1951 Manta Ray

Owner:  Donald  and  Lori  Lacer, Junction City, Kansas

History  of  This  Car

The 1940s and 1950s was a time of many technological advancements, especially in the automotive industry. That era saw wars and growth of space age with reports of UFOs and aliens, which in turn naturally stimulated the minds of creative automotive enthusiasts everywhere. The 1952 Manta Ray was inspired by space travel, science fiction and art from the culture of the time. This concept car was the brainchild of aircraft designers, Glenn Hire and Vernon Antoine.

Studebaker Foundation

Both Hire and Antione worked in aircraft design at North American at the time, and they had a vision of a fighter jet-like automotive design, so they purchased a 1951 Studebaker Commander to serve as the foundation for their new space age concept car they decided to call the Manta Ray. They stripped down the stock body design and added a three-seater roadster body made of fiberglass. Hire and Antoine then began adding designs of the jet-age. The first addition was the nosecone which they designed from scratch by first building a wooden cone mold and then they cast a ¼ - inch shell. Next, they added a triple tail lamp feature which they borrowed from the 1952 Lincoln design. They kept the Studebaker 232 cu.-in. V-8 engine and the Studebaker chassis, but they did chop off some 3 inches from the frame rails in their design.

The Manta Ray Changed Hands

The finished design was showcased in several automotive magazines in 1953 and 1954, like Rod and Custom Magazine, but Hire and Antoine sold the Manta Ray to jet car builder Bob Yeakel They received permission from him to continue working on the car’s design. Their hope was to get the vehicle into circulation as a limited-edition model with two changes. First, add the body molding to a steel-tube chassis and second, replace the engine with a Cadillac V-8 engine. The production idea did not go beyond the plan to circulate the car, and it was never cultivated for mass production. 

Completed Design

The original car was believed to be completed in late 1952 and was debuted before the Chevy Corvette. By 1959, the car found its way into the hands of a used car dealer in Kansas where it was traded for a Volkswagen and a Crosley by collector, L.L. “Peanuts” Lacer of Junction City Kansas. He brought the vehicle to his home and put it into his warehouse full of unusual cars that nobody wanted and there it stayed until he died in 1990. Lacer’s son D.E. received the vehicle when his mother Darlene, the widow of Peanuts Lacer, began liquidating the 120-car collection. D.E. has set to the task of getting the Manta Ray up and running again in recent years. In the years since his father died and D.E inherited the vehicle, some work had been done to it. For one change he noted was the replacement of the old Studebaker engine for a dual quad Cadillac V-8 engine and the car was repainted from gold to pink. 

The Future of the Manta Ray

The car will eventually be fully restored by D.E. but for now it is still in the state it was when he inherited the vehicle. It will show up in many concept car auto shows in years to come but the last time this vehicle was known to be seen or even discussed was back in 2016.
 

The Resurgence of The Manta Ray

Even decades later, nothing on the road looks remotely close to the Manta Ray Roadster. It would be a crime to keep this vehicle locked up in a warehouse forever, which is why Don Lacer has been hard at work on its restoration.

• The Original Fiberglass Body: While a lot of work has been done on this car, you might be surprised to learn that the fiberglass body and three tail fins haven’t been restored. When you view the Manta Ray, you’ll be met with the design that Hire and Antoine first imagined when they created it.
• The Jet-Inspired Nose Cone: This is arguably the defining feature of this model, as it’s hard to imagine what it would look like without it. The mechanics behind this vehicle’s restoration have taken careful care of its nosecone so that it remains sleek and intimidating.
• A Focus on Originality: It’s easy to go overboard when you’re restoring a vehicle. The only problem with this is the fact that you’ll quickly run out of original parts. The Manta Ray remains largely original, as it wouldn’t make sense to change such a unique and eye-catching design. While certain parts were restored so that this model could perform on the road, it still maintains its signature look.

The 73rd Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

If you're a car enthusiast, then you probably already know about Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. This is an annual automotive event that you’ll be able to find in Pebble Beach, California, but it’s different from most other competitions. While some choose to focus on performance and speed, this competition aims to judge cars based on their history, elegance, and their technical merit. You won’t see run-of-the-mill cars here, as each model is incredibly unique. This competition attracts car enthusiasts from around the world as they compete for the coveted “Best of Show” award. This isn’t a small event either, as thousands of people show up to see cars that defined eras.

The Manta Ray Enters the Race

Since the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance focuses on models that stand out, it only makes sense to have the Manta Ray Roadster enter the competition. After all, there’s simply nothing else like it.

• A Long Time in The Making: The Manta Ray Roadster was originally featured on the July 1953 cover of Motor Trend Magazine, so it’s been making waves for quite some time. Seventy years later, this unique roadster is still turning heads. It’s needless to say this car is truly timeless.
• Judging The Manta Ray: While most people are treated to a beautiful view of the Manta Ray from a distance, the judges take their time when evaluating each and every model. This allows them to dive deeper into every vehicle that’s currently competing so that they can truly find the best entry.

The Manta Ray Wins Third in Class

After a long day at the show, the Manta Ray was able to take home Third in Class. This is especially impressive when you consider that it wasn’t just competing against the best cars in the nation, as there are vehicles that come from around the world. The Manta Ray managed to set itself apart from the competition with its innovative design, as it was groundbreaking when it debuted, and there’s been nothing like it ever since.

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

CLICK HERE FOR ADDITIONAL ARTICLES AND VIDEOS

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The 1950s Manta Ray

The Manta Ray was the vision of two aircraft designers, Glen Hire and Vernon Antoine, who wanted to create a vehicle that looked like a Manta Ray. The manufacturer was the Studebaker Company, and they turned out 249 of these wondrous cars starting in 1952. The nose of the Manta Ray is a nod to aircraft with what appears to be a center turbine grille complemented by three tail fins. The plan was to take this fiberglass-bodied car into line production. However, the project never got past the prototype stage.

Where To See The Only Manta Ray On The Road

The Manta Ray made its way into many popular car magazines over the years, including a few highly coveted cover shots. But when the model never took off, the only remaining Manta Ray found its way to Junction City, Kansas, to become a part of an enthusiast's collection. The car remained in storage until 1990, when the team at D.E.L. Motors refurbished the Manta Ray, including an upgrade from the original Studebaker stock engine to a Dual-Quad Cadillac V-8 and a new paint job. To learn more about the only Manta Ray to live in Junction City, Kansas, visit D.E.L. Motors at 1737 N Washington St or call this team of automotive experts at 785-238-5368.