DiMarco Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 Hello All, Well I went to have a look at the manta a couple of weeks ago and it needs a bit more work than I thought. I got a quote for the work to be done which gave me a bit of a scare. But my dad has a good friend who would be able to do it a bit cheaper but from the photos it would need a rear right bottom arch, the lip in front of the bonnet and I believe both rear panels. Where can you get these panels from for the a 1973 A series manta. Thanks guys Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shug Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 When you say rear panels, do you mean the whole side, or just the bottom 6 inches? If the former, thats very expensive. if the latter, you can get them plus the wheel arches from mm dronten, or dr manta, possibly ps autoteile and prob a few other places in holland or germany. the front 'lip' prob best to find a decent 2nd hand one. I have one spare but it needs some work on the ends. Thing is, if the panels are that bad, how good are the floor, jacking points and chassis legs going to be? When the underseal is off it can be a bit of an eye opener. My advice, learn to weld or save up and spend more on a solid one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiMarco Posted December 12, 2013 Author Share Posted December 12, 2013 Thanks shug I did find this site below I will add some photos and tell me what you guys think http://www.rexbo.eu/hs/sidewall-111590?c=100165&at=1132 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiMarco Posted December 12, 2013 Author Share Posted December 12, 2013 (edited) Here are some of the photos I took of the work what do you think? Is it going to cost more than it is worth and not worth restoring. But I have been told the surface rust you can sand back and treat it filler over primer then spray but I don't know how true that is. Edited December 12, 2013 by DiMarco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantaray Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 Dont bother with that part, you can get much better wheel arch replacement panels. As Shug has said try the links below. If you still need someone to do the work for you give me a bell, I have lots of expireance working on Mantas. Dr manta: http://www.dr-manta.de/eng.htm Ps Autoteile: http://stores.ebay.de/PS-Autoteile__manta/_i.html?LH_TitleDesc=1&lh_sellerwithstore=1&_nkw=manta&_dmd=1&_pgn=8&_sasi=1&_sid=27186505&_sop=1&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14&_vc=1&clk_rvr_id=559784337494 MM Dornton http://mmdronten.nl/ Opel Tuning Leidinger: http://stores.ebay.nl/Opel-Tuning-Leidinger__manta-A_W0QQrtZncQQ_sidZ112131255QQ_trksidZp4634Q2ec0Q2em14?_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1581&_pgn=2&clk_rvr_id=559775193762 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantaray Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 Surface rust can be delt with as you say, as long as it is not to bad. But check the underside, front jacking point, chassie rails and floor. It all depends on how far you wish to go and how long you wish to own the car. I am in the progress of restoring an A at the moment, it is coming back from paint on Monday, it has cost around £2000 to sort all the welding out + around a £1000 in paint, but when it is all finished it will be like new and worth around £6000. As with every thing you get what you pay for, do things on the cheep and it will not last, but if you can aford to do thing correctly you will end up with a good solid car that will last for a good 15 years or more. There are a few members in the Oxford area it may be worth asking if another member can go and have a look at it with you to get a better idea of what work it could need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo16n Posted December 12, 2013 Share Posted December 12, 2013 Have 2nd hand top front panel(the panel in front of bonnet) if you need one.Have you bought car ,or still considering it? Also have drivers side sill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiMarco Posted December 12, 2013 Author Share Posted December 12, 2013 I am still undesided as I don't know how much it will cost to repair her really want her but cant if she will cost the earth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 (edited) Most of the rust in your pictures is quite easy to sort out but as Shug says its the under side that is the harder and more expensive bit to sort out. You need to get under and have a poke about on the chassis rails, sils, lift the carpets and see what the floor is like. Mine was a nice solid shell but still needed, sil's, back bottom of the arches, chassis rails, rear arches and jacking points + some other bits sorting out which if you can weld yourself its justy the time to do it but if you have to pay as Mantaray says it will cost a bit and and im sure the cost will go up as the build goes along as you seem to find more rust on A's the more you dig about. Im not trying to put you off but you need to find the best shell you can these days. Also have a look on german ebay for panels. I hope this helps a bit along with the previous comments. Andy Edited December 13, 2013 by 611 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiMarco Posted December 13, 2013 Author Share Posted December 13, 2013 Hi andy, Thank you very much and to you all i