[DeTomaso] Brake caliper bolt foldie tab

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/12/12 8 37 4, julian_kift at hotmail.com writes:


> Yep, those are the prices Wilkinson currently shows online. I guess 
> anyone who wants the ease of 'click to order' pays top dollar, maybe you have to 
> call for current pricing?
> 
> The reason I looked was because I thought front and rear calipers had the 
> same bolt distance, so I can't figure why one would be more expensive than 
> the other if they are interchangeable?
> 
>>>They're not....I forget which one is greater, but the front and rear 
caliper bolt spacing is different.
> 
> >Interestingly the later GT5 front French locks are part # 1004B and 
> currently show as $3.63 ea, which makes more sense. Did the later GT5 Girling 
> calipers have a different bolt spacing from early cars?
> 
>>>Both front and rear caliper spacing was different on the GT5/GT5-S 
Panteras.   Those cars actually used more robust spindles and hub carriers, 
different axles, etc. etc. etc., all of which were a legacy of the original Gr4 
Pantera.   Those pieces were later used on the Gr3 Panteras as well.

The Gr4 cars used unique brakes, while the Gr3 cars used the same brakes as 
the Longchamp/Deauville, and those same brakes were then used on the 
GT5/GT5-S.

I recently learned that Australian-market Panteras (which were rather 
Amerisport-like in that they were sent to Australia minus the drivetrain and 
seats) lacked the mondo brakes.   I looked at an all-original GT/4 in Sydney a 
couple of weeks ago, which had the big wheels/tires/flares etc. but came from 
the factory with the girly-man brakes.   However, the front rotors were vent
ed (the rears were solid).   

Craig Thompson (whose yellow Pantera was featured in a recent Profiles) was 
a similar-spec car; I have photos of his original brakes.   His front 
vented rotors look different from normal Gr3/GT5 brakes, and have both Chevy and 
Ford hole spacing.   They might have been a home-grown Aussie conversion, 
added at the same time as the drivetrain and seats?   Nobody seems to know...

Mike