[DeTomaso] Springs

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

An update- a couple of years ago when I acquired a set of Koni gas shocks, 
I changed the heavy springs that came with them to 300 lbs/in front and 350 
lbs.in rear. Added to this is the 40-lb per shock weight-effect from the 
high-pressure gas inside the shocks. 
So my current 'spring strength' is 340 lbs frt and 390 lbs rear. This works 
well on a '72 Pantera that weighs 2750 lbs and uses 245-50x 15 ft tires, 
275-55x 15 rears, both on 8" magnesium Campys. These wheels/tires are far 
lighter than your aluminum 17" wheels and tires. Larry Stock also successfully 
runs fairly light springs (can't remember exactly) on his do-everything 
street/race '73 Pantera with light 16" Kinesis wheels &   Hoosier DOT tires.
So you'll NEED stiffer springs than mine (and Larry's) to properly control 
the heavier wheels on your heavier dual-supercharged car. All the spring wts 
in Garth's post should be matched against the sprung/unsprung wts of the 
various Panteras involved. 
Another way of lessening a Panteras 'stock' understeer is a smaller than 
stock FRONT swaybar with a LARGER than stock rear, both with sphere-ball ends 
on the bars and urethane pivots in the middle. A hollow 1" rear is about the 
max diameter before the effectiveness decreases from frame flex, and a 
hollow 7/8" front. Hollow bars are 20-25% LESS stiff than solid bars of the same 
diameter so there's some further balancing you can do with solid vs hollow 
swaybars. Good luck, Dick- J Deryke