[DeTomaso] Remote Decklid Release

Mike Drew mikeldrew at aol.com
Thu Dec 10 01:02:57 EST 2020



> On Dec 9, 2020, at 19:04, Charles Engles <cengles at cox.net> wrote:
> Dear Mike,
> 
>           Ach du Lieber!  The very early Panteras had a remote mechanical rear decklid release??  I did not know that.  Does it resemble the front hood release system?  Pictures?

>>>Chuck,

It’s been staring you in the face for years. Open your hymnal to the section on decklid and associated parts:


https://www.panterasbywilkinson.com/2016/ill27c.html

I have had extensive experience working with these things in Stephane Bergeron’s car, #1256.  If you look in the registry there are many detailed photos I took of various elements of the system. 

http://www.provamo.com/Members/Registry/RegistryImages/RTHPNLC01256/RTHPNLC01256.asp

The handle is the same as the trunk latch on an Alfa Romeo Spyder. The original Pantera handle didn’t have a lock, but he replaced his with an Alfa version, and the only one he could find did have a lock (no bad thing perhaps).

But the system is fatally flawed. The handle is set into the driver’s side B-pillar post. There is a long cable (same kind as used for the front trunk) which snakes behind the gas tank, then through the wheelhouse into the fender wall, then back through the fender well and into the side of the latch (same kind as used for the front trunk too).

But here is the huge gotcha. The front end of the cable is secured to the lever with a nut and bolt arrangement, like the front trunk. If the cable breaks or slips out of the lever, you need to remove the lever to fix it. 

Ah, but the lever has studs, and is secured to the B-pillar post with two nuts.  They are completely inaccessible as they are completely blocked by the gas tank. So in order to reconnect the latch you first have to remove the gas tank.

But to remove the gas tank you first have to remove the engine and gearbox. 

What’s Step One of removing the engine and gearbox? 

Open the decklid!

It’s like Abbot and Costello’s  “Who’s on first?” routine. Eliminating that whole system in favor of our tried and true push button arrangement is literally the first major improvement to the Pantera that Ford instituted, I think.

As for Stephane’s car, it was a real struggle to get the system working. His old cable was completely screwed.  Where do you find a replacement cable that’s ten feet long?  Bike shops have brake cable, but it’s typically sold in typical bike lengths. 

We finally found a place clear on the other side of Paris that could fabricate a cable to length. It took the better kart of a day to drive there and back. We also created a secondary emergency cable that can be accessed from outside the car, following the same philosophy used for the front trunk.

Cheers!

Mike
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: DeTomaso [mailto:detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com] On Behalf Of Mike Drew via DeTomaso
> Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2020 8:43 PM
> To: Mike & Elizabeth
> Cc: detomaso at server.detomasolist.com
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Remote Decklid Release
> 
> Mike,
> 
> I recommend don’t. 
> 
> For a variety of reasons it’s not a smart idea. The original Panteras came with such a system but they quickly ditched it once the problems started piling up, and only the first 275 or so cars had it. 
> 
> You have enough problems to overcome at the moment.  Don’t create more for yourself for no gain and potentially lots of downside.....
> 
> Mike (hey, you asked....)
> 
> Sent from my iPad
> 
>> On Dec 9, 2020, at 18:24, Mike & Elizabeth <mbefthomas2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>>    I am planning to add a remote rear decklid release to 6328 as part of
>>  the restoration.  Pinging the forum to see what others have used and/or
>>  what you can recommend.
>> 
>> 
>>  Thanks
>> 
>>  Mike Thomas
>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> 
>> 
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> 
> _______________________________________________
> 
> 
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> Posted emails must not exceed 1.5 Megabytes
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-------------- next part --------------
     On Dec 9, 2020, at 19:04, Charles Engles <cengles at cox.net> wrote:

   Dear Mike,
             Ach du Lieber!  The very early Panteras had a remote
   mechanical rear decklid release??  I did not know that.  Does it
   resemble the front hood release system?  Pictures?

