See that bare-of-paint spot on Steve's red Koni shown above? That indicates metal to metal contact between shock & a-arm, which produces a difficult to locate click or clunk while driving. It is nearly always on the lower rear shocks due to them having the highest load in either Mangusta or Pantera. If you want the stock look AND also drive your car, resign yourself to inspecting & changing lower rear rubber bushings every few years.
* Contrary to rumor, using Koni's heim-joints in the shocks will NOT increase NVH in your DeTomaso. I have all-urethane or metal in our entire suspension and the car is not any more noisy that it was full-stock. But it sure handles better!
* Early red Konis are stamped with a part number just above this area and the number includes the date of mfg- usually in the early '80s (82V-1684-SP-1= 16" long 1982 frts for a 'Goose, and 82V-1701-SP-1= 17" long 1982 frt shocks for the Pantera, according to Koni).
* Early red Konis cannot work if mounted upside down; that advantage is only for their yellow-painted high pressure gas-charged shocks. Which add 25 lbs to the suspension spring load just from gas pressure inside.
* An original flat-top bump rubber is usually for front shocks and a slightly longer more pointed one is for a rear shock. Front shocks often have a splash shield while rears do not. Usually, the damping varies front to rear as well and the shocks might not have been originally designed for a mid-engined car. So "front" shocks designed for front-engined cars are often valved backwards when adapted to limited production Mangustas or Panteras, and long bump-rubbers can limit shock travel. To adjust travel, Koni says to cut the large OD end of bump rubbers, NOT the pointed end. Browse to www.koni-NA.com for lots more info.