[DeTomaso] (no subject)

[mikeldrew at aol.com]

 Hi guys,

Got an update from Cesare in Italy, the fellow who bought all the Campagnolo wheel molds and is apparently behind the production of the new 15x10 Pantera GTS wheels.  He wrote:
________


 
Ciao Mike ,
I'm Cesare from Italy, How are You?
 
Here we are ready in this next monday for goes in foundry , we have finisch our work on Pantera Gr4 mould .
We make some samplese x sizes and use for x ray inspection and test for mechanical characteristics .
After that we complete the mould for cast .
I think who in half/end of October we start the production of Gr4 wheels , in 10 x 15 front, and 13/14 rear.
We make also the possibility to cast the wheels who are onCampagnolo Drawing , never produced ( I have this information) 8-9 x 15front and 10 x 15 rear Gr4 
We have some order now and I want to ask please if You can informthe Member of POCA about our Job , because after Pantera we start towork on Mangusta mould ( Mangusta International ask us the exclusivefor North America ) and when mould it's ready we cast the mangustawheels in 7-7,5-8-8,5-10- 11 x 15 wheels
I don't know when we can cast again Gr4 , also more wheels we can work more good prices we can offer.
 
I want to send a pictures of De Tomaso Campagnolo Drawing for ask if You know what car is ......Anglia dated 1965!
I don't know...I'm asking also to ex Employed in Modena!
 
All The Best
Cesare 

______

The drawings he sent were from 1965, and were for the little-known De Tomaso 105.  Ever hear of it?  

De Tomaso decided to get into the Lotus Cortina business, and he built a Ford Cortina-based car that was very similar in specification to the Lotus Cortina, but with an Italianate flavor.  It featured a heavily tuned engine (using lessons learned from producing racing Vallelungas), suspension tweaks, unique De Tomaso badging, and these lovely little Campagnolo wheels (13-inch I believe).  I only have a handful of poor photos of one car, and it's possible that only one car was ever produced, as De Tomaso was fond of making a big splash in the media, announcing the production of a new car, and then fizzling out.

Anyway.  It's great news that Cesare is putting these ultra-rare De Tomaso wheels back into production.  I advised him to concentrate on those wheels that would have a market, i.e. Gr4/GT5 wheels in 15x10 and 15x14 (who would buy 15x13 wheels when you can get 15x14 for the same price?), and 15x10 Mangusta wheels.

Does anybody know if the 15x8 wheel will fit on the front of a Mangusta?  While it's common to move the 8-inch wheels to the front of a Pantera, I don't know if Mangusta sheetmetal will support such an endeavor?  If not, then he would probably be better off concentrating on only making 15x10 and 15x7 wheels, I think.

Mike