The De Tomaso Mangusta

The Mangusta, designed by the talented Giugiaro – then working at Carrozzeria GHIA – immediately grasps the strength of this design that inspires power and modernity. The Mangusta will then see daylight under the colors of the Argentine flag. Like other sports car manufacturers of that time, the Mangusta was equipped with a solid Ford V8 block. Most of the production was destined for the US market and therefore two different engines would equip the model. The the Ford V8 289 for the European market and the Ford V8 302 for American production and all late models. The Mangusta will be produced between 1967 and 1971 with 401 cars in total.

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This Motorcar

- Chassis 8MA 1266
- Very good condition
- Important dossier
- Full history

The Mangusta we are offering here is chassis 8MA 1266. It is one of the latest examples produced by the factory on 21st March 1971 and was delivered new to the American market for Mr Werner Herner. Mr herner drove the car a mere 3,000 km before storing it away in his premises. It was not until 1996 that German specialist Roland Jaeckel found and purchased the car. He decided to embark on a total restoration during an over 18-month period which included chassis, body, mechanics, interior. 8MA 1266 was restored to the highest standards. It was at this stage decided to replaced the original colour (light blue) by a striking orange. Once the work was completed, the car was sold to Stefan Helm, who then sold it to Stefan Kohler in 2002. 8MA 1266 was sold in 2004 to the second last owner in France.
The -then- owner approached the engine builder Roush, with a reputation for achieving success in competition in the US and for meticulous upgrading of the Ford V8 in collaboration with the company from Detroit. Roush’s mechanical intervention on this car is impressive: a Ford V8 302 engine was rebored – the famous Stroker engines – increasing its capacity from 5-litres to 5.7-litres. This rebuild added special cylinder heads and flywheel in aluminium, as well as forged rods and pistons. The engine is fed by a Holley four-barrelled carburettor, and the engine cooling system – critical for the mid-engined Mangusta – improved significantly. A reinforced McLeod clutch was fitted to deal with the increase in power. The original ZF gearbox (used on the Ford GT cars), able to cope with this increase in power, did not require any modification. At the same time, the chassis was strengthened, the braking system renewed, and dampers and suspension upgraded and adapted. The car was fitted with Michelin XWX tyres as used on certain Mangustas of this period. The air conditioning was also refurbished to ensure it was fully operational. The current output is 430 bhp, making this Mangusta one of the fastest available today.
Supplied with an important history file and a copy of the factory build sheet MA1266, this fine example is available immediately and would enhance any sports cars collection.

French registered.