Showcase
1952  Manta  Ray
Designed  and  Built  By  Glenn  Hire  and  Vernon  Antoine
Owners:  Donald  and  Lori  Lacer, Junction City, Kansas

—   One  of  America’s  First  Postwar  Show  Cars  —

Best  Viewed  In  Landscape  Mode
Use  On-Screen  Arrows  To  Move  Thru  Photos

History  of  This  Car

In 1953, Glenn Hire and Vernon Antoine debuted their space age inspired concept car – the Manta Ray – in Los Angeles, California. Both men worked in the jet aircraft division of the North American Aviation Company and wanted to incorporate the swift flowing lines of a jet fighter plane into their car’s styling.

Soon after the debut of their car, Bob Yeakel purchased it and began working with Glenn and Vernon to offer the Manta Ray to the public as a limited production car. A feature article appeared in the February, 1954 issue of Rod and Custom magazine written by Dean Moon who owned “Moon Equipment.”

The Manta Ray also appeared on the cover of Motor Trend in July, 1953 and other magazines such as Motor World, Mechanix Illustrated and Popular Science. The showing of the Manta Ray at the 2016 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance marks the first time in over 60 years it has appeared in public. This car is the only one produced.

Featured  Stories  On  The  Manta  Ray  Below

Music  Video
1952 Manta Ray Show Car – Released 2016

Our second video was created to introduce a friend’s car – D.E. Lacer’s 1952 Manta Ray Show Car – to the field at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance in 2016.  This is a 2 and 1/2 minute video set to Frank Sinatra’s song “Fly Me To The Moon.”  Click on the image below or the link below the image to start the video.

1952  Manta  Ray  Show  Car – Click  Here

Modern  Articles

1952  Studebaker  Manta  Ray  Concept  Car
Just  A  Car  Guy:  July  14,  2018

Concepts Beyond Detroit Class (Two Cars)
Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance:  Official Press Release
Two Cars Attending: 1961 Covington Tiburon; 1950 Leo Lyons Custom Mercury
March 10-13, 2016: Amelia Island, Florida

Unseen For More Than 60 Years:
The One-Off Manta Ray Will Once Again Return To The Spotlight
Daniel Strohl: February 8, 2016

Concepts Beyond Detroit
Amelia Island Concours d’elegance 2016
Old Cars Weekly: March 10, 2016

Manta Ray Trading Card From Belgium Chocolatier “Jacques” From 1954

Vintage  Articles

New  Ideas
Motor  World  Magazine: January, 1953

Descendant  of  the  Devilfish
Motor Trend: July, 1953

Futuristic  Dream  in  Fiberglass
Motor World Magazine: June 5, 1953

The  Manta  Ray
Hot  Rod  and  Motor  Sports  Show
September, 1953

The  Manta  Ray
A  Dream  Translated  To  Plastic  Reality
Rod and Custom: February, 1954

Jacques  Super  Chocolate  (Belgium)
Trading  Cards:  1954

New  For  The  Road
Mechanix  Illustrated:  January, 1954

Mate  A  Manta  Ray  With  A  Jet  Plane
Popular  Science:  March, 1954

Insurance
Custom  Cars  Annual:  1955

Car  or  Rocket
The  Junction  City  Union:  January 1, 1960

Fashion  Statement
LeSabre  Show  Car  “Look-alikes”
Collectible  Automobile:  June,  2007

Detroit  vs  the  Customizers
Harley  Earl  and  the  LeSabres
Gasoline  (Sweden): March,  2016

Background

Click  Here  To  View  All  Manta  Ray  Articles  on  our  Website

Click  Here  To  View  Dan  Palatnik  Renderings  of  the  Manta  Ray

Click Here To Read “The Emergence of the American Postwar Sportscar”

Click Here To Read “Forgotten Fiberglass: American Sports Car Specials”

Concours  d’Elegance  Appearances

Keel & Wheels
May 6-7, 2017

Art of the Car
Kansas City, Missouri: June 26, 2016

McPherson  College  Annual  Car  Show – Article 1
McPherson, Kansas:  April  30,  2016

McPherson  College  Annual  Car  Show – Article 2
McPherson, Kansas: April  30,  2016

Amelia  Island  Concours  d’Elegance
Amelia Island, Florida: March 13, 2016

Books:  Online  and  In-Print

Concepts Beyond Detroit
Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance: March, 2016
Author/Photographer: Bob Kolton

Overview:

Robert Kolton joined Undiscovered Classics at the 2016 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and photographed our class which was “Concepts Beyond Detroit.”  

Edition: First Printing
Size of Book: 12.5 Inches by 10 Inches
Binding: Hard Bound
Number of Pages: 24 Pages

—–   Click  Here  To  Read  This  Book  Online   —–

—–   Click  Here  To  Consider  Purchase  Of  The  Book —–

Scale  Models

Scale models of the Manta Ray Show Car are now available.  Click on the link below to learn more and consider purchase.

Click  Here  To  Learn  More  About  The  Manta  Ray  Scale  Models

Different  Views

Appearances  on  TV

Over half a million views on YouTube.  The Manta Ray appeared in 2016 on Wayne Carini’s “Chasing Classic Cars.”  See 3 minute video below

Driving the Manta Ray at the 2016 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance

Charles  Phoenix  Feature  On  The  1952  Manta  Ray

Manta Ray at Monterey Auction in August, 2019