[DeTomaso] Pandora update

[Larry - Ohio Time]

Chris,


I always feel better about my project problems after reading your update
posts. But is has been a wile that things have been quiet in your
world...maybe not a good sign!?!

Other then the motor problem they do not seem to keep coming back. What's up
with the motor now?

Keep the faith Brother.


Larry (I liked the fans) - Cleveland




-----Original Message-----
From: DeTomaso [mailto:detomaso-bounces at poca.com] On Behalf Of Christopher
Kimball
Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2015 12:12 AM
To: Pantera list serve
Subject: [DeTomaso] Pandora update

Some of my friends have been asking the status of my '72 Pre-L which has
been in the shop for quite some time.
I just had a long talk with Denny Finn, he is the one who has taken on the
what-is-turning-out-to-be-a-huge project that started out as a routine
repair to my clutch, A/C unit, and; oh, by the way, a little rust.  (Finn's
Auto Repair http://www.finnsautorestoration.com/index.html)
Denny's shop is in Oregon, which although in my neighborhood--the Pacific
Northwest--is still a half-day's drive away.  I've know Denny for quite a
number of years now, and he is a fellow Panera owner.  Indeed; together we
drove our cars to Reno for one of the Fun Rallies.  I've been to Denny's
shop a number of times, and the last time I was there he and his crew were
working on at least two Panteras so he he is definitely familiar with the
breed.
I've visited several Pantera specialty shops over the years, and Denny's
work is nothing short of amazing.  I was excited to have Denny fix the
problems I was having with Pandora, and while he was at it, spruce up the
engine compartment; removing the stock undercoating and giving it a fresh,
new look.
My car is named Pandora for a reason, however.  No sooner had Denny begun
removing the undercoating than he discovered what is probably the reason my
car has always gotten such good gas mileage.  In many places there was no
metal remaining beneath the undercoating!  I guess massive rusting is one
way of reducing weight...
Not only that, he had recommended that while the engine was out of the car I
have it checked by an engine builder he knows.  In keeping with the
"Pandora's Box" theme, there were several things wrong with the motor, too
(disappointing, since 25,000 miles ago I had the motor built for a cost of
almost $10,000 by a local engine builder).
Poor Denny; when I gave him the car (he actually came and picked it up in
his covered trailer for fee that was well below what one would usually pay)
I gave him a budget which I was naively convinced would cover everything
that needed to be fixed.  I figured with all the money we'd have left over,
he could even do a few extra updates, such as a complete paint job,
solid-gold door handles, and pearl inlays in a custom, teakwood dash...
Actually, I wasn't quite that ridiculous, but even I had forgotten how much
Pandora likes to surprise me.
As Denny dug deeper, he began to find more and more rust--in places that the
owner from whom I bought the car had claimed were "replaced." 
In defense of the previous owner, it may be he didn't see the rust behind
the new rocker panels, or notice some of the other later-discovered problems
(anyone ever see the movie "Christine?"  Those guys didn't know what was in
store for them with that car, either!)
Nevertheless, over the last six months or so Denny has been extremely good
at gradually breaking bad news to me, and helping me to come to grips with
what actually needs to be done to not only make the car look good, but
actually be safe to drive!
To give you an idea of his skill in psychology, he has actually convinced me
to allow him to change a few "Kimballisms" the car currently possesses.  The
only other person who ever accomplished that was Mike Drew--he shamed me
into taking off two large, chrome pipes I had sticking out of the engine
compartment which I was using to ostensibly vent hot air from the motor.
For those of you who never saw my car in that state, here is a rough
approximation of what it looked like:
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7100/1333/1600/22-2.jpg
After talking things over with my wife, we've decided to increase the
restoration budget somewhat so Denny won't be left with a
partially-completed project (on the other hand, are any Panteras ever
actually finished??)
I won't go into detail about all the problems Denny has discovered--such as
rocker-panel rust, floor rust, B-pillar rust, engine-bay rust, frame rust
(he had to fabricate an entire section above the left-rear wheel), the
engine problems, etc. etc. etc.
The good new?  Based on what I've seen coming out of Denny's shop, it won't
be too long until Pandora is back home, looking and running better than
ever.
Then I can resume winning all those cool trophies which make it worth it to
sit in a little lawn chair in 95-degree weather in a parking lot next to a
1977 Pacer listening to an 84-year-old curmudgeon drone on and on about how
his Uncle used to own a Pantera in the '60's and how odd it was that an
Italian kit-car like that would have a GM motor and be designed by John
DeLorean...
Seriously, a big shout-out to Denny for his perfectionism and patience when
dealing with a "duct-tape and silicone-rubber" mechanic like me!
Sincerely,
Chris