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Correct placement of GR4 flares

racecarmikeracecarmikeMember
Metal work on 5715 is finally on its way. The front control arms have been lengthened and front wheels with more back spacing are in place to greatly reduce the scrub radius. The front control arms are adjustable for more caster. As best as we can determine the car has never been hit and it's totally rust free. I am assuming that the rear axle centerline is in the correct location front-to-back. I checked the centerline of the left and right rear axle to the lowest, back corner of each respective door opening. They where within 0.125" of each other. The car is set at ride height. I didn't assemble the rear suspension and haven't checked to see if any toe-in exists which may or may not move the rear wheels slightly forward. I am trying to determine the exact (close) axle centerline location relative to the body/chassis so we can properly fit the flares front-to-back. Does anyone here know a body/chassis hard point to measure from and what the dimensions from that hard point to the axle centerlines should be? Thanks!

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joulesjoules"Racing is Life, anything before or after is just waiting" - Steve McQueen
Mike,

You have exactly the right approach, setting ride height with your wheels. Each vendors flares offering can vary and often variations within a single vendor stock, especially with the metal flares ad they are hand formed over a buck.

I took a set back in disgust as they would have needed more work than starting from scratch.

Julian
garth66garth66"When speed is the only thing that counts"
quote:
I am trying to determine the exact (close) axle centerline location relative to the body/chassis so we can properly fit the flares front-to-back. Does anyone here know a body/chassis hard point to measure from and what the dimensions from that hard point to the axle centerlines should be?

Sounds like a good approach, but would be best to reassemble the rear suspension and position the flares with the wheels and tires mounted. There are slight variances in the chassis from side to side which sometimes result in the wheels sitting in different positions from side to side. The next time you go to an Italian car show, look at the flared Panteras. You'll immediately spot the cars that had their flares mounted without the wheels/tires in place - the wheels are not centered in the flare! They give the cars that "been hit and poorly repaired" look.
kjeldpedersenkjeldpedersenMember
Hi Mike.

If it was my car.
I Will let a tire shop make a 4 wheel alligment to be chore the wheels are in the Right position, before welding.

Best regards.
Kjeld.


quote:
Originally posted by Racecar Mike:
Garth,
All the suspension is attached to the car as are the wheels and tires. The car ride height is set. I just want to make sure the wheels are in the correct location front-to-back before we set the flares to the wheels/tires.
racecarmikeracecarmikeMember
Thanks all,
I am planning on doing a 4 wheel alignment before anything permanent is done. Because many Panteras have been modified and this one was apart when acquired I want to make sure that the hub centerlines are in the correct location front to back before anything else is done. Any dimensions will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Mike
bosswrenchbosswrenchMember
Mike, if you have the red '73-74 Owners Manual and it's complete, there exists an engineering dwg of the body giving all the dimensions. It is not of a GR-4 but a std Pantera, which in fact was what the GR-4 was derived from. The markings on the dwg are not to ASTM stds so are difficult to read- the OEM lines are so thin they do not reproduce, and many repro manuals do not include the fold-out dwg anyway.

That dwg has also been reproduced in a much larger size by the Swedish DeTomaso Club so it's easier to read but harder to ship. Some vendors have the big dwg in stock, shipped rolled up like a calendar. Not expensive and it may help.
timsterentimsterenMember
quote:
Originally posted by Racecar Mike:
Thanks for the suggestions.
Bosswrench, I did not get any manuals with the car. Do you have a link to the Swedish DeTomaso Club?
05177, That frame drawing looks useful if a legible copy is obtainable.
Mike


Link to the Swedish club, but I can't see the drawing that Boss Wrench speaks of. Try to contact someone in the 'styrelsen' and see if they can help you.
http://www.detomaso.nu/Styrelsen.html
Cheers, Tim.

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