Kevin Abbott Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 (edited) It started like this. " Carl, can I come and buy the roof off you as a spare?" That was Friday 20th March 2015 Sooooo, over to Burnley we go, 10 mins away. Picked up the roof as a spare for my #itsnevergoingtobedoneinamillionyears project Out of the corner of my eye I spied this Rusty? Hell yea Balls to this, this forum is a pain in the arse to build a thread I'll do it on facebook Edited June 29, 2015 by Kevin Abbott 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Abbott Posted May 5, 2015 Author Share Posted May 5, 2015 Turns out facebook is just as bad so here we go 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volksdevil Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 So here I am SAT in Burnley, wondering how the hell I didn't know about this? Hope you find the will to post up further details Kev! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny D114BCW Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Great that Kev, it's so secret its invisible. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymanc Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Thank the lord for pub meets so we can see pictures on your phone 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Turns out facebook is just as bad so here we go Just setup a little wordpress blog and start your project on that. Its free and so much easier. http://www.theopelproject.com Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Abbott Posted May 6, 2015 Author Share Posted May 6, 2015 Ok, I've put my dummy back in...... The plan with it was simple, Danny the boy Danny D114BCW was in Europe doing a tour and his car went to the bodyshop For a little bit of paint.. Danny thought I would never have a car on the road so this was my challenge.... I had 3 weeks to fully restore and paint the coupe.. 3 weeks My other coupe I have been building for 14 years Did I mention it was rusty? well not as rusty as some as it still had a floor and good 'A' posts. A glass sunroof was a saviour and the headlining was good and in black. The interior was cut about for a mega bosh boom bang stereo with 6x9 speakers in the doors... who does that! especially to early 400 style door cards To be fair it has rot in the standard manta places but it's got some nice bits on and needed saving Yes it is a 1800! Time to strip it 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny D114BCW Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Can I just say mine hasn't be fully repainted, just the doors. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Autocrosser Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Found one nearly identical on Monday white 18S coupe wrong seats, steering wheel and backbox had a quick wiz round it and needs attention to the usual places and the owners keeping it to fit a BMW 6 cylinder diesel in I tried to buy it but it wasn't for sale so left my number with the guy :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
®evo03 Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 What a challenge, Great pics, keep them coming. 3 weeks! No sleep......? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volksdevil Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Look forward to fast! updates Can I just say mine hasn't be fully repainted, just the doors. Either way it looks/sits fantastic Danny. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickappy Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 no way kev.. 100s of hours worrk their.. hood luck 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aggressor Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 good luck with it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymanc Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 good thread Kev , just need to see the results of your 120 hours welding 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny D114BCW Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Cheers for the comments Volksdevil. This project is killing us off. Kevs closer to death than me though. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Abbott Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 First thing to do was make sure the car was running OK before we took it apart and it was Then onto the lorry lifts to have a poke around under it again and to release the running gear, exhaust etc Sticky black stuff removed and cleaned with thinners, floor looks good but I haven't hit it yet:) A little investigation into the front end resulted in replacing the top section and a bit on the grill Then ground back Back to bare metal to find the worm Now I knew the chassis was bad but I needed to put it on the body turner my brother had bought for his Mancona off Mantasport. Assessing the sills the pass one required 1/2 a sill with all closing panels repaired and the drivers one I put a full sill on and did the repairs to the inners behind the outer closing panels on the rear quarters Borrowed my Brothers HEAVY spot welder and a day of messing around to get the sill lined up correctly Both A post required repair so my shrinker/ stretcher came into play. Shell was now strong enough to go onto the turner but before we could do that it was all axles and heavy things off Spare wheel well needed replacing so I made one With the shell strong it was time to do Drum roll................................................... THE CHASSIS LEGS ARRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 When are we going to see some more? You're going great guns at this, Well done . