DeTomaso Mailing List: February 1997, Message #38
     



From: JDeRyke@aol.com

Subject: Re: handling question

Date: Wed, 5 Feb 1997 01:54:29 -0500 (EST)



Hi, William- I autocrossed our car (stock) and a friends' NASCAR-engined

Pantera for 6 yrs. The dominate characteristic is understeer, thanks to

Ford's engineers i believe. But all handling is extremely quick. Yank on the

wheel of a 'Vette and nothing much happens for a time; do the same to as

mid-engine car and you better have an armfull of opposite lock ready, 'cause

the tail will whip faster than your 930 ever though of. Kinda neat, 'cause

you have the power to catch it, converting to power oversteer at you whim.

The biggest problem is, you can't hang enough front tire on the car without

massive flairs that screw up the original lines. A 245-50x 15 tire will fit

in front, on the 8x15 Campagnolos originally used on the rear. Campy made

some 10x 15" cast-mag rears and they're still available for a price. Lately,

aftermarket guys are building front & rear wheels that allow the suspension

hardware to set inside the rims, thus allowing 245-50x 17" on 9" fronts &

305-35x17" tires on 11x17" rears w/no flairs. The big wheels also allow

larger brake rotors than stock. Just bring money!. An SVO alloy block knocks

about 80 lbs off the motor; a set of alloy heads removes another 60 lbs and

an alloy waterpump about 10 more. The alloy blocks can be bored to 4-1/8" and

Ford has stroker cranks that can get you 427 cubes in a Cleveland-size pkg

that weighs maybe 500 lbs. Neat but pricey.