Ruzzin 69 Mangusta Chevrolet

[CurtEgerer]

You just never know who is going to show up to the local Cars & Coffee at AutoZone in the Motor City. A couple of weeks ago, I brought my 85 Ur quattro. A few minutes later a 69 Mangusta pulls in and backs in next to the quattro. This thing sounds VERY, VERY healthy and has a tiny Chevy bowtie on the rear fascia? (I thought these all had Ford power ...). The guy gets out and we eventually strike up a conversation about the quattro. He loves the car and goes on to tell me that he knew the designer Martin Smith very well .... really? Turns out I'm talking to Dick Ruzzin, retired Director of Design for GM Europe.

So I inquire about the Mangusta, one of my all-time favorite cars. Ruzzin's is the only Chevrolet-powered version. He goes on to tell me the unbelievable story of how it came to be, documented here (and well worth the read!):

http://www.qv500.com/detomasoregistrymang0670.php

[Chuck Miller]

How Cool Is That !!!!!!!!.......

[EARLY911ZOO]

how cool is THAT!
indeed a chance in a lifetime

[CurtEgerer]

Believe it or not, I didn't bring a camera that day! The foto is a stock foto I found. He has a different license plate now that says 'PROVA 1".

I just love the part of the story about the engineers finding out that the suspension had been effectively locked for shipping by the factory after Mitchell declared the car a POS that didn't handle! Ruzzin has owned the car for nearly 40 years!

[cosley]

Those cars are just too cool. I was looking for one in the late '90's when they were in the mid $20K range. Now they're in the $80-90K range, oh well. Italian styling and US h.p., great combo.
Harold #334
'68 crewcab
'73S coupe
'75 Carrera RS look race car
'79 930/DP935
http://www.dp935registry.com

[MarcS]

Good read, thanks Curt.

[CurtEgerer]

Yeah, it was a different era for sure. I just don't see one of the VP's today going to the Turin auto show and ordering up a couple of Ferraris and a Lamborghini. OK, they've got these cars and many others at GM, Ford, etc. today for evaluation purposes (in fact, a mechanic told me the last Ur quattro he worked on was owned by GM!) but you can be sure they're under pretty tight control. I still see some unusual stuff running around town with Manufacturer plates.

Maybe JCR will weigh in. He worked for Ruzzin during his tenure at GM.

[Paul Schooley]

Great reading. Thanks.

[TKO]

Curt,

I did many years at GM Design staff and know Dick but I had never heard that story before ... that was something, eh? I do remember, as a fresh hire, Chuck Jordan (then VP of Design) got one of the first Testarosa's and later a F40. He would occasionally give some of the young punks rides around the lake in the Tech Center. We all would be peeled to the windows when he left for the day to see and hear. It sure made many of us dream, lust, and get excited about cars and design.

At some time the Union at GM complained and Chuck had to move his Ferrari's from the executive garage.

Thanks for sharing,