Club Cobra - Shelby Mk V

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- Shelby and Racing History (http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/shelby-racing-history/)

- - Shelby Mk V (http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/shelby-racing-history/126102-shelby-mk-v.html)

Interesting. Never noticed that, and never heard the story behind this.
So, who can fill us in with the rest of the story behind these photos?
Jim Kellogg

Here is an interesting story behind the Mangusta / MK V Shelby
Cobra Ranch Historical Automotive Blog: Featuring Wally Wyss

Makes for some entertaining reading!
Jim

I owned one of the three engines that were built for the Pete Brock designed de Tomaso P70 and Sport 5000 - as shown on the backbone chassis at the November 1965 Turin Auto Show. Had they spent the development money to correct the chassis and used this engine the Mangusta really could have been up there. My engine came from Colin Chapman at Lotus which was a candidate for a still born Lotus Can Am project. The engine was a very interesting piece: based on a 289 Ford design, this was an aluminum block 305ci with external oil pump and shallow wet sump - about 4 inches deep. The bottom end consisted of a flat plane crank and Carrillo rods with special forged custom Venolia pistons. The heads were visually very close to the Mk1 Gurney Weslake heads - which they predated by a couple of years. They had finned de Tomaso script valve covers, shaft rockers and Weslake hallmark slide injection. Where they differ from the later Gurney Weslake heads is that the combustion chamber volume was 0.5cc. These were Heron heads with the combustion chsmbers being in the crown of the Venolia pistons. Ignition was via a Mallory dual point distributor Power output was reputedly around 500 hp although that seems a tad optimistic to me! I still have the build sheet on my engine which was gone through by John Dunn - formerly with Ryan Falconer. I would not be surprised if these heads later had combustion chambers added to become the Gurney Weslake heads. What still intrigues me most however is the external oil pump 289 style aluminum block. Was this one of the XHP based Indy engine blocks from 1963 perhaps? If you google de Tomaso P70 images there is a black and white photo of the Turin Auto Show P70/Mangusta chassis with one of these engines - but with 48 IDA Webers in place of the slide injection on my engine and in the de Tomaso P70.

I have photos of my engine but the upload failed - not sure why.
If I could figure out how to post the photos I would be happy to do so - tech help anybody?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guido36 (Post 1391578)

If I could figure out how to post the photos I would be happy to do so - tech help anybody?

I think you need a few more posts. Then you should be good!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim Kellogg (Post 1284964)

Here is an interesting story behind the Mangusta / MK V Shelby
Cobra Ranch Historical Automotive Blog: Featuring Wally Wyss

Makes for some entertaining reading!
Jim

As usual Wally has done limited research, spelled "Bordinat" wrong and has Bunkie hiring Shinoda from Ford....to Ford?

The basic story is correct and of course the exposure to de Tomaso paved the way for the Pantera. The Mangusta was a beautiful, but seriously flawed product, done as many Italian cars of the day, without any real product development (that will be done in the field by the customers!)

I believe that there was a posting done on the other Cobra related site. If so the the Webers in that photo date sometime after 1969.
I have an early "XE" part numbered Indy quad cam crank in my 5-bolt 289 hipo engine, although the crank was originally set up for a dry sump oiling system this one was modified for the wet sump application and slightly stroked (.189"), all the mods were done in period. I have seen a bare cast iron version of the Indy block with the oil pump mountings built into the four bolt main caps, very interesting piece.

...and now it looks like you can buy it:
https://silodrome.com/de-tomaso-mang...mkv-prototype/

I was the proud owner of a Corgi Models Mangusta complete with a fully removable backbone chassis. Beautiful car and the spiritual father of the Pantera.

The Mangusta is still a great looking car! I remember seeing one in a Ford dealer's showroom in Adelaide when I was a kid and being hooked on its appearance way back then.
Interesting that the Mangusta has the same engine and ZF transaxle as a MkI GT40, but the Mangusta has separate backbone chassis whereas the GT40s had a monocoque chassis.

Cheers, Happy New Year....and stay safe, my friends! :D
Glen