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Longchamp so far

finlandesefinlandeseMember
After an year and half of dreaming (and pestering people who know about these cars) finally got one in february

My renovation has now entered the comical stage with fixing the hilarious Italian sandwich construction efforts (outer rusted sill - bondo - really rusted original outer sill - holes in the inner sill), and bringing the car back to health mechanically (engine, transmission, etc.). here are some pictures.

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D DUTCHIE (Guest)
Jani,

My deauville is driveable but not taxed end tested so very illegal to drive at this point.
It is in storage now since we rebuild end extended our house. Still some tidying up to do, such as painting most of the house top to bottom!

No driving this year but a nice winter project to look forward to.
finlandesefinlandeseMember
Added some photos. No pattern parts used, that´s for sure... All the rusty parts have been relpaced. I still need to make/get made new bumpers, and the front air dam. then it´s off to the paint shop. I will probably stick with the current color, as I can´t make up my mind with what to replace it with, and due monetary reasons.

Engine and transmission should go back in within two weeks.
finlandesefinlandeseMember
The bondo pictures are from the parts we cut off from each side of the grille, so we could fabricate the mods I was planning (the sills themselves were waaay more rusty). We could not do it to the extent that it was in the early Tjaarda drawings, as there some structural parts behind them, but I´m fairly happy with the results. Have to get some better pictures, when the grille is back in the car.

Phil,

Relocating the battery makes sense, but at the moment my philosphy is to restore the car mechanically (with some exeptions inside the engine, for reliability, and for ´72 power levels). In the future I could see a conversion to manual, and lightening / upgrading the engine. At that stage, I´m sure the battery would travel too.
Last edited by finlandese
finlandesefinlandeseMember
"Progress" report...

Alltough it looks like nothing has happened, there seems to light at the end of the tunnel. Of course it might be daylight or a train..

In any case this week should see the front suspension finished, fuel tanks installed, electrical gremlins banished, and interior put back together. Next week should be for the manufacture of the rear bridge exhaust sections, test run, and then to paint shop to make it semi-presentable.

I added a couple of photos: One detail shot, one general mayhem one.
finlandesefinlandeseMember
The painter came to see the car and we came to a conclusion that the car was probably factory made with sloping front end treatment*, unlike any Longchamp I´ve ever seen.

*The hood sweeps lower towards the front with no sharp angle change about 15cm before the grille.

I´m not sure that makes sense to any of you, as my vocabulary is missing a word to describe it at the moment, but just check the front end photos, and see if you notice what I mean.
finlandesefinlandeseMember
quote:
Originally posted by Transmitter Man:
Please tell me you're going to get rid of that black crap inside the engine bay?


Sure, Phil. I throughly cleaned the black crap off and then replaced it with new black crap... Razzer

The process you described is not available here, nor is practical for the scale of my project.

I´d just like to drive it for a change... burn rubber
transmittermantransmittermanMember
Michael,

Yes, you've had a similar treatment for years. I think there's at least one franchise dealership with outlets around the US.

http://www.redi-strip.com/page2.htm

There must be others.

Jani,

I know what you mean. that's why I decided to but the very best condition car I could afford and have a rolling restoration. Actually I call it a rolling modification.

Once I've run out of money doing all the mod's I then intend taking her off the road and put the old girl through this bare shell body restoration knowing that all the mechanical parts have replaced or refurbished.

I hope this can happen over this winter.

I've located several paint shops which have a rotisserie.

By the time I complete the car I would of been able to afford a GT5S or Si, but that is life!

Phil
finlandesefinlandeseMember
Was supposed to drive the car to the painter today. Gave up at 22:30 when the fuel pump electrics started to invent new troubles. Before that the sound was quite impressive, as the exhaust were missing the middle section. Cops wouldn´t have liked it for sure...

In any case: Very busy at work, wife due to deliver a baby anyday, and the car giving me hassles I really don´t need at the moment. Depressed...

Added a photo of the car as I left it today
finlandesefinlandeseMember
Finally got to drive it!!!

Exhaust fitted, fuel pump grounding problems sorted, drove it to the painters.

The engine is strong, and the transmission sharp. The drive itself was a work in progress kind of experience, as the doors had no seals(nor trim), some of the sound proofing is missing, and the electrics are still requiring some finishing touches. But I drove it.

New things to do:

Tacho doesnt work. I have a hazy recollection that it might have been non-operative when I bought the car.

Temp gauge doesn´t indicate.

Power steering needs adjustment (way more assistance to the left). The system itself is nice, as it reduces the assistance with speed.

But it runs...

