I had mine for about 10 years, from 1977 to around 1987. Selling this beauty was the biggest mistake I have ever made. I did run the quarter mile (302) at 14.41, 99.5 mph. I didn't want to push it but I still beat the times from Car & Driver. I took it when I went to play tennis with a friend and parked it on the street next to the tennis court. That day was a charity walk-a-thon so there were many admiring comments. Except for 1 guy who noticed the "Ghia" emblem. He was the type who knows everything as I overheard him telling his GF that it was a volkswagen with a fiberglass body. I assume that he was familiar with the Karmann Ghia. It was a wonderful car except for the high speed handling. It had a tendency to understeer until you pushed it too far then it would immediately oversteer. Road racing was not for the goose, but I sure miss it.
Thank you for sharing. Yeah I do think the car and driver times where a bit low. That ghia emblem story is funny that guy was clearly feeling the need to demean the car he couldn't afford lol
I remember drooling over one as a kid back in the late 70s that parked up my street. It was gold. I had seen Panteras before but the Mangusta was a rare beast indeed.
My father had a 289 Cobra and our neighbor had a 1972 Pantera. The Pantera was silver with the satin black front hood and rear engine cover with the huge billboard "PANTERA" on the lower portion of the doors. He always complaned that it overheated... this was before Hall Pantera was doing the aftermarket cooling mods. My dad's Cobra was black with red leather and wire wheels... very pretty car! He worked for Ford and they had six of them out back along a fence with car covers over them. He was kind of pushed by the executives to get one. He said it was a good deal, like a thousand less than sticker. Someone got a silver one at the same time and the other four sat for almost another full year. From what he said, the other four were green and all of them were picked up on a car transport and that was it.
My great uncle had a 1970 Mangusta in silver and the Chevy powered Mangusta is in my area. I’ve talked to that owner several times and see that car quite often at car shows in my area. I’ve always loved the Mangusta.
In the mid-eighties, my neighbor had a Mangusta. Had never even heard of one. I noticed what was a structural weakness forward of the cowl area. The overall look of the car was quite impressive. A decade earlier, I had already seen another de Tomaso, the Pantera as it showed up at the local Lincoln-Mercury dealer, a beautiful design.
@robj2704 - Undeniably, the car was a beauty to behold. Unfortunately, it was rather poorly built and had issues a car in this category should never have.
My best buddy is a Ford guy who has an extensive collection of rare and exotic beauties. One 1970 Mangusta, two Shelby 350's, a sweet Shelby 500, a British AC Cobra with a Ford Big Block, one of the 289 powered Sunbeam Tigers they used to film the TV series Get Smart, oh and a super fast DeTomaso Pantera. He had the motor custom built, 750 BHP, and it ran so hard he had to re-enforce all the suspension, drive train, mounts, etc. That beast would run out to about 250 MPH before it hit the red line @ 7,000 rpm, SCARY FAST !
My Mangusta is about he 100th car built and the engine was a 1968 casting date. I question that you could buy a Mangusta before 1968. I know that they were all considered as 1969's and 1970's. The early Pantera was considered as a 1970 and mechanically a mix of Mangusta attributes like the transmission.
I had wondered about that. A 289 Mangsuta and a 427 Cobra were miles apart as far as performance goes. I don't see the Mangusta stealing many sales away from serious racers who wanted top performance on the track at all costs, but to the person who actually wanted to use his new car as a, well, a CAR, the Mangusta would have been the clear choice. I can understand how Hank the Deuce would have trouble fitting in the car, but if that were the case, there's no way possible that he would have fit in a Cobra! Those things are tiny inside. From what I understand, most modern Cobra replicas are 3-5 inches longer than the originals, with all of that extra length between the firewall and the rear of the cockpit.
True, the main reason why 427 Cobra is considered as Legendary because it packs a lot in that small car, find any kind of cars who have stock 400+ HP with weight less than 1100kg and it reached 160+ mph (S/C model have 480HP with top speed about 180mph). This car by far is the WILDEST one to ride because you really need skill to compensate its untamed and aggressive behavior which easily killed lots of people who drive this car. Even on 2010s, there are lots of manufacturers tried to replicate this car and the most popular one is Factory Five since it have everything is exactly same and you can add anything you like for more spice.
@@hartonosutrisno5452 in all fairness, some of the last 427 Cobras actually ran 428 PIs so they wouldn’t have been as fast as the 427s. Still, the cobra was done in 67. I am fascinated with any performance car fro that era that runs Ford power and the Mangusta with a mid engine platform would have likely handled pretty impressively. Both the Cobra and DeTomasos were engineered to perform.
Stunning looking machine. I was fortunate enough yesterday to view a pristine early Pantera at the Oulton Park Gold Cup meeting. Spoke to the owner, a great bloke called Philip for quite a while- thoroughly decent chap, proper petrolhead. I really do like the combination of Italian styling with a bullet proof American iron block V8. Philip told me he has owned a number of Ferraris and Lambo's, and that they were far more expensive to service and maintain than the Pantera with it's US V8. I like the American approach to performance- build a large capacity, relatively simple V8 for very reasonable money and mass produce! The Americans seem to adhere to KISS- Keep It Simple Stupid, as the old engineering adage states, 'Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.'
Complicated is functional, but simple functional elegance is something that takes planning. Kind of reminds me of that saying, “if you can’t explain something complicated in simple terms, you probably don’t understand it”.
@@BikingVikingHHwatched a movie where the CEO told the expert… explain it to me like I was a Golden Retriever 😂😂😂😂.. and you are 1,000% correct!!!! American engines are the best for less… so are the transmissions and Air conditioners.. the new corvette is the car of the day for the price… to do a restomod on a beat up Pantera would be fantastic!!!!
@@artmosley3337You're right there. There's some restomod Pantera's on YT. Some stunning creations, prefer one of those far more than a 'modern' supercar!
