Congratulation Jani on the birth of your son.
I'm just an uncle five times over and happy with the on/off switch:-)
Phil
79 Longchamp GTS 3061
Congratulations Jani.
A baby is just perfect for the back seat, not room for much more behind the driver's seat when I stretch my legs...
A baby is just perfect for the back seat, not room for much more behind the driver's seat when I stretch my legs...
Thank you all for congrats.
Been extremely hectic lately, both home and work.
Haven´t had any chance of doing anything to the car but we finally got it drivable, so could go to the Cruise-Night. Which was fun, until the radiator boiled....
Added a photo.
Not happiest of the campers at the moment.
I was pretty happy with the performance thou´. Never took it above 4000 rpm, but the rebuilt and upgraded engine felt strong, and the rear wheels slippery...
Been extremely hectic lately, both home and work.
Haven´t had any chance of doing anything to the car but we finally got it drivable, so could go to the Cruise-Night. Which was fun, until the radiator boiled....
Added a photo.
Not happiest of the campers at the moment.
I was pretty happy with the performance thou´. Never took it above 4000 rpm, but the rebuilt and upgraded engine felt strong, and the rear wheels slippery...
Spring is coming soon, so the prepartions have began.
The prototipo bumpers are under construction at the moment, and I am fairly certain that I´ve figured out how to make the rubber parts for the bumpers too.
To do list before the driving season begins:
Prototipo front valance
Precautionary brake overhaul
Dual electric fans to replace the visco single one
Custom middle sections for the exhausts
Refinishing the wheels
New tires
Replace the electric mirrors with Ford sport mirrors
Paint...?
A/C overhaul will be probably for the next season.
P.s. The fuel consumption for the 500km journey to hibernation was 18 litres/100km. Better than I was expecting, considering the fine tuning isn´t done yet.
The prototipo bumpers are under construction at the moment, and I am fairly certain that I´ve figured out how to make the rubber parts for the bumpers too.
To do list before the driving season begins:
Prototipo front valance
Precautionary brake overhaul
Dual electric fans to replace the visco single one
Custom middle sections for the exhausts
Refinishing the wheels
New tires
Replace the electric mirrors with Ford sport mirrors
Paint...?
A/C overhaul will be probably for the next season.
P.s. The fuel consumption for the 500km journey to hibernation was 18 litres/100km. Better than I was expecting, considering the fine tuning isn´t done yet.
Looks great! Keep the updates and pictures coming. I love the color.
And remember...
Those Italians are known for their sculpture.
And remember...
Those Italians are known for their sculpture.
HI
Looks like you were thorough when fixing the rust. I've band-aided my panels, this year I'll finish the job. I got a little scared of what I'll find, looking at your pictures.
The visible rust on my car is in the c-column, around the bracket that's welded on on the inside to hold the rear window openers. And 30-50 cms below, just above rear wheel well, it rusts from the inside as well. This goes for both sides of the car. Maybe you should check your car in those areas? My car looked OK until bubbles came, the nice Italians that had the car before me painted over bondo without welding first...
I can send pictures if you want
Looks like you were thorough when fixing the rust. I've band-aided my panels, this year I'll finish the job. I got a little scared of what I'll find, looking at your pictures.
The visible rust on my car is in the c-column, around the bracket that's welded on on the inside to hold the rear window openers. And 30-50 cms below, just above rear wheel well, it rusts from the inside as well. This goes for both sides of the car. Maybe you should check your car in those areas? My car looked OK until bubbles came, the nice Italians that had the car before me painted over bondo without welding first...
I can send pictures if you want
Added a photo about the rear bumper build.
A photo of the front bumper, as it is now. Not the final version, but we´re getting there. The plan is to have the design finalized by next saturday.
Edited the front bumper photo, and added a rear bumper photo. Design is frozen, and should be ready in about two weeks. I´m very exited about the progress.
Rear bumper is ready for the paint shop.
Bumpers are ready for the paint shop! Here´s the side view. Car goes to paint shop on saturday, where the final mods will be done, before a new coat of Celeste Chiaro Metallic will be applied. After that the prototipo front dam will be created, and the car will be a pretty faithful recreation (externally) of the 1972 Turin auto salon prototipo..
