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At the Turin Motor Show in 1966, barely 6 months after the debut of the Lamborghini Miura, another mid-engined Italian bolide appeared. Called the De Tomaso Mangusta, it was actually the company’s second mid-engined road car and replaced the Vallelunga, a small, innovative, and very light car powered by an inline-4 from a Ford Cortina. Around 60 Vallelungas were built, the majority of which were manufactured by Ghia. The De Tomaso-Ford-Ghia connection provided the basis for the Mangusta, which combined Ghia bodywork (designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who worked there at the time) with Ford powerplants, this time small block V8s displaying either 289 or 302 cubic inches. The Ghia connection was tightened further when Alejandro De Tomaso acquired the company in 1967.
The Mangusta (mongoose in English) was famously so named because it is the only animal capable of killing a Cobra. De Tomaso selected this name because of a failed collaboration with Carroll Shelby to build a racing car for the 1965 Can-Am season. After Shelby’s departure from the project, De Tomaso selected an appropriately retributive name and repurposed its backbone chassis to form the basis of what would eventually become the Mangusta.
From this chassis hung sophisticated double wishbone independent suspension all round, along with disc brakes at all four corners. Staggered width wheels (alloy of course) made the Mangusta the first Italian car so equipped. Steering was by rack and pinion while a 5-speed ZF dogleg pattern gearbox was mounted to the back of the Ford small block. This specification list made the Mangusta bang up to date, while its center-hinged gullwing engine lid panels and general proportions and styling details gave it the visual impact to convey how much excitement lay beneath the skin. Just 401 Mangustas were built, and the car lay the groundwork for the Pantera of which more than 7,000 examples were built.
This particular example is a desirable quad headlamp car (late US cars had a less handsome dual pop up headlight arrangement) fitted with a 302 cubic inch engine. Its early history is unknown although it was advertised for sale in the Los Angeles Times in January of 1977. By 2008, it belonged to Chuck Wray, the owner of Grand Touring Enterprises, who sold it to Motorcar Gallery in Florida (Ed Waterman) in October of 2009. At this time, it was a solid car finished in red in solid driver condition and some cosmetic patina. It was sold via the De Tomaso Specialist PI Motorsport in Orange, California to an owner who undertook a frame up restoration, after which the car won the People’s Choice Award at the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance in 2012.
Its current owner purchased it in 2013 and has continued to maintain, drive, and show it, displaying it at the Art Center College of Design Car Classic in 2013 and the Pacific Northwest Concours d’Elegance in 2014, where it won the Junior Judges Award. The car was also displayed at LeMay America’s Car Museum twice, in 2013 and 2017. In 2023, it was displayed at Avants Classics on the Green 2023 at Chateau St. Michelle, where it also served as the poster car for marketing materials. Finally, the car has been invited to be displayed at the San Marino Motor Classic in August 2024.
Between October 2022 and July of 2023, the car received a comprehensive service and some cosmetic freshening, which included the following work: replace fuel and air filters, dyno tune car, replace spark plugs, flush and replace fluid for brake and clutch fluid, flush cooling system, replace plug wires, replace alternator, new cap and rotor, more securely mount ignition coil and renew wiring harness and terminals, clean up/replace wiring to radiator fans, ammeter, replace wiring harness for charging system, replace relays, change engine oil, replace pressure oil sender, refinish brake calipers, rebuild brake calipers, repaint exterior mirrors, repaint right rear fender, replace wiring for starter, rebuild starter.
In the dozen years since it was restored, the car has covered about 5,000 miles and remains generally crisp in its presentation, with light cosmetic mellowing present in the form of a few chips, stress cracks at the corners of the front windscreen and other minor signs of wear. The interior is in similar condition, with a bit of creasing on the seats but strong presentation overall. The brightwork, glass and trim are generally excellent as are the wheels, aside from the right rear one which has a bit of yellowing to the paint compared to the other three wheels. The carpets, instruments, switchgear, and interior trim are all in excellent order. The chassis and suspension are nicely detailed, with much of the components having been Jet Hot coated including exhaust system and suspension wishbones, and rear subframe.
This is an unusually well-sorted Mangusta with the more attractive and desirable four headlight front end. Comprehensively restored, then used regularly and dialed in afterwards, this Mangusta is prepared to an unusually high level that likely makes it among the finest Mangustas in existence, particularly given that the attrition rate on these cars is understood to be around 50%. The car comes with a tote box full of documentation from its show exhibitions and maintenance and is ready to use.
