stradacab Posted October 3, 2014 Author Share Posted October 3, 2014 Front crossmember is not fitted yet but I do have all I need to overhaul front and rear brakes and shocks ready to go on. I need the link arm from the cross member to chassis as one side had rot in it. Meanwhile I have fitted the boot lid, bonnet, both doors and the front wings. I had to do quite a bit of "adjustment" to the drivers door hinges to cure a 7mm gap between the door and rear wing. It's lovley now. I have just started to offer up the front spoiler to decide where to drill the holes to fit it properly. I was not intending to fit and additional lamps but I found a genuine set of Hella fogs with the correct mounting plinths at Billing (the bloke thought they were for a Cavalier Mk2) so it will have a set of period fogs on it. Here are a couple of quick shots with the spoiler frog taped to the valence so I can do the holes. You can just about see the panel work virtually complete (in its multi coloured glory) the spoiler is very good despite the fact that the paint is falling off in chunks! Oh, I would be grateful if anyone could tell me the correct fixings to use to attach this properly 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted October 4, 2014 Author Share Posted October 4, 2014 That's that little job done, spoiler all fitted and lined up with the cut outs done and the lamps trial mounted. Pleased with that, very "factory" 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapierdave Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Coming along nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted October 21, 2014 Author Share Posted October 21, 2014 Since then I have hauled the front crossmember round the front and single handedly managed to coax it into place. Steering all connected up. Just need one rear arm to replace the rusted one. Fitted new anti roll bar links and shockers now the front suspension is fitted. Have cleaned up the disc back plates and am derusting prior to painting and refitting the new discs and hoses. Calipers are seized solid so may pick up a new set if I lose interest in overhauling the old ones! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 Painted the back plates and refitted them with some Loctite, replaced the front discs and repacked the bearings. After a tip off, Bigg Red will refurb my calipers for 79 quid for the two so they are off to Worcester soon to be overhauled. Fitted the new front flex hoses, road wheels and dropped the car to the floor (even though I need to fit a control arm. Can do that when I get one) The car is on 4 wheels for the first time in, what, two years? At least I can wheel it out and clean back in the garage. We are nearly at the rolling shell and ready for paint point I reckon. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share Posted November 5, 2014 Got on to overhauling the rear brakes, consisting of cleaning and painting the inside of the backplanes, followed by a blowtorch, knuckle bar and WD40 to free off the manual adjusters. New slaves, shoes and drums all fitted, adjusted and handbrake set up (but no bleeding cause half of the brake system is not there yet) Rubbish pictures Not many jobs on the list to do now prior to getting it painted Now I have the info I need I will start to have a stab at mounting the Englemanns later this week. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Barrett Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Getting there James, keep up the good work! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 So next job was to fit the Englemann mirrors. I quickly got the info I needed from two very helpful club members about the mounting dimensions and the method to correctly fit. First up was the fact they self tap to the door, a bit crude, but I am assured that is how Opel fitted then so there you go! Second was the correct mounting location. The look calls for them to be set well back from the alloy plinth where the standard mirrors fit. I roughly fitted my blanks as a reference point and measured up. You can see the shot from a brochure I have. Maybe I am so used to the standard mirrors but these felt like they were going to be soooo far along the door that you would have to turn your head to see them. After much deliberation I decided to use the front mounting hole as the rear putting them 65mm nearer the front of the door but still giving a good gap from the alloy plinth and the front of the mirror. Sat in the car this feels far more comfy in my opinion even though it is not absolutely correct but there you go! Another small job done. I might Sicaflex some strengthening plates in behind as they do flex slightly on the skin. