[DeTomaso] Deck Lid Release

Mon Dec 17 11:14:39 EST 2018

Mike,

I took the photos Chuck recently shared. The car in question is #1256 and there are loads of pics in the registry. I spent a full day working on that system in that car, in Paris.

The decklid release is a common part which can be sourced from the Alfa Romeo Spyder. 

http://www.vickauto.com/newstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4239

The difference is that the Alfa part incorporates a keyed lock, while the original Pantera one does not. They are otherwise identical.  I don’t know if the earlier Alfas didn’t have the lock but that seems likely.  Perhaps Alfa coupes use a similar system which wouldn’t require a lock since the handle is inside the locked car?

The original implementation in the Pantera is almost criminally stupid, which is why it was dropped almost immediately and replaced with the conventional system we are so familiar with. 

The pull handle is mounted in the driver’s door jamb, and pulls a cable in a sheath (bicycle brake cable) which in turn actuates the latch, which is the same as the front trunk latch. It doesn’t sound stupid.

It is. 

The cable is secured to the handle in a very un-positive manner using a single screw. If the screw isn’t tightened enough or the cable wears and frays, when you pull the handle, the cable will slip out.  The same thing can sometimes happen with the front trunk latch, which is why the TSBs called for fabricating a secondary emergency release cable. But the front trunk release handle, and the end of the cable are readily accessible. Not so with the rear one. 

If the cable comes adrift from the rear handle, you just have to undo the two nuts securing its mounting studs to the B-pillar and pull it forward and out to access the cable. 

Oh, wait. 

The nuts in question are on the inside of the B-pillar. To access them you have to first move the gas tank out of the way. To move the gas tank out of the way you first have to remove the engine and gearbox. 

And (wait for it!)...

... to remove the engine and gas tank, you first have to open the decklid!!!

I learned all of this while working on 1256 when the cable came loose from the handle and the decklid wouldn’t open. By happy circumstance, the engine and gas tank were out of the car at the time. We were able to get under the car and reach up and manually open the latch (the A/C was also out). But once we realized how terrible the stock system was, we went to great lengths to ensure we make it as good as possible. We drove for ages to find a bicycle repair store that was able to fabricate a new cable of sufficient length (very long), then attached it to the handle as well as we possibly could. We also fashioned a second release using leftover cable from the first one, so that if the first one were to fail, at least it would be possible to get the decklid open. 

(Remember, the gas filler is in there too, so not being able to open the decklid isn't merely a nuisance—if it happens away from home and you don’t have enough gas in the car to get home, it’s tow truck time).

The stock pushbutton system is looking better every minute, isn’t it? :)

Mike

Sent from my iPad

> On Dec 17, 2018, at 07:01, Mike & Elizabeth Thomas <mbefthomas at comcast.net> wrote:
> 
> Chuck, any pics of the release handle on the door jamb?  I've been thinking
> of doing a remote deck release when I have 6328 restored.  Looking for
> suggestions from others who have done similar and where they've sourced the
> parts.
> 
> Mike THomas
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: DeTomaso <detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com> On Behalf Of The
> DeTomaso Registry Guy
> Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2018 9:50 AM
> To: List DeTomaso Forum <detomaso at server.detomasolist.com>
> Subject: [DeTomaso] Deck Lid Release
> 
> Pics from an early Pantera deck lid release.
> 
> 
> 
> Chuck
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The De Tomaso Registry Guy
> 
> http://www.detomasoregistry.org/Members/ProvaMoMemMain.asp
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
> Detomaso Email List is not managed by POCA
> Posted emails must not exceed 1.5 Megabytes
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-------------- next part --------------
   Mike,

   I took the photos Chuck recently shared. The car in question is #1256
   and there are loads of pics in the registry. I spent a full day working
   on that system in that car, in Paris.

   The decklid release is a common part which can be sourced from the Alfa
   Romeo Spyder.

   [1]http://www.vickauto.com/newstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&pr
   oducts_id=4239

   The difference is that the Alfa part incorporates a keyed lock, while
   the original Pantera one does not. They are otherwise identical.  I
   don't know if the earlier Alfas didn't have the lock but that seems
   likely.  Perhaps Alfa coupes use a similar system which wouldn't
   require a lock since the handle is inside the locked car?

