Mike. Posted April 9, 2020 Author Share Posted April 9, 2020 I’ve often thought that myself but I’m happy to live with it at the moment, I’m glad the restoration has come to an end, at this point I don’t want to visit paint and masking up again so maybe a project for the winter. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanMc Posted April 9, 2020 Share Posted April 9, 2020 Great news Mike and she is looking pretty as a picture - enjoy! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike. Posted April 19, 2020 Author Share Posted April 19, 2020 One advantage of a private road is I can use it to run the Manta on and test it out, went for a small run again last night up and down the road, I’ve clocked up 14 miles now, can’t wait till lockdown is lifted and I can road tax the Manta, I see little point in road tax at the moment just to sit in the garage, it was a beautiful evening to take the Manta out for a drive, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. she is in need of a decent run, haven’t even got her dirty enough yet to wash! hopefully soon. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 Is that rear rude height standard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike. Posted April 19, 2020 Author Share Posted April 19, 2020 Yes, the standard springs front and back were re fitted, wrong way round to start with.....oops, but then corrected 😆 I think the white underside and wheel arches give it a higher look, but yes ride height is as I got her back in 2016. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 Just looks a bit high for a gte, however I can’t remember the last time I have seen one at original ride height Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cam.in.head Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 personal opinion only ..obviously but to me most cars look better at proper manufacturers ride height. all the front alignment figures will be correct as designed and you will be able to actually drive it !. around here (yorkshire) there are plenty of speed bumps around and even mine at normal height will scrape the exhaust if not carefull so goodness knows what it would be like if too low !.its weird how times change. in the seventies the rage was to make cars higher especially at the rear with longer leaf spring hangers.now people want them lower ? each to their own.and no offence intended to anyone who likes them low 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 17 minutes ago, cam.in.head said: personal opinion only ..obviously but to me most cars look better at proper manufacturers ride height. all the front alignment figures will be correct as designed and you will be able to actually drive it !. around here (yorkshire) there are plenty of speed bumps around and even mine at normal height will scrape the exhaust if not carefull so goodness knows what it would be like if too low !.its weird how times change. in the seventies the rage was to make cars higher especially at the rear with longer leaf spring hangers.now people want them lower ? each to their own.and no offence intended to anyone who likes them low There are different springs between models though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike. Posted April 19, 2020 Author Share Posted April 19, 2020 Was it the exclusive that was 40mm lower than the standard GT/E ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1200bandit Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 This was one of the Mantas l have had It was totally standard on the suspension Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monaco Blue Posted April 19, 2020 Share Posted April 19, 2020 10 hours ago, Mike. said: I think the white underside and wheel arches give it a higher look I suspect that might well be the case. It certainly looks to be level looking at the sill to ground gap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike. Posted April 20, 2020 Author Share Posted April 20, 2020 I’ve measured it and there is 10mm difference 210mm at back skirt to ground and 200mm for the front and looking directly from the back it sits level side to side. I’m definitely going to leave it as is, maybe it will settle, I still need to put some fuel in the tank which will help put weight over the rear axle. I’m real happy with the finished results and don’t want to start pulling her apart again, a good run in is what she needs now 👍 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie077366 Posted April 20, 2020 Share Posted April 20, 2020 17 hours ago, cam.in.head said: personal opinion only ..obviously but to me most cars look better at proper manufacturers ride height. all the front alignment figures will be correct as designed and you will be able to actually drive it !. around here (yorkshire) there are plenty of speed bumps around and even mine at normal height will scrape the exhaust if not carefull so goodness knows what it would be like if too low !.its weird how times change. in the seventies the rage was to make cars higher especially at the rear with longer leaf spring hangers.now people want them lower ? each to their own.and no offence intended to anyone who likes them low I agree, I found on a track car when mine was mobile you couldn’t really lower the back without it feeling very nervous on the limit. I think for handling standard gte is as low as you can go. 