While walking throught the parts, we found 3 complete sets of Wings for the Mangusta. Right and Left, they were in the spare parts area. Also, if anyone is looking for body parts, there are a couple of dashes, and a bunch 2, air conditioning systems and compressors.

Let me know and i can pass the information on.

We

Wellis, this may be ancient history from 12 years ago, but during the '96 Factory Tour, a few of us wandered into the off-limits storage warehouse, and stacked on a shelf were at least 6 complete Mangusta front clips! We got hustled out before we got much further, but I spotted the famous 3-seat Maserati V6-powered Pantera 2+2 sitting there, too.

I saw only one, but a bunch of other parts, and BOXES of switches. We also found 2 SI frames sitting in a pile.

The interesting thing is that Santiago knows much of the stuff, but not everything. There was a box, that I opened, and it was 100+ locks. It seems that someone put it in the wrong place.

Hi Wellis, wasn't positive if the wings you mentioned were engine covers or front fenders? If it's the latter, I'm a interested in finding a replacement front left fender (US driver's side)... heard they might still exist but I've procrastinated several years since then. Regards, Nate Stevens

Nate,

What "was" sitting at the factory was complete front clips, consisting of both front fenders and the front lower section.... All stacked neatly nested into one another!!!

Not sure if I have a picture from my visit, but the image is still etched in the brain!

Steve

Is this what you are referring to?

Yup! Those would be the ones!!! They were standing up way back in the dark confines of one of the warehouses when I saw them.....under neath overhead shelves with lots of other parts up top......

Ciao!
Steve

That is them, now they are in the other building and they are stacked together. Those are the fronts I think. There are a bunch of the rears, over the engine. I did not see any US spec front ends, there was only one complete front there, it was the left,right fenders and lower front of the car. I am sure it was a EURO spec one. I have sent Santiago a note to see what he says.

Wellis,

Euro spec....US spec....????

There was no difference........they both got shipped to the US.....flip ups, and fixed headlamps....

Just bugs me when people use those terms.....I much rather would prefer to hear or read...flip up or four headlamp.... As in Italy so many times...the "US spec" was more of a "suggestion!"

If it TRULY was the case, we'd be seeing many many more flip up headlamp cars here and this just isn't the case.

While the flip ups "may have been designed for the US requirements" I don't think it slowed down DeT from shipping everything they had to the US.....fixed or flip-up....

Steve

I disagree with you about the term US vs Europe. There was a difference in the flip vs 4 light versions. The US had a different engine. You can not use the idea of more of one vs another in the US as a point of reference, since 30 years has passed. Take the "only original goose" it was a US car, it had been here since 1969, and was shipped to Europe last year. Does that mean that should be counted as a Flip in Europ. I do not think so.

When you are talking about a car that is in such a small number, anything is possible. While in Italy this last trip, my aunt was talking about how they wanted to get rid of the last of the Mangustas as the production of the Pantera was taking off. She stated that they sold the last 50 or so to some people in Germany to finsh. So, I guess you could say that the last ones were German Spec. As for deTomaso shipping everything they had to the US, this is not the case. Importing those last cars would have required more exceptions for the emissions. I remember as a child the amount of complaining that went on about each of the exceptions. I believe that Ethal, my fathers Secretary, had to go to Baltimore to get the paperwork for each "exception."

To answer the question, Santiago says that the front clip is for a 4 light version.