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Car has been delivered to the paint shop. Deadline for the completion is the first of may, and the color is Celeste chiaro metallic. Happy with how the bumpers turned out. IMHO they look so good in bare metal, that I am almost regretting painting them. Paint shop will preform some surgery: The front grille was tilted forward on the production models, so mine will be modified to be more upright as in the prototipo.
The front of the car looks a bit light at the moment, but I am sure that after the front air dam has been added, grille tilted, and the side signals deleted, it will be a bit more Kirk Douglas...
P.s. The lack of comments is starting to worry me. Does every one think I´m uglifying my car?..
The front of the car looks a bit light at the moment, but I am sure that after the front air dam has been added, grille tilted, and the side signals deleted, it will be a bit more Kirk Douglas...
P.s. The lack of comments is starting to worry me. Does every one think I´m uglifying my car?..
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Jani,
Fear not. You are doing a great job and many of us are following with interest and respect. I think the car is going to look great and I hope one day to add a Longchamp to my collection, perhaps even as my daily fair weather driver.
Keep up the posts and photos of your work!
Mark
Fear not. You are doing a great job and many of us are following with interest and respect. I think the car is going to look great and I hope one day to add a Longchamp to my collection, perhaps even as my daily fair weather driver.
Keep up the posts and photos of your work!
Mark
Mark is absolutely right, any sensible Pantera owner deep down inside wants a Longchamp :-) For those who don't know, the Longchamp is the best handling sedan I've ever driven...
Jani, don't throw out your old bumpers, I might want to buy them one day, they're like mine but look in better shape.
Reminds me of when I was close to killing a guy 20 years ago. I was fixing my 68 Camaro SS, and another guy close by was doing the same to his 68 Camaro. I was on a budget, apparently he was not. His front fenders had a little rust, so he ordered new ones instead of fixing the rust. Guess what he did to the old ones, the originals? He jumped up and down on them and threw them out. Needless to say he and I didn't have many friendly conversations despite our similar cars...
Jani, don't throw out your old bumpers, I might want to buy them one day, they're like mine but look in better shape.
Reminds me of when I was close to killing a guy 20 years ago. I was fixing my 68 Camaro SS, and another guy close by was doing the same to his 68 Camaro. I was on a budget, apparently he was not. His front fenders had a little rust, so he ordered new ones instead of fixing the rust. Guess what he did to the old ones, the originals? He jumped up and down on them and threw them out. Needless to say he and I didn't have many friendly conversations despite our similar cars...
Thank you for the comments. It´s been a long project by my standards, and sometimes I wonder that I´m the only one to whom it makes any sense..
Mikael,
My bumpers are in excellent condition. They are not the originals, as my car is a 2000-series car, and had the blade style bumpers from the factory. At some point the car went back to the factory for an update to a 3000-series (externally: Bumpers, mirrors, light trim). I´m not sure what I´ll do with the 3000-series bumpers, but rest assured, I won´t throw them away. I´ll either keep them, or sell them to someone who would need them.
Mikael,
My bumpers are in excellent condition. They are not the originals, as my car is a 2000-series car, and had the blade style bumpers from the factory. At some point the car went back to the factory for an update to a 3000-series (externally: Bumpers, mirrors, light trim). I´m not sure what I´ll do with the 3000-series bumpers, but rest assured, I won´t throw them away. I´ll either keep them, or sell them to someone who would need them.
The car back to Helsinki. Really happy with the paint work. Gorgeous color, especially when the sun comes out. Did a "transport installation" after picking it up from the paint, so I could drive it to Helsinki (450km..). The bumpers haven´t been fine tuned for photos, since they will come off again next week, so that the rubber parts can be manufactured. Getting close to finish..
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Another photo: Note the prototipo-like upright front grille. Signals are clear, unlike in the prototipo, but I prefer them like this.
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Jani,
The bodywork looks excellent, and it it should be interesting to see the finished result with the bumper rubbers fitted. I agree with an earlier comment you made, that the bumpers may look better in a chrome finish rather than the body colour, but then it would not replicate the prototipo.
