DeTomaso Mailing List: May 1997, Message #29
     



From: MikeLDrew@aol.com

Subject: Re: decklid shocks

Date: Thu, 1 May 1997 14:27:14 -0400 (EDT)



Capt Mike Drew

150 Westgate Dr.

San Francisco, CA  94127



Home:   (415) 334-7860



E-mail:  MikeLDrew@aol.com





Hi All,



Dave Lee wrote:



I need to replace my decklid shocks(supports), as the stock ones will

not hold the decklid up because of the Delta wing. I heard that certain

"heavy duty" supports will crack the decklid,  could this be caused by not

limiting the decklid speed as it opens?(which could be rectified by

moderating the speed with your hand on the lid).

Also,  at the Vegas show,  I noticed a pair of coil spring type decklid

supports. Are these a good alternative as well?-Dave Lee



>>>Dave,



As I recall, you live in the Greater S.F. Bay Area, right?  I happen to know

that Pantera Parts Connection in Mountain View has the cure for what ails ya,

because I spent several hours in front of a mill several weeks ago, making

Pantera deck lid shock adapters for Larry Stock (hey, he stores my cars for

me, I help him out when I can.)



I was machining out the generic plastic chingus on the end of each shock,

then malletizing in a machined brass sleeve with the proper width and

internal diameter to fit the Pantera application.



He had a deck-lid shock maker custom-make shocks to his specs, for both with

and without wings; these shocks have all been individually tested on a shock

dyno to make sure they're within spec.



On my car, I originally purchased a set of 'factory' deck lid shocks from

Wilkinson, because I'd heard the (true) horror stories of too-stiff Hall

shocks tweaking the deck lid.  What I got were off-the-shelf Boge shocks with

an exorbitant price tag (over $80 each if I recall); it's unknown if they

came via Italy or were purchased locally.  They, too, were too stiff and

caused my decklid to bulge.



I subsequently replaced them with Larry's and the work GREAT!  They're JUST

barely strong enough to keep the decklid raised fully; in fact, if you lower

it halfway, they'll keep them there too.  It's easy to tell a too-strong

shock, just open your decklid slightly and let go; if the shocks raise it

fully by themselves, they're too strong.



Yesterday I checked out Steve Mooney's car, just back from Hall Pantera after

a conversion to GT5 spec with wing.  It's painted Viper GTS blue and looks

BEAUTIFUL!!!!  But he's got Hall shocks in there, and his decklid which fit

perfectly before now sticks up in the front.  Also, at one time one of the

supports broke, leaving the decklid supported only on one side; the shock was

strong enough to literally twist the decklid and now there's a noticeable

ripple in the sheet metal of the decklid above the passenger side hinge.



It's an unfortunate fact that in order to keep a decklid up with a heavy wing

on the back, strong shocks are needed (Hall's seem to be CORRECTLY calibrated

for Steve's car, i.e. not too stiff); if you ever have a problem with one

side, you're probably going to have damage to the leading edge of the decklid

as a result.



If your shocks are forcing the leading edge of your decklid up into the

breeze, perhaps (meaning I'm guessing now) the problem can be allieviated

somewhat by removing the hinges and tweaking them in a vice, to lower the

leading edge.  It might cause the decklid to sit TOO low when the shocks

aren't connected, but the force of the shocks would then raise it up to the

proper level.  That's what I'd try, anyway...



One final aside; did you know that the '71's used a different-sized decklid

shock?  Me either.  They simply used a larger bolt to secure the shock to the

body and decklid; in the past, early Pantera owners were forced to get by

with the smaller-sized chinguses of the later cars, usually meaning the

shocks were a loose fit and rattled in the body and decklid.  But Larry had

brass chingus sleeves machined up for both diameters, so you can get them

either way.



These things are on sale for $42 each.



End of plug.



Mike