@@GBURGE55 yep!!! A new front end with an air damn , new breaks, AC, and a ford crate engine with about 400-500 hp.. direct injection, modern electronic computer technology so it gets 25mpg on the highway.. 6sp. Manual TKO transmission.. I guess I’ll settle for a Mustang 😂😂😂😂 iv had 2, convertibles, and a Fiat Spyder, everything broke 😂😂😂… the Mustangs were bullet proof… I better hit the lottery soon… im getting Old 🏴☠️☠️☠️😂😂🤓🤓
Over the years, I've had 3 Panteras and 1 Mangusta. My Mangusta was one of the 13 green ones, similar to the one you featured in the video. I sold it in 1977 for $20K and saw it again 30 years later at Concourse Italiano. The new owner had just bought it for $335K. I have since seen one of my Panteras at $90K, but nothing close to the Mangusta.
That is awesome that you had some of these. I personally love all the De Tomaso cars, I have yet to see a mangusta but I have seen a handful of panteras from stock to highly modified. Thanks for sharing!
You sound a lot like a gentleman that lived in the same neighborhood as I growing up. He always had a Pantera or Mangusta or some other exotic that nobody knew what the hell it was at the time. 🤣 Most of us can't keep them all... 🤷♂️
@@straybullitt At the time, mid seventies, they were inexpensive as much cooler than anything else I could afford. It started with a 1972 Red Pantera that was only 2 years old, still on warranty. Leather interior, power windows, air, far nicer than any Vette, and about the same price. That got me hooked. Sold it for twice what I paid and bought the 1969 Mangusta for $10,700. Two years later, sold the Mangusta for twice what I paid. Thought I had died and gone to heaven. With 20 grand, I could afford a nicer Pantera. Found another 1972 in white, for $16,500. That car was a let down. All the over heating problems they were known for. Sold it for more, but not double. Then I found the 1971 GTS. Serial number 1286 was the first Pantera imported to the US. Mine was 1300, one of the 15 that came over on the first shippment. The original owner was some racer in LA. He screwed up the exhaust so I had to put it back stock. I put huge NASCAR brakes on it, increased the radiator, gave it the "once over". I kept it until 2006. Great car. In 2007, I saw my old Mangusta and the new owner had paid $335K. Even Panteras were up in the $90-$110 range. My vintage supercar days were over.
@@extra-dry I've never owned a Mangusta, but I've been in a handful (almost bought two) and I've had extensive Pantera experiences, (similar to yours). The key to any kind of fun with these cars: The time period -- which was PERFECT. Parts were cheap, cars were inexpensive, but stable-ish/escalating, and traditional Italian stuff, even like a silly fiberglass 308, were in the $30s. The Mangustas/Panteras were never miracles of engineering, but owning them during mid-70s could be almost cost-free and ridiculous fun.
@@extra-dry I think I still have front suspension shims, big blue regulators and dash thumb screws in my toolbox. I just sold an original ammeter shunt that came with a new 1971 -- for when that gauge failed (100% of the time). I always I figured I'd be able to just get one if I ever wanted another...but the world went insane.
Still one of the coolest cars ever made, I was in Miami a few years ago, and we showed up in my friend's new Lambo, The guy who showed up in the Mangusta got way more looks!
Floor pan was narrower than the roof which was beautiful, however it resulted in a sever bend in the doors that only alowedd the windows to roll half way.
The Mangusta was an incredible car, looking very distinct and special. However, indeed, i don't consider it a Cobra Killer at all. It also was way too different to be that remotely, and the price tag obviously is a clear example of that. I think that DeTomaso made a mistake there too. Not that he had much choice, what could he have built or done? That said, DeTomaso cars are, despite being relatively known and relatively unknown, fantastic cars and greatly underappreciated. The Pantera is one absolutely crazy good looking car that still looks more than decent today. It has a timeless look to it. Unfortunately, as with all, they've become very expensive. That said, there aren't really much modern equivalent 'cars' like it today. I can't think any new cars out there that fit the spirit, soul and price tags of these cars today. I could only think a bit of how the new Corvette is a bit like it, somehow. The only car that i think is 'a bit like the Cobra, was the 'CHEETAH GT'.
I always wanted one of these the first time I saw it!!! An Italian sports car with a reliable engine!!!! Jay Leno did a great video on these cars.. he advised to contact a Pantera Club and get one that has been “fixed “ .. new cooling system and other upgrades like breaks and AC.. I had a Fiat 2000 Spyder 1980… everything broke 😂😂😂😂
In the day, I worked at BMC Dist. in Anaheim, Cal. where we sold and serviced MG, Jaguar, Alfas AND the Mangusta. I was assigned to be the specialist on the Mangustas, and they were a fantastic car. I find them MUCH better looking than the later Panteras, but they were not as highly developed for the American market. Loved test driving them, except the windshield was swept back so far I was getting blinded by sunlight a lot of the time. BEAUTIFUL car !
Thanks for the video. Of all the obscure "supercars" out there in the world, this one is my favorite, I also think it is a good looking car. Having that ability with it's body design to look fast even when parked. lol Too bad more were not manufactured.
Let's be honest now, the De Tomaso cars had the same success as the Cheetah in destroying the Shelby Cobra........and that would be none! A classic example of wishful thinking, but no execution. RIP Carroll, your cars still rule! 🤠 🏆 🏁
@@BuzzLOLOL - Not hardly my friend! No Cheetah or Corvette beat the Cobra in organized racing - just didn't happen! Also, the GT40 was in a totally different class of racing - Prototype endurance racing. Lol
It helped Shelby immensely by having the backing of a major automobile manufacturer. Ford engineers are the ones that took the prototype Cobra that Shelby sent them with a big-block shoehorned into it, and turned it into a halfway decent car for its day. Bill Thomas was NEVER going to receive that kind of support from Chevrolet for the Cheetah. They already had the Corvette and didn't have any intention of trying to sell a car in direct competition with it.
@BuzzLOLOL There were never enough Cheetahs built for them to be homologated into the class that the Cobras and Corvettes raced in. Although, in the right hands, the Cheetah probably was faster than both of them. The car was just so ill handling due to not being built with a stiff enough chassis, that they were difficult and very fatiguing to drive. It's hard to win races consistently with a car like that. In any case, they were by far the most beautiful of the "tuner cars" from that era....
