Pantera trans

[Mark Coulter]

I would like to know why the Pantera trans. has to be flipped to be used in the GT-40.
I have a Pantera trans and also an Audi 5000 Turbo unit and I am trying to decide which to use so I may sell the other.

thank you VIC

I just learned the hard way on this one. If the ring gear is is not on the correct side you could have 5 reverse gears and one forward--not a fun ride in a GT 40 backwards--not sure why they flipped it over but im sure somebody knows

 

[Lee Patterson]

DeTomaso used the ZF in the Mangusta. It was oriented the same way it is in the original Ford GT cars. That is the way it was designed. When DeTomaso designed the Pantera, they elected to use the ZF again but "flipped" it over to gain ground clearance. Hence, ZF designed the -1 and ultimately -2 gearboxes that were used in the Pantera and BMW M1 cars. So in order to use a Pantera box in a GT now, onc must flip it over. ERA had this figured out in the late 1980's.

 

[Dave]

Your car wasn't the one that rolled down the grassy knoll and center punched Jim Wick's Mercury wagon, was it?

Sadly yes. Small world... The parking brake was fully on and someone took it out of gear, causing the accident. I was 20' away and turned my back briefly. Should have chalked a tire but didn't have one or even thought of it. I have my thoughts who pulled it out of gear but didn't actually see it, and that's old history anyway.

 

[Rick Muck- Mark IV]

Sadly yes. Small world... The parking brake was fully on and someone took it out of gear, causing the accident. I was 20' away and turned my back briefly. Should have chalked a tire but didn't have one or even thought of it. I have my thoughts who pulled it out of gear but didn't actually see it, and that's old history anyway.

I was on the hill and saw it happen. I was in an AC MK IV parked on the grass and my buddy was in his blue/white replica. Best (and I hope you didn't hear it) was the clown who ran over to your car and loudly announced "thank God it isn't real!". I am sure it was "real" to you at that moment. i have told this story many times but never expected to be in contact with the owner!

 

[Dave]

I was on the hill and saw it happen. I was in an AC MK IV parked on the grass and my buddy was in his blue/white replica. Best (and I hope you didn't hear it) was the clown who ran over to your car and loudly announced "thank God it isn't real!". I am sure it was "real" to you at that moment. i have told this story many times but never expected to be in contact with the owner!

Ha! And I never expected to hear from anyone who was actually there that day, either! Like I said, small world. Both John and ERA's Peter Portante were beyond excellent. In addition to making sure his body shop interrupted their production work to fit me in, Peter put me up at his house while I was there. The impact knocked 2 chunks from the oil cooler opening and radiator nose sections but did not damage either piece or anything else beyond that. A testament to how strong the ERA body was. And you are right, had I heard him I would have been a gentleman to the "it isn't real" guy and helped him up after I laid him out!