[DeTomaso] Custom Pantera Cable  Shift Kit?

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Fri Dec 2 19:38:29 EST 2011


In a message dated 12/2/11 16 22 42, shawkins777 at comcast.net writes:


> Yes but, my Pantera is different from every other standard I've driven 
> and
> have now.  So I have to pay attention when I switch from my American car
> with a manual to my Pantera.
> 

Other than having a dogleg first gear, it's the same as everything else 
you've ever driven, with a normal "H" pattern.   Pull straight back to upshift, 
push up and away to upshift again.   The worst that could happen is that 
you try to leave a stop in 2nd gear (or, in your normal car, try to leave a 
stop in 2nd gear because you're in 'Pantera' first gear...)   

Mildly annoying, but far from dangerous, i.e. you'll never blow it up or 
crash the car by reverting to 'normal' habit patterns, unlike having the shift 
pattern literally backwards.

A stealth forum member has an Arial Atom-like car with a backwards shift 
pattern, because it uses a front-wheel-drive transaxle spun around and driving 
the rear wheels.   So far he hasn't crashed it or had any problems (none 
he's shared with me anyway!).   But I've told him that having a backwards 
shift pattern makes just as much sense as having steering that goes left when 
you turn the wheel to the right, or a gas pedal that increases the throttle 
when you lift up and decreases when you press down.   There's just no 
justification (in my mind) for that sort of counter-intuitive engineering stupidity. 
  

Mike


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