[DeTomaso] Pantera Aerodynamics

Tue Nov 11 15:02:56 EST 2008

  I hate to tell you this, but it's near the end of 2008 and there was a race in April.  That's where this shot came from.  I had a 140mph
tech speed but couldn't miss a good photo op and sound effects for the team.  Not bad for a 125hp.  The '96 Vette belonged to Jim (navi)
and we ran it while I was getting this last Pantera running.  This year the Pantera did touch the frame right at the back, but I have a 
jacking plate and it just cleaned the grease off.  The car is pretty low...the lower control arms are angled up slightly towards the wheels.  
I've had the other 2 cars up to these speeds before with no aero mods and didn't have any problems.  This Gp4 car was just as stable but
we were running a faster average speed.  Moving up 20mph average is a big jump on that road.  So I don't know if the air dam or the flat black 
paint contributed to that, probably both.  Even the Vette guys were glad to see a Pantera back at the event.  Really, I got more response
from them than any other group.  Everybody loved the black.  The tires are showing the cords so I have to paint them black too.
  I think we (Team Pantera) are going to make an all out assault on Big Bend this year.  That's a good thing.  After the women and children get
over their initial fear, they get so friendly and cuddly.  :)  Be there.
Michael
Gruppo Rompiculi Corsa Y'all  BBORR April 2009

Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2008 09:47:14 -0800From: teampantera at yahoo.comSubject: Re: [DeTomaso] Pantera AerodynamicsTo: red3644 at hotmail.com; mikeldrew at aol.com; detomaso at realbig.com
Wait a minute...I just went to the BBORR web site.....Of course those two Bobo's were NOT driving a Pantera last year...it was a '96 GM Veeeeeeeete in 2007.  And yea his Corvette didn't have any lift running 120 to 150 because both their fat asses kept the Corvette from falling apart or regrading the road at those slow poke speeds!  

When 250 pound Larry Stock and his 250 pound naviquesser did the Pony Express with us they tried but failed to grind down the road lip over a bridge...wiped out his suspension or what was left of it! Bridge survived...Afterwards we had to change Larry's Depends. ;-]>

Seriously and all kidding of MF'r and his one time run in his Vette he still is the man to beat in locking in time and distance...In fact I think the reason he ran his Vette was because of some ugly rumors that the Vette guys really did not believe his Pantera was a REAL Pantera...... I think the operative word here is "Real Pantera" and at what speed aero drag becomes a challenge. 

I know the Pantera stock out of the box is good for sustained speeds up to 160 with just a few minor changes MF'r and others have wrote about. The Big Bend ORR is a challenging road. Lots of elevation changes and off camber turns. You do not want to get in over your head on that or any of the other ORR roads in Nebraska or Mexico. Lots of turns, drop offs and blind hills. All great roads for spirited legal driving at speed. 

When MF'r ran an average of just under 125 Mph in the Corvette which is still a handfull on that Fort Stockton to Sanderson and back road he did so knowing he would sacrafice one for the team. ;-]> 

 I originally ran my Pantera at ALL the open road races with no air dam, side skirts or rear wings. And did not need them  for Texas either. And really have not needed them below 140 in the Nevada ORR's....when you start running '' sustained-average " speeds of 140+ plus then you can greatly appreciate the aero improvements. 

okay, done pissing off my buds in Texas! ;-]>
See you'all in April

Mad Dawg

michael frazier <red3644 at hotmail.com> wrote:
Mike Drew wrote: Although it's possible that your front trunk is pressurized, I wouldn't necessarily bet on it. The top of the hood is shaped exactly like an airplane wing, and probably generates an enormous amount of lift all by itself; the trunk isn't strong enough to resist deformation at those speeds. You could try adding material to the front trunk weatherstripping (that is, adding another layer of stick-on weatherstripping on the top to ensure a good seal with the hood) and see what happens?Some vendor's carbon fiber units are often much, much worse in this regard. Even vented carbon fiber hoods aren't strong enough, and will bow enough to pop open above 100 mph. Geoff Peters threw one or two of them away before buying one from Sigbjorn in Norway that was properly made.I thought about that too. It does have the right shape but the angle of attack is pretty high too. I'm thinking those even out. There has to be a great deal ofpressure up high behind the radiator too. Anyway, just posted the pic for general info. The car looks a bit low in back because the 345-35s are too short for a Pantera with Gp4 flares. Destined to run grooved slicks. And as Dave suggested we were accelerating briskly when we made the pass. Luckilyno radar points were around or we would not have taken another win. So, no real front lift problems. That style air dam works for me (with bracing behind it).We'll do another test near the end of April at Big Bend! See everyone there.MichaelGruppo Rompiculi Corsa!! _________________________________________________________________Color coding for safety: Windows Live Hotmail alerts you to suspicious email.http://windowslive.com/Explore/Hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_safety_112008_______________________________________________Detomaso Forum Managed by POCAArchive Search Engine Now Available at http://www.realbig.com/detomaso/DeTomaso mailing listDeTomaso at list.realbig.comhttp://list.realbig.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
Mad Dawg Antenucci Team Pantera Racing 
The 1st & still the only vintage race team in open road racing www.teampanteraracing.com
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