[DeTomaso] Vented front rotors on early 1971

[Jerry Knotts]

I get to Hallet about twice a year but haven't taken the P car since I 
snapped a push rod on the last hot lap of the first session a couple of 
years ago.   Still in the discovery phase of wants vs needs on the new car.

Thanks for the direction,
jerry

-----Original Message----- 
From: MikeLDrew at aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 6:59 PM
To: knottsj at galstar.com ; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Vented front rotors on early 1971


In a message dated 5/23/12 16 48 52, knottsj at galstar.com writes:


> Messing with the new toy today and fount that the stock brakes have solid
> rotors on the front.
>
>>>Yes indeedy!


> > Is there a set of vented available that will fit the
> stock calipers.
>
>>>That's been a topic of much conversation lately.   Several people have
had success adapting 1965-67 Mustang vented front rotors to the front of the
Pantera.   Original Mustang rotors were a two-piece affair, with the disc
separate from the hub, as on the Pantera.   The Mustang disc would bolt
straight up to the Pantera hub, and the diameter was close, although not 
perfect.

For many years those rotors have not been available, and the only other
option was a modern 1965-67 replacement rotor, which incorporates the front 
hub
and disc as a single casting.   Among other things, this requires you to
switch to standard (as opposed to metric) lug nuts in the front, and you 
also
need Mustang bearing dust covers.

Lately people have been trying or talking about all sorts of things,
including a proposal (mine) to experiment by buying a one-piece Mustang 
rotor and
then cutting away the hub, leaving just the disc.   That would be a job for
a machinist of course.

A more reasonable, although expensive option is to buy the vented front
rotors from Pantera Parts Connection.   They use Brembo rotors for a Porsche
and machine and re-drill them to fit the Pantera.

Pantera Performance Center sells Wilwood discs and hubs that would bolt
straight up to your car as well; although normally sold in conjunction with
Wilwood calipers, they will sell you just the hub and narrow front rotor for
use with stock calipers, I presume.

And finally, now that we can again easily buy discs from De Tomaso, those
guys have original vented rotors available; the last price I saw advertised
(a couple of years ago) was only 80 Euros each, which may well be the best
bargain out there, even including not-insubstantial shipping charges.
www.rscorse.com is their (incomplete, in-progress) website.

By way of comparison, Wilkinson's website lists the same rotor for
$$561.72....

Be honest with yourself about how you intend to use the car though.
Vented rotors are a very good idea if you are going to be subjecting your 
car to
extended periods of heavy braking, i.e. track use or aggressive driving on
mountain roads.   But for normal street use, you'd never notice the
difference from behind the wheel.

Mike

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