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANTAMAN Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 onto the lorry lifts put it on the body turner Borrowed my Brothers HEAVY spot welder so my shrinker/ stretcher came into play. BLOODY CHEATS !!!!!!!!!! You should be rolling around on your back on the front drive, rain dripping down your neck, fighting with a cheap e-bay mig and set of old hammers !!!!!!!!!! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Abbott Posted May 7, 2015 Author Share Posted May 7, 2015 BLOODY CHEATS !!!!!!!!!! You should be rolling around on your back on the front drive, rain dripping down your neck, fighting with a cheap e-bay mig and set of old hammers !!!!!!!!!! I'm very lucky Ian that my little Brother owns 4 large industrial units and employs a painter More of the thread to come day by day. It's going to be some story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upk Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Nice one Kev, the clock is ticking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tony g Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 great speed! If you carry on at this pace itll be done next week Tony 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Abbott Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 (edited) The chassis legs On the advice of David from Mantasport I did then one side at a time Poke the old chassis until it is dust and cut out the rot New chassis rail pieces by Klokkerholm ordered from http://www.tjmotorsport.co.uk/ The service from TJM was fantastic and they gave me a 10% discount for being in the club ( I'm not pregnant ) TJM didn't have all the parts in stock to send the next day to suit my schedule so Big Cliff came to the rescue with a full set of klockkerholm chassis pieces. Many thanks to Cliff Hill, now then that was another person let into the secret project and news was getting out! The old rusty parts cut off to leave this Inner built from 40mm box bent to suit Inner all welded up and zinc primed Blood sacrifice Now the outer was added, the panels fit so well with a little squeeze New jacking point on this side too Zinc primed and off to the other side So I put over 100 hours welding into the chassis going from work every day This is how you look every night at 2am after doing chassis rails At least the shell is now strong. Just a inner rear arch to add Edited May 8, 2015 by Kevin Abbott 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plumster Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 (edited) Amazing application to the task, credit to you, makes me feel a right lazy mutha, mine is up in the air waiting for me to get the fuel tank out. Andy..... (Rutts) where are you? Need a grunter to lie underneath the car with me, and not the wife. Edited May 8, 2015 by plumster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Abbott Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 Time to move it All the welding completed in a crazy 3 week timeframe. Well, I had wanted to complete the car in 3 weeks to show Dan, I rang Dan as he was on the way back from daaaarrrrrnnnn sssaaaaaauuuuthhhh dropping off the motorhome and asked him to call and look at my coupe project. He arrived and did this " What's happened to your coupe? I didn't know it needed that much work?" Then he looked and looked. The more he looked the more nothing happened Then the penny dropped "THAT's not your car!) Hmmmm Dan, yes it is but not the cossie project. You should of seen Dans face light up. Back to buissnesss and now with another person in the loop. Dan called down the day after and I had more hands on the job . Time to get the car off the body roller and move the car next door into the prep bay Easy with a stacker onto a body roller Into the paint bay and back onto the body turner to prep the underside for bedliner Dan doing the masking. The entire underside had been cleaned back to rust free and treated with an industrial rust converter that's mainly used on oil rigs so should be ok for a rusty Manta Drying the rust converter Edges seam sealed Time for ........................RAPTOR.... Grrrrrrrrr I bought the tintable version and added 2k black so it's nice and shiney While the raptor....... grrrrrr...... was going off Dan took it upon himself to use the industrial wash and a s##t load of TFR and acid to do some cleaning There is a lot of love for the Mantas around here 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Abbott Posted May 8, 2015 Author Share Posted May 8, 2015 (edited) With the raptor... grrrrrrr.... drying it was time to look at the drivetrain and axles Axles cleaned and 2k Derusted and black 2k lashed on Flying axle Boot got a bit of 2k love Prop and exhaust cleaned and painted. no pics.... booooooo All bolted onto a clean shell and back onto its wheels Phew! It all lines up Time to strip it down for paint, but wait... what about the fuel lines and new brakes? Over to the other bay again and up into the air. Big Cliff trying to bend down to do the lines on the highest setting of the lift Brand new death wish calipers sourced from brakes international ( won't have those on for long!!) At this point it's 4 or 5 weeks into the build and 100s of man hours but it's all worth it when you can sit in your Manta Edited May 8, 2015 by Kevin Abbott 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.