The Mako Sharks: Birth of an Exotic!
Back in the early 1960s, Chevy produced 2 concept cars: The Mako Shark and the Mako Shark II (later renamed the Manta Ray after it was restyled). The cool things about these cars is that they relatively changed little once they went into production. Sure, things changed and a lot of the cool gadgets, such as a retractable bumper, were removed, but hey - you can see the strong design influence in the production Corvettes! Here are some cool pics:
Mako Shark 1
Mako Shark 2 (before Manta Ray restyling)
This is the Mako Shark 2. It was renamed Manta Ray after some changes: new engine, rear (louvers removed, different side pipes & hood).
I saw this car at the Chip's Choice display at Corvettes at Carlisle in 2000 and also at the Corvette's 50th Anniversary in Nashville June 2003. She is 1000% better in person, despite some paint flaws (I consider the defects a badge of honor from her great history). She has about 33,000 miles, mostly from Bill Mitchell who used it as his personal car. One day you may see me driving something very much like this....someday....
My all-time FAVORITE CAR! There is no other car cooler than this! This picture was taken in Nashville June 2003.
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