Pantera, Las Vegas!!
 
EuroSunday, April 22, 2007
by Emilia Seiferling
 
It was the fourth Sunday of the month, so that meant it was EuroSunday in Sacramento.  We had the usual beautiful drive north on 160 along the Sacramento River.  We arrived at EuroSunday to be the first CP car to arrive.  We would be the only Pantera to make it this Sunday.  John Worsley came in his bug, because it could rain on the Bricklin.  Henry Kirk, accompanied by Karen, decided to drive his Porsche to the gathering.  Gee Henry, what a dilemma; drive the Pantera, the Porsche, or 427 Cobra?  Decisions, decisions!  You're starting to emulate Mike Drew!  There were about 50 cars present on this cool but dry Spring morning.  We enjoyed a Starbucks coffee and the cars, then were off to brunch at Roxy's.  There we had a very good brunch and conversation.  Jim & I finished the outing by going to an Ansel Adams photo exhibit at the Crocker Art Museum downtown.
 
About 50 cars made the event, with the weather getting better by the hour.
 
The next EuroSunday will be held at the Towe Auto Museum.  The date is May 27, 2007.
 

Meeting Notes - May 8, 2007

  The weather has improved, but we didn't have better attendance at the Capitol Pantera monthly meeting.  Club cars included five Panteras, and the Bricklin.  Members  present were: Jeff Budelli, Tom & Kathy Vona, John Worsley, Jim & Emilia Seiferling, Lamar Fairchild, Rick Carlile, Ken Montgomery, Duane & Darice Harlan. 

There was a raffle even though we were missing Treasurer John McNamee.  John sent the raffle tickets and the raffle prize with Rick.  Even with the low turn out, we made money on the raffle.  Lamar won the raffle.  A report on what Jim got with his winning gift card a couple of months ago.  He got the Mother's Power Ball to clean the wheels on the Pantera. He has not used it yet, so can not say how well it works.  Guess we'll have to wait and see if it is as good as Chip Foos says in the ad.

Lamar reported that the plans for the Placerville Run include a poker run, a trivia contest for the passengers, and prizes!! Those present at the meeting received an itinerary for the drive.   We will start the day's drive by meeting in Cameron Park Applebee's parking lot at 11:45 AM with our departure at noon.  Our final stop will be at "Poor Red's Barbeque" for a 2:30 PM lunch.  The date is set for Saturday, May 19. As always, if your club car is not running, please drive your daily driver and come anyway.  You just have to follow at the end of the pack!  So far we have Emilia & Jim, Kathy & Tom, John W., Jeff.  Jim's cousin Rich and his wife LeAnn have been invited to join the group for the drive.  Rich is a car guy and lives in Placerville.  He should be in his Mustang, his drag car isn't street legal.  A separate e-mail invitation has been sent to the presidents of PCNC and Reno-Tahoe to let them know that their groups are welcome to join in on the Fun in the Foothills with CP.  Please RSVP to either Lamar 530-622-5086 or Jim  jes@riverdeltawireless.com

Duane Harlan passed out entry forms for the Arnold Car Show and information on the Arnold area. The show is on Saturday, June 16.  It starts at 11 AM.  It seems that you need to sign up early to get the better parking assignments. There could be a free car wash waiting for you in Arnold and maybe a barbeque for the entrants.  If you want to attend and missed the CP meeting, contact Jim or Duane.

We have heard back from the Reno-Tahoe Panteras as to a possible date for a joint brunch this Fall.  We are looking at September 23, 2007.  We would use EuroSunday as our starting point.  That day the gathering will be in El Dorado Hills.  We will then continue on Highway 50 to the Strawberry Lodge for lunch.  The details for this joint brunch still need to be worked out, but mark your calendar for now to reserve the date.

Tom reported that he tried to go to the Towe Auto Museum and use our Club membership to get in free.  But they had no record of Capitol Panteras as a club member!  Lets hope they get their records straight soon.  The EuroSunday event at the Towe is giving attendees a discount to enter the museum, but CP members should not need the discount.  They just have to show their POCA membership card.

We have set a date for our Bodega Bay drive in the Fall, September 8, 2007.  Tom Vona will be in charge of the drive.  Tom did a great job for our drive to Sausalito last Fall.  So there's another date for you to keep open for a CP road trip! We can hope for the same great weather that we had last year.

Rick will check with the Shelby Club to see about parking at the Wine Country Classics in June.  Hopefully we will be able to join their group at turn 11 at Sears Point.

