[DeTomaso] Mangusta Box Frame

[Gary Bartley]

Jeff and all,

All of this is very interesting to me as I too have a Mangusta.  One 
thing you might consider is before and after measurements of chassis 
stiffness.  Perhaps someone on the list can explain how these stiffness 
measurements are taken.

FWIW, I recently read an article by Paul Van Valkenburgh in the Feb. 
1970 issue of Sports Car Graphic that stated the stock Mangusta would 
turn about 0.77g on the skid pad.  By changing tires, corner weighing / 
balancing and adjusting the alignment the Mangusta turned 0.92g.  He 
indicated that the unpredictability of the stock car was primarily due 
shocks.  In a sustained turn the out side rear shock was pumping up and 
then jacking the rear loose.  As best I can tell, the 0.92g was turned 
without changing the shocks although Koni was working on a replacement 
at the time.

Anyway, please keep us posted on your project.

Best regards,

Gary Bartley
8MA898




zumzum at cox.net wrote:

>Thank you Richard Chandler for your detailed stress and moment answers regarding my wanting to make better a poor center spine box design.  I do understand about increasing box strength by welding .0937 or 13 gauge  metal to floor base. That is logical. I know, that can and should be done along with inner box X- plates so as to remove most of the twist. A problem is that my car is a running, painted and undercoated goose and I would have problems doing such.  But I may just try it. Also the shift lever creates a open space flaw in the X- plates on load bearing issues. So I would go over the top of spine box with the three plates that are welded as one piece, then weld it  to the tunnel, floor and walls. Then spine load could dissipate some of it's movement into the walls. Now the metal I plan to use would be very high strength steel of .500 or 7/0 gauge which is 5.336 times thicker than 13 gauge. At the lowest box to floor intersection I will weld but also through bolt with spacers in spine box so vertical tunnel wall parallelism would not be compromised. Yet the bolts would solidify the welded plates, floor, wall to box edges and box as one. If this .500 metal  proves to have fiberglass and leather interference then it will be reduced thinner after measurements are done. We will all benefit from this mods. Lets brainstorm on this. I plan to do this next week when I get back to work. Thanks, Jeff Cobb 1196.
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