[DeTomaso] DeTomaso Digest, Vol 62, Issue 21-spoilers-wheel backspacing

[RCBSONS1 at aol.com]

I have a few comments on spoilers and wheel spacing
 
I have run a Gts spoiler on my car for over 5 years
I have run 165 mph with no problems
Height can vary car to car I have raised and lowered
my car many times to get the right look, stance and clearances
There is plenty of clearance and it sits back far enough to clear parking 
stops
 
Wheel spacing
I have modified many cars always installing the maxium tire
on the car I can get... I have two sets of Kinesis wheels for the
Pantera and have again lowered and raised the car many times
to get the right look, stance and corner weighting
You can raise and lower the car by using different size tires on the same 
size rim
 
18" wheels will hit in the front/rear.. you need to trim and or fold the
wheel well... they do hit at full lock but that is always in a parking
lot going 2 miles per hour... all my cars do this and a couple will
not back up at full lock... like an ebrake which none of my cars have 
I have a narrow body car and the tires will hit the underside of the
seam on the fender and BURN THE PAINT.. but only when pushing
the car... I had that seam moved up and no problems now
I also had to trim the left front portion of the fender at the bottom
to clear the tire... right side was fine...cars do vary side to side as 
Jack stated
 
THE IMPORTANT PART IS WHAT TIRES ARE YOU GOING TO RUN???
ARE THE TIRES AVAILABLE?????...  I have tried 6 different combination
of tires on my Pantera... 30,35,45 series all vary--HEIGHT CAN MAKE OR BREAK
THE FITTING... tire manufacturers
vary... the calculators on Tire Rack are not alway consistant
I have used them and then went to measure a tire I had and it can 
vary 1/2 inch width... 
 
I have run Hoosiers on my autocross car that have a square edge
and then switched to Kumos that have a rounded edge and the
rounded edge now hits in some cases..
 
If you can find someone that has a combo you want to use
that is the best place to start
 
Also make sure the tires are a fairly common size
Check a few manufacturers to see if they make the same size
or you may not be able to find a tire later
 
My Firebird has the same rubber as C4 corvettes so they will
be making them for some time... I have had two sets of wheels
made for that car that are not even close to stock wheel spacings
with just a pull of the fenders and slight flair... you can go out and
in but things do hit especially if you are going sideways as this
car does most of the time on the track... 
 
Things can clear without problems but take the car out to an autocross
or track and then you really know for sure if it is going to hit somewhere
If you are not going to drive like that you can make your clearances
a little tighter 
 
I wish it was a simple answer.. but as others have stated hang in there
the Pantera is unique and mine can do just about anything 
My other cars are having a hard time showing me the same thing
 
I sold the Gt350r clone the other day as the Pantera was much more
car than I ever dreamed it could be
 
Bob Benson #3 Black Pantera