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A Returning Member Who Butchers His Manta


Chull
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Hello all,

 

I used to be a member of the OMOC years ago, kept saying I was doing "this and this" to my car, took me a while, a house move, a marriage and a remortgage but finally the dream machine I always wanted is coming together.

 

I'm still in the NW region, and even recognize some names, like Kevin Abbot, not seen Garys name pop up, but I thought I saw a Trevor mentioned somewhere so it's nice to see others still have the bug.

 

I say "butcher" as my manta was never destined to be original, I wanted a certain car and that involved a lot of changes which I'll add some pictures to give you an idea.

 

I'm rejoining as I might have a working car next year (2015) fingers crossed.

 

Quick run down of the car:

 

Was: Manta 2.0 GTE Coupé  in black.

 

Will be soon:

 

350 ci EFI supercharged V8 with Manual gearbox

Mattig Super Extreme Body kit and Image split rims

Still in black and I'll have the bug-catcher throttle and upper pulley above the bonnet, drag car style.

 

Besides catching up with people and talking mantas, I saw a post by a chap making electric power steering kits, and wondered if he is still making them, as I'd like to purchase one. I think it was dated 2014, so I'll be searching for it myself once I get another minute. 

 

Another question: replacement bush kits for front suspension/steering, can anyone recommend a brand or shop that sells them please?

 

Hopefully some pictures do appear below or somewhere, I look forward to gas-bagging with people and finally getting my manta finished.

 

 

On the way to Hauser Racing for the drive-train work after 10 years in my garage on bricks

 

20140619_083210_zpsbef4284b.jpg

 

 

The dummy V8 in place for fitting purposes, you can see the welding for engine mounts, chassis rail/bulkhead mods if you squint. Apparently they are cutting even more out of the bulkhead last time I spoke to them.

20141106_121559_zpsb2504a0b.jpegDSC00449_zps1f9597a0.jpg

 

A pic in the workshop showing how far back they are mounting the new engine to make room for SC pulleys, big radiator etc

DSC00451_zpse3061325.jpg

 

 

A pic of the crate engine going in once the work on fitting the dummy is finished

46051_zps2b4fecbc.jpg

 

Some pictures showing previous body work and brakes done approx 11 years ago

 

Curvesaregreat.jpgApplenexttoratherlargewheel.jpgOldandNewbrakediscs.jpg

 

 

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Wow, glad to see you back mate  ;)

That car has taken as long as mine :lol:

 

Ha ha, glad you remember me. Somewhere there is a "last day at school" picture of me with a car mag open to a double page spread of a black mattig manta so yeah 20-21 years from idea to completion is quite a while.

 

Still have the mancona right? cozzy engine etc if my memory is correct?

 

edit: the rears are 13"x15" fronts 11"x15" but close enough mate, I need to get back to work, sat here on lunch "hour" for too long reminiscing.... 

Edited by Chull
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Hi and looking forward to watching your project progress.

 

I have all the components to convert the Manta to PAS, as I have decided not to go ahead with the conversion, if your interested?

 

On a rough area which part of the NW are you resided, and are you interested in meeting up at the Monthly meets Nr Blackburn on the 1st Friday of every month?

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Welcome back, and yeah very interesting project! Got any photos of the Trans-Am??

 

Ha ha, no I only noticed it was in the workshop once I got home and looked at the pictures, I'll take some snaps if it's still there when I visit next. I had eyes only for my car...

 

Hi and looking forward to watching your project progress.

 

I have all the components to convert the Manta to PAS, as I have decided not to go ahead with the conversion, if your interested?

 

On a rough area which part of the NW are you resided, and are you interested in meeting up at the Monthly meets Nr Blackburn on the 1st Friday of every month?

 Oops, I already said I'd get one from Dave, but thanks for the offer. I'm in north Burnley, which is close, so yes I'd love to come. I was curious where/when the NW meetings were thanks for answering that one. Without my manta though I'm a bit stuck (I use a work provided van during the day) so as soon as I have the manta MOTed I'll be there. 

