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The "BILLING" Project


andyc
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Thats major work going on there at the front end Andy and not the easiest job to get lined perfect, sterling work [^]

It's going to be a real pleasure to see that car when its finsihed [^]

http://www.mantamagic.com

OMOC N,Ireland Rep

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OMOC 5706

Please dont shoot me it,s only an opinion not a demand

Email robbie @ mantamagic.com (without the spaces)

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just some pics of the weekends welderthon. Main job for this weekend was to fab the battery tray. We could of just fitted a flap sheet but we need the raised section of the panel as the A/C box will sit on the panel and we will need to chanel the condensation away. The only way i could think of makeing somethink like the orginal panel was to make up some wooden formers and panel beat some sheet over them to form the raised section and the tack these to a flat sheet. Fot the first go at this i think it came out quite well.

Anyway less chat and more pics

frontinnerwing001.jpg

template for tray section

frontinnerwing002.jpg

old battery tray

frontinnerwing003.jpg

new sections to make up the tray

frontinnerwing006.jpg

new tray tacked in place

frontinnerwing008.jpg

inner wing and nose cone clamped ready to start gapping

Cheers

Andy

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This weekends work has been to finish of all the little bits of fabbing around the back of the n/s wheel arch.

Firts job was to make the inner wing re-inforcement plate under the inner wing (sorry photos aren't that good.

NSINNERWING002.jpg

old one on the left and new one on the right

next jod was to finish off the battery tray to inner wing area

NSINNERWING006.jpg

next job was to tackle the edge of the wheel arch

NSINNERWING007.jpg

old rot cut out

NSINNERWING009.jpg

new panel fitted

NSINNERWING010.jpg

while i was doing that Barry, my right hand man was cutting the hole in the bulk head for the A/C venting

NSINNERWING003.jpg

NSINNERWING008.jpg

NSINNERWING011.jpg

next week we should see the inner wing area finished and the nose fully attached and if time is on our side we should get the spare front axel in so we can start setting the engine and gearbox up to fit the 5 speed x memeber mounts

Cheers

Andy

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Guys

Update time,

well a corner has been turned, the front nose cone is back on and as an added bonus it'sin the correct place. Also the battery tray has been fitted to the front N/S chassis leg as this car is having air con.

before the nose went on for the last time we fitted a spare front axel to the shell, hey that fitted as well, must be doing something right!!. We then fitted a spare block and spare trans into the car so we could set the 5 speed x member mounts, after first drilling out and refilling 17 holes each side of the tunnel that held the 4speed mounts on.

Next few jobs this week are to finish the floor, drivers foot well and fingers crossed we should be able to turn the shell at the weekend to start on the o/s chassis leg and boot floor. If everything goes as it should by the end of next week we should have the under side welded, seam sealed and stone chipped..

mock up block, axel and trans in place

NicksMantarebuild262.jpg

17 holes filled and cleaned back

NicksMantarebuild263.jpg

arty shot of the 5speed mounts tacked in place

NicksMantarebuild265.jpg

nose on .....finally

NicksMantarebuild266.jpg

a/c battery tray

NicksMantarebuild267.jpg

a/c accumlator fitted.....must remember to drill ALL holes before paint!

enginebay002.jpg

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Andy are you using sikaflex to seam seal the car or what are you using, also do you use a particular gun for the seam sealing to get a good finish, you been busy lately [:)]

http://www.mantamagic.com

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OMOC 5706

Please dont shoot me it,s only an opinion not a demand

Email robbie @ mantamagic.com (without the spaces)

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  • 4 weeks later...

Well its been a few weeks since the last update and at last we seem to be cresting the hill and that light at the end of the tunnel isn't some sod bring more work.

Well since the last update we have tipped the shell onto its n/s so we could sort the underside out.

First job was the front chassis leg and as we could only get an Ascone one, which is shorter we chopped the leg about three inches foward of the start of the double skin, inserta 3/4 box and welded in place.

Next job was the boot floor which didn't go to bad, in fact it dropped straight in. With that in place all the drain holes were welded up and a lite skim of the grinding marks and seamed sealed it was time for the first coat of stone chip.

