Manta Mirage
Encyclopedia
The Manta Mirage was a mid-engined vehicle produced by Manta Cars, owned by brothers Brad and Tim LoVette, in Costa Mesa, California* from 1974 to 1986. The Mirage, originally referred to as just the 'Manta', or the 'Manta Can-Am', was a light-weight road-legal car, based loosely on the McLaren M8 Can-Am racing car. The Mirage's steel space frame
chassis was fitted with a high-output V8 engine and 4-speed transaxle. Most Mirages were equipped with 327 in³ (5.4 L) or 350 in³ (5.7 L) Chevrolet small block V8 engines
, though some used 454 in³ (7.4 L) or 460 in³ (7.5 L) V8 engines. The original Mirage design mated the Chevy V8 to a Corvair transaxle via a Kelmark adapter and remote shifter. The bodywork was all hand-laid fiberglass, pre-colored in a range of gel-coat colors. Gull-wing doors were fitted to a removable top section, while the doors flip forward for entry. With curb weights as light as 1,900 lbs (680 kg), the cars could be built by the factory or their owners to be extremely fast.
Manta Cars later produced other component kit car
s, including the rear-engined Volkswagen Beetle
-based Manta Montage and the mid-engined Montage-T, which had a custom space frame
chassis and used GM X-body
V6 drivetrains. The Montage-T recreated the elusive McLaren M6GT
.
A very accurate reproduction of the classic 1953 Corvette was to be added to their product line and although a prototype was built, Manta Cars ceased production in 1986, having sold somewhere in the vicinity of 1,000 factory built and component cars.
.
Space frame
A space frame or space structure is a truss-like, lightweight rigid structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Space frames can be used to span large areas with few interior supports...
chassis was fitted with a high-output V8 engine and 4-speed transaxle. Most Mirages were equipped with 327 in³ (5.4 L) or 350 in³ (5.7 L) Chevrolet small block V8 engines
Chevrolet Small-Block engine
The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block...
, though some used 454 in³ (7.4 L) or 460 in³ (7.5 L) V8 engines. The original Mirage design mated the Chevy V8 to a Corvair transaxle via a Kelmark adapter and remote shifter. The bodywork was all hand-laid fiberglass, pre-colored in a range of gel-coat colors. Gull-wing doors were fitted to a removable top section, while the doors flip forward for entry. With curb weights as light as 1,900 lbs (680 kg), the cars could be built by the factory or their owners to be extremely fast.
Manta Cars later produced other component kit car
Kit car
A kit car, also known as a "component car", is an automobile that is available as a set of parts that a manufacturer sells and the buyer then either assembles into a car themselves, or retains a third party to do part or all of the work on their behalf...
s, including the rear-engined Volkswagen Beetle
Volkswagen Beetle
The Volkswagen Type 1, widely known as the Volkswagen Beetle or Volkswagen Bug, is an economy car produced by the German auto maker Volkswagen from 1938 until 2003...
-based Manta Montage and the mid-engined Montage-T, which had a custom space frame
Space frame
A space frame or space structure is a truss-like, lightweight rigid structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Space frames can be used to span large areas with few interior supports...
chassis and used GM X-body
GM X platform
There have been two X-body automobile platforms from General Motors. All X-bodies were small entry-level models.-Rear wheel drive:The rear-wheel drive X-body underpinned the Chevrolet Nova and similar cars of the late 1960s and 1970s. It was also the basis for the Cadillac Seville's K platform...
V6 drivetrains. The Montage-T recreated the elusive McLaren M6GT
McLaren M6A
The McLaren M6A was a race car developed by driver Bruce McLaren and his Bruce McLaren Motor Racing team for their entry in 1967 Can-Am season. As a replacement for the team's M1Bs from 1966, the Chevrolet-powered M6A's improved design earned Bruce McLaren and his team their first of multiple...
.
A very accurate reproduction of the classic 1953 Corvette was to be added to their product line and although a prototype was built, Manta Cars ceased production in 1986, having sold somewhere in the vicinity of 1,000 factory built and component cars.
- Manta Cars moved their production facility and showroom to 2914 Halladay Avenue, Santa Ana, California around 1980.
Media Appearances
The Mirage was one of the 48 cars stolen in the original 1974 movie version of Gone In 60 SecondsGone in 60 Seconds (1974 film)
Gone in 60 Seconds is a 1974 American action film written, directed, produced by, and starring H.B. 'Toby' Halicki. It centers on a group of car thieves and the 48 cars they must steal in a matter of days. The film is famous for having wrecked and destroyed 93 cars in a 34-minute car chase scene....
.