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I put on a set of DeTomaso struts last week. Only issue was I found they were about ¾ in too long so it took a little ingenuity to close the (A BFH on a car jack, to push the bottom of pre-mounted shock on top) and someone to hold the deck. The car is late 6000 series with a Delta wing; Total deck & wing weight is 80 lbs; I noticed different mounting set-up on vehicles in Kingston last week-end, so set-up may be a bit different from car to car. I suggest you tape the front corners of the lid and C-pilar should the lid ever over extend and hit.
TOO LATE!
Sorry I can't measure the pressure, I already installed the shocks.

They are stiffer than the old & weak OEM shocks, as expected. I'm sure the old shocks were not a standard for the pressure. These shocks have superb mounting hardware as well.

I would definitely buy them again. They took a lot of pressure off of the deck as compared to the NAPA shock. The NAPA shock is very good quality- BUT they are designed for a different, non Pantera application. The Wilkinson shock is designed for the Pantera.
quote:
Originally posted by Indy Dave/4604:
TOO LATE!
Sorry I can't measure the pressure, I already installed the shocks.

They are stiffer than the old & weak OEM shocks, as expected. I'm sure the old shocks were not a standard for the pressure. These shocks have superb mounting hardware as well.

I would definitely buy them again. They took a lot of pressure off of the deck as compared to the NAPA shock. The NAPA shock is very good quality- BUT they are designed for a different, non Pantera application. The Wilkinson shock is designed for the Pantera.

I like the fit and appearance of the Detomaso as well that Wilkinson sells. In my opinion they still seem stiff, but maybe I am just getting old. If you didn't throw those NAPA out the window maybe measure the pressure on those and post it. I gave lb specs on the Mighty-Lift D95004 above, so the NAPA may be of interest to some as well.
quote:
Originally posted by DOES 200:
I see you have the Detomaso shocks non installed. While you have them out, please measure the pressure of one of them on a press or lift like I did.


I have the DeTomaso shocks as well. I took one off last night because I've been trying to figure out why my decklid sits perfect on the passenger side, but is raised by close to a 1/2" on the driver's side. Pix to follow ...

The weird thing is that once I removed the shock on the driver's side, my decklid now rests perfectly parallel to the body. I think it's up a little high, but at least it's straight.

Anyway, I'll try to measure the pressure of the shock. I can tell you that it takes nearly all of my weight to compress it on the ground (and I weigh 175lbs). I'm thinking that this shock is exerting more force that the other, which is why my lid is raised on the driver's side when closed ...
Erik,

Did you try swapping the shocks side-to-side to see if it changes things?

Are you sure that the rear bumper stops are adjusted properly? It looks like the left one is too high. The rear latch should be able to pull the whole rear edge into alignment if the stops are the right heights. At least that's the way it is on my car.



Mark
Hey Mark.

I have not tried taking the passenger shock off yet. I am already anticipating a major battle to get the driver's side one back on! Mad

As for the bumper stops, I have removed them before (without result) and have them out again now. Have a look at the pix below; it's weird how (with the driver's side shock and the bumper stops both out) the lid now sits level - albeit a little higher than I would like. Perhaps I will see if the latch will adjust things lower ...

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quote:
Originally posted by larryw:
Erik,

I like the little bumpers you've got that keep the deck lid edge from bashing into the body with the resulting paint chipping. Simple solution to a pesky problem.

I went down to the shop to do the same to mine and found I didn't have that little triangular bit on my decklid for them to bear on, but I'm going to come up with something.

Another item for this winter's TTD list.

Larry,

Check with the vendors, they sold a kit for this.

Michael
quote:
Originally posted by Indy Dave/4604:
Wilkinson has a November special price on decklid struts, $60.00, includes hardware.

Anyone measured the pressure on those DeTomaso shocks yet? I just heard that Mikes imaculate blue Group 4 had those on it, and it damaged his hood while at Cars & Coffee in S. CA. Someone said it damaged the decklid at the shock area with a huge dent.
quote:
Originally posted by Indy Dave/4604:
Can you check that claim (Wilkinson)?
If true, it would be the first according to Wilkinson. I am interested in hearing what you found.
Thanks

Hey dave. Mike usually takes his car to Byars. Sometimes I see Mike at our Cars & Coffee. If he is there I will sure enough ask about it. But the Pantera dudes at C&C saw it, maybe he has pics. Here is his car below.

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Should have read all there was to read about deck lid struts. But I had money due at Precision Proformance, so I just ordered them, no wing. When I got them I found that I couldn't press it together, even with my weight almost. Then I read the postings and got worried. They're marked DeTomaso C16-17702 18126A, have anybody had the guts to install them, and are they working (meaning keeping deck up and not tearing it apart?)
Well, anything marked DeTomaso has to be correct, right? I have those same 18126A shocks that Byars and Wilkinson sell. Both of them state that they have not experienced any bad issues with those shocks. I admit, they are stiff, especially when warm after a drive warming up the engine bay. Byars indicated to me that these are good shocks because the pressure is very low on the shocks & decklid when it is closed, whereas other aftermarket do not have that feature. This is why I stuck with the DeTomaso 18126A instead of putting on my aftermarket ones that I bought. Now that you have the DeTomaso 18126A, is there anyway you could push them down on a scale to measure the pressure like I did with these others in my post below? I did some measurements with the pressure of my 4 post lift on top of the shock with a scale under it. You could probably do the same with a floor jack against something solid with the shock and scale between. Once and for all, lets find the pressure of these DeTomaso shocks.

http://pantera.infopop.cc/eve/...562/m/1240000755/p/4

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