[DeTomaso] Fantastic fiberglass Pantera parts score

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/7/08 10:37:03 PM, johnmckee at cox.net writes:

> A carbon fiber Mangusta....... I can see hours of day dreaming coming on.
> 
It would seem so, but I suggest you not be the first to try building one.... 
I inspected the molds while we sorted them into 'known', 'unknown' and 
'possible GM' piles; one appeared to be a mold for a Corvette Grand Sport hood while 
others might be Can-Am/Trans-Am race car parts. Look for an in-depth report 
with photos in your POCA Newsletter. Larry was told that no body was ever pulled 
from the 'Goose mold so no one really knows what "adjustments" might need to 
be made on that unused 6-piece mold (+ 4 more for doors & deck wings). Second, 
the complete 'glas bodies (a Pantera L, a GT-5 Pantera and a Mangusta) have 
no frames, nor did Long & Newman's frame jigs come with the mold collection. As 
someone who once built a fiberglas roadster from only a body shell, I can 
tell you it is a real exercise to mount any body-shell on any chassis and have 
door and hood/deck openings line up correctly. Scratch-building a frame for 4- 
wheel IR suspension with good geometry & handling is even more difficult. Can't 
remember what suspension parts Long & Newman used on their proprietary 
square-tube frame for the few V-8 kits they built, but I'm pretty sure it was GM. 
IMHO, the hundred or so molds for the many bolt-on parts for Panteras will make 
valuable additions to the world DeTomaso parts inventory. The body tubs will 
be less so IMHO. FWIW- J DeRyke


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