DeTomaso Mailing List: September 98, Message #283

Zamboni wrote:

>1.  Does anyone have a header builder that has bent up 180 degree exhaust?
What was the cost? 

>>>Well, Hall Pantera (among others) sell a 180-degree system ready to go.
Probably cheaper to go that route than trial-and-error with a custom pipe
builder who's on the clock by the hour.

The British are SERIOUSLY into stainless steel exhausts.  There's an outfit
that has stainless steel 180-degree systems in-stock, ready to bolt onto
Panteras.  George Gordon-Smith can hook you up with them (they are a pretty
ambitious bunch, as they also stock 180-degree systems for Mangustas, and
there's only about 10 in the whole damn country!  George has a set on his
Mangusta, BEAUTIFUL and sounds sweet!)

>2.  After having the car painted I now wish I would have replaced the 
windshield glass. Anyone have a after market supplier they've used? 

>>>I know Chuck Engles got lucky with his home-town windshield shop; they were
able to order an American-made replacement Pantera windshield for some
ridiculous amount, like $125 or so?  I guess he's a happy camper.  So I'd
start there.

Hall Pantera sells aftermarket windshields that I've been told are made in
Brazil (Gary's on this list, and can correct us if I'm wrong.)  They
incorporate a radio antenna and have tinting at the top, both nice features.
I've heard people criticize these windshields as being too small, and too
thin, and thus they can move around in the windshield opening and leak.  I
know there are several happy campers on the list with Hall windshields though.

Personally, I opted for a factory windshield, made in Germany by Siglia.  They
are ordinarily VERY expensive, since the Germans sell them to the Italians
(taxes and markup), then the Italians sell them to the DeTomaso distributor in
the USA (shipping, taxes and markup) who then sells to the retailers
(including himself) (more markup) who then sell them to you.  Full retail on
factory windshields is something like $1600, but I got mine from Wally Baldyga
in Conn for about $800 (back in 1992 or so), and I know Larry Stock had them
on sale for awhile last year for $800, don't know what he's getting for them
now.

They are supposedly far superior to the aftermarket ones (this according to
various vendors), made of thicker glass and slightly larger dimensions to
better fill the opening.

One first-hand criticism of aftermarket windshields; I notice pretty
pronounced visual distortion (funhouse mirror effect) along the edges where
the glass curves; this distortion isn't present in my factory windshield.

3.  What driving/fog lights are folks using these days and where did you 
mount them and how? I like the idea of mounting them behind the front 
grill instead of hanging them off the front bumpers or spoiler?

>>>I've seen several people mount lights directly in front of the radiator fan
motors.  Not only can you make the fan mount dual-purpose, but by having small
lights directly in front of the fan motors, they don't block any additional
airflow to the radiator.

5.  Has anyone mounted the AC condenser to the front of the radiator?
I am curious if it has impacted low speed cooling?

>>>The answer to that would be, "It all depends..."  I know several List
people who have such a setup with no problems, but they got everything as a
unit (i.e. new radiator AND condenser.)  I'd be prepared for problems putting
a new condenser in front of a stock or stock-style radiator.

Larry Stock put a factory Ford condenser in front of his four-core radiator on
his '65 Mustang, and that car now overheats something wicked as a result.
Runs nice and cool on the road, anything above 25 mph, but in town, the
engine-mounted fan doesn't have the balls to pull air through both the
condenser and the extra-thick radiator, unless he puts it in neutral and races
the motor at 2000 rpm constantly.  Sometimes more (thicker radiator) is NOT
better!

Looking forward to hooking up with you in Europe next year, WITH your Pantera!

Mike