DeTomaso Mailing List: August 2000, Message #45

Tracy wrote:

>what would be the most likly cause of a Pantera
pulling to the left when accelerating hard then pull a
little to the left when let up on the gas,  But
driving it fine and braking its find, only pulles when
hard on the gas the letting up. 

>>>It's a little tough to decipher what you're writing here--been sniffing 
the exhaust a little too heavy? :>)

You say it pulls to the left under throttle, and then pulls further to the 
left when you lift?  Or does it actually pull to the right when you lift?

I've driven Panteras with just this behavior; the cause was completely 
blown-out suspension bushings.  The a-arms aren't held in a constant plane 
relative to the chassis; under acceleration, the rear wheel(s) attempt to 
pull the car forward, and since the bushings were shot, the wheel would 
literally drive forward of the car, resulting in toe-in at the rear.  When 
you'd lift, or brake, the opposite would happen--the tires would attempt to 
drag behind the car and would go toe-out.

If the wear was uneven side-to-side, you could have dramatic pulling to one 
side or the other, as one a-arm moved forward more or less than the other one.

Now, on MY car, when I bought it, I could literally change lanes without 
moving the steering wheel.  That was because the entire right rear chassis 
was rusted to the point of transparency (but the left side had been replaced 
and was rock-solid.)  When I stepped on the gas, the right rear chassis would 
collapse, the left front wheel would practically come off the ground, the 
alignment in the rear would go all to hell, and the car would veer to the 
left.

Being a dumb-ass kid, I found this incredibly amusing.

In fact, while driving it across the USA, loaded to the gunwales with about 
1000 lbs of tools, guns and ammunition (stuff the movers wouldn't touch), I 
kept myself entertained by passing cars on two-lane roads without moving the 
wheel.  I'd lock my left hand on the steering wheel, ease up behind a car, 
then downshift to 3rd and punch it.

The car would veer to the opposite side of the road as it accelerated.  When 
clear of the slower car, I'd step on the clutch, and the car would snap back 
in line.  I'd then gently ease it into 4th gear and gently apply throttle.  
Gentle applications didn't upset the chassis, and as the RPM raised I'd draw 
alongside and then past the slower car.

Once safely clear, I'd suddenly stomp on the clutch; the car would then snap 
back to the right.  I'd slot the thing in 5th gear but hold my foot on the 
clutch until the car had coasted fully into the proper lane, then quickly 
release the clutch and stand on the gas.  The car would veer to the left 
again, now pointed straight ahead, and I'd motor off into the sunrise (since 
I was heading East), giggling the whole way.

Horrifing when I think about it now.  The inner wheel house was slowly 
peeling itself away from the main chassis; when I left California it was 
about 1/3 detached; when I arrived in Oklahoma it was about 2/3 detached.  My 
first stop was Chuck Engles house; I laughingly pointed out my chassis rust 
and he just about had a heart attack on the spot, and attempted to issue 
Grown-Up Words Of Wisdom regarding the potential ramifications of driving a 
car like that.

Well, it's all fixed now.  Hopefully that's not the problem that you're 
encountering--if it is, run like hell!

Mike