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One of just 401 examples built, this Giugiaro-styled Italian exotic pairs a rebuilt 302ci V8 with a 2024 repaint and refreshed red leather cabin.
Some cars don't change hands often, and when one finally does, it's worth paying attention. This 1969 DeTomaso Mangusta has been with the same owner since 2003, and after more than two decades it's now heading to auction on Bring a Trailer.
The Mangusta holds an interesting place in DeTomaso's history. The car grew out of the remnants of a Can-Am design project born from a partnership between Alejandro de Tomaso and Carroll Shelby, who stepped away from the deal before the prototype was finished. The underpinnings of that P70 prototype went on to form the basis of DeTomaso's second production model, named after the mongoose, a small predator known for taking on cobras. Giorgetto Giugiaro penned the bodywork at Ghia, and the car rode on a backbone chassis. It debuted at the 1966 Turin Motor Show before production began the following year, with 401 examples built over four years. This particular car, chassis 8MA616, carries 55,000 miles on the odometer, with roughly 6,000 of those added under the current owner's care.
Photo courtesy of Bring a Trailer.
Under the gullwing-style engine covers sits a 302ci V8 that was rebuilt in 2006, with work reportedly including TRW pistons, chromoly piston rings, a Crane camshaft, a forged crankshaft, and aluminum cylinder heads fitted with custom finned valve covers. A Holley Brawler 650-cfm four-barrel carburetor was added in 2021, along with a replacement water pump, 150-amp alternator, aluminum radiator, and SPAL cooling fan. Power reaches the rear wheels through a ZF 5-DS-25/1 five-speed manual transaxle, which reportedly received a replacement case from Panteras by Wilkinson in 2007, along with replacement clutch cylinders during current ownership. The dual exhaust system features custom ceramic-coated headers and powder-coated ANSA mufflers. Suspension consists of a double-wishbone front setup with reverse lower wishbones and trailing arms at the rear, along with adjustable coilovers and front and rear sway bars. The car rolls on 15-inch Campagnolo magnesium wheels treated with Dow 7 and finished with DeTomaso-branded lug nuts and center caps, wrapped in BFGoodrich Radial T/As installed in December 2021.
Photo courtesy of Bring a Trailer.
The car has worn its dark blue paint since the 1970s. It received hood repairs in 2007 and was stripped and repainted in 2024 using Sikkens paint with three coats of clearcoat, followed by a ceramic coating and rechromed rear brightwork. New window seals were installed at the same time. Styling details include fixed quad headlights, round side markers, a mesh rear grille, quarter windows, and side louvers.
Photo courtesy of Bring a Trailer.
Inside, the cabin was reupholstered in red leather across the bucket seats, door panels, and center tunnel in 2005, with a matching headliner and rear bulkhead trim added in 2021 along with color-keyed carpets and black mouse-fur dash covering. Amenities include power windows, a lockable glovebox, a gated shifter, a leather-trimmed shift knob, Simpson latch-and-link harnesses, and speakers housed in custom enclosures on the rear bulkhead. The air conditioning system was converted to R134a refrigerant with a York compressor, and the Blaupunkt cassette stereo has been serviced. The three-spoke steering wheel is trimmed in wood and leather and frames Veglia Borletti instrumentation, including a 200-mph speedometer and a tachometer with a 5,900-rpm redline. The clock was rebuilt by North Hollywood Speedometer and Clock Company.
Photo courtesy of Bring a Trailer.
The car is offered with factory literature, service records, and a clean California title in the owner's name. It's located in La Verne, California, and listed as Lot #253,751 on Bring a Trailer, with bidding currently at $300,000 and the auction set to close on July 26.
Two decades with one caretaker is a rare thing for any collector car, let alone a low-production Italian exotic like the Mangusta. Interested bidders can follow the auction and view the full photo gallery on Bring a Trailer.