@@straybullitt - The 427 Cobra a "halfway decent car for its day?" It was closer to being the most dominant A Sports Production racer ever! Ford did little more than supply engines and trans. Ford did no building of the Cobra themselves. That goes directly to Shelby American and its extremely gifted group of superb mechanics and designers, particularly Phil Remington! Chevrolet never completely committed to any car project they became involved in. From the Cheetah, the Scaglieti Corvette which GM management ordered to be dropped, to the Shelby Cobra and the Grand Sport Corvette. I fully understand why they chose that route as they really had to support the Corvette and not make competition for it. Too bad the Corvette couldn't tow the mark in those days, particularly against the Shelby Cobra. Hell, never mind the Cobra, the Corvette was blasted off the tracks for 3 consecutive years by the GT 350 Mustang, earning the SCCA B Production Championship title in '65, '66 and '67! Dismal years for Corvette racing for sure. 🤠 🏁
I love hearing the history of these cars. I love DeTomaso. I've only ever seen one in my life. A black Pantera. I would definitely buy a Mangusta over a Cobra if I had the money. Thank you.
The Mangusta was NOT built to "DESTROY" the Shelby Cobra, nor could it have even attempted such a thing. The Mangusta's backbone chassis is known to be to flexible for good handling, and it's 2900 lb. weight is fully 600 lb. heavier than a Cobra 427. The name 'Mangusta' was definitely a clapback at Carroll Shelby, but this car never had a realistic chance as a competition car, not against a Shelby or anything else. Between the Mangusta and Bill Thomas' Cheetah, the Cheetah had much better chance against the Cobra, but it also had major handling problems and dropped out of competition racing quickly.
You are talking a lot about bigger engines but one of the biggest things not mentioned here is how HORRIBLY, and i say this as a rear-weight bais freak, but HORRIBLY balanced the Mangusta was. The Delorean and the Mangusta make any Porsche look balanced because of how insanely rear baised the weight on them already are. Its a beautiful car with many good foundations but put anything heavier then a 289 in the back and you go from absurd to downright mental. 40/60 is already considered a hefty back side, Mangustas so far as i know pushed 32/68 as is, it was already one of they most rear weighted cars and as much as i love a big butt sometimes its just too much. Pantera didn't have all these shortcomings.
The DeTomaso Mangusta may have been named after the Cobra-killing Mongoose, but they have never been able to command anywhere near the prices that the original Shelby Cobras have.
Slight non insulting correction. You said the Pantera was one of most iconic super cars of the 1970’s…. While this is correct, my correction would be “of all time”.
It wasn't the car, rather it was Ford and Shelby parting ways on the Corbra, GT 40, and Daytona where De Tomaso Mangusta. At least he was smart enough to put a Ford engine in it instead of a Far-raw-rey, meaning pull engine to change oil!
(I didn't say it on purpose, but we all know there was not any competition after Ford and Shelby started splitting ways in 1967), which is also showing you do not like Ford and Shelby. How old are you, because apparently you were not personally experiencing the 1960's and 70's
Had the pleasure of babysitting a Pantera with the 351 Cleveland. Sounded great, was fast but finish quality was lacking, crappy wiring and breaks sucked. It was a bucket of bolts. A stock 911 or well set up 1st gen Z28 could run circles around it.
Interesting how many startup automakers chose Ford for their engines. Even Koenigsegg started with a Ford engine. More power per cubic inch than the other options.
Some Forgotten History... Ford cast a new 351w 9.2" deck sbf xe race block in 1966 (XE 93532) which got to just over 400CI in 1969 for Can-Am racing. This is were the later "351C" got most its spec's from when B knudsen pushed his own "Oldsland" inspired version through screwing up the 351W blocks development... goo gle "351w xe block" for more info. I also understand DeTomaso was in direct contact with the gt40 program and got at least 3 of these 9.2" race blocks which he also tested in the First euro mangustas
It's interesting that he had trouble procuring that 7.0 liter small-block engine back in the day. Now that magical beast is just a phone call away! I'll bet that Shelby had a good belly laugh when DeTomaso promised a mythical 7.0 engine! 🤣 How times have changed.... 🤷♂️
@@straybullitt things would have turned out very different if H Ford did not let B Knudsen screw up the SBF development program as the production 69 351windsor block was destined to become a 390/400ci eng & neither H Ford, Shelby and some sbf Ford engineers were very fond of his oldsland inspired design. H Ford should of Fired him sooner than he did, for more info... goo gle "biggest-possible-windsor-stroker fordmuscleforums"
Never won the 24 hour race so it definitely didn’t kill the Shelby Cobra. Doesn’t look near as good and people are building replicas today. So probably want to reword your video!!!
Shelby is all hype. He couldn't even put an engine in a British AC cobra , he asked the brits to put the engine & send the car to US which shelby renamed as Shelby Cobra.Then based on that he started building cars. In Ford GT races, Brits designed the car. It was a british mechanic & a driver who toko GT40 to Lemans. Not Shelby. He got the credit. American propaganda !!
@@rarecars3336 And it was so successful racing against Cobras, that thousands of Mangusta replicas were built for decades. Oh, wait, they never raced Mangustas, and all the replicas are Cobras! How inconvenient for your theory.
You are the first person I have ever encountered who thought it was an ugly car. Many recognize the chassis faults but no one faults the design. What do you consider the best looking car in it time other than the Miura?
You gave several reasons why the cobra was better at literally everything aside from (in your opinion) its looks. The video should have been titled the car that TRIED to beat the Cobra😂. Shelby was a master at his craft the European cars of the time were crap compared to a Shelby.
It was built in “theory” to beat it. And I would say this was overall a better total car as far as like everyday use. But if you were after straight performance, a 427 Cobra in the day would pretty much beat up everything on 4 wheels LOL. They were certainly wild cars!
@rarecars3336 idk u said it was hard to get into....Not sure I'd want that for a daily. In my opinion it looks pretty cool. The mash up of USA and Italian is very notice and unique lookin, and as rare as the Shelby is I bet this thing is even more rare making it worth a ton.....I'm just a hardcore Shelby fan they're beautiful cars and brutally quick and sound menacing.
I wrote De Tomaso back in 1968 for information about the Mangusta. They sent brochures and information, saying they would be happy to sell me one. I didn't have the heart to tell them I was an eighth-grader. Sadly, that info has been lost to my mother's over-zealous cleaning. I imagine the documents might have some value now.
