So the dude down the street got a new car...

[Pazuzu]

And it took a day or two for me to figure out what in the hell it is. I only have seen it in the dark, and it didn't *exactly* look like a Pantera...

I am in awe. It's a 1969 Euro Mangusta. I've *heard* of Mangustas, but never seen one in person.

My block is now more rad.

[WPOZZZ]

Gooses are cool cars! I like them better than the Pantera.

[Pazuzu]

It's funny, in 20 or 30 minutes I could see how CRAPPY the thing is. Bad electrics, bad ergonomics, bad window seals, etc. It made me feel at home with my 911

[Pazuzu]

And some sort of secret, unknown mount from the factory on the bellhousing. Smog Pump? Power Steering? A place for Satan to sit? Who knows! What they know is that no one, in 401 out of 401 cases, has ever seen anything mounted there!

[aigel]

Must be a nice neighborhood you're in. I just checked the going rate ...

I remember looking at the Panteras in nice shape for 30k. I guess these have gone the Euro car way. Good lord ...

G

[Pazuzu]

Aw sheet, now I know why I know it!

[Heel n Toe]

I've always liked the design of the Mangusta, but I've never seen one in real life, either. I forgot about the one in Kill Bill.




They look pretty good in race trim, too.

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by aigel

Must be a nice neighborhood you're in. I just checked the going rate ...
G

This one is not in that kinda shape, he has the interior completely removed and is working on getting the engine running well again. Still, 1 of 250ish remaining cars? Euro model, makes it one of 150ish cars? 1969 makes it one of 70ish cars? He said no one actually knows because De Tomaso never bothered to keep records

[aigel]

He bought the car from Kill Bill 2?

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

This one is not in that kinda shape, he has the interior completely removed and is working on getting the engine running well again. Still, 1 of 250ish remaining cars? Euro model, makes it one of 150ish cars? 1969 makes it one of 70ish cars? He said no one actually knows because De Tomaso never bothered to keep records

Did he say what he paid for it? Still was more than a 69 camaro, I bet. Sounds like the way to go. These really benefit from some modern updates, IMHO, not to the outside or interior but drivetrain, brakes, suspension. I'd love to have one ...

G

[Heel n Toe]

Didn't know the story behind it...
____________________
The De Tomaso Mangusta: the beauty and power of a fighter | Italian Ways
De Tomaso was an automobile manufacturer based in Modena, active from 1965 to 2003.

It was owned by Italian-Argentinian race driver Alejandro De Tomaso, who initially submitted the prototype of a race car geared for the American market to Carroll Shelby, also a driver and entrepreneur overseas. Disappointed by Shelby’s lack of interest, De Tomaso decided to bring his idea to life on his own.

Giorgetto Giugiaro, who worked for Ghia at the time, designed for him a model with extremely low chassis (the roof is less than a meter off the street), huge windshield, and gull wing doors over the engine – all of which harmonized the refinement and boldness that made the Mangusta – produced between 1967 and 1971 – an instant icon.

As a final touch, De Tomaso clearly named it to provoke the American competitors: “mangusta” is Italian for “mongoose”, the only mammal who can fight and win against a cobra – symbol Carroll Shelby had chosen for his cars.

Photos via:
www.artcurial.com/fr/asp/fullCatalogue.asp?salelot=2877+++++147+&refno=10553297

[aigel]

I really like the lights. The front of this looks more contemporary than the closing lids of the pantera. Fantastic car.

G

[onewhippedpuppy]

Super cool car. This lives down my street. That’s my very excited 7 year old in the passenger seat.

[Otter74]

Mangustas are beautiful cars, with a lot of presence. An acquaintance of mine when I lived in Detroit owns one with a SBC. When you look at one on a lift, they look very much like the low-volume, hand-built cars they are.

[scottmandue]

Mangustas are on my list of most beautiful cars.

And also on my list of car I could never afford to maintain

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Heel n Toe

Nice, but for some reason this one is even nicer in my opinion.

De Tomaso Performance Sports Car Pictures and History

[Porchdog]

Way back when I was a couple years out of school I was looking for a fun car. I went to look at a mid 60's Mini that was for sale - it was in a 2 car garage next to a Mangusta also for sale.

Pretty exotic for me.

[legion]

I don't know how expensive Mangustas currently are. Ten years ago, we'd have two Panteras show up to local Cars & Coffee events. I got the impression from the owners that they weren't worth all that much and they were pretty simple cars full of US parts. (Ford engines, IIRC.)

[Jim Bremner]

I want to see a Vallelnga in person

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by Jim Bremner

I want to see a Vallelnga in person

Cool, new to me.


De Tomaso Vallelunga
https://silodrome.com/de-tomaso-vallelunga/

The De Tomaso Vallelunga was the first production car made by De Tomaso – a company that up until 1962 had only produced racing cars for Formula Junior, Formula 3, Formula 2, and Formula 1. The decision to do a production run of the Vallelunga was never the original plan – the model had been developed as a concept car and shown to the world at the Turin Motor Show in 1963, but no automakers were interested in buying the design.

Alejandro de Tomaso wasn’t the kind of man to take defeat lying down. So he set about putting the Vallelunga into production by himself – a mighty undertaking that would see his company evolve from being a low volume racing car manufacturer to a moderate production sports car marque.