h0tr0dder_uk Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Here are some pics of an A series Manta I just bought. Have a look and see what you think. How much would you pay for a manta that has only rust in the battery tray and small amount on the rear lower quarter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
costasa Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Hello, Nice manta looks very solid i like the color From the pictures is a US Manta i'm correct? The prices i don't know but if you only have rust in the batery tray and rear quarter if you payed a little more it will compensate. Good luck and put more picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymanc Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 have you moved now the sun is shining Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Barrett Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 threw me a bit the boot floor at first, then saw it was a lefty, silver manta gone then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h0tr0dder_uk Posted March 29, 2010 Author Share Posted March 29, 2010 (edited) Very good guys. You got it right. The car is a U.S.A. version. I now live in San Diego and picked this car up from San Bernadino county. It hasn't been registered since 1990 and looks like it has sat in the desert for the last 20 years. Once cleaned up though I found it to be in great condition. Heres a few pics of it yesterday. The body will be getting the european bumpers, running lights removed and a turbo front spoiler. I was going to fit one of the new ecotec turbo engines into this, but the fandangled direct fuel injection means its a real pain to wire it in. So I bought this Which means I'll be fitting a small block chevy v8 engine into it, probably with one of these kits too By the way - I bought it for........around 350 quid ($500)!!!! With a bit of photoshopping you can see what it will look like with a decent lowering job Although I'm hoping to have it like my old car but with fatter, bigger diameter rims Edited March 29, 2010 by h0tr0dder_uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Barrett Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 hi hottrodder, nice find on the blue shell, the silver one i loved, nearly made an offer when you had it for sale, got any more pics?, what wheels are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d384 fhv Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Hi mate I reckon that will be a great car when finished, i would love to have a twin turbo'd v8 a series Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h0tr0dder_uk Posted March 29, 2010 Author Share Posted March 29, 2010 The wheels that were on my old A series were Halibrand 5 spokes. Same design as Torq Thrust wheels. I chose Halibrand as they had the correct offset that I needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h0tr0dder_uk Posted April 2, 2010 Author Share Posted April 2, 2010 Update - I've stripped the care down to bare bones and the rear chassis and arches look mint boot floor looks mint too along with the rest of the floors however the front inner wings and chassis look suspect.....all FOUR of them. Yup - this car has had a front end grafted on at some time in it life. Luckily I was thinking of modifying the front chassis rails and inner wings so I could get the car to sit much lower and still have decent suspension travel. Looks like the previous repair is pretty straight so I'll measure up and take it from there. Heres what the car looks like now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h0tr0dder_uk Posted April 2, 2010 Author Share Posted April 2, 2010 And since money is tight I think I'll forget about fitting torq thurst rims to it right now and just stick some cheap steels on it, so I can get it up and driving quicker. Mind you - I think it looks very cool like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h0tr0dder_uk Posted April 3, 2010 Author Share Posted April 3, 2010 Got the rear end removed and took some pics There are going to be quite a few excellent parts that Im most likely going to remove from this car and not reuse. If anyone needs them I will remove them properly, otherwise I'll just cut them out and scrap them. Items such as front jacking points, gearbox tunnel, rear chassis rails, axle, fuel tank etc. I know a guy that ships stuff in from california at very reasonable rates so if your interested let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h0tr0dder_uk Posted April 5, 2010 Author Share Posted April 5, 2010 Finished stripping rest of car. Engine bay stripped Dash stripped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
