Rick-Manta Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 I've owned this car for a few months now but having taken out a lease on a small workshop/garage for the car and paying for the car itself I completely ran out of funding. Couple that with unexpected employment problems (damn immigration!) I haven't been able to pay my bills properly let alone get anything I planned for the car. Thankfully the OMOC forum community is an excellent place to trade so I managed to sell (reluctantly) a lot of my Manta rare and expensive parts stash to enable me to eat, pay a few bills and get the occasional part for the B. I've basically just got do some tidying for the run up to Billing and a few other shows over the summertime, but it will be far from finished anytime soon, I just need to do enough so as not to be embarrased! The car itself is an old S registered 1.9SR berlinetta coupe in sapphire blue with a black vinyl roof and a lovely all black velour interior. Very chuffed to own it since I missed it the first time it was availiable and with a very long mot and some tax it was certainly worth the money. I would describe the condition as fair, to be honest it is quite a bit more grotty than I first expected but it's a 31 year old completely unrestored car and that is the norm with mantas as everyone can appreciate. The car is (was ) in original condition but had a significant amount of 'mot standard' repairs underneath and some very bad repairs to the bodywork and engine bay. This has resulted in a neglected looking underbonnet, rust starting in the later welds, new rot holes in floor and body panels (water trapped in underseal) and patchy paintwork. There are also a few other faults, broken suspension coil, idle at about 5rpm, running cold and a poorly fitted exhaust. My plan is (was) to completely strip back the body shell but leave the excellent condition vinyl roof and have a body shop take care of the holes and dents in the body panels with a deep glossy black repaint afterwards. Before hand, I'll let my new neighbour (at my workshop) who runs an impressive welding facility take care of all the underside and inner wing repairs who would do this to a degree of quality that I or any MOT welder can't comprehend. I would then zinc coat the underside and use a stone chip sealant rather than underseal to protect it. The subframe and rear suspension can either be powdercoated or I'll paint then myself with somekind of enamel paint. In reality this can wait, until I'm back in permanent employment and earning a realistic wage so I'm, in the meantime, to prepare for a respray I have removed all the early B bump trim and late seventies detailing, which I think looks shite, but each to their own eh! I do however absolutely love chrome bumpers which for some God forsaken reason Opel decided it would look better to have a horrible black rubbery plastic fat piece of trim stuck over them!? I'd imagine it was the fashion of the era but I intend to have the whole surface of the chrome showing to contrast the eventual black paintwork. I have removed (and sold ) the overriders and the black cover trim but I'm of course left with a rusty bumper that's full of holes which were to secure the trim. I've bought some new chrome bumper bolts as the overriders secure the bumper to the body originally, but the other holes will have to be professionally filled and I'll end up having the pair of bumpers acid dipped, zinc coated and then rechromed. This would be the one thing I would have liked to do before the show season starts but money just doesn't allow I'm planning on getting a lot done this weekend so hopefully I'll make some good progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymanc Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 good luck with your mission on the bright side least you seem to have two of these dont forget picture's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted June 7, 2008 Author Share Posted June 7, 2008 Thanks Gary, time is quite limited to be honest since I've got to work stupid rotating shifts while I'm temping. I've cut down on the fags and walk to work on sunnier days to save a few pennies too, all for the sake of mantering!! Actually as there isn't much on tele, I'll bore your tits off with what I've done already today. First up was mainly reassembly so I could drive the car back home from my workshop without getting pulled over! That aside, with some very helpful advise from this 'ere site I invested in a dremel rotary tool (a cheapo variant of one anyway) to remove the side rivits that go along each panel to secure the bumpstrips. A combination of a cute little cutting wheel and a grinding disk (like a mini angle grinder) and an hour later they were off and I gave the manta a deserved and needed wash and wax from being in storage. I also had some restorer and conserver for the roof which is absolutely brilliant! It goes on in a thick gel and you just rub it over a clean vinyl roof in straight lines, I really over applied the stuff but as good as condition is was at first it now looks fresh out of the showroom in 1977, it also means if a bird shits on it or the sun is baking hot the roof has a layer of protection. Next up was the angel of the north effect engine bay. I have bought a few items from Clive (www.customsolutions.me.uk) for this car which will finish the bay off nicely but it first needed some detergent and a steam clean, then I started to remove the bulkhead sound deadening stuff which has now turned to powder and I will leave off now for the future black respray. Service rust collected behind here too which is likely due to the left hand drive heater vent that is just left exposed on early B's. I fitted a couple of bling items but did get stuck with the rad tray, this B has a funny radiator and chances are it's sat in a peculiar place which doesn't leave enough room. The tray I can keep for a future project. Something that went very well was resetting the carb. I have an inlet manifold and Weber DCOE 45 carb to fit but because I