[DeTomaso] New Here...

[David Moretto]

Hello to all, I am new here and a recent buyer (11/12) of a 1974 Pantera with 20K original miles.

I could not figure out how to POST a new topic only how to respond to a previous thread or email everyone. So if I have violated protocol please accept my sincere apology.

My "Houston we have a problem." moment is this,

I have what appears to be oil in my coolant.

I have NO coolant in my oil.

A couple of weeks ago I washed my car, topped off my fluids and went for a 30 minute drive.

The next morning the overflow had puked coffee colored liquid on my garage floor.

I mentioned to my mechanic a couple of months ago that the car's power didn't feel the same since he worked on it in February, i was getting a puff of smoke at start up and the car was backfiring more than before, the oil pressure would drop at idle and that according my dipstick I was missing oil but it wasn't on the garage floor.

I have read it could be a head gasket, a cracked head or a cracked block.

How should I go about trouble shooting these various degrees of disrepair?

I have read about the mythical status of the Australian cast 351C heads and I have been given a green light for a new motor but would prefer to get off as cheaply as possible on this fix so that I can spend the remaining funds on other upgrades.


Any and ALL suggestions will be appreciated.

I am just outside of Raleigh NC.

Thanks in advance.

David