DeTomaso Mailing List: May 2001, Message #213

I'd like to thank Forest, Gray, Jack and others that I may have written me
for responding to the questions on the merits of a tube chasis compared to
the standard Pantera body.  I'm between Panteras right now, but when the
time comes, I'm inclined to go the tubed chasis route with a real Pantera
body on it.  That seems to provide the best of both worlds for what I'm
looking for.

Thanks again.

Andy

----- Original Message -----
From: "Gray Gregory" <rgg@gregorycook.com>
To: "Andy DiFatta" <cdifatta@snet.net>; "Multiple recipients of list"
<detomaso@realbig.com>
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2001 1:47 PM
Subject: Re: Flexing of the Pantera body


>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Andy DiFatta" <cdifatta@snet.net>
> To: "Multiple recipients of list" <detomaso@realbig.com>
> Sent: Monday, May 07, 2001 8:49 AM
> Subject: Re: Flexing of the Pantera body
>
> Andy asks,
>
>
> >
> > Ok guys, I've got to ask these questions:
> >
> > 1.  Would a tube chasis with a Pantera skin be better than the factory
> body?
>
> YES
> > 2.  Would the tube chasis make the body more resistant to cracks?
>
>  YES
> > 3.  Would a tube chasis allow the car to handle better?
>
> YES!!!!
> > 4.  Would the tube chasis car be lighter and faster?
>
>  That depends on the body panels. with light fiberglass panels yes. with
> stell panels no.
> > 5.  What are the drawbacks of a tube chasis?
>
>  it's not Brock stock. :>)
>
>  my .02
> Gray
> >
> > Thanks in advance for your input.
> >
> > Andy DiFatta
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: <JDeRyke@aol.com>
> > To: "Multiple recipients of list" <detomaso@realbig.com>
> > Sent: Friday, May 04, 2001 3:51 PM
> > Subject: Re: Flexing of the Pantera body
> >
> >
> > > 1)- All unmodified Pantera bodies WILL crack in one or more places:
the
> > base
> > > of the front windshield posts, near the gas filler downturn of the
rear
> > body
> > > (both sides) and under the taillights. The last two are areas where
body
> > > sections are overlapped and spot-welded while the windshield posts are
> > poorly
> > > supported (and spot-welded). Cracked paint is an indication of body
> flex;
> > > ignoring this may cause the underlying metal to crack later.
> > >
> > > 2)- Seam-welding the known weak areas cannot hurt and in fact may
> > partially
> > > cure the problem. The windshield post bases and inside the rain
channels
> > for
> > > the rear decklid desperately need large-area metal doublers welded in,
> as
> > > most cars seem to have crummy spotwelds or actual broken spotwelds
there
> > (my
> > > car certainly did). Monococque construction doesn't work well with big
> > holes
> > > cut in the structures for doors, decklids and windshields. Glue-in
> > > windshields probably help stiffen the structure considerably.
> > >
> > > 3)- Bigger, stickier tires will cause the problem to occur more
rapidly
> > than
> > > tires on stock-sized wheels, due to much larger forces going into the
> > > structure instead of sliding the car. Bigger swaybars will also
> contibute
> > to
> > > the cracking. Open track, autocrossing or 'vigorous' street driving by
a
> > new
> > > owner will certainly cause rapid paint cracking on seemingly perfect
> older
> > > paint jobs. One could add a flex-agent to the paint to make it last a
> bit
> > > longer, but the underlying metal will eventually separate.
> > >
> > > 4)- DeTomaso was warned by Dallara the chassis designer, of the
> > possibility
> > > of body cracking on bumpy roads before the Pantera was even introduced
> to
> > the
> > > public according to Wally Weiss' book 'Detomaso: the man & the
> machines'.
> > But
> > > no structural mods by the factory were ever done (that I know of)
until
> > the
> > > introduction of the Pantera 200 with its tube-subframe rear section,
and
> > > since so few were built, its unclear if this was effective in reducing
> > paint
> > > or metal cracking . If I were starting with a stripped Pantera, I
would
> > > TIG-weld big, wide steel doublers in all the known places and remove
all
> > > undercoating to check the frame crossmembers' integrity. My original
> > welded
> > > rear crossmember under the engine was broken loose in nearly half the
> > > spotwelds. Chassis braces haven't been around long enough to make a
> > > guess-estimate of their worth, but I have seen paint cracking on track
> > cars
> > > that run substantial bracing. Dunno if it was there before the braces
> were
> > > added or has appeared afterwards.
> > > My best guess to date- J deRyke
> > >
> >
> >
>