am very grateful for all you comments and knolage on this matter i am most grateful. Chris (mantaray) has been kind enough to say he will come and have a look at the manta and advise me what sort of money the car will cost to put right. I have a good ish budget to get the car on the road again so will see what chris thinks when he takes a look at the monster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 Atleast you will know where you stand after Chris has had a look at it and if its worth going ahead with. Keep us updated :-) Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiMarco Posted December 14, 2013 Author Share Posted December 14, 2013 Hi andy, All sorted Tuesday is the day that the car is getting looked at so fingers cross Chris can give me some good news when he has a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 Keeping my fingers crossed for you as well :-) Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiMarco Posted December 15, 2013 Author Share Posted December 15, 2013 Thank you andy, I hope it goes well also and Chris tells me it is not that bad and we can knock him down some more. The car will be my bit of fun taken out for weekends and when I want to show it off as she is going to cost a lot of fuel lol but worth it. Would be really cool to meet up with you all with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiMarco Posted December 17, 2013 Author Share Posted December 17, 2013 Hi all, An update on the manta near me. Chris came down today and looked over it and I got a good reaction. The rails are solid as are the jacking areas all the rust looking patches are surface rust so he is happy with the body. From what he has told me about the car I am happy with the price range I am in so I am having a good think but more than likely going to go ahead with it. I want to thank Chris very much for coming down and the other gent who also came to have a look I do apologies I am bad with names. Just waiting to hear from the gent who owns the car to see if he will take my offer and then a garage to rent along with a date that chris can take the car to start work. I will be making a project thread once work starts and I will also be working on the car at weekends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turbo16n Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Hi , it was me who came with Chris today,hopefully you will get the car for slightly less than the asking price (even though it would still be a good buy).That engine sounds awesome Good luck .Let us know how you get on. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiMarco Posted December 17, 2013 Author Share Posted December 17, 2013 Hi Steve, Sorry about really bad with names I have contacted him and I have made him an offer which he accepted which was £2300. I have also contacted chris saying I am going to purchase the beast so now waiting for there to be space to work on the old girl. So looking forward to driving her and yes she sounded so amazing but down thought I needed to get new ears . Really look forward to taking her to shows and meets with the manta crew. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted December 17, 2013 Share Posted December 17, 2013 Hey great news :-) I will keep a look out for your thread when you get the car and get working on it. Might see you at a meet at some point if i ever get mine on the road :-) Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiMarco Posted December 17, 2013 Author Share Posted December 17, 2013 Hi Andy, I will make one as soon as I get the car I am currently on the look out for a garage to rent which shouldn't be much of a problem. Then I just need to wait for chris to have some space for my beast then I will collect the car and start working on it with steve. Sounds good andy are there many meets going on for the mantas Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Hi Nick Im down in bournemouth so there are not too many my way, but there should be a lot more around your area. There main opel meet up is at Billing in Northampton around July time so im trying to get mine running for then :-) Even if yours is not up and running by then it's worth a trip as there should be a few more A series there this year looking at all the threads on A series builds. I dont think there will be many like yours there :-) it does look a bit of a beast!! If it does have any standard manta parts left on it that you nee to replace i have a few links to places you can get bits on my blog. www.theopelproject.com which might be of some use to you. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiMarco Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share Posted December 18, 2013 Hi Andy, Thank you very much I am sure it will be sorted by then would be nice to bring it down to a meet. She is a beast from what the owner has told me about her and from what I have seen she was a road legal drag car with one beast of and engine and running NOS . I am looking so forward to driving it and like you said she will be a weekend / show car would be great to get her in a mag of some kind if possible. Thank you very much for the link Andy I believe that Chris knows all the prices to get the new parts if required but from what he told me the body is pretty much solid. Nick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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