   >>>Chuck,

   It's been staring you in the face for years. Open your hymnal to the
   section on decklid and associated parts:

   [1]https://www.panterasbywilkinson.com/2016/ill27c.html
   I have had extensive experience working with these things in Stephane
   Bergeron's car, #1256.  If you look in the registry there are many
   detailed photos I took of various elements of the system.

   [2]http://www.provamo.com/Members/Registry/RegistryImages/RTHPNLC01256/
   RTHPNLC01256.asp

   The handle is the same as the trunk latch on an Alfa Romeo Spyder. The
   original Pantera handle didn't have a lock, but he replaced his with an
   Alfa version, and the only one he could find did have a lock (no bad
   thing perhaps).

   But the system is fatally flawed. The handle is set into the driver's
   side B-pillar post. There is a long cable (same kind as used for the
   front trunk) which snakes behind the gas tank, then through the
   wheelhouse into the fender wall, then back through the fender well and
   into the side of the latch (same kind as used for the front trunk too).

   But here is the huge gotcha. The front end of the cable is secured to
   the lever with a nut and bolt arrangement, like the front trunk. If the
   cable breaks or slips out of the lever, you need to remove the lever to
   fix it.

   Ah, but the lever has studs, and is secured to the B-pillar post with
   two nuts.  They are completely inaccessible as they are completely
   blocked by the gas tank. So in order to reconnect the latch you first
   have to remove the gas tank.

   But to remove the gas tank you first have to remove the engine and
   gearbox.

   What's Step One of removing the engine and gearbox?

   Open the decklid!

   It's like Abbot and Costello's  "Who's on first?" routine. Eliminating
   that whole system in favor of our tried and true push button
   arrangement is literally the first major improvement to the Pantera
   that Ford instituted, I think.

   As for Stephane's car, it was a real struggle to get the system
   working. His old cable was completely screwed.  Where do you find a
   replacement cable that's ten feet long?  Bike shops have brake cable,
   but it's typically sold in typical bike lengths.

   We finally found a place clear on the other side of Paris that could
   fabricate a cable to length. It took the better kart of a day to drive
   there and back. We also created a secondary emergency cable that can be
   accessed from outside the car, following the same philosophy used for
   the front trunk.

   Cheers!

   Mike

   -----Original Message-----
   From: DeTomaso [mailto:detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com] On
   Behalf Of Mike Drew via DeTomaso
   Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2020 8:43 PM
   To: Mike & Elizabeth
   Cc: detomaso at server.detomasolist.com
   Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] Remote Decklid Release
   Mike,
   I recommend don't.
   For a variety of reasons it's not a smart idea. The original Panteras
   came with such a system but they quickly ditched it once the problems
   started piling up, and only the first 275 or so cars had it.
   You have enough problems to overcome at the moment.  Don't create more
   for yourself for no gain and potentially lots of downside.....
   Mike (hey, you asked....)
   Sent from my iPad

     On Dec 9, 2020, at 18:24, Mike & Elizabeth <mbefthomas2 at gmail.com>
     wrote:

       I am planning to add a remote rear decklid release to 6328 as part
     of

      the restoration.  Pinging the forum to see what others have used
     and/or

      what you can recommend.

      Thanks

      Mike Thomas

     _______________________________________________

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     Posted emails must not exceed 1.5 Megabytes

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     To manage your subscription (change email address, unsubscribe,
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     the list. They also grant the list owner permission to maintain an
     archive or approve the archiving of list messages.

   _______________________________________________
   Detomaso Email List is not managed by POCA
   Posted emails must not exceed 1.5 Megabytes
   DeTomaso mailing list
   DeTomaso at server.detomasolist.com
   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. https://www.panterasbywilkinson.com/2016/ill27c.html
   2. http://www.provamo.com/Members/Registry/RegistryImages/RTHPNLC01256/RTHPNLC01256.asp


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