DeTomaso Mailing List: August 97, Message #73
     



From: Whatcop@aol.com

Subject: Budget brakes

Date: Sat, 2 Aug 1997 10:56:06 -0400 (EDT)



Mike Drew recently wrote that my car has a Gary Hall brake set up.  I would

not have known that, as that system came on the car when I bought it, and I

have not had to do anything to the calipers/pads, etc.  Mike must have

recognized the setup when he saw my car in CA when I lived there.  I bought

the car there from a specialty dealer/consigner, though I believe the

previous owner was Dick Osgood.



The info sheet I got with the car says the following about brakes:  "Super

Stopper ventilated disc brakes, braided stainless steel lines, Motul fluid,

large aluminum master cylinder, hydraulic emergency brake (not installed)"



I like the brakes, as the pedal feel seems good with no sponginess, though I

have not been to the fade point.  I did do a track event/novice driving

school at Sears Point, had a great time, but did not push the car hard enough

to do the hot shoe max throttle/max brake drill between turns.  I did corner

hard enough to find out that my car is fairly neutral in higher speed turns

but would tend to understeer at low speeds.  As I said, I was not beating the

car hard in braking or acceleration; not hard enough in my view to let me

know if the brakes would fade easily if pushed.



Anyway, I think my pedal effort is firm but a little higher than many street

cars.  Both the Maserati Biturbos I owned had lighter effort brakes than my

Pantera, but noticeably heavier clutches.   The Maseratis' heavier clutches

seems backwards vice Panteras, as the Maseratis used 2.5 liter V-6s with

about 200 hp.



Mike also mentioned that Steve Mooney installed a new brake setup then found

out that his special wheels would not work.  I believe these black and silver

wheels that are/were Steve's are ones that I looked at and fit-checked, but

they would not clear the cooling fins on my calipers.  I would have really

liked to have had those wheels and would have bought them from Steve if they

had fit.  I DID buy Steve's used radials  and then bought other wheels rather

than put up with the Arrivas for regular driving.   I have not ever

reinstalled the Arrivas/Campys, have had no reason to.



So I guess the bottom line is to buy the right brakes for what you do or

might want to do with the car, but make sure you know what impact the

proposed brake setup might have on the wheel/tire combination you want to

use............



chris bupp/whatcop



  



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