Please Identify My Throttle Cable

Can't see the bracket behind the breather. It doesn't appear to be stock and may well be the source of your issues. The vendors have replacements. What's the purpose of the rusty allen head bolt? Notice you have a spacer. That may also be contributing. I had to make a bracket for my setup so I had full throttle travel without any interference problems. Ideally the throttle cable should pull straight back in a linear fashion.

For me, the throttle cable I bought from one of the vendors was completely useless. End up making my own with a universal cable and connection. The own made solution was 10 times cheaper, and perfectly did the job so far :-)

I have sourced my own throttle cable parts for a couple cars. I buy them and change them from a variety of sources.

My problem with most aftermarket throttle cables are the cable is too thin and it drags and eventually breaks. When going to a larger cable it always has a more solid feel.

Making cables and making brackets is always a job of sourcing parts but doing the work makes it worth while.

Sources can be the major vendors, surpluscenter, McMaster Carr and individual cable parts vendors.

That throttle cable is indeed stock. The large plastic end at the end of the cable is supposed to go through a metal bracket to act as a "stop" so the cable housing will not pull with the cable. The bracket attaches in one of the intake bolts. At least it did on my three Panteras. Does not work great at the best of times though. I went to a Lokar cable (96" I believe) and have never had any problems including with my Webers vs the stock carb. Only a slight mod at the cable ends. Simple to do. Hope this helps. Steve

Blue72, there are two different throttle cable brackets that are both held by the #1 intake stud. Neither bracket perfectly aligns the Holley carb throttle to the cable, and you have a carb spacer AND a throttle extension kit installed. On some cars using the stock throttle cable (there are two different of those, too), the locating nipple on the cable jacket sometimes slips out of the provided hole in the bracket(s) which tends to change idle speeds irregularly.

You really need a Pantera-savvy shop to finish what looks like a nice intake setup. Kirk Evans 'Amerisport Industries' is in Perrysburg, PA and Kirk is very knowlegable on Panteras.

Kirk is in Perrysburg, Ohio, not Pa. He is indeed a valuable resource. Great guy to work with.

...72PanteraSteve IS Correct!

The END of the cable SHEATH, is on the Wrong side of the Bracket. The Sheath Must be 'Stopped' by the Bracket in order for the Cable Itself to TIGHTEN and Function Normally(to Pull The Bellcrank). The Bracket can be swung backwards(towards the firewall) on Its' Mounting Bolt, just a little, to Tighten-Up the Sheath. AFTER You have disconnected the Cable, and ran the Cable and Sheath BACK THROUGH the BACKSIDE of the Bracket. The Correct Direction!

I am Amazed you had ANY Throttle Function AT ALL!

Also!...There is a 'Stop' Bolt Adjustment at the Accelerator Pedal.

Last...For Safety, You should add a SECOND Throttle Return Spring! Most States have made it Mandatory! I Run Dual-Quads, so I have 3.

(and what's with the ugly, rusty, allenhead bolt?? That hole is Blind, so it does Not have to be Plugged)

How on earth anyone with a Holley carburettor can get it to open fully using just a cable (or linkage) is totally beyond me.

In fact from what i have seen almost all don't so all those guys with big 750cfm carbs only really have 625cfm because the throttles do not get fully open.

Why is this ?

Simply put a cable only pulls in a straight line and with it attached to the carb linkage it can only achieve about 75 degrees of rotation. You need about 85 degrees rotation to fully open a Holley from fully closed to fully open.

You can't check this movement by yourself standing next to the engine, you must get someone else to sit in the driver's seat, push the throttle to the floor and while it is held there observe the throttle blades by looking down the carb and trying to turn the carb linkage by hand to see if there is any further movement available.

There has been on almost every one i have seen.

The solution is the cable must be curved around a drum, as done on motorcycle carbs, this allows the cable to get that extra 10 degrees of rotation on the throttle shafts.

This is worth doing.
There is 50 free horsepower in this just waiting there for you to do a little bit of carburettor linkage work.

I fabricated this simple drum and bracket below:

Ausford

Just curious, what are you controlling with the limit switches?

Doug M

The bottom right switch controlled a full throttle enrichment system, which as it turns out i no longer use as i found another way of doing that.

The upper left switch resets a overrun fuel cut off system that is actuated by a slight touch on the brake pedal. A manifold vacuum switch also resets that system restarting fuel flow.

