[DeTomaso] Brake Hoses

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

Replacing stock 'iron' brake pads with Porterfields will improve braking, as 
will removing the stock non-adjustable prop-valve. This invention of the devil 
limits brake pressure to the two big calipers up front where arguably about 
70% of the braking will be done. Instead, it routs full pressure to the 
toy-sized rear calipers. By adding a gutted stock prop-valve (which is a bolt-in 
conversion indistinguishable from totally-stock), you will get full pressure to 
all 4 calipers. The combination of the two makes for a significant upgrade to 
stock brakes. My experience indicates that for a mostly-stock Pantera that is 
not raced, no proportioning valve (manual or automatic) is needed. 

Rule of thumb on any brake mods: if you cannot lock up any tires in 
max-effort-panic-stops, you need more effective brakes. If you CAN lock up tires, you 
need more traction from bigger tires- and which end locks first dictates 
whether you need to 'proportion' the brake forces (adding force to the end not 
locking). 

Adding new stock rubber hoses can be justified as a safety item, since 35 yrs 
of exposure to smog and weathering has likely damaged the rubber beyond safe 
limits. As has been mentioned numerous times, few of the 'fancy' metal-braid 
hoses are DOT-certified, so they are not strictly legal even though they are 
legal for passenger and miltary aircraft, and are orders of magnitude better 
than any stock rubber. The certification process costs so much that no 
aftermarket supplier (except Pantera vendor Pat Mical at Future Auto in MA) has yet 
spent the thousands of dollars necessary for a DOT blessing- for any brand of car. 

Finally, if you're not comfortable modifying your car for better brakes due 
to the seriousness of the consequenses of screwing up, the major Pantera 
vendors can & will do this for you with no worries. Good luck- J Deryke
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