[DeTomaso] Remote decklid release

[Espen Graffer]

Team!

The Deauville has such a system. Worked flawlessly on mine. So, it's
possible. And quite cool for a car originally delivered with such.

A lever left of drivers seat. No outside seen lock/latch. And a additional
security cable tucked away inside left tail light (probably keep secret...).

 

espen in norway

 

---------

mikeldrew wrote:

snip.. 
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

 

-------------- next part --------------
   Team!

   The Deauville has such a system. Worked flawlessly on mine. So, it's
   possible. And quite cool for a car originally delivered with such.

   A lever left of drivers seat. No outside seen lock/latch. And a
   additional security cable tucked away inside left tail light (probably
   keep secret...).


   espen in norway


   ---------

   mikeldrew wrote:
snip..
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