I dont use that system all that much now that i went to EFI but i used it all the time back when i was using a carburettor.

The only way I know of to get a perfect "working" throttle cable is to build it yourself, especially if you have clanged the height of the carb. I thought your "Drum " set up was very good!Most owners as you point out are unaware that they may not be achieving "full throttle" but to get their can be especially challenging, I finally after years of half measures, have created a full throttle cable, it is comprised of a "Lokar" stainless cable I cut to a custom length, a summit bracket, and a "roller" feeding the cable directly into the center of the cable. This allows a full pull on the carb custom linkage arm. All applications should have duel return springs.

quote:

Originally posted by Aus Ford:
The bottom right switch controlled a full throttle enrichment system, which as it turns out i no longer use as i found another way of doing that.

The upper left switch resets a overrun fuel cut off system that is actuated by a slight touch on the brake pedal. A manifold vacuum switch also resets that system restarting fuel flow.

I dont use that system all that much now that i went to EFI but i used it all the time back when i was using a carburettor.

That' a couple of interesting ideas. I know EFI is better but I just love the old carbs.
Thanks for the reply.

Doug M

Nice setup. Very innovative. Can you get a better picture???

In terms of achieving full throttle actuation this has always worked for me.

Attachment arm 45° off vertical & cable attachment point in-line with throttle cable at idle & WFO.

But I will emphasize (confess?) those relationships need to be quite precise.

Lyle that cable drum thing you installed is bitchen.

Thanks George,

here is a little more detail for anyone interested.

Unfortunately i don't have any measurements as i can't find the original drawings but it would be best to measure the actual carb linkage this thing was going to be attached to anyway.




Just for interest George, get someone to sit in your car's drivers seat and hold the throttle to the floor while you look down the carb......

besides allowing for extra throttle shaft rotation, the equal effective radius of the "drum" reduces cable drag from bending as it enters the shield and reduces side loading in the throttle shaft bushings.
BTW, using a drum for an tension return spring would help also (if a torsional is not used)

George,This looks to be backwards? If you pull above the throttle shaft you are closing the throttle, you would have to pull from the opposite end ( the bottom )This is the problem. Your approach is for a front engine car..

quote:

Originally posted by George P:
In terms of achieving full throttle actuation this has always worked for me.

Attachment arm 45° off vertical & cable attachment point in-line with throttle cable at idle & WFO.

But I will emphasize (confess?) those relationships need to be quite precise.

Lyle that cable drum thing you installed is bitchen.

Thanks to all for the insight.
Lots of good ideas were thrown into the ring. I am going to take the suggestions, get a new throttle cable, fab a bracket and make sure its aligned with my carb so that it will reach WFO! I am working with a local tuner to get my jetting/timing issues resolved later this week.

As for the rusty bolt...? not sure why it was placed there, but it's gone now.

Another good suggestion to add a second return spring. Point taken, spring added.

As a "newer member" with no prior experience with Panteras, you guys have been a tremendous help in identifying and troubleshooting some of the issues I have encountered. I can't put into words the value of reading some of the sticky threads and searching past threads from other members while trying to troubleshoot issues.

The good news is that 4507 is getting straightened out and ready to log some miles this year...and with any luck I'll meet some other pantera owners too!

Regards,
Steve in PA

quote:

Originally posted by pantera chris:

... Your approach is for a front engine car ...

Or an Australian Pantera (upside-down)

I did not make that last post, must have been some mixup.

I AM dealing with throttle cable issues right now though. I found an outfit called LOKAR, and another called "Performace Cables" that can fab up anything you might need.

Good luck with the new cable.

Post up a picture when you get it!

Rocky

quote:

Originally posted by mike the snake:
I did not make that last post, must have been some mixup.

I AM dealing with throttle cable issues right now though. I found an outfit called LOKAR, and another called "Performace Cables" that can fab up anything you might need.

I have bought 2 LOKAR cables for 2 different cars. Both I ended up pulling them out to make my own cables from thicker wire. The cables were so thin they were jerky when you use them. You could not get smooth accelerator cable movement.

LOKAR is a good company. Ask them to make your cable from thicker wire then they sell in stock cables for the general hot rod applications.

"Control cables" was able to match my cable and threaded ends and make it immediately. It'll be here in my hands on wednesday.

They were great to deal with.