Before anyone says anything, yes i know its not finished along the bottom, that will done when we flip the shell next week onto its o/s

Ok now photo time

chassis leg cut out

underside004.jpg

joining stump for the new leg

underside007.jpg

boot floor in

underpaint001.jpg

spotted and seamed

underpaint005.jpg

we have paint

underpaint002.jpg

underpaint003.jpg

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I was swearing in admiration only, Charlie!

Hey, if I was at all unsure about making the car into a GT/E before Billing, you totally removed any doubt. That's a real nice car you have there, by the way.

Cheers,

Nick

365717524a22a4e3472d161f99f2425c850d601ceb2c00473e4957e5.jpg13444240b61ff510a5006320064f28e39a974b34fcfd4300c8b8b277.jpg10570399d4d7b1ca5f3a32e7c21c523417aa2e2157222839b1dad8d9.jpg508741114e7f661505f6cc62779adc6f8eb279b5f22c90b5f9f456a8.jpg04804985bab71707dfb6d5796c42af077eb3cd5632f116f3f4af4d15.jpg191644573c12d6801ac43c141e3dd3732c1bba9c4945e7c440b3f8e3.jpg3177542315997df7848a1c28d07cb64fbc668265589465766e471d06.jpg

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Cheers for the kind words Nick. It's going back in the garage soon for some more fettling as there's still a few bits I'm not happy with. Can't wait to see this one when it's done!

Publicity Officer

Frustrated rock legend

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Ok, Ready for the next thrilling installment?. In the last episode we had finally got the stone chip So after it spent a few days drying we dropped the car back down, turned it around and tipped it up onto its o/s flank.

Now this was really the first time we'd be able to have a good look at the n/s/r and guess what, go on have a guess, go on, go on, go on, Yep more 'kin metal work.

After a brew and a fag, me and Barry had a good look to see what was needed and thankfully not much. The lower part of the 1/4 at the front come sill section was full of small holes so we cut down a sill repair panel and Barry got on with cutting out the rot and prepping the new panel, bloody good job he done as well.

We also noticed the brake pipe retaining bracket had been chewed up at some time so that came off and Barry rescued the one from the old O/S chassis leg and welded that into place.

Now the only other piece that needed our attention was the lower rear 1/4 which as you'll see from the pics was like a tea bag. Another fag and a brew while we throught about the best way around it.

Option 1: Make the panle out of four pieces, do able but time consuming

Option 2: Nick picked up a NOS 1/4 at billing. Damage not that bad to warrant fitting a new 1/4

IF YOU SUFFER FROM HEART PROBLEMS OR ARE EASILT UPSET DO NOT READ THE NEXT OPTION

Option 3: YOU HAVR BEEN WARNED, CAN YOU GUESS???

Mark up the NEW 1/4 panel and cut the section out we needed

INSERT SWEAR WORDS HERE***********************************

Option 4: get a repair section from DR Manta. He's not that quick and we have to go through another source, best not to ask!!

So after speaking to Nick and giving HIM all the options we came up with a solution. Cut the piece of the new 1/4 and he'll order a reapir section from DRM, that way if we ever need another 1/4 we can nail the two back together.

So thats it, the 1/4 section is fitted as is the 1/4 sill section, finished the seam sealing last night so now all we have to do is stone chip and the underside is done..

OK pic time

Cheers

Andy

nsquarter002.jpg

nsquarter003.jpg

nsquarter005.jpg

nsquarter006.jpg

Thats all the rot from the N/s

nsquarter007.jpg

Baz seam sealing

nsquarter008.jpg

Me marking out the 1/4 panel cut line

nsquarter011.jpg

Baz on the hunt for the "lesser spotted" spot welds

nsquarter014.jpg

Baz has made a big hole!!!

nsquarter015.jpg

New 1/4 section tacked in place

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  • 2 months later...

Hi Guys

Just an update on the project. We no pics at the moment, there are only so many picks of the car being rubbed down you can take.

Up till Xmas the time has been spent sorting out all the little dings and dents and getting all the panel gaps correct which has been a bit of a mare.

Haven't touched it over the xmas holidays and the other half was taken ill at the begining of the week so all is quite at the moment

All the engine parts are back so once the shell is athe the painters we can have a clean up and put it altogether.

Moore to follow soon

Andy

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This must be the most comprehensive restoration of a Manta ever carried out! The standard of the work is 1st class and a credit to all involved.