 

Contact Retropwer and or TJM (both on the forum) for the "Super Pro" poly bushes, as they are the dogs dangles

Thanks for the that recommendation, I'll member search them and get a PM sent.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Always thought a Chevy was an ideal engine for a Manta since seeing a factory V8 Chevy Opel 4 door Saloon..Diplomat and the later Bitter V8 CD ....Got a similar 5.7 engine in my HB Viva ...(approx 375bhp)....0-100 in 10 secs, yours will be quicker with a supercharger so needs a tough well located strengthened axle such as a  mustang 8/9 inch/Jag/GTE salisbury and large discs all round.. the Chevy is quicker and sounds better than smaller Rover V8s...

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  • 3 months later...

The engine has arrived, here's a picture of it, still sitting in its crate:

 

20150225_160003_zpsejbjlpla.jpeg

 

and here's a link to a bench test of the same engine/blower only with a smaller pulley, different cam and cylinder heads. TBH I couldn't run the engine like in the video as the torque is over the gearbox limit (600 ft/lbs) I may consider in the future changing just the pulley so I get the "scream" produced in that clip.

 

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ANX3OneJa1c?list=FLzo4AEyxjBvqvGspMENXTHQ

Edited by Chull
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 The standout figure for me is the 636 lb/ft torque.

 

 Another surprizing thing is the compression ratio, still 9.5, when you think of a forced induction engine it is presumed that the CR has to lowered to stop "the Lids" being blown off.

 

 Being nosey how much did this cost delivered to the UK?? ( don't have to say if it is too painfull or the other half will see this !!)

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OH MY GOD IVE JUST HAD AN EXPLOSION ALL OVER MY COMPUTER

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Someone pass me the tissues....... please.

 

 

I know right? It had a similar effect on me and my better half. She's into this build as much as I am and was the one who found the bench test video, thus the need for that higher boost pressure for the sound rather than the increase in power was born.......

 

 

 

 The standout figure for me is the 636 lb/ft torque.

 

 Another surprizing thing is the compression ratio, still 9.5, when you think of a forced induction engine it is presumed that the CR has to lowered to stop "the Lids" being blown off.

 

 Being nosey how much did this cost delivered to the UK?? ( don't have to say if it is too painfull or the other half will see this !!)

 

Blowers seem to run at lower boost pressures, even the one in the video is less than half that of a well tuned turbo engine, and a turbo'd engine has the heat problem too, which I assume would lead to more chance of detonation. So with a supercharged engine the compression can stay the same as it has lower boost and fuel/air temp than a turbo engine, which as you say, need the ratio dropping.

 

When I checked the specs in the video and realized it was the same basic setup I'm having fitted, I was astounded that the power plant can be increased such a large amount. Over 200 bhp increase? that's insane, which means the setup I have is running quite restrained and thus it'll be a reliable road engine (that's what its sold as), as opposed to a full race spec engine that'll need constant tweeks and maintenance.

 

The other half is in on the project and helped blag the remortgage (yeah right I'll spend the extra borrowed money on decorating) so no worries there, but I have to say I have no idea of the individual parts cost, I gave the race team a budget (£48k) they said what they could do and came up with a crate engine suggestion rather than a complete one off build. I'm having a wild guess the full engine is about £15k, it's in the Edelbrook catalogue under small block chevy crate engines, so you might have more luck there.

Edited by Chull
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Engine looks great mate, you did say one day you would do a big build and here it is with a budget of 50k ;)

Can't wait for this to be a regular at the NW shows! 

 

Yeah it started at about 16k for a v8, then 27k for v8 fitted properly, then the fixed rate term on the mortgage ended and we thought "why not get a blown v8 like we always wanted?"

 

It's kind of good the gearbox is restricting the amount of crazy notions we get.

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