don't know how much of a headache it'll be getting it to run right, this year I'm sticking with the Zenith INAT. Using a manual I reset the carb to try to sort out the jumpiness and low idle speed off choke, brilliantly I nobbed two birds with one condom as not only is the idle bang on hot and cold with smooth running through the revs it's also stopped the over cooling. Basically the temp gauge never got out of the blue but now climbs to the middle and stays there. I will need a K&N for the carb to show it as the original air box looks like a frying pan! I'm looking forward to fitting the Weber 45 but I'm making sure the car can be left still for a while . I'll get a pic or two uploaded soon, I was going to 'unveil' at Billing but that was with the respray and modded bumpers which ain't happening this year as I said Thanks, God bless and much love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
computerguy87 Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 wow sound like you got it all planed out Rick. I would love to own a manta and have missed out on so many good ones myself i'm currently off work on the sick an can hardly afford to pay my bills as well hoping for it to change the end of the month when i see the doc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted June 8, 2008 Author Share Posted June 8, 2008 Oh er! Well I hope you get back on your feet sooner rather than later mate. Life's a real battle sometimes ain't it? Since I downsized and cut back on everything I thought things should get easier, nope! Being without a manta for longer periods of time makes eventually getting one quite an event. I remember just before I got married my fiancee bought me a 1.8S exclusive hatch for £150 with 10 months MOT, where did those days go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
computerguy87 Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 that's modern day living for you getting more pricey to live i understand the day i get a manta will be a dream come true for me and it will make the wait all the better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted June 14, 2008 Author Share Posted June 14, 2008 Doh! I was this >< close to getting a chrome starter off ebay for this 'ere B but even at £25 it was too much for me at present. Even getting to a presentable condition for Billing is looking as hopeful as a lottery win or a night with Cristina Scabbia. I've been digging out more and more patches of loose underseal and uncovering holes and scabby rust patches galore! There's also a couple of holes which would fail the next MOT. What I think I'll end up doing is scrap it...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted June 14, 2008 Author Share Posted June 14, 2008 .....the idea that is of spending out on temporary fixes for the show season this year, which is a shame 'cos I was hoping to have something especially nice for the 25th anniversary Billing meet. I'm sure many others are in the same boat and it's never a good idea to rush a project or cut corners like I did on the V8 exclusive last year, and look what happened to that!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
computerguy87 Posted June 14, 2008 Share Posted June 14, 2008 sounds like a good plan mate. Dont rush it if a job is worth doing it worth doing rigth the 1st time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted June 18, 2008 Author Share Posted June 18, 2008 Hooray! Picked my K&N up from the post office today at last I can get rid of the frying pan airbox! So this should fit a Zenith 35/40 that's the size of a dinner plate What the fu.... All I can hope for now is that the filter itself is big enough to sit over the carb, it's very odd that a car that is as slow as the 1.9 B is, the carb is so damn huge but I'll try to cut the base of the filter out and 'somehow' get it to attach. God dammit! Why does even the simplist thing turn out to be such a pain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted June 25, 2008 Author Share Posted June 25, 2008 Nah ha ha! I now have the correct K&N for the Zenith INAT 35/40 which is so big the K&N doesn't have a base plate. The bottom of the element itself sits around the neck of the carb Cool! The Zenith filter is 56-9158 which is listed for a 1960's Mercedes 230 which has the same carb. The RA-071V is for the Solex PDSI tiny little thing that I don't think are on many (or any?) UK mantas. Someone was after the rubber thing that seals the original airbox to the carb, I'll have to search through my PM's as at last it is now surplus to my requirements... Now a few last rush jobs to do before Billing:- 1. Fit new lowering springs (that I've had for about a month!) 2. Fit last of engine bling including an alloy Opel GT rocker cover 3. I maybe getting some chrome mirrors if a swap goes through 4. Some paint and rust touch ups as a temporary measure 5. Fit modern fag lighter to run sat nav incase roads to Billing are dodgy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Quote "Someone was after the rubber thing that seals the original airbox to the carb, I'll have to search through my PM's as at last it is now surplus to my requirements..." that would be meee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rab Posted June 25, 2008 Share Posted June 25, 2008 Rick-Manta, if yur mantas got four wheels and runs thats awe that matters in ma book, seez yae awt Billing. cheers rab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted June 26, 2008 Author Share Posted June 26, 2008 PM sent Pat. Cheers Rab, It does have four wheels but has a broken coil spring which I'd best sort out at least, plus it's in a terrible state! See ya at Billing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted July 27, 2008 Author Share Posted July 27, 2008 With both a shitload of overtime and a death in the family (funeral tomorrow) I haven't been able to start on the B when I hoped, but bearing the heat yesterday I manged to get to my workshop and get cracking. First I have to say what a shed my car looked in the