@rarecars3336 Nice video! I actually own and race the yellow car with Liechtenstein plates, featured around 4:00. The Mangustas had a terrible ex factory setup and the metal sheets had absolutely no rust protection, not even coating on inside panels😂. The car was over- and understeering at the same time. No wonder many magazines back in the time were not enthusiastic. The original cars had narrow back wheels, the late production had wider rims and that improved handling a lot. With a bit of love, the cars can be properly set up and my yellow Mangusta now is great to drive. Yet, that hillclimb, which is close to 7kms is sort of limit, the car starts to get softer at the end of the climb when pushed a bit. But it is precise and I can usually be as fast as the 911s from the 70s, except for the RS, of course. My friend races a cobra 427, and he takes over 30 seconds off me (We both are no pros and want to bring the cars home in one piece, so I guess my driving makes part of the difference but surely not all). I would rather compare the Mangusta with the 68 Mustang Shelby GT350 - and as I have one in my stable, I can safely say that the Mangusta handles ways better. As mentioned in the video, the developement of power always feels less vivid than with the same engine in the Stang and it would not rev up as high. But the ZF gearbox, same as in the GT40, makes more than up for that. I also raced the Mangusta against a Miura, the car I originally wanted back when I bought the Mangusta, and I was a bit quicker. I never regret to have gone for the Mangusta, the car is rarer, has a more masculine look and of course has a far more easy set-up than the tricky 12 cylinder of the Miura, in particular when going up in altitude. I will race the car again at Arosa classic car in Switzerland first September weekend, for those interested to see it live. It's a an easy atmosphere up there and the pit lane is open for all, and most drivers are accessible and always entertain a chat. Good luck with the channel!
One of the issues of the Mangusta is the "jack shaft" that runs along side the top of the engine on the passenger side between the valve cover and the intake manifold that carried the drive of the belts from the front of the engine to the back where there was plenty of room to mount the alternator, smog air pump (for those that had it) and the air conditioner compressor. No room for those in the front as is traditional of these Ford engines. This made for a little bit if a problem with engine or intake swaps. The ZF transaxel was also different from the one in the Pantera so they are now rare. Wheels are 4 lug rather than 5. I never understood that.
Considering how the Mangustas and Panteras looked I'm wishing DeTomaso was a better businessman. There should be way more in existence than what actually are, but he just wasn't very savvy when it came to finance.
A guy about 2 miles from where I lived as a teenager had a Pantera. It sat in Olivesburg, OH. for years. I only heard it run one time, never saw it being driven but was told he periodically did drive it. Back in the early 1980's, it was truly an exotic car for living in rural Ohio.
Would love to see a Mangusta in person someday. I've seen quite a few Panteras; there was even one in my neighborhood when I was a kid. But I have yet to encounter a Mongoose in the wild.
I had mine for about 10 years, from 1977 to around 1987. Selling this beauty was the biggest mistake I have ever made. I did run the quarter mile (302) at 14.41, 99.5 mph. I didn't want to push it but I still beat the times from Car & Driver.
I took it when I went to play tennis with a friend and parked it on the street next to the tennis court. That day was a charity walk-a-thon so there were many admiring comments. Except for 1 guy who noticed the "Ghia" emblem. He was the type who knows everything as I overheard him telling his GF that it was a volkswagen with a fiberglass body. I assume that he was familiar with the Karmann Ghia.
It was a wonderful car except for the high speed handling. It had a tendency to understeer until you pushed it too far then it would immediately oversteer. Road racing was not for the goose, but I sure miss it.
Thank you for sharing. Yeah I do think the car and driver times where a bit low. That ghia emblem story is funny that guy was clearly feeling the need to demean the car he couldn't afford lol
I remember drooling over one as a kid back in the late 70s that parked up my street. It was gold. I had seen Panteras before but the Mangusta was a rare beast indeed.
De Tomaso did make some stunning cars!
My father had a 289 Cobra and our neighbor had a 1972 Pantera. The Pantera was silver with the satin black front hood and rear engine cover with the huge billboard "PANTERA" on the lower portion of the doors. He always complaned that it overheated... this was before Hall Pantera was doing the aftermarket cooling mods. My dad's Cobra was black with red leather and wire wheels... very pretty car! He worked for Ford and they had six of them out back along a fence with car covers over them. He was kind of pushed by the executives to get one. He said it was a good deal, like a thousand less than sticker. Someone got a silver one at the same time and the other four sat for almost another full year. From what he said, the other four were green and all of them were picked up on a car transport and that was it.
My great uncle had a 1970 Mangusta in silver and the Chevy powered Mangusta is in my area. I’ve talked to that owner several times and see that car quite often at car shows in my area. I’ve always loved the Mangusta.
In the mid-eighties, my neighbor had a Mangusta. Had never even heard of one. I noticed what was a structural weakness forward of the cowl area. The overall look of the car was quite impressive. A decade earlier, I had already seen another de Tomaso, the Pantera as it showed up at the local Lincoln-Mercury dealer, a beautiful design.
@robj2704 - Undeniably, the car was a beauty to behold. Unfortunately, it was rather poorly built and had issues a car in this category should never have.
My best buddy is a Ford guy who has an extensive collection of rare and exotic beauties. One 1970 Mangusta, two Shelby 350's, a sweet Shelby 500, a British AC Cobra with a Ford Big Block, one of the 289 powered Sunbeam Tigers they used to film the TV series Get Smart, oh and a super fast DeTomaso Pantera. He had the motor custom built, 750 BHP, and it ran so hard he had to re-enforce all the suspension, drive train, mounts, etc. That beast would run out to about 250 MPH before it hit the red line @ 7,000 rpm, SCARY FAST !
The last 289 Cobra rolled out in 64 while the last 427 was built in 67, so the Mangusta didn’t have any impact on Cobra sales.
The Mangusta and late 427 cars would have been available for purchase in 67
My Mangusta is about he 100th car built and the engine was a 1968 casting date. I question that you could buy a Mangusta before 1968. I know that they were all considered as 1969's and 1970's. The early Pantera was considered as a 1970 and mechanically a mix of Mangusta attributes like the transmission.
