[DeTomaso] Shock tower crossmember measurement

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/2/09 11:58:45 AM, tborcich at msn.com writes:

> Guys, can anyone give me the standard measurement for the rear 
> crossmember shock tower? Pocket end to pocket end? My bolt holes are very elongated 
> on both sides, actually look like ovals.
> 
Oh-oh. The stock boltholes ARE elongated from the factory, and the 
measurement will vary for every single Pantera on the road. What happens over time 
is, the spot-welded chassis relaxes a little, the upper subframe rails move 
inboard and the upper rear a-arm alignment changes. That's why a vital 
assessory is an adjustable bay-brace bar above the bellhousing. After 35+ years, 
the whole rear assembly has sagged a little so the amount of bar-preload your 
particular car needs should not all be cranked in at once, or you risk 
buckling the outer fender panels. Instead, add a little at a time over maybe a 
few weeks, with driving in between, until the rear wheel alignment shows the 
wheels are again somewhere near zero camber (topside tip-in). 
Finally, get an adjustable bay-brace that has ends long enough to jam into 
the welded pockets so the bar isn't trying to take all the cornering load 
thru sloppy slotted holes in sheet-metal tabs. It it absolutely impossible to 
tighten the bay-brace bar bolts enough to prevent movement without using the 
backside of the pockets to help. The pockets are actually the upper, inner 
part of the rear shock mounts, and ARE stiff enough to take the loads. The 
only bar known to work properly is a black steel square-tube assembly sold by 
Hall and now, all the vendors. If you prefer the pretty polished aluminum 
bars, have a TIG-welder extend the too-short ends as described so your bar 
actually works better than a stock one. Some owners into 'bling' have had the 
square steel bars chromed. All this is even more important if your Pantera 
runs much wider than stock rear tires so cornering loads are much higher than 
stock. This will help prevent cracking in the body just behind the 'gills', 
which is an indication of the sagging and stresses involved. Good luck- J 
Deryke