| The roll bar and ladder bar all to tie into the same area. | Template made for reinforcement panel. |
 |
 |
| Cut from plate. | Bent to shape over a welding tank with a large plastic dead blow hammer. |
 |
 |
|
LADDER BAR |
| Everyone knows the back of an open Pantera is like a card board box with the lid open. The bar across the wheel wells helps support load transfer in the uprights but a ladder bar is a traditional Pantera improvement adding to the rigidity in this area. |
***Click on photo for larger image***
| The roll bar and ladder bar all to tie into the same area. | Template made for reinforcement panel. |
|
|
| Cut from plate. | Bent to shape over a welding tank with a large plastic dead blow hammer. |
|
|
| Roll bar tied back to roof line. | Initial cross bar; eye bolt tacked in. |
 |
 |
| Eye bolt moved and welded up. If bolt not removed the heat will join the two. | With that kind of heat run a tap through the threads. |
 |
 |
| Initial bar placed in stock location. | Tabs cut from plate for second bar. |
 |
 |
| One tab is the template to make 4 identical tabs. A 1/8" hold drilled through all 4 in the same location. | Step drill to fit the bolt. Bit must be cooled or you will ruin the step drill and or temper the metal making it difficult to drill. I use WD-40. |
 |
 |
| Place bolt through all 4 tabs and grind to the same shape. | Ready for assembly. |
 |
 |
| Second bar tacked in. Small washer between eye bolt and tabs. Some shrinkage will occur during welding and if you don't add a washer to space it might end up too tight. | Cross bars tacked in. Should be tacked in pretty good so they do not move too much when welded on the table. |
 |
 |
| Cross bar finish welded on table and put back in. | Tabs welded up with the engine out. |
 |
 |
| At this point the Ladder Bar is pretty much finished. I will post a follow up after the car is painted and assembled. |