DeTomaso Mailing List: July 99, Message #248

Cal wrote:

>The biggest "problem"
is removing the brake system and refreshing the proportioning valve and
some of the stainless hardline so it looks decent. 

>>>Since you're working in that neighborhood, follow Jack DeRyke's advice and 
just JUNK the stock proportioning valve!  You can keep the shuttle valve 
thingy if you want, but the prop valve has GOTTA go!  Less effort to re-plumb 
than to recondition it anyway...:>)

>Continuing on, I took a look from at the back of the cat. It looks like
the tops of the tires may be ever so slightly pointing inside more than
the bottoms. It needs that camber adjusting cross brace. That's also
going to come on sometime during this resto. I'll probably follow on
with a brace kit sometime later in the future.

>>>Uh, Cal?  Can you say CAMBER?  The Pantera is SUPPOSED to have 1/2 degree 
of negative camber in the rear--this is exactly what you're describing.  
Before you spend money fixing a problem you may not have, get the car on an 
alignment rack and see where you're at.  Camber is adjusted in the rear by 
shims between the mounting yokes for the lower a-arm, and the chassis.  If 
you have too much negative camber, you can remove shims.  ONLY if you have NO 
shims and still have too much camber, must you investigate other alternatives.

You do NOT want to attempt to correct an excess negative camber problem by 
putting an adjustable brace in the back and cranking the hell out of it--this 
merely over-stresses the body.  Not that these things aren't a good idea--I 
intend to fit one shortly myself.  But the goal is simply to keep the rear 
end rigid, NOT to use it as a band-aid.

If you in fact have excess negative camber and can't shim it out, then you 
need adjustable upper control arms.  But I suspect you don't need ANYTHING.

> I heard someone was using a Ferrari horn during the last
PCNC tech session. I might have to try that. How much does a 308 horn
cost anyway?

>>>The Grand Prix horns (Italian FIAMM air horns re-packaged for USA market) 
came from Kragen for $25.  That was me that installed them and I LOVE them.  
Don't forget you get a 10% military discount at Kragens!  If the checker says 
you don't, ARGUE because it's there!

Last weekend I discovered the SAME horns available at Harbor Freight for only 
$19.95 (different package), and a similar package with same compresser but 
METAL instead of plastic horns for $28.

I purchased a second set of these horns for a project involving a train 
whistle (long story) that unfortunately fizzled out.  So last week I mounted 
'em in the Scirocco of Doom! :>)  I've been beeping my brains out all week! 
:>)

Rick's car already came with similar horns (different make though--I forget?) 
so he couldn't use 'em!

>Oh yeah, Mike, you were right:
those Apollo (or is it Hercules?) fasterner holes 

>>>That's Dzus (pronounced "Dzus") fasteners...

Mike