[DeTomaso] Pushbutton

[gow2 at rc-tech.net]

>> There are a few things on this car that don't follow. This one has the
>> ridge on the decklid, latch for the decklid in both the rear and the
>> door jamb.
>>
>>>>Can't be.   Or, rather, they can't both be functional.

It does, the cable pulls the same mechanism the rear button for the
decklid uses.  It's not the earlier mechanism



>
> I can't say for sure, but most early cars I've seen with later decklids
> have
> been victims of a smack up the backside at some point in their lives.   I
> would hazard a guess that your car got whacked, the back panel and decklid
> were
> both damaged, and at the time the only available replacement parts were
> later-production parts, so the car was changed, along with the Gr4
> taillights.   That
> is a pure guess however.   It's remotely possible that your car was built
> with
> a pushbutton trunk latch, but I find it almost impossible to conceive of
> it
> being built with a ribbed decklid.


No, I have ran into 2 other guys where this has been the case. This is why
these are not rules. I have been all over/under the car. There is no
indication anything has ever been disturbed. That's why even though it has
a thmpl number it was finished and titled as a 72. Sat around and finished
up with 1972 era parts. Regardless of what the brake box says. There is in
fact a Detomaso tag on the brake box number from the factory of 1280. If
you pull back the carpet the full number is there. Even the france paper
work only has the number #1280 on it.

>
> Are your bumpers rounded?

I have to look. They are in the trunk tub.


>
>> Few other things a little different. Even has cloth seats
>> which apparently came from the factory.
>>
>>>>I highly doubt that too.   The only seats I know of at the time were
> naugahyde.   I don't think they even offered leather then.   So yours were
> almost
> assuredly changed after the fact.



The US cars sure but I have seen this interior on another one. I think
this was a bastard car set a side finished up and sent to France. It was
originally blue and the blue can be seen under all the body panels.



> A lot can happen to car in 14 years, you know.
>>
>> It was imported around 1985 and is stock except for valve cover and
>> aircleaner removed.
>>
>>>>And the back panel and decklid Gr4 lights and Euro GTS decals and
>>>> chrome

It was obviously re-painted but It's a european car and many of them had
the Gr4 lights. They were not changed.





> rub strip along the beltline and two-slot wheels and uphostered seats and
> Dash
> 2 gearbox and later A/C fan and....
>
> ...stock for a Pantera, in other words.
>
> Having said all that, I do note that some of the French pushbuttons I've
> seen
> apparently came with Dash 2 gearboxes (or, at least, they have them now
> and
> the current owners have no idea where they came from?).   So again, given
> the
> supposed late completion date of your car, it's possible that some of
> these
> later-car features your cars has were original to this particular car.
>
>
>> It is pretty rough but solid.
>>
>>>>I like it a lot.   I consider it a diamond in the rough. :>)

I will take it all the way down. I will leave no part untouched.It was
originally Blue but I don't know on color yet. Color may be the 1% not
original. Maybe silver or silver and black.


Gary