[DeTomaso] FW: "Houston, we have a problem"

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/27/10 13 05 37, cengles at cox.net writes:



> Thanks for the comprehensive information.
> 
> 
>>>I try!

>  
>  >           Recall that I have a late ’74.   Does that mean it should 
> have the roller bearing fix already?
> 
> 
>>>No--the roller bearing is part of the steel pedal thing, which, if it's 
factory, I think is a GT5-S-era fix.   I honestly have never looked/paid 
attention to the gas pedals on the later cars; perhaps they were all the same 
as the early ones?   Now that I think about it, it's possible that the steel 
roller-bearing pedal setup I saw was a Dennis Quella part.   When I saw it, 
it was wearing a BIG price tag with a factory part number, but some of the 
vendors make up their own suffixes for their aftermarket parts.

>  
> > >            Isn’t the stock pedal aluminum and, therefore, subject to a 
> satisfactory welded repair of the fracture and reinforcement of the weak 
> spot?
> 
> 
>>>Yes, although aluminum welding isn't nearly as easy to come by as 
finding somebody that can weld steel.  A big fillet of aluminum weld in the 
critical area is a common fix, although it normally looks pretty cheesy.  Grinding 
it smooth might help the aesthetics?

>  
> > For what it is worth the Wilkinson stock pedal is $150. 
> 
> 
>>>Yes, I saw that--and that's a standard early pedal like yours, not the 
megabuck steel one.


> >  The aftermarket piece is $50 plus the bonus of stealth bling in the 
> footwell.    For some reason, I think I would prefer a welded repair, if it 
> would be structurally sound.  
> 
> 
>>>It would probably cost as much as a Hall pedal to get your old one 
fixed, I'd guess.  Maybe not out there?  But where will you find an aluminum 
welder?  There is the PIA factor to consider, chasing all over the town to have 
the work done.


> > I do appreciate the Okie repair ingenuity, but it does lack, well, 
> aesthetic appeal………….
> 
> 
>>>HAHAHAHA!!!!  That's an understatement!

Remember that there is an adjustable pedal stop that controls the full-up 
and full-down position of the pedal; it's mounted to the casting.  The intent 
is to prevent the driver from being able to push so hard on the pedal that 
the cable snaps.  So instead, the pedal snaps!

Mike