[DeTomaso] Fw: stock shock absorber bushes

[MikeLDrew at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/15/13 12 46 45, Colin.Bradshaw2 at BTInternet.com 
writes:


> 
> Does anyone know where I can get a full set (top/bottom, front and rear) 
> of stock "Ariston Shock Absorber"  bushings for a Pantera 1990 GT5S.
> 
> I have just had my standard shock absorbers rebuilt and the rebuilder 
> cannot source new bushes. I want to keep original.....because we like history 
> in UK!
> 
> Any help folk is appreciated?
> 
>>>Well, there's original, and then there's *original* original.

Stock shock bushings are readily available, and stupidly expensive:

http://www.panterapartsusa.com/cgi-bin/detail.cgi?prod_id=02008B

That's over $350 for a set of eight.   They don't last particularly long, 
and tend to go oval as the suspension action pounds them.   Jack DeRyke had a 
great idea, which is to press them out and rotate them 180 degrees, 
effectively doubling their life since the forces are normally only in a single 
direction.

RS Corse in Modena might be able to provide them for less?

Really though, the only reasonable solution is to equip them with 
polyurethane bushings:

http://hallpantera.com/cgi-bin/p/awtp-product.cgi?d=hallpantera-inc&
item=22487

They're just a hundred bucks, which is a lot for a few pieces of plastic, 
but a bargain when you consider the alternatives.   They would need to be 
lubricated well before installation, and should have a much greater lifespan.

Having said all that, have you explored non-De Tomaso possiblities?   I 
strongly suspect that period Ferraris, Maseratis etc. share the same shock 
bushings, just as they use the same A-arm bushings.   Such things are widely 
available there in the UK; one such supplier is Superformance (not to be 
confused with the Cobra/GT40 replica manufacturer):

http://www.superformance.co.uk/a-308/suspension_308.htm

Scroll down to the bottom of the page and you'll find bushings for the 
shocks for 12.95 GBP each (about $20).   I roamed around the website and looked 
at various other 1960s and 1970s Ferraris and they all use the same one.

I went to Maseratinet.com and looked at the bushings for the Kyalami, which 
is built on the same chassis as the Deauville/Longchamp, which in turn uses 
the same (front) shock setup as the Pantera.   The resultant bushing 
appears exactly the same as the one above:

http://www.Maseratinet.com//pc-20504-490-shock-bushing.aspx

at a cost of $30 each.

So, I think the solution to your problem is readily at hand--you just have 
to decide how original you want to be, whether you can live with poly versus 
standard, and if you're want to buy domestically versus importing from the 
USA.

Of course, you would want to measure your existing bushings and compare the 
dimensions to the non-De Tomaso offerings I've mentioned here.

Let us know what you find out!

Mike