76 Berlinetta - Life After Sorn

[richm]

Hi all,

Just recently got my 1976 1.9 Berlinetta back on the road after more than 10 yrs on SORN waiting to get around to fixing some mechanical problems. Finally got it sorted, and also got new tyres, brake & fuel pipes, etc. Had the car since 1986, first car i bought, used to be my daily drive but its hardly been used since about 1995 - fortunately its been sitting in garages for all but a couple of those last 16 years so its still solid and tidy (although it needs a bit of tidying up).

Been running it around a fair bit over the last month or so - great to be able to drive it again, and doesnt feel as "olden days" as i thought it would, although you quickly notice how far things have moved on in the performance & handling stakes.

I've put a couple of pics below (if i've posted them right).

Also got a question - I had a new cyl head fitted in about 1995 by a GM dealer (expensive interruption to touring holiday in Scotland). Up to now I've assumed the head is leaded only, so i've been putting in Valvemaster, but i've just thought maybe with the head being more recent it may already be ok for unleaded. Is there a way of telling from the code on the side of the head (looks like this says R2P)?

Cheers... Rich

Edited June 16, 2011 by richm

[stradacab]

Rich, I don't know about the leaded fuel but your car looks superb! I'm thinking that the car is Monza blue, not sapphire blue which is an A series colour because it is such an early B

It goes to show that there are still good cars hiding out there, it's great to see it back on the road again. Get to your local meet, I'm sure there are plenty of members who would love to see it.

Thanks for posting and welcome back!!

[garymanc]

welcome back rich

that must be the nicest coulor i have seen on a manta never seen one that coulor before

this should answer your question on unleaded http://forums.mantaclub.org/topic/28432-unleaded/page__p__200712__hl__unleaded.__fromsearch__1#entry200712

[plumster]

Well done..

[steel]

welcome,, very nice proves there are gems in barns garages ect

[Rapierdave]

Another lovely early "B" resurfaces.

Would love to see this car, please bring it to Billing.

[Rick-Manta]

Oh yes, that is one gorgeous looking early B and it really is one of the early ones too, pre august 76, must be quite rare. Also has the passenger mirror which is hard to find for early b's as they're fatter than the later cars. Shame about the wiper spoilers though

If you had a new head from a GM dealer in '95 then it should have hardened exhaust valve seats for unleaded, it's very unlikely a genuine dealer would supply you with a head cast and assembled more than 10 years prior. Also check your timing or better just run it on super unleaded so you can keep the advance. Also once you've emptied the tank and refuelled without the lead additive, change your fuel filter as I've heard of loads of people getting their passages blocked by the additives, as they go sludgy. Although I can't speak from experience with the valve master plus which never gave me a problem until I realised the additives were a waste of time anyway.

I hope to see the car in the flesh (or in the metal) sometime, very nice.

Just noticed the front spoiler too! A damn good first car I must say, it's no wonder you kept hold of it all these years.

Edited June 17, 2011 by Rick-Manta

[richm]

Thanks all for the nice comments - appreciated.

Good spot Stradacab - it is Monza blue, i've only ever seen a couple of other B's in this colour and that was probably back in the 80s, and like you say mainly a colour seen on A's. Great colour i think, difficult to imagine many cars looking bad in it, and its what first attracted me to the car on the used car lot all those years ago. Car was first registered 6th Jan 76, probably only a few months after the B started, maybe they used all the spare paint from the A's and then stopped the colour.

I'm hoping/intending to go to Billing - would be great to see so many great cars together.

Thanks for the cyl head link garymanc - althoough i'm still confused as this says XR2 (leaded only) or P2E (unleaded). I've looked more closely and my cyl head says XR2P - so i'm now wondering what the P means - maybe its the old style head but made later with hardened seats, or maybe this is just wishful thinking. Anyway it seems to run fine without any change to the normal timing settings, and no pinking.

Good point re the additives and fuel filter thanks Rick. My car is running very sweet unless its at full throttle and over 4500 rpm, where it does seem to develop a bit of fuel starvation, and this is very consistent. I'd assumed maybe the fuel pump was past its best, so will swap it out with a new spare anyway, but i might just try swapping the fuel filter first now.

Fair point re the wiper spoilers - seemed like a good idea in the 80s and the only performance mod i could afford, but probably a bit naff now... but the car would seem naked without them now

Cheers... rich

[stradacab]

Thanks all for the nice comments - appreciated.

Good spot Stradacab - it is Monza blue, i've only ever seen a couple of other B's in this colour and that was probably back in the 80s, and like you say mainly a colour seen on A's. Great colour i think, difficult to imagine many cars looking bad in it, and its what first attracted me to the car on the used car lot all those years ago. Car was first registered 6th Jan 76, probably only a few months after the B started, maybe they used all the spare paint from the A's and then stopped the colour.

I had one last year the same colour! NMP 50R, but that was registered Oct'76 so yours is much earlier than mine,

I'll make a point of introducing myself at Billing, look forward to seeing you.

[Rapierdave]

Just realised your car was registered on the 8th January 1976 must be one of the oldest uk registered "B's" on the road, and one of the nicest.

I thought mine was old but it's a mere youngster compared to your's only being registered in July 1976.

Hope you make it to Billing on 2nd or/and 3rd July.

[richm]

Thanks Stradacab, look forward to meeting at Billing. Good to hear there's at least one other Monza Blue B around - presume you've no longer got it, but hopefully its still alive.

Mighty fine earty B you have there RapierDave from the look of the pic. Great colour too - whats that one?

Cheers... Rich

[MikeyRules]

Wow what a lovely original condition early b!

I quite like the wiper spoilers lol as they are period and depict the era of Manta B motoring perfectly!

[stradacab]

Thanks Stradacab, look forward to meeting at Billing. Good to hear there's at least one other Monza Blue B around - presume you've no longer got it, but hopefully its still alive.

I think so, it went to a club member called Andy over in Wales. I must look him up actually...

It belonged to an elderly lady, the paint was flat and it had been clunked and had suffered a bit of vandalism.

I had every intent of doing it but my GT/J project just kept getting pushed back and I thought I would never get it done so I moved this one on. I replaced the vinyl roof, painted the wheels and restored the interior. It ran like a dream after a service and the auto box was great. It only really needed wings and some panel work before paint.

[cam.in.head]

1.9 engines were only used up until 1978 when they then became 2 litre so if the dealer fitted a 1.9 head it wouldnt be unleaded.if he fitted a 2 litre head then it would say p2(carb head)although i would expect it to be a little down on power due to the combustion chamber size.