[DeTomaso] REASONS I DID NOT DRIVE THE PANTERA TODAY

Mon Apr 4 16:24:27 EDT 2011

I believe Maseratisor Jaguars are far worse than the Pantera, at least in my experience.

Saturday afternoon I had to take the Pantera up for inspection (since my inspection sticker expired in 2008) and I want to go to the Houston Pantera event.

1. Foot hurts Igout) and is a challenge to use the clutch.
2. Car behind (black Firebird) has a weak batt. and dried fuel lines. Recharge batt and have mother in law squirt starting fluid on the black fb.
3. Leave in all glory to the shop
4. Alternator is weak due to sitting
5. Battery is screwed up due to weak alternator
6. Pass inspection ($14, safety only)
7. Replace battery
8. Leave quietly not to be seen by queue of customers waiting
9. Blow past 100 MPH on toll road, no cops
10. Car starts sputtering and dies, pull over and do the Italian maneuver (get out, curse, look stupidly at engine, jiggle some coil wires, slam door shut, leave again driving 60 but pretending to be cool while traffic whizzes by at 80)
11. Arrive home in all glory, note weak brakes
12. Meditate about Bill's words and curse car again
13. Order temperature switch adapters for system that has been screwed up for the last 20 years

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On Behalf Of Peter Kovacs
Sent: 2011-04-04 13:48
To: Mikael; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: [DeTomaso] REASONS I DID NOT DRIVE THE PANTERA TODAY

... or your other hobby cars. I was rotating mine through the weekend but often
overlook the V8 Vega because of the potential for tickets and break downs. This
weekend I got both while taking my 10 year old Max for a drive. A motorcycle
office was enjoying the nice weather with his radar gun sitting under a tree.
Pulled me over issuing a citation for 64 in a 50. Called another motorcycle
officer who had been through the smog equipment training who made me open the
hood, The wheel tubs, roll cage, and aluminum air filter housing sticking
through the hood may have provided a clue I was not bone stock. I was cited for
that too and need to take the car to a referee now. Lovely.

The car is mostly used for car shows, charity functions, and the track. it may
be time to pull the plates.

After the officers drove away, the car decided not to start. I called my trustee
friend Curt to come by with jumper cables. Within minutes a tow truck pulled up.
I thought the police may have called him to tow my car. He thought I had called
AAA for assistance. He offered to jump me anyway (recognized the car from a
previous AAA call) so Max called Curt to cancel his rescue mission. The AAA guy
was unable to start the car and went to the real AAA member who called. So it
was back to Max and me on the side of the road. Time for some exercise. It was
only a mile from the house. I began to push and had Max hop to the drivers seat
to steer and be near the brake just in case. While pushing, we were passed by
'Officer friendly' with his lights on pulling over a 70 Chevy truck. Many
calories later, as I was pushing the car past the parking lot where 'Officer
Friendly' and his latest victim were parked, he was kind enough to bellow out '
your kid can't be steering the car without a license'.

Max hopped back over to the passenger seat for a few then joined me pushing for
the rest of the way home.

Curt and his trustee side kick Missy showed up anyway driving behind us slowly
with the hazards on.

So, was I lucky I was driving the Vega instead of the Pantera? Was I unlucky I
got pulled over?

or am I really lucky I am not stuck in Phoenix with my wife and other son
waiting for Southwest Airlines to get them back home?

Peter Kovacs
209 345-6708
209 436-2000 fx

________________________________
From: Mikael <mikael_hass at mail.tele.dk>
To: detomaso at realbig.com
Sent: Mon, April 4, 2011 4:10:48 AM
Subject: [DeTomaso] REASONS I DID NOT DRIVE THE PANTERA TODAY

The only proper excuse there is to not drive your Pantera:
I drove my other DeTomaso!

Mikael

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