[DeTomaso] Wilwood Brakes

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

FWIW, it is not necessary to use an adapter bracket for most Pantera front 
calipers. The mounting bolt spacing for Wilwood Superlite ll calipers is 
wider than stock. But the Wilwoods will fit directly on the Pantera steering 
arm/spindle using the stock top bolt (with holes in the Wilwood body opened up 
for stock Pantera caliper bolts), and a third hole drilled /tapped 
identical to the factory two. The extra hole will in some cars be dangerously close 
to the lower end of the steering arm, requiring a little weld build-up to 
make the end a bit stronger. Since the arm is forged steel, no significant 
heat-weakening has been noticed from adding a bit of weld there.

Alternatively, one can offset-bore the two holes in the caliper body toward 
the center to narrow the spacing a little and thus not need 
weld-reinforcing for the 3rd drilled/tapped hole. Once the 3rd hole is in, the calipers 
mount with stock bolts & lock-washers, not stock french-locks! The calipers may 
be shimmed slightly to perfectly center the caliper on the non-floating 
rotor. I did this mod as above in 1990; no problems yet with anything in 50,000 
miles.

Also note- my front Wilwood Superlite ll calipers use Porterfield R-4S 
pads, with excellent results on street or track. Porterfield says these are 
'stock-car pads' but they work well on the street. In the rear, I use ATE 
2-piston aluminum calipers spec'd for the front of an early 911-S, also with 
Porterfield R-4S pads. With these rear calipers, I use an aluminum strap-adapter 
to avoid welding on the iron uprights. A Kelsey-Hayes manual proportioning 
valve balances the system at about 1250 psi (front) and 1100 psi (rear), with 
the engine providing vacuum to a GM dual-diaphragm booster & stepped-bore 
master cylinder and no residual-pressure valves. My ventillated rotors front 
and back are 11-1/2" OD x 0.820" thick (early 911) rotors. They fit 
Campagnolo 15" mag wheels. 100% of the brake system uses dash-3 AN fittings and 
hoses. They are not true racing brakes but the balanced combination as above 
stops this 2690-lb street Pantera quite nicely. My 2¢- J DeRyke