[DeTomaso] L or pre L

[Bohdan Goyaniuk]

Frank,
   
  I have been following the replies to your request.  You are doing the right thing by asking opinions in DeTomaso forums.  I would also suggest you look at the service manuals and read the product literature.
   
  I will not go into a long discussion but will simply say ... 
   
  Early cars had higher compression engines BUT their horsepower was listed as SAE Gross.  SAE Net horsepower numbers came in the 73 models.  True horsepower numbers for any stock 71-74 Pantera engine (save the 351C Boss) arguably never made more than 300 hp SAE Net.
   
  If you want a car with all the bugs rung out - get a later car.  This is true with any engineered product.  Service experience allows a manufacturer to incorporate corrective changes.  It would take some time to list all of the impovements here.  You can see many of the obvoius improvements by checking out all the Service Bulletins issued by DeTomaso to correct the obvious design and manufacturing problems.  As I say, these were the obvious, but there were many more improvements in design and build as well.   A later car is a better car in my view.
   
  In addition, ask someone like Kirk Evans and Steve Wilkinson which is the better car to own.  Give them a call.  Both are very friendly and helpful people.  I think they probably would largely echo what I just said.
  
In my opinion, get a Late L car.  Preferably a '74 with a serial number around 6000 or higher. 
   
  HTH 
   
  B.G.
  
frank <fkhjr at cox.net> wrote:
  thanks for all the thoughtful replies. i will certainly
take all this advice to heart. and wow!, what a great 
group. i like the look of the early cars but prefer the 
L dash and a few other odds and ends. it ends up
being a wash for me. i was mainly wondering if there
had been any significant changes to the design, 
engineering, or build process as the model progressed
that would make the later cars the better choice.
thanks again,
frank
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