[DeTomaso] Big Block in a Pantera

[hemipanter at hemipanter.se]

> For those guys that have really big engines in their Pantera – what’s it
> like?

I like big engines becouse they have more power, the bigger the more.

> On the track – ¼ mile, around curves, braking

1/4 mile is soley  a product of power and the weight it has to move.
Sorry to say I do not have any 1/4 number to tell but close to 3 sec 0-60.
And som 0,91G att 60 mph.

> On the street – noisy?, sucks gas?, hot?, is the sound right?

It has been very noisy but that was due to the Supertrapp, with the new
silencer exhaust note is about as an original Pantera. But my car has very
little sound proof so road nois is present. Nothing to do with the engie .

> Maintenance – is it a pain to change oil, change plugs, set timing, adjust
> valves, etc.?

Change oil is the same as for an original car.
Pluggs is very easy on a Hemi engine.
Adjust valves a little mor work since the pluggs has to be removed.
Timing is done with a laptop.

> Like I said, I’ve heard all the stories – about how 1st gear is useless,

I use first gear most of the times, and it is very good for slow traffic.

> it’s too heavy, and so on.  Until I’ve heard it from the horses mount, so
> to
> speak, I have to take those comments with a grain of salt.

Of couse it is heavier than a small block but equipped with aluminium
components  it is as light as a 351C, which is not a light engine.


> I’ve mentioned before that I had a 428 in a Mustang.  It was loud and hot.
> It handled just like a small block, though.  It felt like it had 500HP
> more
> than a small block.  Of course, it didn’t, but it felt that way anyway.
> It
> got around 17mpg – not great, but good enough to drive it a lot.

The best I had is 21 mpg average over 85 mile. For the season average, is
14 mpg.

> Goran – I’m especially interested in your 500” Ford.  What was it like?
> Did
> you drive it on the street much or was it mostly a track car?

I do  most of the driving on the street. I have quite a bit of cam 264
deg at 50. But you know about hot cams, it is however a little better in a
big engine. I think the most important part here is that you enjoy the
work and selection of engine. Ending up with something of your own.

> I’m not planning an engine change any time soon.  I’m just curious.

You are wellcome to ask Q:s.
Goran