In most cases, manufacturers try to avoid drastic departures from their standard vehicle lines, particularly for popular models. They might give a 2-door and a 4-door option or a sportier version of a vehicle, but they rarely do such a dramatic change in the body style that it can be easily spotted. In the case of the 1969 Corvette Manta Ray, Chevrolet made something that was not only very different from other Corvettes, but also something that would eventually become a nice collectors’ item.