[DeTomaso] round table pizza car

[Julian Kift]

Rich,

Your note implies the fuel cells weren't very old? I know Fuel Safe have a 5-year warranty on custom cells and would assume other reputable vendors like ATL etc. have something competitive as well.

I just replaced the fuel bladder in my Formula Atlantic and was quite surprised when it arrived, firstly it had gained 8 lbs over the previous cell, that's significant in a car with a 1250 lb weight and an aging overweight driver!. But moreover, when I removed the foam and happened to hold it up to the light, I could see daylight spots (like pinholes) where flaws or thin spots had occurred in the molding process, and that was despite the gain in overall thickness. I contacted Fuel Safe and they tell me it's perfectly normal and they pressure test the cells prior to shipping, but it sure wasn't normal in my old cell fabricated back in 1999.

It's finally in the car now, which is whole other story as the added thickness made it a real PITA to get it scrunched up and into the carbon tub. No fuel in it yet and I'm almost hesitant to fill it as I wouldn't want to have to take it out again. But to cut a long story short that's when I looked up the warranty period, I'm just hoping I don't have to test its effectiveness inside 5 years.

Julian

________________________________
From: DeTomaso <detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com> on behalf of Rich Hoppe <richbhoppe at gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, June 7, 2020 5:59 PM
To: detomaso at detomasolist.com <detomaso at detomasolist.com>
Subject: [DeTomaso] round table pizza car

Let me start by saying I wanted the car to run at the Fun Rally and in Jan
when I put gas in it the 2000 dollar fuel cells let the fuel run on the
floor of my garage.

So it took 4 months to get the fuel cells custom built again for 3200
dollars.

I had the car on the Apex motorsports club track for the first time on Sat
and it ran great.
I was running with all the $150k-$250k Porsche's RS c or something but I it
did not embarrass the mark.

Porsche guys came up to me and said that car sounds so good.  I was driving
kind of easy short shifting at  6500  to 7000.  Max hp is 7800.

It is a lot of car for this wheel man.   I need to install better brakes
and newer tires.
I have michelin sport cups but racing slicks would be better.
I thought I wanted to be able to install the original 15 inch race wheels
that came with the car so decided to not install bigger rotors. I have
wilwood brakes with rotors that fit under 15 inch wheel. Not big enough

Some of the Porsche's are better than this driver on the curves  but not by
much and on the straights I show horsepower advantage.

So it was a great day. Only scared myself a few times.  No spins. Each lap
is about 140 mph

I have been out on the track before with my Porsche 944 Turbo and I have
spun each time out. The turbo and the balance of the car trick me.

I tell people and I believe that the Pantera has a little bit of Devil in
it so I am trying to be more  careful when I drive it than the porsche.

It was only 72 to 93 degrees in Phoenix so it was a good day to run and it
was fun. I started a7 am and was done by 10;30.  I am going to be 70 years
old why do I still like to do this?
Rich
-------------- next part --------------
   Rich,

   Your note implies the fuel cells weren't very old? I know Fuel Safe
   have a 5-year warranty on custom cells and would assume other reputable
   vendors like ATL etc. have something competitive as well.

   I just replaced the fuel bladder in my Formula Atlantic and was quite
   surprised when it arrived, firstly it had gained 8 lbs over the
   previous cell, that's significant in a car with a 1250 lb weight and an
   aging overweight driver!. But moreover, when I removed the foam and
   happened to hold it up to the light, I could see daylight spots (like
   pinholes) where flaws or thin spots had occurred in the molding
   process, and that was despite the gain in overall thickness. I
   contacted Fuel Safe and they tell me it's perfectly normal and they
   pressure test the cells prior to shipping, but it sure wasn't normal in
   my old cell fabricated back in 1999.

   It's finally in the car now, which is whole other story as the added
   thickness made it a real PITA to get it scrunched up and into the
   carbon tub. No fuel in it yet and I'm almost hesitant to fill it as I
   wouldn't want to have to take it out again. But to cut a long story
   short that's when I looked up the warranty period, I'm just hoping I
   don't have to test its effectiveness inside 5 years.

   Julian
     __________________________________________________________________

   From: DeTomaso <detomaso-bounces at server.detomasolist.com> on behalf of
   Rich Hoppe <richbhoppe at gmail.com>
   Sent: Sunday, June 7, 2020 5:59 PM
   To: detomaso at detomasolist.com <detomaso at detomasolist.com>
   Subject: [DeTomaso] round table pizza car

   Let me start by saying I wanted the car to run at the Fun Rally and in
   Jan
   when I put gas in it the 2000 dollar fuel cells let the fuel run on the
   floor of my garage.
   So it took 4 months to get the fuel cells custom built again for 3200
   dollars.
   I had the car on the Apex motorsports club track for the first time on
   Sat
   and it ran great.
   I was running with all the $150k-$250k Porsche's RS c or something but
   I it
   did not embarrass the mark.
   Porsche guys came up to me and said that car sounds so good.  I was
   driving
   kind of easy short shifting at  6500  to 7000.  Max hp is 7800.
   It is a lot of car for this wheel man.   I need to install better
   brakes
   and newer tires.
   I have michelin sport cups but racing slicks would be better.
   I thought I wanted to be able to install the original 15 inch race
   wheels
   that came with the car so decided to not install bigger rotors. I have
   wilwood brakes with rotors that fit under 15 inch wheel. Not big enough
   Some of the Porsche's are better than this driver on the curves  but
   not by
   much and on the straights I show horsepower advantage.
   So it was a great day. Only scared myself a few times.  No spins. Each
   lap
   is about 140 mph
   I have been out on the track before with my Porsche 944 Turbo and I
   have
   spun each time out. The turbo and the balance of the car trick me.
   I tell people and I believe that the Pantera has a little bit of Devil
   in
   it so I am trying to be more  careful when I drive it than the porsche.
   It was only 72 to 93 degrees in Phoenix so it was a good day to run and
   it
   was fun. I started a7 am and was done by 10;30.  I am going to be 70
   years
   old why do I still like to do this?
   Rich