[DeTomaso] Pantera Tool Review- Unfinished, and My Mouse Slipped between Save and Send....

[Chris Difani]

My apologies, I just tried to "Save", and hit "Send" instead. Which means I sent an uncompleted, uncorrected draft email to you guys. 

Sorry 'bout that...

Chris Difani
Sacramento, CA
cdifani at pacbell.net  


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And here's the completed email:



Guys:

I'm in the throes of plumbing my 5.4LSOHC engine into my '73L. One of my tasks is making up the varied hoses that I need. Some are the "twist tight" style of AN hose (below 300PSI, and no stainless shield, but half the weight). Some are aluminum "hard line", which need a good bender and flaring tool. And some are the classic AN hose that we've all come to love; the stainless steel braid covered hose, the "bling" stuff. 

Also the hose that has that stainless steel braid that punctures your fingers with glorious abandon when you try to make up a coupling. The kind that is such a pain as you assemble all it's parts. The kind that sometime's takes you 2 or 3 tries before you get a good "connection". The kind that uses your blood for the assembly lubricant!

At this point, I'm making up fuel hoses using Russell FlexPro stainless braid hose (this is the only hose I've found that specifies that it's "suitable for all fuels"). And of course it's not cheap. 

So I don't want to take 2 or 3 "tries" to get a good connection. And that's what led me to my newest tool, "The Koul Tools AN Hose Assembly Tools". These are "sets" of small hand tools that assist in assembling connectors with hose. All I can say is that they're amazing. They're also not cheap. I hesitated on purchasing a set, but finally gave in, and bought a complete AN4 to AN16 set last month for $150. I used them for the first time this past week. 

This has been the best AN hose connector tool that I've used, found, or heard of. They work perfectly, and take away all the pain (from punctured fingers). Using a Koul Tool, it takes less than 20 seconds to assemble an AN hose end. All you do is open the tool, insert the AN coupling housing into the tool, snap the tool shut, then insert the hose into the tool with a twisting action. That's all there is to it. You're done. 

Summit Racing carries them, and is pretty reasonable on their pricing.

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=KTS%2D416&N=700+115&autoview=sku

All I can say is if you have more than one braided hose to assemble, than I strongly recommend your purchasing these. Summit sells them in various assortment kits, and also by the individual AN size. 

Chris

Chris Difani
'73 L #5829 "LITNNG"
The Electric Pantera
Sacramento, CA
Email: cdifani at pacbell.net