One of our readers John send us an email about this Manage Mirage that is for sale on the Bay. According to the auction the car was fully assembled at one time, but sometime in 1988 it was disassembled for paint and other improvements and never put back together. It has a 331 Chevy small block with a kelmark adapter kit.It also have a really cool digital gauges set up.
The BIN is $12,500 and I want it! So if all you readers would like to see a new price of his toys promo car start donating..hahaha.
The auction can be found here http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1975-MANTA-MIRAGE-kit-car-Original-Suvivor-/140742816172?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item20c4ecf1ac
Seems the down economy or common sense has even made an impact on the Manta car pricing,
A BIN of 12.5K might have seemed like a steal until you start to understand this is no race car and needs a lot of work still, One of my all time favorites.
It has the Kelmark style 180 Corvair gear box which uses a custom quill shaft a very weak link, NO hole shots in these, the gearing is a bit off so take offs in second is the norm,
The next weak link is the corvair differential, people beef them with 4 spiders and avoid the even weaker posi units,
This example still has drum brakes and the VW type one front suspension, Love that old school low tech…
People do start with these adding better suspensions and transaxles to build true super cars.
These have the one feature so very rare to early grass roots kit cars, they use a unique windscreen ( last I heard glass ones are impossible to find )
These guys open like a transformer, the rear tilts, the doors open, the roof removes with the windows.
Timing is off for me and this isn’t one I would jump on but perhaps one day,
for now I will play with my Valkyrie, the poor mans Mirage, and at one twelfth the entry fee compaired to this one I’m good with that.
But I hope this rare example finds a loving home and is brought up to speed….Pun intended.
Disc brakes and a Porsche transaxle would make it safer more reliable. They just look so brutal there are a few good vids on YouTube of them . I like the yellow it would guarantee a spot in the center of attention.
Windscreens are now available and are being made to find out enquire at mantacars@yahoogroups.com for the chat line with many of the owners , and check out the web site http://www.mantacars.com
Sorry, kind of, didn’t know you were looking at this one, been looking for one myself since I was a teen. Glad to get ahold of one, fortunately my brother is working on this one for/with me. I’m the body man and he knows engines and trannies. May disappoint others will be going with the emerald green on this one. Will take a bit, but will give you a couple pics in progress and coompletion. Have to recess the dash, my brother cut his hand on the pick up of the car, but many props to Carl, he came accross with the full info on this one, mags, purchases, documentation galore. In the middle of a few things right now, but this one will take a couple years to complete the way I imagine. Sorry working overseas at the moment.
Has vehicle been sold in interested clean title? Rsvp to Chris 201 702 3527 thank u
Hey Chris. We do not sell the kit cars we post. These are generally cars we find on various Internet websites.
Thanks