Space Saver Lug Nuts

That’s an interesting question.  

I don’t think most people would run the collapsible spare if they had a choice, I’d rather have a flatbed tow.

I don’t carry the propane cylinder (or my collapsible spare) and have heard horror stories about the effects of mismatched tire diameters on the ZF if used in the rear.

Rocky

Not asking for that purpose. I'm interested in knowing whether special lug nuts were provided by the factory along with the spare.

As Rocky said, that is an interesting question, and one that I don’t think I have ever heard in the last 20 years of ownership.

Will be interesting to see if some one chimes in here with an informed response.

Larry

Corvette restorers routinely ask such questions. Been a member of NCRS for about 45 years.

> On 11/08/2023 9:56 AM EST The De Tomaso Forums <alerts@crowdstack.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>

I have used the collapsible spare with the stock lug nuts.

Thank you.

After a bit of research it appears my spacesaver was made in 1973. Or it could be 1983 if I was wildly optimistic.

At 40-50  years old I don't know if locking nuts are the biggest concern.......!

I think the biggest danger from actually inflating one of those tires wouldn’t be actually driving on it. No one in their right mind would go faster than 5 mph on one.

But who knows how that 50 year old rubber is going to flex and expand - explode - when you try to actually inflate it with that 50 year old OEM tank of propane or even a 12V air pump.

it might be interesting to place one in an empty fenced corner of the backyard (not a SWAT approved explosive vault, but better than nothing), hook it up to an electric pump on a very long extension cord, position yourself behind some safe solid object, and let her rip.

😁

🤔🤔🤔

Larry

Once you have it inflated and it has not exploded what is the next step ??? A hurt locker suit to fit it ?

Hmmm - for show and tell  purposes only I am thinking.

I carry the original 14" x 6" BFG space-saver spare- the second version as the first issue '71- early '72, was recalled for defects. It's only good (as I found the hard way) for about 50 miles at 50 mph max and will indeed do a number on your ZF's LSD clutches. They are really extreme-light-duty 2-ply inner tubes with a printed tread, so smooth dry pavement use only.

Next caution- some gas bottles once sold for inflating the spares, used PROPANE as the pressurized gas! Anyone ever in the military well knows that a pressurize propane bottle is a BOMB. If the warning label on your says 'Danger-Flammable', that's what you have in your trunk. They HAVE blown Pantera hood and trunk lids off from overheating. BEWARE!

The even later spares made after 1980 NOT for Panteras- the 50 psi high-pressure spare that looks like a 16" x 4" motorcycle tire- barely fits canted in the rear luggage tub. With a dropped battery and some rearranging of the clutch and brake lines, it CAN fit flat in the front trunk. I suggest bolting it down so it doesn't go through the windshield in a collision, like one did in the original '71 crash tests.

Also carry an 18" bungee cord to hold the unlatched trunk lid down, as a flat tire mounted on any Campy 7" to 10" won't fit in the tub, either. Or your passenger will have it in her lap for the ride home.... Gr-4s were required by FIA rules at the time to carry a mounted spare at LeMans (at least for Tech Inspection),  so their 14"x15" wheel & tire was bolted directly on top of the ZF with a small bracket. Cobras at LeMans had to put up with the same nonsense.

This thread went in a direction I hadn't intended, but great information was produced nevertheless. Thanks Bosswrench!

I think The Judge just wants to have all the accoutrements for a complete, concours vehicle.  Like we said…. Interesting question!

Rocky

There is a major problem in trying to present a Pantera as a totally correct concourse example.

The haphazard factory-produced mismatch of early, mid and late components seen on multiple cars, would seem to make it nearly impossible for a concourse judge to positively declare some component to be incorrect or be missing.

there is no factory documentation of every car produced that could serve as proof to convince a concourse judge beyond any doubt that the car in front of them was actually totally stock, or just a factory-produced miss-mash of components

I think only single owner cars with a solid 50 years of documentation might be the only examples one could correctly identify as being totally original and correct.

Larry