DeTomaso Mailing List: July 2001, Message #133

Kirby,

Nice report, thank you.

Thanks for the plug regarding the water to oil cooler.  BTW, what DO you 
run for cubic inches.  I know you have the big EFI and the lay-down shroud 
radiator.  What about the block and crank?

Nice info on the slick tires.  What size are they?

Interesting about the big 5th gear ratio.  I want one for the street.  I've 
assumed that top speed is limited by gear ratio, but the car is faster as 
is?  OK, top speed is limited by torque.

What is a K58?
What is a 360?

Thanks again for the report, glad you arrived home safely.

Mike Royer

At 10:30 PM 7/5/2001 -0400, Kirby Schrader wrote:

>We're back. I think... No, really...
>Zombies comes to mind after that drive up and back! Yesterday I was
>in a daze unloading vehicles and stuff, fixing flat tires, etc.
>
>David Bell said he'd do a trip report for us as independent reporter
>and relief driver, so I leave it to him for the full report.
>
>For the naysayers, a 2001 Lighting makes one hell of a tow vehicle!
>Trailer? What trailer? And another guy showed up on Friday night with
>his Pantera on a trailer towed by a 2001 silver Lightning! I
>congratulated him on his taste in vehicles! And can't remember his
>name now for the life of me....
>
>Met lots of new people and list members who I can now put a face to
>name! Saw the other folks who we met before... Great to see y'all!
>Bob Reid, Forest Majors,  Lauri (nice to meet you for the first
>time!), Wayne Stevens, Mark Basile, Tony Digiovanna, Mark DeCasian,
>etc. I'm sure I've forgotten some. Apologies!
>Missed Dave Aument... I sure wanted to check out those K58's again.....
>
>John Taphorn said he had fun (some problems with rear wheel lockup on
>braking into a corner was his biggest complaint to me...) and his new
>Fikse wheels look fantastic! Look for pictures later when we get our
>act together.
>
>So, from my side:
>
>Oil coolers
>
>(This is for you, Charlie!)
>You may remember my comments on seeing 300+ oil temps at TWS last
>February. I got worried and ordered an Aeroquip water/oil coolant
>radiator from my favorite vendor, Pantera Performance Center.
>
>Took some doing, but got it installed a couple of months ago when I
>commented on its effect during street driving. It did make a 10
>degree difference on the street. Didn't know what it'd do on the
>track.
>
>Bottom line?  After Pocono, I can say 'It works.'
>
>Shifting at 7000 the whole weekend with some short shifting at 6500
>when people were in front of me resulted in an oil temp max of 270! I
>like it. Water temp never went over 190 even on the fastest laps.
>
>If you want more details on the oil cooler, let me know. Result may
>vary with a long sustained run like Silver State... I'm running 15/50
>Mobil 1.
>
>Other things...
>
>Tires:
>I went for Avon slicks on my previously nominated 15" street Gottis,
>which are now my track wheels and tires. Love'em! 10.5's on the front
>and 13's on the back. They stick. And look none the worse for wear
>after the weekend. Well, OK... I did wear off the mold marks...
>
>Problems:
>Started in the zoo/circus they called White Group. Joe Moore was nice
>enough to move me up to Blue with no hassle. Sunday afternoon was
>rained out bigtime.
>
>Didn't get to run the last two sessions on Monday due to my fan belt
>going again, bending the A/C compressor/alternator bracket and also
>bending the alternator fan blades. Straightened them, put on a new
>belt and managed two laps before a big bang indicated my 7000rpm
>shift to 3rd on the short chute in the infield. Didn't impress my
>sister-in-law who was passenger at the time...
>
>Lost the alternator belt, A/C belt and the alternator fan broke in
>two with half of it trying to make its way into the passenger
>compartment... Nice big hole in my engine cover now...
>
>I've got the bracket off now and will try to straighten or get a new
>one from Dennis Q.
>
>The new .655 5th in the transaxle is nice on the street, but really
>took a lot to pull on the straight. I remember seeing the speedometer
>say 160 on the back straight in '98. This year I seemed to only
>manage 155... I guess I need more engine now!
>
>Did I have fun? Loved it! I definitely found myself going faster than
>the last time we were there in '98. The ultimate complement as far as
>I was concerned was when a Ferrari guy in a modified Testarossa
>stopped his car in front of me in the pits and asked, 'What have you
>got in that thing? Every time I see you in my rear view mirror, you
>pass my ass! Nobody ever does that in a Pantera!'
>
>Quote, unquote.
>
>Big grin! I had fun.
>
>Followed a champagne colored 360 for awhile and thought to myself, if
>he can go through turn 1 that fast, then so can I! So off we went. I
>followed him for two laps, but he was better than me... I got tired
>being on the edge that much. I guess those 30 year newer cars are
>easier to drive... or faster... or something.
>
>Then Gray Gregory got me worried by saying that I should be
>careful... 360's have ground effects and should corner faster. Oh
>well... What you don't know doesn't hurt you. And the 360 driver was
>probably a wimp.   :-))))
>
>Hell of a weekend! If it wasn't for that darned drive up and back,
>I'd go back in September!!!!
>
>Uhhh... getting carried away now... 'nuff said.
>
>Kirby