Razvan Savulescu Panther Kallista

We don't see very many cars like this. There was only about 148 cars like this imported into the US. This one came all the way from Romania for a HRF transformation at our Minnesota hot rod shop. Check it out.

We are adding a LS3 with a 6-speed transmission that makes about 500 Horsepower. Big Wilwood brakes at all 4 corners, 18-inch wheels, and completely customizing this car. It will have a power top, power windows, navigation, and be down right insane to drive.

1988 Panther Kallista fresh out of customs...

Another photo of the car in its original form

Note the side pipes we will be upgrading them to a much larger sidepipe that comes out threw the frame much higher to give it a more custom look.

Right now it has 16 inch rims it will have 18 inch rims and a much larger tire when we are done.

The top is a manual top we will be converting it to power

The interior isgoing to be alot different as well the shifter and ebrake will be further back and the seat with be much more comfortable with bolsters and custom made leather seats.

The top protrudes on the outside of the body this will be changed so it tucks in the body the windshield frame will also be custom fabricated to make it more rounded at the top.

We will keep all the factory emblems the entire body will be stripped and all body work redone the body is made of aluminum

Here you can see the car as it being dismantled

Once the motor was removed it was determined that the best way to make the motor fit was to move the firewall back to make a little more room. This will not take up an foot room.

Here is a good shot of the old firewall.

Not much room there for an LS3 but we will shoe horn it in there.

This shows the inside of the car you can see the old shifter hole this will be welded up and a new one made a few inches back

The running boards are riveted in place they have to be removed to remove the body.

The rearend is very small I think my golf cart might have a larger one in it. We will replace it with a custom built 12 bolt

The car was yellow and black in its past life we will be going to red and black.

This shows and area above the firewall that was covered witha piece of ABS plastic no wonder the car had so much road noise we will make a steel panel to replace it

The radiator may have to move forward to make room for the motor. We will see.

This shows the frame of the car it is way to thin to take the new HP we will have to reinforce some areas and make a new transmission mount and motor mounts.

Theres that tiny rearend and note the old gas tank

We will change the springs and shocks to adjustable coilovers

The rear suspension will also get reworked to handle the new motor it will get upgraded to hotchkis rear trailing arms.

Another photo of the bottom here you see the old transmission mount

The front suspension will get coilovers new brakes and possibly a new kframe with upgraded Aarms

The front end is out of a Ford Cartina which was released in the mid 70s.

Here is the panther with the body removed not much left.

This shows where the new fuel tank will fit we will raise it up to where the filler neck is then it will also move forward for more fuel capacity.

The dash was really poorly installed the braces were made out of aluminum and were way to thin.

We will be replacing the steering column with a tilt IDIDIT column.

These side panels will be removed to make room for the sidepipes.

The new LS3 very nice.

This shows the new clutch installed.

New 6 speed transmission

The front body panel after removal.

Here is the rear body panel after removal.

We will be reusing the grill and we will try to make the side gills functional if there is enough room

Here the firewall is removed and the new motor and transmission are mocked up.

You can see the transmission just barely fits the transmission tunnel.

This shows the shifter in its new location.

Boy does the motor look big in this picture but it does fit

here is a shot from the front it looks like the radiator might have enough room in its stock location.

After the motor is removed from mock up we can now make the new firewall

New cross braces installed to hold the firewall.

Here the old fuel tank cover has been cut out to make room for the new one. The new tank will be stainless steel and the fuel pump will be internal

The seatbelt towers will have to be shortened to make room for the top

Here the new firewall is in place and has been welded in.

Here you see the firewall after it has been ground it looks much better than the original with out all the extra holes.

Here we mocked up thepower top linear actuators in the end we went with a shorter one but we did get the arms fabricated and new the angle were right

Inside the car after the firewall is installed and the old shifter hole has been welded up.

Here you see the rams in action and the modification made to the seat belt tower

This shows the brackets that were removed under the car and the thicker frame rail being installed.

This is a finished frame railwe have added 1/8 steel to the entire rail to stiffen it up the next couple pictures show the other one without the steel.

Here is the finished frame rail.

this is before adding the 1/8 steel these rails are paper thin

The new rearend blasted and brackets stripped back

The tub with the old rearend removed

Rear tub of the car with new frame rails installed

LS3 with the transmission installed and headers installed, and the new motor mounts

Starter installed and ready to fit for frame mounts and trans crossmember

The new motor installed in car with new frame mounts

A good shot of the bottom that shows the motor mounts and frame rail modifications.

new transmission crossmember installed.

The new motor is massive in comparison to the old one but fits very nice in this little car.

A shot of the bare tub doesn't look like much here.

Here is the tub just before getting sandblasted.

Here the old suspension mounts have been removed the rear suspension was mounted to very thin sheetmetal this will have to be upgraded

Here the new crossmember is installed with the rack and pinion mounts.

Note the hole in the new front frame rail this will have to be boxed in for appearance purposes

The upper part of the tub is where the body and radaiator mounts this will have to be kept to reattach these items

Here you can see the new rear suspension mounts installed we also had to add 1/8 inch steel to attach the suspension mounts to and box the old frame rails

This shows the new suspension mounts and the boxed frame rails this will be much stronger and more rigid

On the left side of the picture you can see the driveshaft tunnel brace has been lowered about an inch to make room for the driveshaft

Another picture of the rear frame and all its reinforcement.

Here you can see the extra welds to the floor pans they were originally tack welded from the factory this continuos weld will add strength and rigidity

Lower shot of the new front frame section this will hold the new Aarm suspension and rack

Here the battery box is installe d and we are making the top of the firewall this was made out of ABS and caused alot of interior noise

Here the master cylinder and booster are installed with custom made brackets

Here you can see the extension to the body that was made of ABS

Here are the emergency brake mounts installed.

Here we have modified the pedal assembly to run the new clutch master cylinder

Here the mounts have been made to mount the heater box in its new location. Youy can also see the main computer mounts on the battery box

here is the new fuse panel mounts installed it is important to make all these mock ups to fit everything in its new location.

These panels will be covered with leather and the middle water fall will have woodgrain and a 7 inch navigation screen

This shows the fresh air inlet that goes to the bottom of the hood

another angle of the firewall with all the accessories removed it is much cleaner than the old one that had the fuse panel, wiper motor mounted to it.