I had wondered about that. A 289 Mangsuta and a 427 Cobra were miles apart as far as performance goes. I don't see the Mangusta stealing many sales away from serious racers who wanted top performance on the track at all costs, but to the person who actually wanted to use his new car as a, well, a CAR, the Mangusta would have been the clear choice. I can understand how Hank the Deuce would have trouble fitting in the car, but if that were the case, there's no way possible that he would have fit in a Cobra! Those things are tiny inside. From what I understand, most modern Cobra replicas are 3-5 inches longer than the originals, with all of that extra length between the firewall and the rear of the cockpit.
True, the main reason why 427 Cobra is considered as Legendary because it packs a lot in that small car, find any kind of cars who have stock 400+ HP with weight less than 1100kg and it reached 160+ mph (S/C model have 480HP with top speed about 180mph). This car by far is the WILDEST one to ride because you really need skill to compensate its untamed and aggressive behavior which easily killed lots of people who drive this car. Even on 2010s, there are lots of manufacturers tried to replicate this car and the most popular one is Factory Five since it have everything is exactly same and you can add anything you like for more spice.
@@hartonosutrisno5452 in all fairness, some of the last 427 Cobras actually ran 428 PIs so they wouldn’t have been as fast as the 427s. Still, the cobra was done in 67. I am fascinated with any performance car fro that era that runs Ford power and the Mangusta with a mid engine platform would have likely handled pretty impressively. Both the Cobra and DeTomasos were engineered to perform.
Stunning looking machine. I was fortunate enough yesterday to view a pristine early Pantera at the Oulton Park Gold Cup meeting. Spoke to the owner, a great bloke called Philip for quite a while- thoroughly decent chap, proper petrolhead. I really do like the combination of Italian styling with a bullet proof American iron block V8. Philip told me he has owned a number of Ferraris and Lambo's, and that they were far more expensive to service and maintain than the Pantera with it's US V8. I like the American approach to performance- build a large capacity, relatively simple V8 for very reasonable money and mass produce! The Americans seem to adhere to KISS- Keep It Simple Stupid, as the old engineering adage states, 'Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.'
Complicated is functional, but simple functional elegance is something that takes planning. Kind of reminds me of that saying, “if you can’t explain something complicated in simple terms, you probably don’t understand it”.
@@BikingVikingHHwatched a movie where the CEO told the expert… explain it to me like I was a Golden Retriever 😂😂😂😂.. and you are 1,000% correct!!!! American engines are the best for less… so are the transmissions and Air conditioners.. the new corvette is the car of the day for the price… to do a restomod on a beat up Pantera would be fantastic!!!!
@@artmosley3337You're right there. There's some restomod Pantera's on YT. Some stunning creations, prefer one of those far more than a 'modern' supercar!
@@GBURGE55 yep!!! A new front end with an air damn , new breaks, AC, and a ford crate engine with about 400-500 hp.. direct injection, modern electronic computer technology so it gets 25mpg on the highway.. 6sp. Manual TKO transmission.. I guess I’ll settle for a Mustang 😂😂😂😂 iv had 2, convertibles, and a Fiat Spyder, everything broke 😂😂😂… the Mustangs were bullet proof… I better hit the lottery soon… im getting Old 🏴☠️☠️☠️😂😂🤓🤓
Over the years, I've had 3 Panteras and 1 Mangusta. My Mangusta was one of the 13 green ones, similar to the one you featured in the video. I sold it in 1977 for $20K and saw it again 30 years later at Concourse Italiano. The new owner had just bought it for $335K. I have since seen one of my Panteras at $90K, but nothing close to the Mangusta.
That is awesome that you had some of these. I personally love all the De Tomaso cars, I have yet to see a mangusta but I have seen a handful of panteras from stock to highly modified. Thanks for sharing!
You sound a lot like a gentleman that lived in the same neighborhood as I growing up. He always had a Pantera or Mangusta or some other exotic that nobody knew what the hell it was at the time. 🤣
Most of us can't keep them all... 🤷♂️
@@straybullitt At the time, mid seventies, they were inexpensive as much cooler than anything else I could afford. It started with a 1972 Red Pantera that was only 2 years old, still on warranty. Leather interior, power windows, air, far nicer than any Vette, and about the same price. That got me hooked. Sold it for twice what I paid and bought the 1969 Mangusta for $10,700. Two years later, sold the Mangusta for twice what I paid. Thought I had died and gone to heaven. With 20 grand, I could afford a nicer Pantera. Found another 1972 in white, for $16,500. That car was a let down. All the over heating problems they were known for. Sold it for more, but not double. Then I found the 1971 GTS. Serial number 1286 was the first Pantera imported to the US. Mine was 1300, one of the 15 that came over on the first shippment. The original owner was some racer in LA. He screwed up the exhaust so I had to put it back stock. I put huge NASCAR brakes on it, increased the radiator, gave it the "once over". I kept it until 2006. Great car. In 2007, I saw my old Mangusta and the new owner had paid $335K. Even Panteras were up in the $90-$110 range. My vintage supercar days were over.
@@extra-dry I've never owned a Mangusta, but I've been in a handful (almost bought two) and I've had extensive Pantera experiences, (similar to yours). The key to any kind of fun with these cars: The time period -- which was PERFECT. Parts were cheap, cars were inexpensive, but stable-ish/escalating, and traditional Italian stuff, even like a silly fiberglass 308, were in the $30s. The Mangustas/Panteras were never miracles of engineering, but owning them during mid-70s could be almost cost-free and ridiculous fun.
@@extra-dry I think I still have front suspension shims, big blue regulators and dash thumb screws in my toolbox. I just sold an original ammeter shunt that came with a new 1971 -- for when that gauge failed (100% of the time). I always I figured I'd be able to just get one if I ever wanted another...but the world went insane.
Still one of the coolest cars ever made, I was in Miami a few years ago, and we showed up in my friend's new Lambo, The guy who showed up in the Mangusta got way more looks!
It is such a great looking car even today
what a gorgeous dream car!!!! i never cared for the shelby cobra, always liked detomosa vehicles. italian style, and american horsepower.
DeTomasos are gorgeous I agree!
Ironically, the Pantera was designed by an American, Tom Tjaarda, who also did the Fiat 124 Spyder.
