Reply to "Gearing?"

Hi BD,

Lower gears in the differential make a car feel peppy, but generally the fastest way to accelerate is high gears, lots of torque in the motor and less shifting.

Lower gears in the differential shorten up the gear ratios, higher gearing widens the ratios.

The reason all the "super cars" these days can achieve 3 & 4 second 0 to 100 kph acceleration times is because they all reach 100 kph in first gear, no shifting required. If they had to shift to reach 100 kph, their acceleration times would stretch out to 5 seconds.

Do a test: find a place where you can safely perform acceleration tests, obtain a stop watch & a co pilot. Measure the time it takes to reach 100 kph from a dead stop in your car, starting in first gear (requires a shift into second), and then starting in second gear. The engine has plenty of torque to start off in second.

Most Panteras were equipped with 4.22:1 axle ratios from the factory, some European deliveries had other gearing, the most common alternate gear ratio was 3.77:1. With 3.77:1 gears, you can reach 100 kph in first gear.

4.22:1 gearing is plenty low, I see no need to ever go lower, unless you are using your Pantera to tow a vacation trailer! lol.... In fact, as delivered I think most owners find the ratios a bit too close. The Pantera certainly accelerates very strongly at about any speed in the first 4 gears. Another aspect of low gearing is that it becomes more difficult to control wheel spin, and a car that is spinning it's tires it not acelerating fast, but is attracting unwanted attention (law enforcement). On the positive side, the big port cleveland motor likes low gearing, it makes the engine feel more responsive, because it gets it through the lower rpm range quickly.

I personally think the 3.77:1 gears would be the better gears for a Pantera, more in keeping with typical sports car / super car gearing. But I'm a sports car guy. Your description of yourself makes you sound like a muscle car guy!

Lloyd Butfoy is the expert on gearing for the Pantera, a question to him on the ZF forum, or a phone call, may be worth your while.

your friend on the DTBB, George