Nick, is this the car you were originally going to re-shell? Although a re-shell would have been easier Andy and the rest of the team would not have been able to provide us with such a fascinating article and demonstration of their body work skills. They must have gone through a whole box full of spot weld drills!

I think your "better than new" comment is spot on.

Cheers, Paul H omoc 412

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Yup, this is the car I was going to re-shell, although when I first made that decision this car was in much better condition. 5 years of storage on wet ground did some serious damage to it.

The problem is that every time I got round to breaking this car for parts I found a reason not to do it. In the end we realised that we'd have to save it and use the shell for something else.

So we shipped the shell back to the US in 2003 when we moved back here with the intention of re-shelling my orange B that's also in a pretty bad way. It needs the usual chassis leg repair on the right side, two new sills, new wings, right side lower rear quarter, new door and so on. Of course, when I sat down and thought what of that is shell work I realised there's no point in throwing a brand new shell at that, I might as well just fix the bits that are wrong.

So there I am, still with the new shell. The latest idea is to make it a brand new car with all the new parts I've got stashed away. Possibly the last ever Manta if John Rowbotham hurries up and finishes his! The plan is to make the orange car into a 400 replica, but one of the very early B-series 400s with black bumpers and square headlamps. Then the new shell will be a black Exclusive, very similar to Jo's but LHD (I have most of the conversion parts from RHD to LHD for it).

Well, that's the current plan. Dunno if it will happen like that though. [:)]

Back to the silver car - I'm really impressed with Andy's and Barry's work, definitely a cut above most restorers. I think they're wasted in their current jobs, they need to do this full time. Anyone else want their car restored?

Cheers,

Nick

365717524a22a4e3472d161f99f2425c850d601ceb2c00473e4957e5.jpg13444240b61ff510a5006320064f28e39a974b34fcfd4300c8b8b277.jpg10570399d4d7b1ca5f3a32e7c21c523417aa2e2157222839b1dad8d9.jpg508741114e7f661505f6cc62779adc6f8eb279b5f22c90b5f9f456a8.jpg04804985bab71707dfb6d5796c42af077eb3cd5632f116f3f4af4d15.jpg191644573c12d6801ac43c141e3dd3732c1bba9c4945e7c440b3f8e3.jpg3177542315997df7848a1c28d07cb64fbc668265589465766e471d06.jpg

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Here are a few photos from my trip in December - I spent three days on the car, trying to get the air conditioning rough install finished up. Apart from Dum Dum becoming almost impossible to get, everything went fairly well. Anyway, onto the photos...

Here's the front quarter view. You can see the front wings, doors and bonnet are on the car now and Andy is working on gapping and smoothing.

frontquarter.jpg

Close-up on the door. The bottom of the door seems to stick out quite badly so Andy ties the car up each night to persuade the bottom to bend back in. I guess it's orthodontics for cars in a way.

door.jpg

Tons of filler all over the place. The panels look straight but are subtly rippled. Notice there's no boot lid on the car? Barry has had this as his personal project for weeks and he still can't get the bloody thing flat!

rearquarter.jpg

The dash is temporarily back in the car as the heater controls need modification for the air con system. Of course, I forgot to bring the levers with me, didn't I?

dash.jpg

The air con system all roughed in. The A/C unit itself needs to be taken apart and Dum Dum-ed back together to make it airtight and the recirculation hole in the firewall needs opening out as I marked it incorrectly the first time around. At least I marked it too small, rather than too big!

acrough.jpg

That's all for now.

Cheers,

Nick

365717524a22a4e3472d161f99f2425c850d601ceb2c00473e4957e5.jpg13444240b61ff510a5006320064f28e39a974b34fcfd4300c8b8b277.jpg10570399d4d7b1ca5f3a32e7c21c523417aa2e2157222839b1dad8d9.jpg508741114e7f661505f6cc62779adc6f8eb279b5f22c90b5f9f456a8.jpg04804985bab71707dfb6d5796c42af077eb3cd5632f116f3f4af4d15.jpg191644573c12d6801ac43c141e3dd3732c1bba9c4945e7c440b3f8e3.jpg3177542315997df7848a1c28d07cb64fbc668265589465766e471d06.jpg

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