Buying a Goose; Points To Consider - June 21 2008

If you are considering the purchase of a Mangusta, there are a few initial points which warrant discussion.  One of the first recommendations we have for you, as a potential buyer, would be to become well informed.  An upper-end clothing store ad states “Our best customer is an educated customer”….. So educate yourself, get involved with your potential purchase, and learn about the Mangusta.  Learn about the person who styled the car some 40 years ago.  Learn of the unique characteristics of the car.  Go out and find a Mangusta owner, make friends and then learn if YOU can fit in the driver’s seat or not prior to a purchase!  (Ever heard the famous Bill Mitchell Mangusta story?)

Point 1: Transaxle

The Transaxle is probably the single most expensive part of the Mangusta.  The Mangusta originally came with an early edition 5-speed ZF-01 (Sometimes called a “Dash One”) transaxle, which is also the same transaxle which the famous Ford GT-40’s and later, the first generation Pantera “push button” cars used.  (Mangusta’s are also technically “Push Button” cars, as the doors open via push button).  You should note that the Mangusta transaxle is positioned “right side up” in the engine bay, meaning the transaxle is positioned with the original “top” of the transaxle in view from the top side of the car.  The Pantera, however, has the ZF factory installed in an “upside-down” position, chosen to aid in gaining underbody clearance to the street.  One look underneath a Mangusta tells the story.  A few Mangusta’s were fitted with dealer installed skid plates, which are lifesavers.  Because the ZF Bellhousing in a Mangusta is so low to the ground, normal driving can literally wipe the unit out, cracking the case, sometimes beyond repair should an unexpected pothole or speedbump appear.  We know this from experience…...  Buyer Beware! Regarding part numbers, the ZF has stamped numbers on each of the mating parts where the front and rear transaxle housings come together as one.  These numbers should match each other if the original transaxle has both original casings.  Additionally, the transaxle has a name plate attached to the shift lever housing which has details such as the gear ratio for each gear stamped in it.

Point 2: Original Parts; Does the car owner still have ‘em ? 

Whether you are a purist or not, please make sure the Mangusta you are considering has as many original pieces as possible.  The reason for this is simply, RARITY. These cars were hand built in relatively low volume (401 total cars produced).  Many pieces were entirely hand made, and obviously vary from car to car.  Locating original replacement parts can be a challenging endeavor.  Many Pantera owners (certainly not all) prefer to make drivetrain improvements, interior upgrades, etc., without retaining factory components, but with the Mangusta, it is critical to retain each and every original part, if for nothing more than doing the next owner a favor.  If you own a Mangusta and choose to replace original parts such as the air cleaner assembly, engine bay covers, spare tire, jack, toolkit, steering wheel, wheels, exhaust system, valve covers, etc., please keep the originals, as these are the same items which are nearly impossible to find, should you need a replacement.  It is interesting to note that those “non-performance” car parts you tossed aside years ago now command some impressive prices these days. 

Point 3: Rust  As with many vintage Italian vehicles, rust is an issue to consider.  Rot occurs from the inside out, so again, Buyer Beware !  Many solid Mangusta’s have had patch panels previously installed, and if the work was performed properly, this should not be an issue.  Fortunately, due to the unusual nature of the Mangusta, there are not too many “Hack Jobs” which exist as with your average high-volume 60’s American streetcar which was “restored” at home by a willing but sometimes unskilled owner. The general appearance of the Mangusta can be enough to prevent the unskilled from breaking out the saws-all and body filler; but certainly not in every case. 

Keep in mind that rust is commonly found in the lower sills, rockers, and lower door sections of the Mangusta.  Nearly all Mangustas have an aluminum front trunk lid and aluminum gull wing outer skins, so rust, by definition, is not an issue. Typically where these aluminum panels meet the steel body, however, corrosion can take place between these two dissimilar metals, resulting in paint bubbling, etc. 

Floor pans can sometimes be an issue if water was allowed to reach the interior, so use common sense when checking this area.  Fortunately these cars were layered with heavy undercoating, especially underneath the car.  The areas which have a tendency to rust are obviously areas which were never coated to begin with.  Inside the channels under the center of the car which house the coolant lines is an area which did not receive heavy undercoating.  While on the subject of the underbody, a common owner error is the selection of an incorrect point with which to raise the Mangusta when using a jack.  There are only two main points to safely use when lifting the Mangusta with a floor jack.  One safe location is under the frame cross member which lies directly under the transaxle in the rear of the car, and the other is either of the two boxed frame “horns” which exist at the very front of the car.  Raising the car with a jack positioned anywhere along either side of the Mangusta will surely damage the underbody.  Careful inspection of this area prior to a purchase will prevent disappointment in the future; repairs are not easy to correctly make.

Point 4: Engine  Many Pantera owners feel that a modified and improved Pantera is worth more than an original car which has not yet been sorted out.  The Mangusta does not fall in this category, however, unless original parts remain close at hand.  The drivetrain in the Mangusta is straightforward; European cars came with a 289 cid and the North American version came with a 302 cid.  Locating the car’s original VIN number and then trying to match a few of the VIN digits which are stamped on the flat machined pad of the engine where the ZF bell housing mates to the back of the engine can be a challenge to read.  You may want to reference the article on Mangusta VIN Number locations found elsewhere in the MI technical articles for clarification.  The common question of how “Matching Numbers” (Car with original engine stamped with numbers matching part of the VIN) affects Mangusta values remains to be seen.

Point 5: Glass  Not one piece of the Mangusta glass is currently available consistently from any source.  If there are any cracks or serious scratches in the glass, or signs of de-lamination taking place, be prepared to either live with it or pass on the car.  Only on rare occasion do original glass pieces appear for sale, and if they do, they command maximum prices.   

Point 6: Rubber  At this time, very few sources provide rubber weather stripping for the Mangusta, and most reproduction pieces were originally designed for another vehicle and are being passed off as usable for the Mangusta.  It makes sense to check all of the original rubber for tears or for missing pieces, simply due to limited availability of replacement pieces.

Point 7: Car Values  Keep in mind that the DeTomaso Mangusta has nearly no racing history, is nearly unknown by the masses, and suffers from minimal factory replacement parts suppliers worldwide.  Because of these points, the cars are most likely under-valued at this time.  Historically, most DeTomaso cars have performed poorly at the auction block, possibly for the same reasons; good for the buyer. The feeling is that the Mangusta is sure to continue to appreciate in value over time, although key points such as factory documents (Which make Mopars so incredibly valuable) are not readily available since the closure of the company, DeTomaso, which took place a few years ago. 

If you are considering the purchase of a Mangusta as an investment, and are only looking for the chance to re-sell the car in the future at a profit, this may not be the car for you.  The Mangusta is not overly fast and does not set any records in the handling department in stock form, so if these are the features you are after, you may consider a Pantera or yet an entirely different type of vehicle altogether.  If you are considering the purchase of a Mangusta for to the unique design and styling, limited production rarity and for the head turning “fun factor”, then a Mangusta could be the right car for you; again, just make sure you can fit in the driver’s seat….. 

Conclusion:  The above points are only a few common sense considerations.  This is common sense, but most Mangusta’s are probably worth saving; just keep in mind that it isn’t logical to invest loads of money in the purchase of a car which is overly “needy”, when a solid car may be available for a similar investment.  Do your homework.  Approach the Mangusta with common sense and open eyes after building a general knowledge of the car.  Finally, don’t fall in love with those fantastic exterior lines without confirming what lies behind them first.

Good luck on your search, and welcome to our family!

Mangusta International