A note about CP current standing in the POCA article contest for this year.  The POCA newsletter shows us in a try for second place, but I believe that there is a typo and we should actually be in a tie for first place.  Maybe a few of our members could write some articles to break the tie and thrust us into first place.  That would give us a third podium finish in three  years!  Get out there and drive and then write about it.
Wanted: Articles for CP Newsletter
 
If you have attended a car function of any type, please write about your car adventures and send it to jes@riverdeltawireless.com   to be included in the next Capitol Pantera newsletter.  If newsletter articles are not received, then it will be more of Jim & Emilia's automotive adventures or "The Motoring Mouth".
 
2007 EVENTS CALENDAR
 
May 18         Silent Film and Organ concert at the Towe Auto Museum  www.SierraChapterATOS.org
May 18-20    CSRG at Thunderhill http://www.csrgracing.org/index.html (see note below)
May 19         Capitol Panteras tour of the Placerville area - Chairman, Lamar
May 27          EuroSunday, Sacramento @ Towe Auto Museum, 2200 Front Street, Sacramento, www.eurosunday.net           
June 3           Shriners Hospitals Concours d'Elegance, Mather Field, Rancho Cordova www.shrinersconcours.com
June 2-3        Wine Country Classic, Sears Point http://www.searspoint.com/schedule/major_events/wcc/ 
June 6-10     Reno-Tahoe Panteras Fun Rally 
June 12         Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's
June 16        Car Show in Arnold, Ca., Chairman Duane H.
June 24        EuroSunday, Sacramento @ The Pavilions
June 24        Thunder Valley Brunch 11:30 am  meet at Euro Sunday
July 10           Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's
July 22           EuroSunday, Sacramento @ The Pavilions
Aug 4-5         Festa Italiana, Sacramento, http://www.italiancenter.net/
Aug 5           Festa Italiana Car Display on Sunday - Chairman, Jeff Bundelli
Aug 14         Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's
Aug 16      "The Tour", downtown Carmel @ Noon.  http://www.pebblebeachconcours.net/Tour.htm
Aug 17        Concorso Italiano,  http://www.concorso.com
Aug 18-19  Monterey Historic Races, Laguna Seca http://www.montereyhistoric.com/ 
Aug 24-26    SVRA - Historic Grand Prix at Infineon  http://www.historicgrandprix.com/
Aug 26         EuroSunday, Sacramento @ The Pavilions
Aug 31 Sept 2  SCCA Regional #7 & #8 - Infineon raceway. (see note below)
Sept 7-9       Shelby Club, Mini Nats XXIV, Infineon
Sept. 8         Bodega Bay Drive, Chairman Tom
Sept 11        Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's
Sept 23        EuroSunday, in El Dorado Hills
Sept 23       Joint Brunch with Reno - Tahoe Panteras
Oct 7            Italian Car Show , Alameda.  A benefit for Special Olympics. No entry fee for exhibitors.
Oct 9            Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's
Oct 12-14    CSRG Charity Challenge at Infineon http://www.csrgracing.org/index.html (see note below)
Oct 13        17th Annual Car Show, Rio Vista - Chairman, Jim ( lunch at Foster's Big Horn)
Oct 20-21    Fall Classic, open track at Thunderhill.  Shelby Club.
Oct 28          EuroSunday, Sacramento @ The Pavilions
Nov 3-4        CSRG at Thunderhill http://www.csrgracing.org/index.html (see note below)
Nov 13         Capitol Panteras meeting at Mimi's
Nov 25         EuroSunday, Sacramento @ The Pavilions
Dec. ?         Capitol Panteras Christmas Party
 
Note:
The CSRG events are listed because CP member Rick Carlile will be racing his vintage TVR Vixen in that series.  His car is currently undergoing a total restoration and he hopes to have it ready for the Oct. event.  That is the car featured in last month's tech session story.
 
The SCCA events are listed because CP member Carl Stein will be racing his year 2000 championship Quavle Mangusta in that series.  Carl will also be racing his Shelby Trans Am Mustang at the Wine Country Classic, June 2-3.  For the story on the Mangusta see; http://www.capitolpanteras.org/meets/Capitol_Panteras_April_04_Newsletter.htm 
 
Try to attend and cheer our racers on!  Also note that both groups will be racing at Thunderhill and Laguna Seca.  For the complete schedules see the CSRG at http://www.csrgracing.org/index.html  and
 
 
Suggestions for other activities in 2007 that are being planned include;
Blackhawk Museum in Danville  http://www.blackhawkauto.org The ground work has been started.
Sporting Clays/Lunch at Birds Landing (near Rio Vista).  http://www.birdslanding.net/ 
Great Pantera back road getting there through the Montezuma Hills!!
 
Please keep us informed of other dates and activities.
 
Jim & Emilia Seiferling
Panteras #1575 & #7114
jes@riverdeltawireless.com
http://www.rickadee.net/~jes