   The original implementation in the Pantera is almost criminally stupid,
   which is why it was dropped almost immediately and replaced with the
   conventional system we are so familiar with.

   The pull handle is mounted in the driver's door jamb, and pulls a cable
   in a sheath (bicycle brake cable) which in turn actuates the latch,
   which is the same as the front trunk latch. It doesn't sound stupid.

   It is.

   The cable is secured to the handle in a very un-positive manner using a
   single screw. If the screw isn't tightened enough or the cable wears
   and frays, when you pull the handle, the cable will slip out.  The same
   thing can sometimes happen with the front trunk latch, which is why the
   TSBs called for fabricating a secondary emergency release cable. But
   the front trunk release handle, and the end of the cable are readily
   accessible. Not so with the rear one.

   If the cable comes adrift from the rear handle, you just have to undo
   the two nuts securing its mounting studs to the B-pillar and pull it
   forward and out to access the cable.

   Oh, wait.

   The nuts in question are on the inside of the B-pillar. To access them
   you have to first move the gas tank out of the way. To move the gas
   tank out of the way you first have to remove the engine and gearbox.

   And (wait for it!)...

   ... to remove the engine and gas tank, you first have to open the
   decklid!!!

   I learned all of this while working on 1256 when the cable came loose
   from the handle and the decklid wouldn't open. By happy circumstance,
   the engine and gas tank were out of the car at the time. We were able
   to get under the car and reach up and manually open the latch (the A/C
   was also out). But once we realized how terrible the stock system was,
   we went to great lengths to ensure we make it as good as possible. We
   drove for ages to find a bicycle repair store that was able to
   fabricate a new cable of sufficient length (very long), then attached
   it to the handle as well as we possibly could. We also fashioned a
   second release using leftover cable from the first one, so that if the
   first one were to fail, at least it would be possible to get the
   decklid open.

   (Remember, the gas filler is in there too, so not being able to open
   the decklid isn't merely a nuisance--if it happens away from home and
   you don't have enough gas in the car to get home, it's tow truck time).

   The stock pushbutton system is looking better every minute, isn't it?
   :)

   Mike
   Sent from my iPad
   On Dec 17, 2018, at 07:01, Mike & Elizabeth Thomas
   <[2]mbefthomas at comcast.net> wrote:

   Chuck, any pics of the release handle on the door jamb?  I've been
   thinking
   of doing a remote deck release when I have 6328 restored.  Looking for
   suggestions from others who have done similar and where they've sourced
   the
   parts.
   Mike THomas
   -----Original Message-----
   From: DeTomaso <[3]detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com> On Behalf
   Of The
   DeTomaso Registry Guy
   Sent: Saturday, December 15, 2018 9:50 AM
   To: List DeTomaso Forum <[4]detomaso at server.detomasolist.com>
   Subject: [DeTomaso] Deck Lid Release
   Pics from an early Pantera deck lid release.
   Chuck
   The De Tomaso Registry Guy
   [5]http://www.detomasoregistry.org/Members/ProvaMoMemMain.asp
   _______________________________________________
   Detomaso Email List is not managed by POCA
   Posted emails must not exceed 1.5 Megabytes
   DeTomaso mailing list
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   [7]http://server.detomasolist.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso
   To manage your subscription (change email address, unsubscribe, etc.)
   use the links above.
   Members who post to this list grant license to the list to forward any
   message posted here to all past, current, or future members of the
   list. They also grant the list owner permission to maintain an archive
   or approve the archiving of list messages.

References

   1. http://www.vickauto.com/newstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4239
   2. mailto:mbefthomas at comcast.net
   3. mailto:detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com
   4. mailto:detomaso at server.detomasolist.com
   5. http://www.detomasoregistry.org/Members/ProvaMoMemMain.asp
   6. mailto:DeTomaso at server.detomasolist.com
   7. http://server.detomasolist.com/mailman/listinfo/detomaso