[DeTomaso] [detomaso]Pantera weight savings ideas

richard bosch theemonkey at yahoo.com
Mon Nov 19 22:02:01 EST 2012


> >remove radio,speakers,power antenna,aluminum radiator,
> 
>>>I vote for keeping a radiator. :>)>Ha Ha,proper punctuation is so important!But just think if i removed the radiator i could also remove all that heavy water!
Actually,that brings up another potential weight savings area.Removing water that is.Any known downside to redoing the cooling system into a GT40 style with a 1.5 quart expansion tank with a 1 quart overflow?It removes the two heavy large water bottles,some water and moves the radiator cap off the pressure side.Like the Space City Pantera/John Taphorn cooling change minus the bypass.
>>>Bleah.   The aesthetics of fixed lights on a Pantera are dubious at 
best.   The Gr4 cars came with aluminum headlight buckets (something I just 
learned from Les Gray the other day) and some of those *might* be available from 
RS Corse?   Or, do away with the stock mechanism and revert to an 
independent system where each light raises/lowers independently--that would shed the 
weight of the bar between the buckets, at least?.   Look to Miatas in the 
junkard for the necessary hardware.
>Great suggestion!They are only 1.4 lbs. each.I think the majority of the weight savings is the stock headlight motor,mounting plate,and the bar.Not so much in the buckets.>>>>Racing seats are very light--I know you have aftermarket seats, but 
can't remember if they are 'racing' seats.I have Reccaros.They are light.but not the racing Recarros,which are lighter.>>>And *off* the track just as many times! :>)>Ha Ha,hey someone once said that if you change a turn into a straight it is faster!That was such a bad day.Did not turn left before turning right,Wheel bearings were set too loose,link bar lifters came apart.Good news is now the engine is even more powerful.New cam is great!>>>>Don't forget that lightweight 15-inch wheels make a notable 
difference--those 18-inch monsters are just huge flywheels....>At least i do not have the billet wheels anymore.Those were painfully heavy.I do have 15 inch wheels with slicks for the track and they are 44 pounds lighter the the 18 inch Kinesis street wheels.I do like 15 inch wheels more but finding tires is difficult if i ever get a damaged one.I looked at the TB15's from Coker/Michelin,but they cant give me a straight answer if they are radials or bias ply.The catalog does not say.The reps did not think they were available right now as well.


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