[DeTomaso] Back in the saddle again....

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Tue Apr 17 14:30:09 EDT 2012


Hi guys,

I'm happy to report that my Pantera is back on the road again, after 
blowing a cam and distributor gear at the POCA Fun Rally last year.   It took an 
enormous amount of sitting around and doing nothing, coupled with a fair bit 
of work in the last month, in order to make that happen in only 10 months. :>
)

Julian Kift and new PCNC member (and Pantera owner since 1976) Ron Southern 
came to my house to help me pull the engine out (FINALLY!) back in 
December.   On the last day of the year, we loaded it into Lori's minivan and 
dragged it to fellow club members Garry and Sue Choate's house, where Garry 
supervised the removal of the old cam, timing set and oil pump, and installation 
of new parts.   It then sat on the floor of my garage until last week when 
Julian again graciously made the 2.5 hour drive from Reno to help me put it 
back into the car.

Finally, yesterday Lori and I finished the installation, including Lori 
putting in the upper rear portion of my new chassis stiffening kit:

http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=36102

Late in the afternoon, we got the decklid on, interior buttoned up etc., 
and I fired it up and took it for a drive around the block.   No dramas so 
far!

I'll be driving it routinely for the next few days, looking for signs of 
trouble, and will go back and re-torque header bolts etc.   Assuming all is 
well, we'll then jump in and head for Phoenix with the PCNC convoy on Tuesday. 
  And as a nice backup plan, Lori just ordered new tires for her '71 
Pantera, so if mine takes a dump between now and then, we can just swap over to 
her car.

It's nice having two Panteras to almost double your chances of getting 
where you want to go. :>)

Mike


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