@@martingardens thats def a new bit of info to me, thank you for that! i love learning about cars, esp cars that are rare
Looking at that car gives me goosebumps.
It is a gorgeous car no doubt!
Floor pan was narrower than the roof which was beautiful, however it resulted in a sever bend in the doors that only alowedd the windows to roll half way.
I did not know that piece of info so thank you for adding this!
I wish De Tomaso hadn't failed. I wish there had been a million Panteras so I could have one too.
@@albertgreenwood4517 I would still drive the s out of it. Lucky you! Kudos to a great life.
LOL
@@albertgreenwood4517😂😂😂😂 brilliant
The Mangusta was an incredible car, looking very distinct and special. However, indeed, i don't consider it a Cobra Killer at all. It also was way too different to be that remotely, and the price tag obviously is a clear example of that. I think that DeTomaso made a mistake there too. Not that he had much choice, what could he have built or done?
That said, DeTomaso cars are, despite being relatively known and relatively unknown, fantastic cars and greatly underappreciated.
The Pantera is one absolutely crazy good looking car that still looks more than decent today. It has a timeless look to it. Unfortunately, as with all, they've become very expensive.
That said, there aren't really much modern equivalent 'cars' like it today. I can't think any new cars out there that fit the spirit, soul and price tags of these cars today. I could only think a bit of how the new Corvette is a bit like it, somehow.
The only car that i think is 'a bit like the Cobra, was the 'CHEETAH GT'.
I always wanted one of these the first time I saw it!!! An Italian sports car with a reliable engine!!!! Jay Leno did a great video on these cars.. he advised to contact a Pantera Club and get one that has been “fixed “ .. new cooling system and other upgrades like breaks and AC.. I had a Fiat 2000 Spyder 1980… everything broke 😂😂😂😂
The Mangusta was the car that Bill drove to warn his brother about Black Mamba in Kill Bill...
In the day, I worked at BMC Dist. in Anaheim, Cal. where we sold and serviced MG, Jaguar, Alfas AND the Mangusta. I was assigned to be the specialist on the Mangustas, and they were a fantastic car. I find them MUCH better looking than the later Panteras, but they were not as highly developed for the American market. Loved test driving them, except the windshield was swept back so far I was getting blinded by sunlight a lot of the time. BEAUTIFUL car !
Thanks for sharing the knowledge! Nice content!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the video. Of all the obscure "supercars" out there in the world, this one is my favorite, I also think it is a good looking car. Having that ability with it's body design to look fast even when parked. lol Too bad more were not manufactured.
I've always loved Panteras, but not as much as the Mangusta. It's one of the few cars that are unattainable to me that I really can lust after.
The mangusta is just soooo good looking!
Cool story, didn't know of the infighting.
The Pantera and Miura had pride of place of the posters on my bedroom wall as a kid.
Nice vid, subbed.
Thanks for subscribing, those are 2 gorgeous cars to have on your wall!
Let's be honest now, the De Tomaso cars had the same success as the Cheetah in destroying the Shelby Cobra........and that would be none! A classic example of wishful thinking, but no execution. RIP Carroll, your cars still rule! 🤠 🏆 🏁
Cheetah and Corvette destroyed the Cobra, so Ford created the GT40...
@@BuzzLOLOL - Not hardly my friend! No Cheetah or Corvette beat the Cobra in organized racing - just didn't happen! Also, the GT40 was in a totally different class of racing - Prototype endurance racing. Lol
It helped Shelby immensely by having the backing of a major automobile manufacturer. Ford engineers are the ones that took the prototype Cobra that Shelby sent them with a big-block shoehorned into it, and turned it into a halfway decent car for its day.
Bill Thomas was NEVER going to receive that kind of support from Chevrolet for the Cheetah. They already had the Corvette and didn't have any intention of trying to sell a car in direct competition with it.
@BuzzLOLOL
There were never enough Cheetahs built for them to be homologated into the class that the Cobras and Corvettes raced in.
Although, in the right hands, the Cheetah probably was faster than both of them. The car was just so ill handling due to not being built with a stiff enough chassis, that they were difficult and very fatiguing to drive. It's hard to win races consistently with a car like that.
In any case, they were by far the most beautiful of the "tuner cars" from that era....
@@straybullitt - The 427 Cobra a "halfway decent car for its day?" It was closer to being the most dominant A Sports Production racer ever! Ford did little more than supply engines and trans. Ford did no building of the Cobra themselves. That goes directly to Shelby American and its extremely gifted group of superb mechanics and designers, particularly Phil Remington!
Chevrolet never completely committed to any car project they became involved in. From the Cheetah, the Scaglieti Corvette which GM management ordered to be dropped, to the Shelby Cobra and the Grand Sport Corvette. I fully understand why they chose that route as they really had to support the Corvette and not make competition for it. Too bad the Corvette couldn't tow the mark in those days, particularly against the Shelby Cobra. Hell, never mind the Cobra, the Corvette was blasted off the tracks for 3 consecutive years by the GT 350 Mustang, earning the SCCA B Production Championship title in '65, '66 and '67! Dismal years for Corvette racing for sure. 🤠 🏁
I love hearing the history of these cars. I love DeTomaso. I've only ever seen one in my life. A black Pantera. I would definitely buy a Mangusta over a Cobra if I had the money. Thank you.
The De Tomaso Mangusta >>> Remembered playing with a yellow coloured one by Matchbox in the 1970s ... 🙏🌷🌿🌏💜🚖
The Mangusta was NOT built to "DESTROY" the Shelby Cobra, nor could it have even attempted such a thing. The Mangusta's backbone chassis is known to be to flexible for good handling, and it's 2900 lb. weight is fully 600 lb. heavier than a Cobra 427. The name 'Mangusta' was definitely a clapback at Carroll Shelby, but this car never had a realistic chance as a competition car, not against a Shelby or anything else. Between the Mangusta and Bill Thomas' Cheetah, the Cheetah had much better chance against the Cobra, but it also had major handling problems and dropped out of competition racing quickly.
Thanks for making this interesting and informative video
Anytime, thanks for watching!
