[DeTomaso] machine ball joint to modify alingment

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

 In late '07, I did a series of newsletter articles on altering the 
Pantera's front & rear suspension geometry. Coleman Racing sells Chrysler-type 
take-apart ball joint bodys with varying length studs attached. Varying the 
length of the stud positions the a-arm they're mounted to at different heights 
above the upright, thus changing the a-arm angle and the car's suspension 
geometry. Chrysler's stud-taper is identical to Ford's taper so our front & 
rear uprights need not be altered at all. 

There was also the newsletter article in April '08 on adapting these 
aftermarket Chrysler-type ball joints to the Pantera. These ball joints are widely 
used in dirt racing cars and most bolt-on hot-rod suspensions, & can be 
added with little machining to 6 of a Pantera's 8 a-arms: the Pantera's lower 
rears don't use a ball joint. They have threaded bodies and screw into a-arm 
recepticles. This means they can be changed at a track without a press very 
quickly. Rather than tap the Pantera a-arms (rear) or the modified carriers 
(fronts), I shaved the threads off the Chrysler-type bodies and pressed them 
into modified Pantera balljoint carriers, locking them with one stock mount 
bolt for added security.   The huge tap would have been expensive, and 
welding premade threaded recepticles to the a-arms would be a bit permenent.

Later, I milled out aluminum front ball-joint carriers to lighten things 
up. Our Pantera handles quite well with these ball joints- in place since 
mid-'08- with one 1000 mile road trip to Las Vegas on them as well as laps at 
Pahrump racetrack..... They can be reverted back to stock easily, & were cheap 
to boot. Cheers- J DeRyke