Caprica Jonny Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Hey Guys, Just joined and was wondering if anyone had ever converted a Manta to 4x4 using a cav 4x4 or any other 4x4 running gear?? Looking to get my teeth into an exciting project! and as I LOVE MANTA COUPES was thinking it would be dam awesome! Would need to find a Manta shell first of donner... but just wanted some feed back to see if anyone had undertaken the task before hand?? Jonny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devil Fish Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 (edited) Hi and Welcome! 4x4 has definately been done before, can't remember with what though! Google?.... it was cosworth... just been reliably informed! I'm not convinced why you'd want to go AWD over RWD in a manta though unless doing rallying seriously or something! But it would be worth it just to see the project anyway! have fun Edited March 6, 2014 by Devil Fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shug Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 I fancied ripping the running gear from my a3 Quattro for the manta but given how relatively dysfunctional they both are I gave it a miss! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantasrme Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 There have been a couple of Cosworth 4x4 manta's Graham had a nice standard looking coupe and there is a white 400 kitted one in Ireland, could well be others around. The Ford running gear/engine goes in quite easily as its a rwd configuration with added front drive. You wouldn't get the cavalier/calibra 4x4 system in a manta as the engine is the wrong way around and would require the chassis rails/ inner wings chopping out and cavalier bits grafting in. Worth looking at the rules in relation to what you can and can't do to a bodyshell without the need for an SVA/IVA test to get a logbook issued as they have been tightened up a lot in the last few years . Gone are the days when you could build anything your heart (or alcohol induced brain) could desire and just use it on the road 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantadoc Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 On the whole I would say people haven't really done a Manta 4X4. Most I have seen have been the Manta body with floor and bulkheads cut out dropped on an existing 4X4 floor pan. That isn't making a 4X4 Manta, that's dressing a 4X4 up as a Manta. That said there was a Manta 400 4X4 prototype floating around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guysat Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 There was a project on here somewhere that somebody stuck the manta shell onto a Subaru Impreza running chassis, It look rather good to me.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANTAMAN Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 many years ago there was a Manta/Escort Cosworth 4X4 in Aylesbury, i say was because some miserable little C**£ stole it, it never turned up again so i suppose it was broken for the drive train, it was mainly Manta with various Coscort turrets etc grafted in to take the Cosworth engine and drive train, externally it looked very standard. I didn't quite get the point of it, why not just have a Coscort ? Opel did make a 4X4 Manta, a prototype for ralling, it eventually led to the Astra 4S Yes you can make a 4X4 Manta, it all depends on how much Money/skill/time you have. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mantasrme Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Grahams was the one that was stolen from his garage His was a full manta shell rather than a cossie floorpan/manta body The front end had extensions from the front chassis rails down to mount the cossie crossmember, and sierra turret tops grafted in where the manta ones were. Rest of the manta inner wings were retained At the rear it just had a little cut out in the middle to mount the diff in the axle tunnel. Springs and dampers lined up to orriginal mounts Rest of the shell was standard I think i have some pictures of it somewhere. I was lying on the grass at billing looking up underneath it to find out why it had ford 7 spoke alloys fitted to a manta when Graham walked up and asked if i wanted to see under the bonnet Think we were talking for a good hour after that about it and cars in general. That was a long time back now. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Abbott Posted March 6, 2014 Share Posted March 6, 2014 Trevor Lewis built the 4x4 cosworth manta and said it wasn't very difficult. John who has my i240 kit has done the manta body onto the Subaru chassis and it's remarkable how close the dimensions are. The Subaru inner sills fit exactly to the flange on the manta outer sills so the conversion is square. He needed to use the i240 kit as the Subaru has a 2" wider track each side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caprica Jonny Posted March 26, 2014 Author Share Posted March 26, 2014 Just googled Manta cosworth!! That looks so far above my skill level I'd be scared to hit it!! I've just always been a fan of 4wd cars, cosworths, seriras, escort 4x4, and scoobbieeess... I just want to make something cool, with classic 80's styling but with some serious get out of my way power!!! Any other ideas?? and thanks for your posts they have been great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANTAMAN Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 if you are competing in a loose surface event, or in a formula that restricts tire width or just going for mega horsepower then four wheel drive is a serious option. But if you are only going to be on tarmac and can put wider rear wheels on then RWD is best, it will handle better than 4WD, even with alot of horsepower. after all the Stars & Stripes Manta does OK!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sutty2006 Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 There was a project on here somewhere that somebody stuck the manta shell onto a Subaru Impreza running chassis, It look rather good to me.... I think this is the one ive seen in the flesh. Bought some parts of the guy, I think hes a bit further north than us... Last time I saw it it was being cut to mate the subaru chassis in.... havent heard or seen anything of it since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guysat Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 (edited) I think this is the one ive seen in the flesh. Bought some parts of the guy, I think hes a bit further north than us... Last time I saw it it was being cut to mate the subaru chassis in.... havent heard or seen anything of it since. This is the project I was impressed with, being a subaru fan, would love to see this one finished http://forums.mantaclub.org/topic/31451-chopshop-manta/?hl=subaru Edited March 27, 2014 by guysat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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