You are talking a lot about bigger engines but one of the biggest things not mentioned here is how HORRIBLY, and i say this as a rear-weight bais freak, but HORRIBLY balanced the Mangusta was. The Delorean and the Mangusta make any Porsche look balanced because of how insanely rear baised the weight on them already are. Its a beautiful car with many good foundations but put anything heavier then a 289 in the back and you go from absurd to downright mental.
40/60 is already considered a hefty back side, Mangustas so far as i know pushed 32/68 as is, it was already one of they most rear weighted cars and as much as i love a big butt sometimes its just too much. Pantera didn't have all these shortcomings.
I still have a model of a Mangusta. I have admired them since I was a small child.
They are I believe DeTomasos best looking car. The pantera looks great too but something about the Mangusta is just perfect
The DeTomaso Mangusta may have been named after the Cobra-killing Mongoose, but they have never been able to command anywhere near the prices that the original Shelby Cobras have.
The Mangusta was the first exotic car I got to see a local doctor bought a lime green one when it first came out 1967(oh Henry Ford II was a fat ass)
Wow a lime green Mangusta must have been a real showstopper then!
Mr. De Tomaso and Mr. Pagani share a good number of life coincidences and stories
Slight non insulting correction. You said the Pantera was one of most iconic super cars of the 1970’s…. While this is correct, my correction would be “of all time”.
That is a fair correction, I do LOVE the Pantera!
Sweet video
Thanks Scott glad you enjoyed it!
Gorgeous car. Better looking than Pantera.
Totally agree and the Pantera is by no means bad looking, the Mangusta is just perfect
It wasn't the car, rather it was Ford and Shelby parting ways on the Corbra, GT 40, and Daytona where De Tomaso Mangusta. At least he was smart enough to put a Ford engine in it instead of a Far-raw-rey, meaning pull engine to change oil!
(I didn't say it on purpose, but we all know there was not any competition after Ford and Shelby started splitting ways in 1967), which is also showing you do not like Ford and Shelby. How old are you, because apparently you were not personally experiencing the 1960's and 70's
Subscribed
Thank you!
Two of the biggest patrons of ford engines had a falling out? I'm definitely watching this on my break lol
That spyder version would have looked sweet in a showroom.😇
7:14 nice Kylie Minogue reference
I replaced my Boss 302 motor with a 289 HiPo which was a better then my boss engine ! I sold the Boss at a loss in southern California, to pay rent
one of my all time favourite cars. will get one I think. and get that 302 screaming out 350hp
Make sure to comment back here with a link to a video of it when you do. I want to see that!
Had the pleasure of babysitting a Pantera with the 351 Cleveland. Sounded great, was fast but finish quality was lacking, crappy wiring and breaks sucked. It was a bucket of bolts. A stock 911 or well set up 1st gen Z28 could run circles around it.
So proud to be Italian… 🇮🇹😍
"behemothly" isn't a word.
Looks like ike the pantera...😊
Yes it does! Which do you like more?
@@rarecars3336 great question. 👍 magusta..
The Pantera came afterwards. In 71' I think. It was pretty much based on this design.
Interesting how many startup automakers chose Ford for their engines.
Even Koenigsegg started with a Ford engine. More power per cubic inch than the other options.
That is true! I wonder if GM just was less willing to supply them to these companies?
Just FYI, mongooses are actually a type of weasel...
Yeah that’s a more apt comparison you are right lol
It needs a big block 390 Ford punched 👊 ✊ out to a 427 super cobra 🐍 jet 🤙
YES
No such engine.
Better yet the almighty 427 SOHC Cammer would be an outstanding swap for the Mangusta and destroy the cobra by a long shot.
Maybe in a drag race. @@CJColvin
Imagine if it got the Boss 351 in 1971.
The narrator sounds like the "Task & Purpose" channel dude...Cappy
looks like if Espada started to eat less cake.
DeTomaso set no bench marks either in performance or desirability.
Always loved the car but the interior looks like it was designed by Fed Ex to hold as many cube shaped boxes as space would allow for.
LOL yeah it almost doesn't match up
0:02 What car is in the 3rd line between porsche and ford?
69 firebird!
@@rarecars3336 thanks! Very cool group photo. :)
I'll take that black Daytona at the beginning of this clip!
BILL DROVE 1 of these in Kill Bill part 1 or 2. I cant remember which.
Cobras are so damn pretty though!
But those rear wheel arches...
The S1 Audi Quattro does 0 to 60 in 3 seconds ON GRAVEL! .
A 427 ci small block ? ( 7 litres )
It looks like he stole the Lamborghini Miura styling.
Wrong ratio steering.
interesting
Pantera was a way better looking car imho.
Its a GT40 with a lamborgini logo.
What was with all those clips of people that don't know how to drive / steer a car properly??
Split window is more Euro than American. Definitely was not American inspired in the rear.
I heard that the Mangusta didn't have nice handling
Yep, I have heard the same thing! The backbone chassi wasn't rigid enough in the road car as I understand it, making the handling tricky.
9:16
*Uh, no.*
Instead of what?
Oh, you mean clamshell.
The rear...
Not you...although it does sound like an insult.
😂
That is the word I should have used hahaha
mongoose had a ford rear engine.
Nobody beat cobra
How many FAA wins?
You pronounce the name DEE TOMASO MAN GUSS TA... not DAY TOMSOO MANGOOSTA
Get a sportcar design body like the italians do and kick in an american engine....you can´t go wrong.
Should have included Elaine her hair and her date, she suffered too
Is this the Kill Bill Bill's car
The problem with auto reviewers is... they are, generally, big and tall - 6' plus mofo's and just do not fit!
Ford vs Ford
true!
The cobra was a bad to bone car
Some Forgotten History... Ford cast a new 351w 9.2" deck sbf xe race block in 1966 (XE 93532) which got to just over 400CI in 1969 for Can-Am racing. This is were the later "351C" got most its spec's from when B knudsen pushed his own "Oldsland" inspired version through screwing up the 351W blocks development... goo gle "351w xe block" for more info.
I also understand DeTomaso was in direct contact with the gt40 program and got at least 3 of these 9.2" race blocks which he also tested in the First euro mangustas
It's interesting that he had trouble procuring that 7.0 liter small-block engine back in the day. Now that magical beast is just a phone call away!