Stuart
The bodywork looks excellent, and it it should be interesting to see the finished result with the bumper rubbers fitted. I agree with an earlier comment you made, that the bumpers may look better in a chrome finish rather than the body colour, but then it would not replicate the prototipo.
Stuart
Stuart,
I must say that I was a bit disappointed when I put the painted bumpers on, but I´m not giving up on them yet, as I think the rubber and polished alloy will make a difference. At the moment there is a bit of "had to paint them, since the chrome was falling off?" feel about them.
I will try to recreate the prototipo as faithfully as is reasonble. Some things will be different, as they would cost a lot to change, and I don´t think anyone would even notice them. Some things will be different, as I think they would´ve been changed for the production version in any case, even if the concept itself would´ve been the same. Interior will not be changed at all.
The clear signals are OK, IMO as the car has spent the first 32 years of it´s life in Italy...
I must say that I was a bit disappointed when I put the painted bumpers on, but I´m not giving up on them yet, as I think the rubber and polished alloy will make a difference. At the moment there is a bit of "had to paint them, since the chrome was falling off?" feel about them.
I will try to recreate the prototipo as faithfully as is reasonble. Some things will be different, as they would cost a lot to change, and I don´t think anyone would even notice them. Some things will be different, as I think they would´ve been changed for the production version in any case, even if the concept itself would´ve been the same. Interior will not be changed at all.
The clear signals are OK, IMO as the car has spent the first 32 years of it´s life in Italy...
Hi Jani,
paint looks great. Agree that we need to see the bumpers finished to decide if they worked. But ultimately it doesn't matter whether we like them or not, as long as you do.
It is nice though to see someone nearly finished! My pantera is in for paint at the moment and I hope to be able to have a 1st drive of it soon!
best of luck with the finishing
Peter
paint looks great. Agree that we need to see the bumpers finished to decide if they worked. But ultimately it doesn't matter whether we like them or not, as long as you do.
It is nice though to see someone nearly finished! My pantera is in for paint at the moment and I hope to be able to have a 1st drive of it soon!
best of luck with the finishing
Peter
Bumpers are finished and I´m pretty happy with the looks.
Unfortunately there is a stuck valve in the engine, so I´m pretty pissed. It seems that the machine shop that my mechanic uses had an employee (now an ex-employee) that didn´t quite cut it, so the heads are coming off again... Hopefully for the last time.
Only silver cloud is that the machine shop is willing to fix the situation ASAP, so everything should be fine by early next week.
Still frustated and depressed, though.
Unfortunately there is a stuck valve in the engine, so I´m pretty pissed. It seems that the machine shop that my mechanic uses had an employee (now an ex-employee) that didn´t quite cut it, so the heads are coming off again... Hopefully for the last time.
Only silver cloud is that the machine shop is willing to fix the situation ASAP, so everything should be fine by early next week.
Still frustated and depressed, though.
My Longchamp has a collapsed lifter, so stationary as well. You're not alone :-)
Mikael,
Pretty good luck that it didn´t happend on the trip to Italy..
Pretty good luck that it didn´t happend on the trip to Italy..
Bumpers finished 1
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Bumpers finished 2
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Bumpers finished 3
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Bumpers finished 4
Fire at will...
Fire at will...
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Jani,
Great to see your car finished. The bodywork looks very well done, especially noticeable in the front overhead photo.
Makes me think I should do some work on my LC, but after following your trials and tribulations, it does make one think twice before starting!
I did an experiment on my car the other day, ducting cold air into the intake. It helped performance more than I was expecting. I think Longchamps do get hot under the low bonnet and do benefit from this relatively simple mod.
Stuart
Great to see your car finished. The bodywork looks very well done, especially noticeable in the front overhead photo.
Makes me think I should do some work on my LC, but after following your trials and tribulations, it does make one think twice before starting!
I did an experiment on my car the other day, ducting cold air into the intake. It helped performance more than I was expecting. I think Longchamps do get hot under the low bonnet and do benefit from this relatively simple mod.
Stuart
Long time no post..
Bought a house made in 1952, so Longchamp has been neglected. After installing proper tires I have been able to expertiment with the performance a bit more, and now I feel that my first speeding ticket is just around the corner... Pretty happy with the tires(Michelin XWX 215/70 VR15). They definately transformed the the driving experinece. Highly recommended.
