[DeTomaso] NPC, boating

[Mikael]

Just a FYI, if you think the Pantera is hard to work on, engine in the
middle and all, it could be worse. You could own a powerboat with two
engines.
1. Double the work of everything
2. Changing the water pump impellers (every 2-3 years) involves being
literally upside down in the engine bay for an hour per engine, trying to
get old stubborn hoses off and on again, with no space available
3. Today I cleaned my drives and props, needs doing 2-3 times per season.
Particularly stubborn this time, spent 1 hour and 15 minutes under water
cleaning them
It was good to get back to the Pantera, at least you're above water and
right side up :-)

Speaking of boating, here's two reasons it's great. First, you can go down
to your friendly Mercruiser store and buy a 1150HP engine, on pump gas, that
will run at 5000 rpm for hours. Seems like the auto engine industry could
learn something? OK, that engine has to be rebuilt after not to many hours.
Second great thing is no speed limits. And the water is a great dyno, try
something and see if your GPS top speed is up or down. 1 mile is about 10 HP
per engine.

Watch this clip, it shows a little of what these engines have to live
through:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o94ZHLXzTZM


Mikael