My trade is auto body repair. I started working on fiberglass back in the 60's in my home town. I had a friend who was a used car dealer and he dealt in a lot of Corvettes; they had big motors and he had a heavy foot, so I got lots of practice. I guess I was about the only one who would work on the Corvettes. Apart from my work, I have also had a long time interest in Corvettes. I’m not a fanatic, just a solid affection for the cars. I have another friend who I would have to call a fanatic,. He has three Corvettes (‘65, ‘66', and ‘58).
I have been buying and selling cars since I was a young man back in the 50's. I have three other (not Corvette) show cars now, but the Corvettes are really my favorites. I bought my first Corvette in the 80's. I bought two, actually. I first purchased a 1969 350/350 4-speed and then my present ‘73 Motion GT Phase III.
When I bought the Motion car, it wasn’t like I had been researching them and looking for one. It was much more of an accident. In fact, when I first bought it I didn’t even know it was a Joel Rosen/Motion Performance car.
The whole story started when another friend of mine traded it in at a local dealer on a pick-up truck. Being in the body work area, you tend to develop an eye for the unusual so I had stopped by to look at it. I talked with the salesman but we didn’t come to an immediate sale. About four months later, the car had still not sold, so the salesman called me up and said “Let’s meet for coffee; I’m going to sell you this car”. So we met and made the deal.
I was just going to turn it for a profit after some cleaning and touching-up. Then I began to hear that it may be some kind of special car. I started to do some research but I really didn’t know how to begin. I called the GM Assembly Plant in Bowling Green just for a place to start. They suggested that I contact Vette Vues magazine. Someone there suggested that the car sounded like the “Motion” cars. But they also said it could be a kit car.
Then, in 1993, I actually met Joel Rosen at the Bloomington GOLD ® and told him about the car. I had some photographs with me and, after seeing them, he told me that this car had been built at his place in Baldwin, Long Island. He told me all about his Motion Performance cars and how the “Manta Ray” series comprised only three cars. There was a yellow car, an orange car and the red one. This car was one of only three built in 1973.
Joel gave me the best refresher on his Motion cars to date. You can build your own understanding of the model’s history from the various magazines but it’s really handed to you when you speak with the originator. Anyway, just to recap, there were basically three series. The first two groups were the Mako Shark Phase III (big block) and Spyder hatchback versions offered between 1969 and 1971. Only ten of these were ever ordered. Then in 1973, as I said, there were the three Manta Ray cars. The front-end body work was similar for all models with the single recessed headlight worked into the fender, a variation on the ZL-1 style hood, and wider fender flares. The Mako Shark and Spyder hatchback models had a sloping glass design which replaced the recessed window of that era; the glass followed the line of the sail panels, in effect. For the Manta Ray, however, the rear backlight changed. This model featured a boat-tail-style roof extension with a louvered window and a ducktail spoiler. All cars used the same flip open gas tank filler cap which, as I understand it, is still available as a part for buses. For the Manta Ray, the tank filler cap was moved to one side to clear the bodywork; for the initial cars it was located in the stock position.
Now the mechanicals for the Manta Ray were pretty well standardized, unless the buyer ordered more goodies. The 350 carried an Edelbrock Performer intake, Holley 650 carb and Mallory ignition. It had Hooker chromed headers and side pipes and wore the trademark aftermarket Anson vector-style wheels.Joel had his own unique center caps for these wheels, too.
At that time that I had met Joel, the car was not yet refinished. It was in good condition, with about 68,000 miles on it. The rest of the equipment on the car was original, except the block, which must have been replaced at one point. But all the normal add-ons that made up a Motion Manta Ray were there. It had the normal wear and chips and Joel said that the stripes must have been re-done because they were not the correct width. These stripes had become a bit of a ‘signature” for the Motion cars, whether Corvettes or Camaros. So I guess they were pretty standardized for him to recognize a point like that. Anyway, Joel was glad to hear that the car was till around and that it was still with someone who appreciated it.
It was at that point that I decided it would be worth my time and effort to repaint it. Of course, nothing is ever as simple as it seems and by the time I had finished I really had done pretty much a complete re-do. The interior was in very good condition, so I just cleaned that.
Now that I have one of the Motion cars, people think I might start collecting them. I don’t think so, though. Like I said, I’m not a fanatic and I just enjoy what I have. I have taken this car to quite a few shows in the five mid-states around Illinois and I have also had it in two shows by special invitation.
First, I was invited to the Franklin Mint show in Philadelphia in 1993. That was the celebration of the 40th year of the Corvette and the Franklin Mint had invited one car representative of each year and a number of Corvette celebrities. Joel Rosen was also there with his 1970 Phase III GT. Zora Arkus-Duntov and his wife Elfi were also there. When Zora came by our cars he complimented us on them. I was really happy to have his approval, like that. Apparently he and Rosen were friends from way back. They had worked on some special projects together. I remember that WILD ABOUT WHEELS filmed an interview with both Joel and myself at that show too. All in all, it was a really memorable show for me.
The other show I was invited to was a special show put on by Goodyear at their Tennessee tire plant at Union City. It was at this show that I got to show off the Goodyear spare tire... it’s never been on the ground, as they say. That’s a very interesting show, too.
Rayburn Pennington Rt 12, Box 28 Poplar Bluff, MO USA 63901 (573) 785-6849 (H)
