[DeTomaso] GUMBALL PANTERA BREAKS DOWN OVER WEEKEND

[LEVITT1946 at aol.com]

Hello Friends ,
 
I thought compelled  to tell the group what transpired over this past  
weekend with the Gumball Pantera . 
 
Just before the Gumball in May of 2009 I made the following  improvements 
in the engine compartment.
 
New Spark Plug Wires MSD PART #31199
 
NEW HOLLEY 650 DP
 
NEW MALLORY COIL
NEW MALLORY BALLAST RESISTER 
 
NEW ROTOR  AND CAP FOR MY MALLORY UNILITE DISTRIBUTOR
 
NEW AUTOLITE SPARK PLUGS PLUGS   
 
I set out this past Sunday for a 2.5 Hr ride to Lime Rock Raceway in  
Connecticut. The car was humming like it usually does for the first 100 miles  
and then while moving at about 60 mph the car shut off and I rolled into the  
nearby gas station. I thought it was a stuck float in my holley 650 so i 
tapped  the adjusting screw and the car started right up and then shut off. 
 
I removed the float adjusting rod and put all back together. Still the  car 
would not run. I decided to try and limp to Lime Rock since there were  
mechanics on hand . I got 1/2 mile and the car shut off again. 
 
I called a flat bed and was taken to the track . Mechanics at the track  
replaced the coil and the ballast resister .
 
The car fired right up and I thought this was the end to my   nightmare. I 
also noticed that the fuel pressure was very high at 9.5 to 10.The  
mechanics said that the carb could handle that pressure..So I believed .
 
At 4:30 I got  back into my car followed by a 1973 Pantera Buddy from  the 
Long Island Pantera Club.
 
One hour later the car was down for the count again. Thinking this was a  
dirt in the carb fuel issue I removed the carb turned it over and dumped out 
all  the fuel in the carb. She started up, but this time I noticed that the  
tachometer was flying all over the place. Now I knew this was not a fuel 
issue  but something wrong in the ignition/electrical system . I was stuck in 
the  middle of nowhere .
 
After waiting 4 1/2 hrs  for a flatbed to arrive we loaded the car  once 
again and I took the car to Danbury CT. to a friend that loves to fix  
electrical issues.
 
The first thing my friend said after reading the Mallory Unilite  
instruction manual was WRONG WIRES ON THE CAR !
 
He said I will bet the Module in the mallory distributor is fried .
 
I spoke with Mallory today and confirmed that the MSD wires used are in  
fact the culprit. Over time the wires will break down the Distributor module 
and  it will eventually  cease to work. 
 
I am telling you all this because if anyone is running a similar setup,GET  
RID OF THE WIRES AT ONCE.
 
Mallory recommended the foilowing  :
 
Unilite Distributor with  #30450 COIL 
 
Carbon or Graphite Core Wire ONLY (SIDEWINDER PART # 931)
 
If the system is reading 1.4 ohms or less you need the ballast resister .If 
 above 1.4 ohms there is no need for the ballast resister.
 
Now I also  spoke to  Holley and they said the fuel pump pressure  is way 
to high and that the fuel pump should be replaced as well with Holley  part # 
12-854. This mechanical pump will be 80 gph compared to the 30gph that I  
had on the car . The fuel pressure will only put out a max of 7.5. Fuel 
pressure  of 10 will blow the seals of the carb.
 
Any suggestions or comments  would be greatly appreciated.  

Best Regards,
Bob Levitt
Team Pantera Racing #3196
Gumball3000 #56