DeTomaso Mailing List: August 97, Message #269
     



From: nobbie@concentric.net (Nobbie)

Subject: The Homecoming

Date: Sun, 10 Aug 1997 11:50:55 -0800



Picked up the P from Cook's place yesterday morning. Felt great to have the

beast back.

The Centerforce clutch felt great. Excellent disengagement allowing smooth

and glitch-free shifting. In fact, shifting into any gear was so smooth, it

was almost scary! I had gotten used to that ratchety feel everytime I rowed

the shifter. The pedal effort is definitely easier. Very smooth and linear.

I think a lot of this had to do with replacing the slave cylinder and

master cylinder.



A few questions though.



1) The shifter lever is looser than before. There seems to be a lot more

freeplay in it. Mike Cook says that's not the clutch but the transmission

that's causing it.



2) Also, a friend noticed that the car seems to ride a little higher in the

back. I noticed it too. Is this because the Centerforce is lighter? Or is

this because the car has probably spent quitea bit of time jacked up that

the suspension is extended? Does this make sense? Save for a slight pulling

to the right(which it kinda did before, but not as much) drivability

doesn't seem to be affected.



3) I've noticed a slight burning smell. Is this the new clutch "breaking

in?" Or am I about to go up in flames.



All in all, I'm pretty pleased with Mike's and Billy's work on the car.

They even vacuumed the interior for me. Some of the things I asked them to

take a look at, or do, were missed. i.e. flickering GEN light, AC leaking

water under the dash, synthetic oil instead of dino, to name a few.



But, they stuck pretty close to my budget of $1000. Now I've got a new horn

that actually works. (The old one was fried.) The A/C blows cold INSTANTLY!

(I guess I could've turned of the heater supply valve myself, but I was too

lazy to get underneath the car) The car shifts with aplomb. And, most

importantly, I'm stylin' again!



On the drive back, some goof ball in a 55 Ford F100 kept making hand

signals at me then giving me the thumbs up. I think he was flashing the

number three, then five, then two at me then giving me the thumbs up. Any

idea what this means. I just waved back at him and tried to lose him.

Soemwhere around downtown LA, the wife blew me away in the minivan because

there was this guy in a Trans Am who kept slowing down and speeding up with

me so he could keep looking at my car. Of course, this kept me from getting

over to the fast lane so I could follow the wifey home. That got kinda

annoying!



Then there were all the neighbors stopping by saying they thought I sold

the car because they hadn't seen it in three weeks. (They'd gotten used to

me having a new car parked out front every six months!) Then when I tell

them it was in the shop, they get this knowing nod like, "Aha! Italian

sports car always in the shop attitude!" I had to slap a few of them around

and tell them I was upgrading the car so it would be louder! That made them

really happy!



Okay, I've said enough.



In short:



The Centerforce Clutch, in the limited 100 miles driven so far, seems to be

pretty damn bitchin'! Easier pedal effort. Strong pulling. Etc. etc.



Nobbie #3766 (Reunited! And it feels so good!)







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