Southern California’s Dean Jeffries worked with masters of ’60s car culture including George Barris and Von Dutch. After making the amazing original Mantaray, Jeffries designed this cartoon-like Mantaray II Kyote, The 1968 Monkees movie featured the band in a Kyote. This particular 1967 Mantaray II Kyote in Milton, Washington seeks a new owner here on eBay and features a low-mileage replacement engine. At least 30 bids have elevated the market value to at least $4500 for this supposedly good-running dune-buggy.
As Jeffries was most noted for pinstriping, it would be a shame if this orange respray destroyed any of the master’s original striping work. Regardless, the “Lamborghini Orange Pearl” looks good and certainly fits the playful Kyote. If you don’t know much about Dean Jeffries, check out the excellent page at kustomrama.com. Jeffries is also known as the guy who painted the racing numbers and “Little Bastard” script on James Dean’s Porsche Spyder.
The current owner cut the dash to install a modern stereo in place of the original two-knob radio. The new owner should be prepared for many waves and impromptu conversations. Dune buggies of any type are a rare sight these days, and the eye-pleasing Dean Jeffries design and rarity makes this one especially interesting.
Kudos to the seller for mentioning things that don’t work including the headlights, tail lights, and wipers. The venerable VW flat four cylinder engine should provide reliable and entertaining power for the lightweight buggy. The paint job and replacement motor remove any hard-core collectors from the buying pool, and that’s good news for someone who wants a fun little car with a great back-story and a hip ’60s vibe. The new owner should drive and enjoy this car as much as possible! Where would you drive this Kyote if it was yours?
Not car-related but maybe good for a laugh… I can’t hear the word “Kyote” without thinking about Chuck Testa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJP1DphOWPs I do love the lines of this design, though.
Now that’s funny ! ( sorry, no pets! …or ex-wives I would add) Sorry, former Animal Control Officer and career Firefighter …we tend to have very dark humor . As for the Dune Buggy, too fun ! If only I had bought that gold metallic body my neighbor had hanging in his 4 stall garage for 40 years !
Hey Todd I own this buggy. Since all you did was re-itterate my entire verbiage without researching a thing. If you DID DO ANY RESEARCH AT ALL you would’ve dropped the only 2 (rather ridiculous statements) that were brought up by you
(A) would know all of Jefferries dune buggies and almost all dune buggies of that era are kits that the purchaser assembled themselves SO THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A NON ORIGINAL MOTOR‼️ AND THEY WERE NOT ALL PINSTRIPED BY JEFFRIES you had to request and pay for Jeffries to do that and VERY FEW HAD IT DONE since the kits were sent all over the country
Why, why, why, would you switch out the radio when your never going to listen to it in this wonderful car? If I bought it, I would repaint this in the appropriate style, and either put another Datsun radio in, or delete it. I would also find out what wheels were appropriate, switch them out, and then drive it and show it here in the PNW. This is so close to me to ignore, but not high on my must have list. Still very cool and I love the style.
Russell Why why why would you put another DATSUN radio the key word being DATSUN in a MANTARAY II KYOTE DUNE BUGGY??? does any if the wording MANTARAY II KYOTE DUNE BUGGY make you think a DATSUN RADIO WAS STOCK in what essentially was a kit car????
Also what color would you consider to be “APPROPRIATE STYLE” other then the original Gel coat that came in green yellow red gold and ORANGE