line up of four early B standards at Billing, there was a similar model in Sapphire Blue which was basically what my car 'should' look like! Still, I missed a trick, my chrome bullet mirror according to the rules would make mine modified (only 400 style for standard), and with only 2 cars in that line up I'd win by default! That would be a hollow victory and unfair on others so I obviously didn't do that As much of a shed it looked from the outside, it's nothing compared to the horrors that lurked behind the lightly rusted and dented panels. Manta wings are very easy to unbolt and remove but not when someone has fibreglassed the front lowersection of the wing to the nosecone! A piece of fibreglass the size of my hand span fell away (after a kicking!) from the wing and nose which means I need to refabricate the two bolt holes on the nose and replace the off side wing completely. The near side wasn't easy either, less fibre glass but the rust had fused the metal together and I had to revert to good old brute force to remove this one too, but I think the wing is repairable. That was just the wings, behind them is even worse and I did manage to get a few snaps before my tempremental phone was having none of it!! Now, can anyone tell me, can I run a mig welder off a 900w generator? I have no power supply at my workshop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manta88 Posted July 27, 2008 Share Posted July 27, 2008 Now, can anyone tell me, can I run a mig welder off a 900w generator? I have no power supply at my workshop It depends on what current your welder takes. Had a look at my welder and it would work on its lowest setting but no chance on full power with a 900w generator. 900w would give you about 4 amps. Have a look at the back of the welder and it will give you a mains current,if its more than 4 amps you will need a better generator ,hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 60-90Amp range? I may eventually have to get a replacement as it's a gasless cheapo type that uses a flux welding wire and I've heard they're not really any good for a decent weld. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manta88 Posted July 28, 2008 Share Posted July 28, 2008 You need to look at the current on the mains side of the welder,it will be alot lower figure. I think you may be right about the gasless type,the more you spend on a welder the better weld you will get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted July 29, 2008 Author Share Posted July 29, 2008 Thanks mate, maybe if I drill a hole (using a hand turned drill ) into the adjacent building, I can wire up the their supply and I'll have free leccy! I was intending to get a neigbouring unit to do all the welding but to save money and gain experience I think I'll do as much as I can myself. Everyone can relax, I've got a pair of replacement wings covered from a good friend local to me and hopefully I should have a repair section for the drivers side inner wing if it all goes through. Before any of that goes in/on I've got to pull out the front subframe with the engine which will give me full access to the front end of the car to start prepping and budget dependant, I shall erect a shed or lean-to for the sole purpose of working on the engine and sorting out the front suspension. I'm now 100% decided to have a 5 speed conversion since on the way to Billing I was trying to overtake some idiot staying in the middle lane and the car was flat out at 84mph and absolutely deafening (not to mention how unstable the suspension felt!), it needs the extra gear! Couldn't be easier with the engine out on the front wheels really! Another benifit of this is that body work prepping is so time consuming and tedious having an escape to a fun job, ie the engine mods is worth having as an option. Roll on next weekend! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shug Posted July 29, 2008 Share Posted July 29, 2008 A welder takes a hell of a surge when you start welding. I've been told not to bother with anything less than 6kva generators, which aint small and certainly ain't cheap! If I can dim the lights on a house circuit on low amps I'm pretty sure a big generator is needed. You could hire one, but if you can't do it in one weekend you will be quickly on your way to spending as much on hire as you would on a generator! With suitable thickness of cable coming from a decent source, you can get power from a distance (I'm using my welder about 50 meters away from where its actually plugged in. Far from ideal but it works) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted August 1, 2008 Author Share Posted August 1, 2008 Hmm! Well that's a fly in my ointment, the manta is at my electric-less workshop and is now undrivable and my house is 10 miles away, I dont think you can get an extension cable that long! Not that it matters now since the inner wing repair panel is not available anyone else got one for the offside? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 one on ebay at the moment mate http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Opel-Manta-B-seri ... .m14.l1318 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted August 1, 2008 Author Share Posted August 1, 2008 Thanks for that mate, I'm glad someone's on the ball £20 to post I don't need the whole thing either, just the front section from the headlamp to just before the shock mount, the ones in the parts for sale were ideal. I'll keep my eye on it but I think I'll have to go down the make it yourself from flat steel route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick-Manta Posted August 1, 2008 Author Share Posted August 1, 2008 One like this, would have been perfect... Look at those toenails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 complete wing rail will probably give you that, try your local motor factors, Hadrian do them. If you want the part no.s I can get them off the ones in me loft. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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