Bought a house made in 1952, so Longchamp has been neglected. After installing proper tires I have been able to expertiment with the performance a bit more, and now I feel that my first speeding ticket is just around the corner... Pretty happy with the tires(Michelin XWX 215/70 VR15). They definately transformed the the driving experinece. Highly recommended.
Great news!!
I am going to have chance to show my car to the Mr. Tom Tjaarda himself, when he visits Finland in may.
I am going to have chance to show my car to the Mr. Tom Tjaarda himself, when he visits Finland in may.
Long time no hear...
Well, since my last post I had the best day ever as a classic car enthusiast. My Longchamp was entered in to the largest classic car show in Finland as entry by the main sponsor. This was due them finding out the story behind my car and the fact that Tom Tjaarda was the guest of honor. They kept my car as a suprise for Tom, so you can imagine his suprise when he saw it... "What the... But this car doesn´t exist anymore?..." When interviewed in the show Tom engouraged everyone to check out his favourite car on the show, my Longchamp.
I met Tom after the official program, and I showed him how I made the my clone via all the pictures I managed to gather. Tom was flabbergasted how I was able get it so right with only magazine pictures("It´s perfect"). He had some great stories about some of them (especially about the drawings..). He signed the original promodraft of the Longchamp for me, and we spoke quite a bit about flying (Tom´s an enthusiast, I´m a pro), and then we wished the best for both of us when we departed (Tom requested proper photos of the car, which I naturally complied with). After Tom departed, I was left standing by my car trying to take it all in, all the blood, sweat and tears finally validated by the authority unlike anyone else, when an unknown beautiful woman woke me up from my stupor By saying "It can´t get better that that, can´t it?".
It sure can´t.
.
.
.
Unfortunately, the role I planned for my Longchamp did not materialize (As a Grand Turismo between Helsinki and Lago Di Como), so I was planning to sell it, when a teenager rear ended(200 meters from my garage) it while a friend of mine was driving it back from a car show that I had created (with my friends). The end result was that the car was totalled by the insurance company, for the price of the paint job, exhaust system and some body work. I got a fair price for it ( a fraction of my investment, though), and the insurance company sold the car in less than a day...
Unfortunately the insurance company managed to break the front bumper too while transporting the car to the new owner, so the prototipo was no more, as the new owner bought my 3000-series bumpers, and restored the car back to stock (with the exception of the front end modifications, that you have to be an expert to notice).
So the 2133 lives on, but not as a prototipo clone, and I´m a Maserati and a Lotus man nowdays. The reason that I´m writing this post is (in addition to the Seagrams VO), that I couldn´t never have accomplished what I did without the help of this bb (+Roland, who is no longer here, and Santiago).
I really do hope that you appriciate the special community that you have here. I sure do, even though I´m not a part of it anymore.
Thank you.
P.s. Oh, I almost forgot... Thank you George!!! I am perfectly aware that there are almost no Longchamps and Deauvilles in the States. Thank you for providing the platform for these discussions. I am certain that you have saved quite a few of these cars from oblivion..
P.p.s. The main sponsor was the premier classic car magazine, that did a lead story about my car car and Tom Tjaarda on the following issue. So my car is immortal. Especially, as a local modelling enthusiast made a perfect replica of my car from an eighties Thunderbird in 1/24 scale...
Well, since my last post I had the best day ever as a classic car enthusiast. My Longchamp was entered in to the largest classic car show in Finland as entry by the main sponsor. This was due them finding out the story behind my car and the fact that Tom Tjaarda was the guest of honor. They kept my car as a suprise for Tom, so you can imagine his suprise when he saw it... "What the... But this car doesn´t exist anymore?..." When interviewed in the show Tom engouraged everyone to check out his favourite car on the show, my Longchamp.
