[DeTomaso] it wasn't that much fun

Sat Dec 1 17:25:12 EST 2012

Dear Michael and Jim,

           FWIW, years ago when I bought my first set of seventeen inch
wheels from Pantera Performance, I discussed tire selection with Dennis
Quella.   It was his recommendation that the 315-35-17 was a better choice
for handling than the 335-35-17.   I have been very happy with the handling
of both cars using the 315s.  From what little I know, you are right that
the 335s promote understeer by having such a big rear footprint compared to
a front 245 or 255 foot print.

                        Warmest regards, Chuck Engles

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
Behalf Of michael at michaelshortt.com
Sent: Saturday, December 01, 2012 4:19 PM
To: Pantdino; DeTomaso Forum
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] it wasn't that much fun

There is simply IMHO ( and in the shared experiences or other knowledgable
drivers on the forum it seems ) the conclusion that 335's just Provide way
too much of a footprint, depending upon compound ( i have used PZero, Kumho
and Pilot Sports) - too much grip, less lateral movement and do add
understeer to the car in a disproportionate ratio to be overcome by any
reasonable size front rubber.
There is simply too much back there to either 4 wheel drift/slide or point
and stab your way around in the fastest manner possible.
The 315/35 & 245/40 combo is vastly superior on my car with 17" wheels.
But as I said in the first email, 335's IMHO do look much cooler on the car.
And if I were going to have dedicated track car, I'd seriously explore 295's
as a viable performance option.

Michael
On Dec 1, 2012 4:35 PM, "Pantdino" <pantdino at aol.com> wrote:

> Michael,
> Why do the 335's suck?
>
> I would expect them to make the car understeer.  Is that what they did?
>
> Jim Oddie
>  -----Original Message-----
> From: michael at michaelshortt.com <michaelsavga at gmail.com>
> To: spkorb <spkorb at gmail.com>
> Cc: List Pantera <detomaso at realbig.com>
> Sent: Fri, Nov 30, 2012 11:13 am
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] it wasn't that much fun
>
>  I discovered that as well on my first time with it on a racetrack,
> 335/35/17 looks cool on the street, they SUCK on the racetrack.
>
> The 315/35/17's did much better on both the local road course tracks  
> and on both visits to the Tail of the Dragon.
>
> If I had a dedicated Pantera track car, I would try even smaller tires 
> in the stock body config, may 295 even, I I were going to track it on 
> a reg basis.
>
> The car is fairly well balanced and wants to oversteer, but that can 
> be easily countered with lots of right foot action as long as you have 
> the horses to back it up.
>
> When leaving the pits, on sandy, gritty pavement, a showy take off 
> will about turn you sideways, so avoid those if at all possible.  ;-)
>
> Having done the track thing with it, I think #1660 is retired from 
> that experience again, until a new opportunity arises worthy of the risk.
>
> What I need is a second Pantera....
>
>
> Michael Shortt
>
> On Fri, Nov 30, 2012 at 1:57 PM, Sean Korb <spkorb at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > That's something I noticed about the Pantera shortly after getting 
> > mine running.  It handles extrordinarily well at the limits of 
> > adhesion.  It handles something awful over the limits of adhesion.  
> > My
> > '69 Mustang was a much better ice skater on its bias ply tieres, but 
> > could never hope corner like a Pantera.
> >
> > You can have it all, you just ahve to collect more cars to do it.
> >
> > sean
> >
> > On Fri, Nov 30, 2012 at 1:28 PM, David in Durango 
> > <adin at frontier.net>
> > wrote:
> > > "A certain well-known Pantera owner and member of this forum 
> > > burned
> > himself
> > > right into a ground-up restoration while doing a smoky exit from a
club
> > > meeting many years ago.   He disappeared from view in a spectacular,
> > > tire-spinning fashion, and nobody saw the big bang as he then lost
> > control, hit a
> > > concrete barricade and completely destroyed the whole right side of
the
> > > car--sheetmetal, wheels, suspension, the lot.   He managed to then
duck
> > into a
> > > parking lot and thus was out of view when the others went to see 
> > > what
> > made that
> > > gawdaful sound! :>)
> > >
> > > The repair bill could easily have paid for another complete Pantera.
> > >
> > > That car has been back on the road for years, earning numerous 
> > > concours
> > and
> > > car show awards and delivering many thousands of happy driving 
> > > miles at
> > the
> > > same time.   He doesn't do burnouts anymore!
> > >
> > > Point being, even though the story has a happy ending, I'm sure he
didn't
> > > want to go there, and you don't either.   Go buy a $2000 Mustang and
do
> > > burnouts to your heart's content. :>)"
> > >
> > > I once asked "a certain well-known Pantera owner" why he painted 
> > > his
> > car.  The above was the answer!
> > >
> > > Hahahaha
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
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> >
> > --
> > Sean Korb spkorb at spkorb.org http://www.spkorb.org
> > '65,'68 Mustangs,'68 Cougar,'78 R100/7,'60 Metro,'59 A35,'71 Pantera 
> > #1382 "The more you drive, the less intelligent you get" --Miller 
> > "Computers are useless.  They can only give you answers." -P. 
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>
> --
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Michael L. Shortt
> Savannah, 
> Georgiawww.michaelshortt.commichael at michaelshortt.com912-232-9390
>
>
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