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Manta Ray


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https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/classic-cars/a28678066/studebaker-manta-ray-for-sale/

 

The Studebaker Manta Ray was a one-off custom car built by Glen Hire and Vernon Antoine of Whittier, California in 1952. Assembled with fiberglass molds using 1950s aircraft design as inspiration, it looks unlike anything else on the road, sporting a center turbine-like grille and three tail fins. Sadly, it never went into production.

After making its way onto magazine covers throughout the early 1950s, it was acquired by a collector in Junction City, Kansas, who kept it in storage up until his death in 1990. His son then took ownership and got it back to running, driving condition. At some point, the stock Studebaker engine was swapped out with a Dual-Quad Cadillac V-8, and the car was repainted from gold to light pink.

 

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https://medium.com/motorious/the-manta-ray-concept-car-still-being-enjoyed-60-years-later-12fa9e51267

 

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Studebaker was already way ahead of its time in the early fifties!  The Manta Ray was just a little too far for the buying public.

 

If you study the lines closely, you’ll see a lot of features that appear on the Packard Caribian a few years later!

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I know this is sorta Alpo-esque. But, what are the weird gold (brass) studs, with weird clear plastic geometric shape covers, stuck into the dashboard??????

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1 hour ago, Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme said:

I know this is sorta Alpo-esque. But, what are the weird gold (brass) studs, with weird clear plastic geometric shape covers, stuck into the dashboard??????

 

My guess is that is a fancy texture on the ashtray, the plastic is the pull.

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An altimeter.  Ok.

 

Dash looks like it was made with caulk.

 

Two different steering wheels in the pics.  I'm guessing the yoke-style is/was just for photo ops.

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2 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

My guess is that is a fancy texture on the ashtray, the plastic is the pull.

I got that one. I'm talking the other 6, below the radio and next to the ignition.

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1 hour ago, Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme said:

I got that one. I'm talking the other 6, below the radio and next to the ignition.

They almost look like decorations. 

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2 hours ago, Capt. R. Hugh Kidnme said:

I got that one. I'm talking the other 6, below the radio and next to the ignition.

 

Ah!  One for each wiper, one for each fan, one is a lighter,  and the one to the left of the switch is the choke.  

 

Just my guess. 

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3 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Ah!  One for each wiper, one for each fan, one is a lighter,  and the one to the left of the switch is the choke.  

 

Just my guess. 

Or, a helluva place for your date to bang her knees if she slides on over to be closer, while you drive. :(

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