[DeTomaso] Pantera Steering Rack Interchange Ferrari 308

[Julian Kift]

Mike,
As you know I have replaced just about everything on the steering end of my GT5 in an effort to try and make it an enjoyable drive, alas it is still a white knuckle ride tram lining the slightest rut in the road and darting when one changes lanes over the center crest. The rack was rebuilt at some point by someone who was heavy handed with vice grips and I have never been happy with it, so my last ditch effort is to just change out the rack for a new one.
Mine being an early GT5 where Alejandro was still using up leftover Ford parts has the same rack as my '74, so I'd be keen to know if what you have in the box there fits. That said I'm intrigued that later GT5's had a different rack, are they dimensionally the same or does the later rack alter (improve) the steering geometry?
Julian

> CC: detomaso at poca.com
> From: MikeLDrew at aol.com
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Pantera Steering Rack Interchange Ferrari 308
> Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2014 21:31:18 -0800
> To: julian_kift at hotmail.com
> 
> Julian,
> 
> I am helping a GT5 owner whose rack was totally shot. It was rebuilt by a vendor at a cost of $400 but it failed almost immediately. The GT5 rack is different from the early Pantera rack; it appears to be the same as the 80's Ferrari Testarossa. Those suckers cost $1500 or more. But the Pantera uses adapters to adapt the TR rack; the GT5 appears to be set up to accept an old school Pantera rack, and the TR rack looks like a kluge. 
> 
> Believing the original 308 rack is the same as the Pantera rack, I ordered one a few days ago from the link you just listed. It arrived today but I haven't had time to compare it with the early Pantera rack I have here. I haven't even opened the box. 
> 
> I am going to do a detailed comparison this weekend and post the results. 
> 
> I do know that some 308s use a rack with similar internals but a completely different housing. But apparently others are the same as ours and the eBay ad makes me think this is going to work perfectly. 
> 
> Mike
> 
> Sent from my iPhone
> 
> On Feb 21, 2014, at 21:12, Julian Kift <julian_kift at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> >   There are references to the Pantera steering rack being the same as the
> >   Ferrari 308, but also references that the 308 can have different
> >   steering racks. Searching I found guys at Ferrari chat having purchased
> >   kits from Pantera vendors to rebuild their racks.
> >   Anyone know if the Pantera rack is interchangeable with the Ferrari
> >   308?
> >   This is the reason for the question, very cheap if it fits and may even
> >   be worth the $215 to find out.
> >   [1]http://tinyurl.com/pqtl28t
> >   Julian
> > 
> > References
> > 
> >   1. http://tinyurl.com/pqtl28t
> > _______________________________________________
> > 
> > Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
> > 
> > DeTomaso mailing list
> > DeTomaso at poca.com
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-------------- next part --------------
   Mike,
   As you know I have replaced just about everything on the steering end
   of my GT5 in an effort to try and make it an enjoyable drive, alas it
   is still a white knuckle ride tram lining the slightest rut in the road
   and darting when one changes lanes over the center crest. The rack was
   rebuilt at some point by someone who was heavy handed with vice grips
   and I have never been happy with it, so my last ditch effort is to just
   change out the rack for a new one.
   Mine being an early GT5 where Alejandro was still using up leftover
   Ford parts has the same rack as my '74, so I'd be keen to know if what
   you have in the box there fits. That said I'm intrigued that later
   GT5's had a different rack, are they dimensionally the same or does the
   later rack alter (improve) the steering geometry?
   Julian
   > CC: detomaso at poca.com
   > From: MikeLDrew at aol.com
   > Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Pantera Steering Rack Interchange Ferrari 308
   > Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2014 21:31:18 -0800
   > To: julian_kift at hotmail.com
   >
   > Julian,
   >
   > I am helping a GT5 owner whose rack was totally shot. It was rebuilt
   by a vendor at a cost of $400 but it failed almost immediately. The GT5
   rack is different from the early Pantera rack; it appears to be the
   same as the 80's Ferrari Testarossa. Those suckers cost $1500 or more.
   But the Pantera uses adapters to adapt the TR rack; the GT5 appears to
   be set up to accept an old school Pantera rack, and the TR rack looks
   like a kluge.
   >
   > Believing the original 308 rack is the same as the Pantera rack, I
   ordered one a few days ago from the link you just listed. It arrived
   today but I haven't had time to compare it with the early Pantera rack
   I have here. I haven't even opened the box.
   >
   > I am going to do a detailed comparison this weekend and post the
   results.
   >
   > I do know that some 308s use a rack with similar internals but a
   completely different housing. But apparently others are the same as
   ours and the eBay ad makes me think this is going to work perfectly.
   >
   > Mike
   >
   > Sent from my iPhone
   >
   > On Feb 21, 2014, at 21:12, Julian Kift <julian_kift at hotmail.com>
   wrote:
   >
   > > There are references to the Pantera steering rack being the same as
   the
   > > Ferrari 308, but also references that the 308 can have different
   > > steering racks. Searching I found guys at Ferrari chat having
   purchased
   > > kits from Pantera vendors to rebuild their racks.
   > > Anyone know if the Pantera rack is interchangeable with the Ferrari
   > > 308?
   > > This is the reason for the question, very cheap if it fits and may
   even
   > > be worth the $215 to find out.
   > > [1]http://tinyurl.com/pqtl28t
   > > Julian
   > >
   > > References
   > >
   > > 1. http://tinyurl.com/pqtl28t
   > > _______________________________________________
   > >
   > > Detomaso Forum Managed by POCA
   > >
   > > DeTomaso mailing list
   > > DeTomaso at poca.com
   > > http://poca.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso_poca.com