Added a photo to the gallery
transmittermantransmittermanMember
...and you think you got electrical gremlins.

How about the fuel gauge reading full on the left and empty on the right tank regardless of what level of fuel you have in either tank.

Yes, I've checked the grounds, check the fuel senders are working OK and that the wirewound resistors have not gone open circuit and still no operating gauge.

Don't you just love your car?

I came home in my daily hack E39 530d and looked what had taken my space? How dare he.



Phil
79 Longchamp GTS 3061
welliswellisMrs. Detomaso's nephew, and longchamp owner.
I am not surprised about the electrical. The thing you have to remember is that I think that the pantera harnesses were done outside the factory, but then it came to the Longchamp or the other cars, they were created by one guy. He would only show up when there was a car for him to work on, he never worked on the panteras, Testa would not allow it. Anyway he would show up, and work on creating them in the back where I would be doing my painting. He was very lazy, and there was a harness block, you know the kind that would used to create a harness for all the cars. If the order sheet listed something not on the harness block, he would complain in English to me. He often would do that part last, and I saw him tape the wires on to the harness.
At the time, I would mention it to my aunt, but I do not think she did anything. There was this weird pecking order on the floor, and you would have thought I would have had more power, but the notice was sent to all the "department heads" that I was to be treated no better than anyone else, so I was treated worse.
finlandesefinlandeseMember
quote:
Originally posted by Transmitter Man:
...and you think you got electrical gremlins.

How about the fuel gauge reading full on the left and empty on the right tank regardless of what level of fuel you have in either tank.

Yes, I've checked the grounds, check the fuel senders are working OK and that the wirewound resistors have not gone open circuit and still no operating gauge.

Phil
79 Longchamp GTS 3061


Well,I drove the whole trip on a empty tank... Only one of the tanks was filled up, but the car runs on both tanks. When switching tanks the fuel pumps are switched (you can hear it), so maybe the valve is modified or faulty, or my Longchamp runs without fuel!!
finlandesefinlandeseMember
quote:
Originally posted by Wellis:
I am not surprised about the electrical. The thing you have to remember is that I think that the pantera harnesses were done outside the factory, but then it came to the Longchamp or the other cars, they were created by one guy. He would only show up when there was a car for him to work on, he never worked on the panteras, Testa would not allow it. Anyway he would show up, and work on creating them in the back where I would be doing my painting. He was very lazy, and there was a harness block, you know the kind that would used to create a harness for all the cars. If the order sheet listed something not on the harness block, he would complain in English to me. He often would do that part last, and I saw him tape the wires on to the harness.
At the time, I would mention it to my aunt, but I do not think she did anything. There was this weird pecking order on the floor, and you would have thought I would have had more power, but the notice was sent to all the "department heads" that I was to be treated no better than anyone else, so I was treated worse.



Now that´s an endorsment for a re-wire if there ever was one. Unfortunately it has to be at a later date for me.

Wellis,

Did you ever manage get the factory build instructions for the Longchamp, that you mentioned about earlier?
finlandesefinlandeseMember
Michael,

The plan is to have the car on the road this month so I can do an extended shake down to major systems, so the car will be safe and reliable for cross continent trips. As far as the exterior of the car goes, the prototipo conversion will happend during the winter. FOr this season I will be driving with intermediate bumpers, which are based on the 3000-series ones with some (reversible)mods.

Mechanically next winter will probably include: Rear suspension overhaul, brake overhaul, refinishing the wheels (+new tires), reconditionig the A/C.

My goal is to drive to the the De Tomaso meet at the factory in the summer of 2009, with the car´s exterior in the prototipo spec with some small exceptions. According to the Google maps, the distance from my home to the factory is
2 628 km...
finlandesefinlandeseMember
The car is off from the paintshop, and the tinkering continues..

The QP III front spindles were the same as my Longchamps, besides one thing, which will require some minor machining of the hub. My intermidate bumper plan will not work as well as I thought. I will try to make it semi-presentable, or will drive without bumpers.

Pictures to follow when I get the car outdoors.
Last edited by finlandese
finlandesefinlandeseMember
Added a picture.

Electrics are on the final strech: Tacho and temp gauge work, but now the oil pressure gauge took a vacation. Tomorrow is for engine tuning, and there might be slight chance that I get it on the road soonish...!

I´ll be driving around with series 3000 bumbers, but with no tips. From certain angles you can now get a feel of how the car will look with the prototipo bumpers.

Need to try to find the time to do the little things in the interior, but most likely will just drive it for a while, and just tell everyone who finds faults "It´s not ready yet, so f*** off!"..
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