DeTomaso restoration update
Discussion
Some of you may recall me posting before about both the importation and indeed the earlier stages of an enormously drawn out and exhaustive restoration a DeTomaso I brought over from Australia.
It is now a little over two years since she arrived at Felixstowe dock and finally it seems I might be on the home leg. As you can see from the photos below she is now ready to be spayed in a Maserati colour known as Bordeaux Pontevecchio which looked particularly good on this Quatty V. Given the DeTomaso / Maserati interwoven DNA I thought it was an appropriate enough choice for the Deauville.
The body was taken down to bare metal with not so much a single ounce of filler used, all four doors (not shown) are all but completely new and if I have any criticism at all the shell really is too good and certainly better than when it would have left the factory twenty five years ago.
The engine has now been stripped completely and I’m pleased to say the block is solid and well worth retaining to protect the provenance of the car, none the less I am looking at a complete rebuild.
Being a Ford 351 Cleveland parts are pretty cheep and I certainly won’t be looking for big power however as part of the rebuild I will be upgrading the intake manifold to something like an Edelbrock with a four barrel Edelbrock four barrel carb on top. A new set of rods, pistons and rings are needed, the engine has already been rebuilt once and it would appear is running a little larger at about 5.8 which will need to be kept the same, easy reliability is paramount
Internally I’ve had all new Burr made up and a DeTomaso being a DeTomaso no two are ever the same so it required removing the original wood which had started to fade badly and delaminate in part to use as a template. The leather will be restored rather than replaced to retain an air of authenticity but I’ll be having new carpets made up which will naturally be shag pile.
All the chrome work has been removed and replated and all in all by the summer she should be nearly ready but alas I fear she won’t be making it to Le Mans 2007.
As for the expenditure the date you really wouldn’t want to know but I really can’t wait to start bringing her to one or two events
It is now a little over two years since she arrived at Felixstowe dock and finally it seems I might be on the home leg. As you can see from the photos below she is now ready to be spayed in a Maserati colour known as Bordeaux Pontevecchio which looked particularly good on this Quatty V. Given the DeTomaso / Maserati interwoven DNA I thought it was an appropriate enough choice for the Deauville.
The body was taken down to bare metal with not so much a single ounce of filler used, all four doors (not shown) are all but completely new and if I have any criticism at all the shell really is too good and certainly better than when it would have left the factory twenty five years ago.
The engine has now been stripped completely and I’m pleased to say the block is solid and well worth retaining to protect the provenance of the car, none the less I am looking at a complete rebuild.
Being a Ford 351 Cleveland parts are pretty cheep and I certainly won’t be looking for big power however as part of the rebuild I will be upgrading the intake manifold to something like an Edelbrock with a four barrel Edelbrock four barrel carb on top. A new set of rods, pistons and rings are needed, the engine has already been rebuilt once and it would appear is running a little larger at about 5.8 which will need to be kept the same, easy reliability is paramount
Internally I’ve had all new Burr made up and a DeTomaso being a DeTomaso no two are ever the same so it required removing the original wood which had started to fade badly and delaminate in part to use as a template. The leather will be restored rather than replaced to retain an air of authenticity but I’ll be having new carpets made up which will naturally be shag pile.
All the chrome work has been removed and replated and all in all by the summer she should be nearly ready but alas I fear she won’t be making it to Le Mans 2007.
As for the expenditure the date you really wouldn’t want to know but I really can’t wait to start bringing her to one or two events
Edited by vario-rob on Monday 19th March 21:41
Nice one Rob,
I look forward to seeing the finished product.
I've just started collecting parts for a 351ci Cleveland engine build but so as to keep my car on the road I sourced another engine.
Where did you get the new dash woodwork carried out?
Stoneleigh show this coming weekend.
Phil
79 de Tomaso Longchamp GTS (3061)
I look forward to seeing the finished product.
I've just started collecting parts for a 351ci Cleveland engine build but so as to keep my car on the road I sourced another engine.
Where did you get the new dash woodwork carried out?
Stoneleigh show this coming weekend.
Phil
79 de Tomaso Longchamp GTS (3061)
Rob,
I subscribe to various 'Cleveland' engine forums and thought iof you while reading the Edelbrock thread here though they are talking about the ali heads rather than their intakes:
www.network54.com/Forum/119419/
FYI there 'are' far better intakes and heads out there than the highly publicised Edelbrocks that 'are' designed for the relatively low rev's of your average street car.
With correct head, cam and carb combo 500bhp is easily obtainable, reliable long term and inexpensive.
Phil
79 de Tomaso Longchamp GTS
I subscribe to various 'Cleveland' engine forums and thought iof you while reading the Edelbrock thread here though they are talking about the ali heads rather than their intakes:
www.network54.com/Forum/119419/
FYI there 'are' far better intakes and heads out there than the highly publicised Edelbrocks that 'are' designed for the relatively low rev's of your average street car.
With correct head, cam and carb combo 500bhp is easily obtainable, reliable long term and inexpensive.
Phil
79 de Tomaso Longchamp GTS
Many thanks one and all
Phil,
Thinking about it I might well be able to do Stoneleigh on Saturday with no football to ruin my weekend I‘m free of most encumbrances! Come to think of it I’ll do my best to make it but unfortunately I’ll be in the Nazi engine slot for a little while yet.
Roger Brotton found the company to do the woodwork so I’m sure he’d be happy to share that information with you as a fountain of most DeTomaso knowledge.
Feel free to contact me off line as I’ve just opened the batting on another car which you might be interested in, not a Longchamp but I have none the less seen a GTSE Spyder this morning and it wasn’t the blue one! Den Brown writes books about just this sort of thing
Many thanks for the Cleveland tips, does the old Deauville need much power? I can't see me doing more than 70 in it given the ammount of expenditure but on the other hand you can never have too much of a good thing
Yours
Robert
Phil,
Thinking about it I might well be able to do Stoneleigh on Saturday with no football to ruin my weekend I‘m free of most encumbrances! Come to think of it I’ll do my best to make it but unfortunately I’ll be in the Nazi engine slot for a little while yet.
Roger Brotton found the company to do the woodwork so I’m sure he’d be happy to share that information with you as a fountain of most DeTomaso knowledge.
Feel free to contact me off line as I’ve just opened the batting on another car which you might be interested in, not a Longchamp but I have none the less seen a GTSE Spyder this morning and it wasn’t the blue one! Den Brown writes books about just this sort of thing
Many thanks for the Cleveland tips, does the old Deauville need much power? I can't see me doing more than 70 in it given the ammount of expenditure but on the other hand you can never have too much of a good thing
Yours
Robert
Edited by vario-rob on Tuesday 20th March 16:06
Rob,
Where's the pm link?
I'm afraid I've decided on Stoneleight this Friday, before the crowds.
One of the few advantages of working from home!
Ok on the woodwork.
roger did not show me the Dt parts list from Roland and anyway, he said the prices were trade prices.
He shouldn't of said that.
I do not pa retail for anything in life, that is other than the wife.
Contact me re the Longchamp GTSE Spyder.
Phil
79 de Tomaso Longchamp GTS
Where's the pm link?
I'm afraid I've decided on Stoneleight this Friday, before the crowds.
One of the few advantages of working from home!
Ok on the woodwork.
roger did not show me the Dt parts list from Roland and anyway, he said the prices were trade prices.
He shouldn't of said that.
I do not pa retail for anything in life, that is other than the wife.
Contact me re the Longchamp GTSE Spyder.
Phil
79 de Tomaso Longchamp GTS
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