[DeTomaso] Cruise Control on your Pantera?

Sat Feb 28 14:22:49 EST 2015

Very interesting, Chris. I have LED brake lights. I never could get my unit
to work. Never thought of it

From: Christopher Kimball [mailto:chrisvkimball at msn.com] 
Sent: sábado, 28 de febrero de 2015 20:17
To: Charles McCall; Pantera list serve
Subject: RE: [DeTomaso] Cruise Control on your Pantera?

I've had cruise-control from about the first day I owned my Pantera.

I started out with an Audiovox vacuum unit, which worked pretty well,
although there was a little speeding-up and slowing-down on hills, etc.  I
then installed LED lights and it stopped working.  

I should have thought about the fact that with LED brake lights the system
wouldn't work without a special relay, but like a dork I forgot about that
and figured I had messed something up while working on the lights, so I just
spent $300 and bought another system which uses a little electric motor to
adjust the throttle.  If you have LED brake lights, perhaps that's why yours
doesn't work.  I can't remember what kind my current unit is, and I can't
check right now because my car is in Oregon at Denny Finn's shop getting
spruced-up a bit (I gave him limit and told him to keep fixing things until
I ran out of money!)

There is a little electronic sensor that inserts between the speedometer
output at the ZF and the speedometer cable.  A wire from that goes to the
cruise-control unit, and it works very well (even with two throttle
springs).  I put the control switch in place of the dummy switch at the
bottom of the dash, and it's been there now for almost 9 years.

Coming back from San Diego last year the little, square pin which connects
the speed sensor to the ZF failed (the corners got rounded and it started
slipping), so on the way back from the Fun Rally I stopped at Don Byars
shop.  He not only did some quick repairs on my steering rack, but while I
was there he custom-fabricated a new, square pin for the cruise-control.  It
has continued since then to work perfectly.  (He also told me he didn't want
any payment for the work he did--but I mailed him a check anyway once I got
home.  Thanks again, Don!)

I have really long legs, and the cruise-control lets me stretch them out
under the pedals which is imperative on long trips, otherwise my right leg
gets completely cramped.  The cruise-control has allowed me to drive my
Pantera to Reno, Arizona (twice), San Diego, and many other places--over
25,000-miles worth since 2006.  It did not, however, prevent me from getting
an $850 ticket in Jackpot, Nevada.  That was one of those times I should
have been using it!

I highly recommend adding a cruise-control if you are planning any long
trips.

Sincerely,

Chris

From: charlesmccall at gmail.com
To: detomaso at poca.com
Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2015 19:45:14 +0100
Subject: [DeTomaso] Cruise Control on your Pantera?

A few years ago I asked the question on this fórum regarding who had
successfully installed Cruise Control on their Pantera. Every year we take
the car on at least one rather long road trip that involves hours and hours
and hours of highway droning, and I’d be interested in having one to make
those trips a little more bearable. There is the added advantage that with
ever-stricter and ever more expensive speed limit enforcement, I can avoid
accidently having my speed creep up and getting an expensive souvenir while
on vacation. This year we’ll be taking the Pantera on a little jaunt from
Spain to Sweden and back for example.

In the past, a number of people mentioned that they were happy with an
Audivox CCS-100 unit. I bought one about 5 years ago and installed it but
could never get it to work. The self-check lights all indicated that it was
installed correctly, but it never did operate. I decided that either I had a
defective unit or it wasn’t strong enough to pull against the double
throttle return springs I have installed and let it slide. 

I’m thinking about tackling the subject again and am wondering what the
latest and greatest product is? What have people successfully installed and
what are people happy with? Do you have double throttle return springs? 

Thanks all!

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-------------- next part --------------
   Very interesting, Chris. I have LED brake lights. I never could get my
   unit to work. Never thought of it...

   From: Christopher Kimball [mailto:chrisvkimball at msn.com]
   Sent: sabado, 28 de febrero de 2015 20:17
   To: Charles McCall; Pantera list serve
   Subject: RE: [DeTomaso] Cruise Control on your Pantera?

   I've had cruise-control from about the first day I owned my Pantera.

   I started out with an Audiovox vacuum unit, which worked pretty well,
   although there was a little speeding-up and slowing-down on hills, etc.
    I then installed LED lights and it stopped working.

   I should have thought about the fact that with LED brake lights the
   system wouldn't work without a special relay, but like a dork I forgot
   about that and figured I had messed something up while working on the
   lights, so I just spent $300 and bought another system which uses a
   little electric motor to adjust the throttle.  If you have LED brake
   lights, perhaps that's why yours doesn't work.  I can't remember what
   kind my current unit is, and I can't check right now because my car is
   in Oregon at Denny Finn's shop getting spruced-up a bit (I gave him
   limit and told him to keep fixing things until I ran out of money!)

   There is a little electronic sensor that inserts between the
   speedometer output at the ZF and the speedometer cable.  A wire from
   that goes to the cruise-control unit, and it works very well (even with
   two throttle springs).  I put the control switch in place of the dummy
   switch at the bottom of the dash, and it's been there now for almost 9
   years.

   Coming back from San Diego last year the little, square pin which
   connects the speed sensor to the ZF failed (the corners got rounded and
   it started slipping), so on the way back from the Fun Rally I stopped
   at Don Byars shop.  He not only did some quick repairs on my steering
   rack, but while I was there he custom-fabricated a new, square pin for
   the cruise-control.  It has continued since then to work perfectly.
   (He also told me he didn't want any payment for the work he did--but I
   mailed him a check anyway once I got home.  Thanks again, Don!)

   I have really long legs, and the cruise-control lets me stretch them
   out under the pedals which is imperative on long trips, otherwise my
   right leg gets completely cramped.  The cruise-control has allowed me
   to drive my Pantera to Reno, Arizona (twice), San Diego, and many other
   places--over 25,000-miles worth since 2006.  It did not, however,
   prevent me from getting an $850 ticket in Jackpot, Nevada.  That was
   one of those times I should have been using it!

   I highly recommend adding a cruise-control if you are planning any long
   trips.

   Sincerely,

   Chris

   From: [1]charlesmccall at gmail.com
   To: [2]detomaso at poca.com
   Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2015 19:45:14 +0100
   Subject: [DeTomaso] Cruise Control on your Pantera?
A few years ago I asked the question on this forum regarding who had
successfully installed Cruise Control on their Pantera. Every year we take
the car on at least one rather long road trip that involves hours and hours
and hours of highway droning, and I'd be interested in having one to make
those trips a little more bearable. There is the added advantage that with
ever-stricter and ever more expensive speed limit enforcement, I can avoid
accidently having my speed creep up and getting an expensive souvenir while
on vacation. This year we'll be taking the Pantera on a little jaunt from
Spain to Sweden and back for example.

In the past, a number of people mentioned that they were happy with an
Audivox CCS-100 unit. I bought one about 5 years ago and installed it but
could never get it to work. The self-check lights all indicated that it was
installed correctly, but it never did operate. I decided that either I had a
defective unit or it wasn't strong enough to pull against the double
throttle return springs I have installed and let it slide.

I'm thinking about tackling the subject again and am wondering what the
latest and greatest product is? What have people successfully installed and
what are people happy with? Do you have double throttle return springs?

Thanks all!

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References

   1. mailto:charlesmccall at gmail.com
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