DeTomaso Mailing List: May 98, Message #78

Just a little status update.  I took a few weeks off work and drove the
Pantera (full of parts) to see the parental units in Ohio.  The real
purpose of the trip is to get some wrench time in on the P.  As of now,
the Pantera is over at a friend's body shop having a wheel house patch
panel welded in (mine never had the drain holes - everywhere else is
rust free).  While we're at it, the rear subframe will be seam welded
and the lower crossmember made removable.  After that, the engine
compartment will get painted.  
    
The Aussie heads are at the machine shop having bronze valves guides
installed.  When we get them back Tuesday, we'll install stainless
valves, roller rockers, screw-in studs, guide plates, etc. and do a
triple angle valve job.  In the meantime, we'll the cam goes in and
the block gets cleaned and painted.  

The short block is on the stand and tomorrow I'll pull the pan and see
if I have two or four bolt mains.  So far, the original engine looks
great (as it should with only 18K miles on the clock).  There's no ridge
in the cylinders and everything is spotless.  Even the valve covers are
still shiny on the inside. If only the pistons weren' dished...

While I'm waiting on the heads, I'll safety wire the ring and pinion,
and start painting all the little pieces I've pulled off the car.  After
the engine and transaxle go back in, plans are to re-bush the suspension
and update the air conditioning.

Things are moving along but I'm a little behind schedule due to parts
delays.  PPC (in Colorado) scewed up my order and sent it to St. Louis 
instead of Cincinnati.  They we're closed when I arrived on Friday and
shutdown over the Memorial day weekend so that put me behind from the
get go.  However, it was an honest mistake and they made good by
duplicating the order and overnighting it to me. FPP, on the other hand,
was a plain no-show with the valves.  They promised they'd be here
waiting for me but when I called to find out where they were, they said
that after two months, they weren't going to be able to fill the order.
Anyway, a call to Cam Research and I was back in business with the
valves showing up today.

So much for the rambling.  I do have one question.  Per Jack's advice, I
had the coolant tanks desoldered and fitted with U.S. style necks.  What 
pressure rating should the caps be?

Thanks,
Dan Jones