costasa Posted April 5, 2010 Share Posted April 5, 2010 Great work, and your Manta is very solid. I'm follow this tread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlos-kadetts Posted April 7, 2010 Share Posted April 7, 2010 wow. that shell looks like a beauty... you just don't get them that solid back in the uk. unless you pay a fortune for an original car. what an excellent basis for your next project. i remember well when you were selling your last manta before you left the uk, and had too drop the price a bit to get it sold. i was so tempted but was just shelling out for my 16v kadett build. it was one of my favourite colours with wheel choice that i've ever seen, just looked so right. anyway, i'll be following this build with awe so keep posting any updates. and i totally agree with your engine decision...when in rome eh? you got to do it v8 now your living over there haha. i was wondering how common manta 'a's are in america? i know they were big fans of the opel gt, but didn't realise they got so many manta's. its a long shot, but if you still still have your axle, would you ship to uk? keep up the progress pics mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickB Posted April 7, 2010 Share Posted April 7, 2010 Got the rear end removed and took some pics There are going to be quite a few excellent parts that Im most likely going to remove from this car and not reuse. If anyone needs them I will remove them properly, otherwise I'll just cut them out and scrap them. Items such as front jacking points, gearbox tunnel, rear chassis rails, axle, fuel tank etc. I know a guy that ships stuff in from california at very reasonable rates so if your interested let me know. Hi, Just emailed you on this. Best Regards Mick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h0tr0dder_uk Posted April 7, 2010 Author Share Posted April 7, 2010 i was wondering how common manta 'a's are in america? i know they were big fans of the opel gt, but didn't realise they got so many manta's. its a long shot, but if you still still have your axle, would you ship to uk? keep up the progress pics mate. There are a few of them around here and I know a place that breaks cars that are too far gone to be repaired (i.e crash damaged), so can get spare parts for them. I do still have the axle and could get a price to ship it to the UK from a guy I know that imports hot rod parts by the container. He is very reasonably priced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
costasa Posted April 7, 2010 Share Posted April 7, 2010 I was looking to the kit The manta with a V8 it will be something from another world I love the Manta grey do you gonna paint in that color? Is a Opel color? I wish to paint mine grey but not the silver one something more dark, maibe granite grey. Keep the good work and please put more photos Costa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h0tr0dder_uk Posted April 7, 2010 Author Share Posted April 7, 2010 It would even be worth getting a whole car shipped and using a rusty old UK car to convert to RHD. Most of the parts should bolt on (steering column, rack, pedals, dash and wiring loom). It looks like all you would need to do is fabricate a panel for the accelerator cable and brake cylinder, which is a lot easier than welding in new chassis rails and floors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h0tr0dder_uk Posted April 9, 2010 Author Share Posted April 9, 2010 (edited) I've been in the garage for the last few days making templates for new chassis rails etc. If I'm gonna increase the stiffness of the car it looks like I'll have to go for 2x3" rails. I've called a few companies and one might be able to mandrel bend them for me. I want to try and make them so they follow the original floor so there is minimal cutting involved and I want to run the rails from front to back. Heres a pic of the original template at the bottom and the new proposed chassis at the top In this picture I've overlayed the two so you can see how much bigger the rails are and how they kick up and extra 2.5" in order to enable me to get the superlow stance I'm looking for And heres a picture of the new chassis rail template mocked up in place. Now I just have to work out all the angles and distances etc and get the template emailed off. Edited April 9, 2010 by h0tr0dder_uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h0tr0dder_uk Posted April 15, 2010 Author Share Posted April 15, 2010 Decided that the inner wings have to go so this is what it looks like now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil Fish Posted April 15, 2010 Share Posted April 15, 2010 Fair play you don't mind chopping a bit of metal! all the best with the project; nice sized garage to work in, and can you send some of that sunny weather over here... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h0tr0dder_uk Posted April 16, 2010 Author Share Posted April 16, 2010 And now minus the front Now all I need to do is buy a decent welder and start putting it back together again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Barrett Posted April 16, 2010 Share Posted April 16, 2010 top notch, very clean disection there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h0tr0dder_uk Posted April 28, 2010 Author Share Posted April 28, 2010 More cutting done.......anyone needs inner rear wheel arches? I cut them out as I'll be getting new inner wheel arches welded a couple of inches further in, along with new rear chassis rails. Now I have a bandsaw I can start making my new pieces and start welding it all back together Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upk Posted April 28, 2010 Share Posted April 28, 2010 if only i was having that much fun..........mmmmmmmmmmm.............better get on with the B! keep it coming hotrodder, i am lusting after inspiration!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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