I met Tom after the official program, and I showed him how I made the my clone via all the pictures I managed to gather. Tom was flabbergasted how I was able get it so right with only magazine pictures("It´s perfect"). He had some great stories about some of them (especially about the drawings..). He signed the original promodraft of the Longchamp for me, and we spoke quite a bit about flying (Tom´s an enthusiast, I´m a pro), and then we wished the best for both of us when we departed (Tom requested proper photos of the car, which I naturally complied with). After Tom departed, I was left standing by my car trying to take it all in, all the blood, sweat and tears finally validated by the authority unlike anyone else, when an unknown beautiful woman woke me up from my stupor By saying "It can´t get better that that, can´t it?".
It sure can´t.
.
.
.
Unfortunately, the role I planned for my Longchamp did not materialize (As a Grand Turismo between Helsinki and Lago Di Como), so I was planning to sell it, when a teenager rear ended(200 meters from my garage) it while a friend of mine was driving it back from a car show that I had created (with my friends). The end result was that the car was totalled by the insurance company, for the price of the paint job, exhaust system and some body work. I got a fair price for it ( a fraction of my investment, though), and the insurance company sold the car in less than a day...
Unfortunately the insurance company managed to break the front bumper too while transporting the car to the new owner, so the prototipo was no more, as the new owner bought my 3000-series bumpers, and restored the car back to stock (with the exception of the front end modifications, that you have to be an expert to notice).
So the 2133 lives on, but not as a prototipo clone, and I´m a Maserati and a Lotus man nowdays. The reason that I´m writing this post is (in addition to the Seagrams VO), that I couldn´t never have accomplished what I did without the help of this bb (+Roland, who is no longer here, and Santiago).
I really do hope that you appriciate the special community that you have here. I sure do, even though I´m not a part of it anymore.
Thank you.
P.s. Oh, I almost forgot... Thank you George!!! I am perfectly aware that there are almost no Longchamps and Deauvilles in the States. Thank you for providing the platform for these discussions. I am certain that you have saved quite a few of these cars from oblivion..
P.p.s. The main sponsor was the premier classic car magazine, that did a lead story about my car car and Tom Tjaarda on the following issue. So my car is immortal. Especially, as a local modelling enthusiast made a perfect replica of my car from an eighties Thunderbird in 1/24 scale...
Jani,
Thank YOU for YOUR contribution to this community. We have all enjoyed following the progress of your Longchamp and I am surely not alone in feeling sad that it ended in a crash, but happy that she will live on in another set of hands.
I wish you the best in your future projects and really hope we see you back here again. Maybe with a Pantera, or other DeTomaso.
Mark
Thank YOU for YOUR contribution to this community. We have all enjoyed following the progress of your Longchamp and I am surely not alone in feeling sad that it ended in a crash, but happy that she will live on in another set of hands.
I wish you the best in your future projects and really hope we see you back here again. Maybe with a Pantera, or other DeTomaso.
Mark
I concur with what Mark said. We will miss you but I too hope that your deTomaso days are not over.
Please pop in from time to time to check on us.
William
Please pop in from time to time to check on us.
William
There are three (3) different 351-C pans sold as stock. All the pans hold 5 qts and all are front sump. One is a simple bucket used on trucks. #2 has a rudimentary baffle around the pump pickup. The 3rd type used on Boss-351 and 351-HO has the baffle around the pickup as well as a simple scraper on the sloping rear part of the pan.
Not sure how hard you guys drive your sedans but in a stock Pantera with narrow tires, cornering forces are high enough to slosh oil away from the pump pickup, starving the crank bearings and eventually causing engine failure. So we use a 10-quart fully baffled pan from Aviaid; some engine shops in the U.S will not sell an engine with a stock pan to Pantera owners due to the large number of engine failures. It fits as stock. In the case of a 351-W, Aviaid has a similar pan for that engine too.
Not sure how hard you guys drive your sedans but in a stock Pantera with narrow tires, cornering forces are high enough to slosh oil away from the pump pickup, starving the crank bearings and eventually causing engine failure. So we use a 10-quart fully baffled pan from Aviaid; some engine shops in the U.S will not sell an engine with a stock pan to Pantera owners due to the large number of engine failures. It fits as stock. In the case of a 351-W, Aviaid has a similar pan for that engine too.
Your Longchamp now found a new home in Modena, it will be restored to the prototipo look. Prototipo Bumpers are already in the process of being restored to fit #2133 again. It's her second chance, not to be missed ;-)