I'll bet that Shelby had a good belly laugh when DeTomaso promised a mythical 7.0 engine! 🤣
How times have changed.... 🤷♂️
@@straybullitt things would have turned out very different if H Ford did not let B Knudsen screw up the SBF development program as the production 69 351windsor block was destined to become a 390/400ci eng & neither H Ford, Shelby and some sbf Ford engineers were very fond of his oldsland inspired design. H Ford should of Fired him sooner than he did, for more info... goo gle "biggest-possible-windsor-stroker fordmuscleforums"
They failed miserably
Wrong!! That was the Cheetah!!
Never won the 24 hour race so it definitely didn’t kill the Shelby Cobra. Doesn’t look near as good and people are building replicas today. So probably want to reword your video!!!
Shelby is all hype. He couldn't even put an engine in a British AC cobra , he asked the brits to put the engine & send the car to US which shelby renamed as Shelby Cobra.Then based on that he started building cars. In Ford GT races, Brits designed the car. It was a british mechanic & a driver who toko GT40 to Lemans. Not Shelby. He got the credit. American propaganda !!
And if u drop an LS you have a faster mongoosta lol and sounds better than with that Ford engine. Lol
Dream on trans-gendered lover.
Or better yet a 5.0L Coyote swap Mangusta would be even faster mate.
Not a Cobra competitor. Do we have to go through this BS, again. Clickbait, again.
It was literally named directly in response to the cobra.
@@rarecars3336 And it was so successful racing against Cobras, that thousands of Mangusta replicas were built for decades. Oh, wait, they never raced Mangustas, and all the replicas are Cobras! How inconvenient for your theory.
Ugly car. Just because a famous Italian design house designed it or throw an Italian name on it. Does not make it a good looking car.
You are the first person I have ever encountered who thought it was an ugly car. Many recognize the chassis faults but no one faults the design. What do you consider the best looking car in it time other than the Miura?
C'mon, lets be frankly honest. All the De Tomaso's are shitboxes.
Beautiful to look at but useless outside of a showroom.
You gave several reasons why the cobra was better at literally everything aside from (in your opinion) its looks. The video should have been titled the car that TRIED to beat the Cobra😂. Shelby was a master at his craft the European cars of the time were crap compared to a Shelby.
It was built in “theory” to beat it. And I would say this was overall a better total car as far as like everyday use. But if you were after straight performance, a 427 Cobra in the day would pretty much beat up everything on 4 wheels LOL. They were certainly wild cars!
@rarecars3336 idk u said it was hard to get into....Not sure I'd want that for a daily. In my opinion it looks pretty cool. The mash up of USA and Italian is very notice and unique lookin, and as rare as the Shelby is I bet this thing is even more rare making it worth a ton.....I'm just a hardcore Shelby fan they're beautiful cars and brutally quick and sound menacing.
Why do american V8's seem to go so much better/faster in Euro exotics than in the panel vans they come from ?
I wrote De Tomaso back in 1968 for information about the Mangusta. They sent brochures and information, saying they would be happy to sell me one. I didn't have the heart to tell them I was an eighth-grader. Sadly, that info has been lost to my mother's over-zealous cleaning. I imagine the documents might have some value now.
That is such a great story thank you for sharing that!
They would.
"Mongoose" vs. "Cobra"! Cool! 😄👍
Had to throw that in there! Thanks for watching!
@rarecars3336 Nice video! I actually own and
race the yellow car with Liechtenstein plates, featured around 4:00.
The Mangustas had a terrible ex factory setup and the metal sheets had absolutely no rust protection, not even coating on inside panels😂. The car was over- and understeering at the same time. No wonder many magazines back in the time were not enthusiastic. The original cars had narrow back wheels, the late production had wider rims and that improved handling a lot. With a bit of love, the cars can be properly set up and my yellow Mangusta now is great to drive. Yet, that hillclimb, which is close to 7kms is sort of limit, the car starts to get softer at the end of the climb when pushed a bit. But it is precise and I can usually be as fast as the 911s from the 70s, except for the RS, of course. My friend races a cobra 427, and he takes over 30 seconds off me (We both are no pros and want to bring the cars home in one piece, so I guess my driving makes part of the difference but surely not all). I would rather compare the Mangusta with the 68 Mustang Shelby GT350 - and as I have one in my stable, I can safely say that the Mangusta handles ways better. As mentioned in the video, the developement of power always feels less vivid than with the same engine in the Stang and it would not rev up as high. But the ZF gearbox, same as in the GT40, makes more than up for that. I also raced the Mangusta against a Miura, the car I originally wanted back when I bought the Mangusta, and I was a bit quicker. I never regret to have gone for the Mangusta, the car is rarer, has a more masculine look and of course has a far more easy set-up than the tricky 12 cylinder of the Miura, in particular when going up in altitude.
I will race the car again at Arosa classic car in Switzerland first September weekend, for those interested to see it live. It's a an easy atmosphere up there and the pit lane is open for all, and most drivers are accessible and always entertain a chat.
Good luck with the channel!
4 Lug wheels!!!!!
One of the issues of the Mangusta is the "jack shaft" that runs along side the top of the engine on the passenger side between the valve cover and the intake manifold that carried the drive of the belts from the front of the engine to the back where there was plenty of room to mount the alternator, smog air pump (for those that had it) and the air conditioner compressor. No room for those in the front as is traditional of these Ford engines. This made for a little bit if a problem with engine or intake swaps. The ZF transaxel was also different from the one in the Pantera so they are now rare. Wheels are 4 lug rather than 5. I never understood that.
Considering how the Mangustas and Panteras looked I'm wishing DeTomaso was a better businessman. There should be way more in existence than what actually are, but he just wasn't very savvy when it came to finance.
A guy about 2 miles from where I lived as a teenager had a Pantera. It sat in Olivesburg, OH. for years. I only heard it run one time, never saw it being driven but was told he periodically did drive it. Back in the early 1980's, it was truly an exotic car for living in rural Ohio.
Would love to see a Mangusta in person someday. I've seen quite a few Panteras; there was even one in my neighborhood when I was a kid. But I have yet to encounter a Mongoose in the wild.