ang Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 I am not sure where to post this, I apologise in advance. This is a new little project and I am a after a little help on this one. You will see by the way the car that I crashed my black manta into the background (my friends black gt4 st165) and that is how is looked after the accident when mine was a cat b! I am after help in discovering more about this car. It's a wierd story and irritating story so please follow if you can. I bought this car for £100 for parts off ebay. I did full checks on the car as it did not have a v5, on getting the car the vin plate and number plates had been removed. I was not happy. The registration A....... was etched on every single windown and headlight. It has never been welded and may only need for the very first time a little welding. Look at the condition of it. It is the tidiest example we have seen so why did he want the car broken? Well we took the risk and applied for the v5, we told him we knew the reg details when we got the car. Chassis plate is original. 1month after buying the car the original owner reported it stolen!! I didn't find out until this week when I chased up the v5. The stolen marker has now been removed as we had proof that we had bought it and it turns out that this elderly gentleman had 2 mantas on the same registration plate.......... but why get rid of this one. Does anyone recognise this car from the Eastbourne (Sussex) area? It has a Seaford car sticker and must have spent a lot of time in a lock up or garage. It was last motd and taxed apprantly in March 2009, it has 4 new tyres and looks like its been on the road recently. The duplicate car may be in a breakers now, sadly but we are looking to find a gold or orange/pink ie faded manta with A reg plates or with none right now in the area. The dvla said the other car could be re registered but it is not a legal car at the moment. If you are wondering why I am not putting up the reg details and that is because there aren't that many mantas about right now it is A *** *YJ and that's as far as I'm going. Our car is that its ours and we will get the v5 but we do need to find this other manta, it must be pretty special and don't want to see it scrapped. The guy seems to have "forgotten" what the other reg number is and where it is, it may be in a breakers. The colour of the other one could be completely wrong. If you have any information then please pm me. Again I apologise if this is in the wrong place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ang Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 One photo of the front, its such a shame its got to sit longer until the police have examined it further, at least identity known and we have ownership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midasmesh Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Does look a really nice hatch. Hope you get everything sorted soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymanc Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 hope you get this sorted,would be great for another 1.8s on the road best off luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ang Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Thanks, I am glad we have gone through this hassle as this would be a crying shame to see broken, it is absolutely clean, unrusty, untouched and will be left original. Such a shame we have no service history and more of a shame that the other "missing/hidden" manta will probably be broken to hide a crime. We often see adds that say never been welded but this is a borderline if anything needs welding, not bad for an A reg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ang Posted June 7, 2009 Author Share Posted June 7, 2009 Finally all sorted and the previous owner has been cautioned for attempting insurance fraud. We now have full legal ownership and on its record will have the comment once falsely reported stolen. I can not believe such an idiot would try and destroy such an excellent condition car. We've had police forensics down to confirm the id. Found out today that it still has mot! My problem now is that I would like to put a new VIN plate on it but not sure how or where to get one made up, the police were unsure? Any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 The chassis number should be stamped under the carpet cut out on the raised piece of tin in the floor to the right side of the drivers seat, between sill and seat runner. The aluminium plate means nothing it is this that counts. So if that is still there you need not worry except for originality. I have seen companies that make them with proof of ID and ownership though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith1200 Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Just unscrew the plastic lower door strip (holds the carpet in) Give the screws a wee wash, as the screw heads are normal full of crap and there's, nothing worse, than buggering the screw heads up. If the screws are solid? use a impact-driver. Looks a nice one Ang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stradacab Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 That'svery good news, maybe you'll take it to Billing. My Manta has never had a VIN plate as the nose has been changed, never been a problem for MOT for the last 4 years, so don't worry unless you really want a plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted June 7, 2009 Share Posted June 7, 2009 Just unscrew the plastic lower door strip (holds the carpet in) No need there is a flap cut as standard (if we're on the same page) just lift it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ang Posted June 28, 2009 Author Share Posted June 28, 2009 Thanks for all the advice, it was difficult to know. I suppose with the missing vin plate and the story behind it staying whole adds to its history.............. I thought I would pop some progress up here, this car will be sold, we only bought it for parts as we have far too many cars and not enough space. I will be bringing our exclusive v8 out some time soon (working progress as always) but we can not keep this one. Its just so interesting to see such a genuine manta that has been so lovingly cared for in its past and I have never seen one survive like this, not even seen one like this 10 years ago. Its having preventitive work carried out and sad to say one bit of welding which is its first ever. The engine bay is so clean and underneath the car that this one will need a very caring owner to maintain it. It is up on the air on butterfly stands (so that's what you may notice) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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