[DeTomaso] Bullfrog Blues

[Tom Shinrock]

I've had those mirrors on my car for 28 years, during which I did many a track event (and even a trip or two to Phoenix at well over the speeds you encountered) and never experience any problems with the mirrors.


Tom
5186



-----Original Message-----
From: John Taphorn <jtaphorn at kingwoodcable.com>
To: De Tomaso List <DeTomaso at poca.com>
Sent: Sun, Aug 16, 2015 6:02 pm
Subject: [DeTomaso] Bullfrog Blues


My son and I took the Bullfrog , my green Pantera, for a drive to Texas 
World
Speedway today.  Rob Pink was running his 240z at the track and we 
thought we
would spectate.  About 1 mile from the track, the highway 
narrows and I
thought it unlikely the local gendarmes would be on this 
section as the
shoulders are narrow with no safe place to pull over or 
park with a radar
gun.

The speed limit is 75 so I hammered the throttle. I not absolutely

certain of the velocity, and it may be foolish to disclose on a public

forum, however, it was well into triple digits and fast enough to blow 
off
my drivers side Vitaloni mirror.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw 
it twist.
I quickly released the throttle, yet too late as it separated 
from the
Pantera.  Fortunately, it did not smack up against the car.

I assumed that I
had carelessly allowed the set screw to loosen that 
holds the assembly to the
bracket attached to the car.  Those personal 
errors make me upset.  When we
arrived at the track I had an opportunity 
to better inspect the problem. To my
surprise, the mounting pieces were 
all still in place and tight.  Rather, the
aluminum casting surrendered 
to the air onslaught.  This is rather bazaar. 
See the attached pics to 
compare with the passenger side mirror.

I did not
recover the actual mirror.  I could not pull over for over a 
.5 mile down the
road and it was not a safe section of highway to walk.  
I can't imagine that
there was much left of the mirror tumbling down the 
pavement at that speed.  I
had a lot of time spent prepping that piece 
for paint - oh well.  Perhaps, I
had the bad draw of a poor casting.  
Has anyone else suffered this fate with
the Vitaloni.

Now, I need to find another matching mirror and convince myself
that I 
had a bad aluminum casting.  Maybe I just need to slow down.  I was

channeling Art Stephens.

Dave Hall, what mirror do you have on Limezotica?
Those were awesome.

JT



 
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-------------- next part --------------
   I've had those mirrors on my car for 28 years, during which I did many
   a track event (and even a trip or two to Phoenix at well over the
   speeds you encountered) and never experience any problems with the
   mirrors.

   Tom

   5186
   -----Original Message-----
   From: John Taphorn <jtaphorn at kingwoodcable.com>
   To: De Tomaso List <DeTomaso at poca.com>
   Sent: Sun, Aug 16, 2015 6:02 pm
   Subject: [DeTomaso] Bullfrog Blues
My son and I took the Bullfrog , my green Pantera, for a drive to Texas
World
Speedway today.  Rob Pink was running his 240z at the track and we
thought we
would spectate.  About 1 mile from the track, the highway
narrows and I
thought it unlikely the local gendarmes would be on this
section as the
shoulders are narrow with no safe place to pull over or
park with a radar
gun.

The speed limit is 75 so I hammered the throttle. I not absolutely

certain of the velocity, and it may be foolish to disclose on a public

forum, however, it was well into triple digits and fast enough to blow
off
my drivers side Vitaloni mirror.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw
it twist.
I quickly released the throttle, yet too late as it separated
from the
Pantera.  Fortunately, it did not smack up against the car.

I assumed that I
had carelessly allowed the set screw to loosen that
holds the assembly to the
bracket attached to the car.  Those personal
errors make me upset.  When we
arrived at the track I had an opportunity
to better inspect the problem. To my
surprise, the mounting pieces were
all still in place and tight.  Rather, the
aluminum casting surrendered
to the air onslaught.  This is rather bazaar.
See the attached pics to
compare with the passenger side mirror.

I did not
recover the actual mirror.  I could not pull over for over a
.5 mile down the
road and it was not a safe section of highway to walk.
I can't imagine that
there was much left of the mirror tumbling down the
pavement at that speed.  I
had a lot of time spent prepping that piece
for paint - oh well.  Perhaps, I
had the bad draw of a poor casting.
Has anyone else suffered this fate with
the Vitaloni.

Now, I need to find another matching mirror and convince myself
that I
had a bad aluminum casting.  Maybe I just need to slow down.  I was

channeling Art Stephens.

Dave Hall, what mirror do you have on Limezotica?
Those were awesome.

JT



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