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 (edited) Rolled it out of the garage and did some tidying up of a few little welding details that needed doing. Cause the garage is so full of boxes of parts for this car I have forgotten how nice it is to be able to easily get round the car to work on it. It's pretty much finished and ready to go for paint and I must organise getting it booked in. Took a quick piccie before it started raining again. If you look at page 2 of this thread you will see a 4 year old Ellis playing in the car. That tall chap is now nearly eight years old so I think I ought to get on with this, but then again I bought it in 2008 so I've only been going 7 years! The calipers are up at Bigg Red for overhaul so I can put them back on next week, apart from that I have been pretty lazy the last 4 weeks cause of Christmas and stuff. Hopefully the next lot of updates will be exciting ones Edited January 11, 2015 by stradacab 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Collected the calipers today. They were really skanky and I have to say that Bigg Red did a brilliant job of the refurb and turned them round in three days. I went to their place in Worcester as its only a couple of miles from one of my offices. The team there were helpful and polite and I would deffo recommend them. I reckon it would have cost me around 40 quid for slide kits and caliper repair kits, washers, nipples etc and I don't think my finished product would have been as good as this. 79 quid all in, I reckon that's reasonable value I'll get these fitted this weekend. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CRAZYDAVE Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Rolled it out of the garage and did some tidying up of a few little welding details that needed doing. Cause the garage is so full of boxes of parts for this car I have forgotten how nice it is to be able to easily get round the car to work on it. It's pretty much finished and ready to go for paint and I must organise getting it booked in. Took a quick piccie before it started raining again. If you look at page 2 of this thread you will see a 4 year old Ellis playing in the car. That tall chap is now nearly eight years old so I think I ought to get on with this, but then again I bought it in 2008 so I've only been going 7 years! The calipers are up at Bigg Red for overhaul so I can put them back on next week, apart from that I have been pretty lazy the last 4 weeks cause of Christmas and stuff. Hopefully the next lot of updates will be exciting ones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 This morning a man came very early at 6.00 am and took the Manta for a ride to Ammanford. PAINT!!!!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 Nice James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiney_norman Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 And just a few short hours later when I arrived at work, there it was in our car park. I had great fun riding in it while James the paint man towed it from there into his workshop! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted February 2, 2015 Author Share Posted February 2, 2015 That probably means that you have now probably driven it further than I have! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted February 8, 2015 Author Share Posted February 8, 2015 James posted some pics on FB so I have hosted them to update here too. All prep to find the obvious low spots and shape the wheel arch repairs. The boot was a good panel but rust pitted so they have bare metalled it. I think the next stage is priming and guiding to find all the dinks and dents. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted February 12, 2015 Author Share Posted February 12, 2015 The GT/J wears the first lot of primer now that the body repairs and immediately obvious dents have been filled. It's looking smoother and more Manta-shaped again to me. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapierdave Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 (edited) This car could be ready for Billing 2015 at this rate. On April 18th 2010 your Ascona DFH came back from the paint shop & on July 9th 2010 made it's Billing debut ! http://forums.mantaclub.org/topic/16967-ascona/page-3 It can be done, read the link above Edited February 13, 2015 by Rapierdave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Barrett Posted February 13, 2015 Share Posted February 13, 2015 Excellent james, really would love to get PYC to the bodyshop! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted February 13, 2015 Author Share Posted February 13, 2015 Dave, a LOT less work to do on the Ascona than the GT/J. Ascona already had an engine, sound deadening, wiring loom, gearbox, headliner and the bulkhead built up, the Manta has nothing!! I intend to savour this and enjoy the pleasure of reassembly at a leisurely pace. Plus the fact that you know that when this is finished I will only start another one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spiney_norman Posted February 14, 2015 Share Posted February 14, 2015 You're welcome to have a go at mine if you find yourself at a loose end once this one's done mate! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted February 14, 2015 Author Share Posted February 14, 2015 Full primer coat applied, it will be left for a few days to settle now before being flatted for paint. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share Posted February 19, 2015 Colour (Polar White) applied to the boot and engine bay, and then to the underside of the panels 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
entwistlecymru Posted February 19, 2015 Share Posted February 19, 2015 I'll be going to see James tomorrow to check it out for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted February 19, 2015 Author Share Posted February 19, 2015 I'll be going to see James tomorrow to check it out for you I think you will find the outside is white too now, James just posted some pics on Facebook. I'll get them on here tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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