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike. Posted April 21, 2020 Author Share Posted April 21, 2020 I’ve just finished refurbishing and fitting a metal Undertray for my Manta, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. I always felt this would help to keep my engine bay cleaner, I’ve been looking for ages and eventually came upon this one, well pleased with the results 👍 Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Rare things these trays. I think some wheel arch tubs would be a great help too 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike. Posted May 21, 2020 Author Share Posted May 21, 2020 Went up to my local park tonight for some exercise, took the Manta out as it was a beautiful still evening, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. I'm quite happy with how the engine has settled in after the rebuild, I’m now 3 miles short of turning 60,000mls on the speedo, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. after I got home I thought it would be best to remove the bugs on the front instead of letting them dry on, white paint and bugs are not the best combination 😁 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike. Posted May 29, 2020 Author Share Posted May 29, 2020 Had a quick run into Fraserburgh tonight as it was a lovely evening again, I maybe left it a little too late for photos as it was getting dark, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. the scale of the boats up close is unbelievable, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. 14 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trooker Posted May 29, 2020 Share Posted May 29, 2020 Fit fine! Looks fantastic, love the backdrop 😎 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanMc Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 The first/top photo is absolutely stunning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike. Posted May 30, 2020 Author Share Posted May 30, 2020 I’m definitely happy with how she looks now that she is completed and on the road, she does take a good photo, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. the amount of looks and comments I get every evening I’m out is amazing, I had a lad in a motorbike following me for ages, I was probably sitting about 50mph, eventually on a big long clear stretch he would overtake, but instead of blasting past as I would have expected, he drove slowly up to the drivers window gave us the thumbs up then opened her up and blasted away, brilliant 😄 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monaco Blue Posted May 30, 2020 Share Posted May 30, 2020 47 minutes ago, Mike. said: I’m definitely happy with how she looks now that she is completed and on the road, she does take a good photo, Can't disagree with you there! It looks spot-on all round! Nice photos too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike. Posted June 7, 2020 Author Share Posted June 7, 2020 (edited) My original Manta heater fan motor has just packed in, so I searched on this forum about VW Polo heater fan upgrades. On Saturday I went to my local breakers yard, couldn’t find a suitable VW Polo but stumbled across a MK2 VW Golf, so I removed the fan motor and armed with screenshots of “how to” I set to work, the easy part was stripping the plastic from the VW fan motor, removing the Manta housing from the broken fan motor and installing the VW Golf fan motor in the plastic using angle brackets and jubilee clip, with help of another Manta owner and a few WhatsApp calls to keep me right I identified the wiring colours, Brown wire was negative, white wire speed 1, yellow and black wire speed2, yellow wire speed 3. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. next issue was grafting the old wiring loom black connector to the new fan motor, it was decided to use speed settings 2&3 and blank speed 1 off, the original connector was grafted on just behind my insulating tape numbers and the resistor zip tied in place to stop it rattling about, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. quick note on above picture, I had to reverse the red and brown wire spades right next to the motor to get the fan to run in the right direction, definitely needs checking before finally fitting in place ( don’t ask me how I found out 🤣) again advice was saught for old colours, Black wire was negative, grey speed setting 1, yellow speed setting 2, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. The original old black Plastic heater wires connector was grafted on, new VW Golf fan motor installed inside the Manta heater box, it is a tight fit in there, cover and rubbers fitted, battery connected back up and now I have a functional heater again but with a 100% improvement on power. Edited June 7, 2020 by Mike. 5 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
®evo03 Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 Great mod and upgrade, think a member on here restores the manta fans or puts more up to date electrics to them, should you want a less efficient fan? Worth a search, top upgrade, next mk1 golf i see is getting relieved of its fan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike. Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 (edited) Went on a 170 mile round trip today up to Cairnamount, Laurencekirk. The climb on parts were 14% gradient on a really hot day. I kept a close eye on oil pressure and temp gauge, she ran like a dream, never missed a beat, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. stopped half way up to take in the scenery, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. a view from inside the subby, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. up on top of Cairnamount, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. I took the chance today to drive with the rear opening quarter glass open, really helped with temperature and comfort control inside on a hot day, no aircon! Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. stopped in past a garden centre in Banchory for a coffee, Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. The Manta was admired in the car park, some lads taking photos of it and chatting about owning one or a friend they had who owned one, great day to be out in her. Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. I’m away to spend the evening removing the flys from the front nosecone and windscreen. Edited July 26, 2020 by Mike. 12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 Still holds its own for looks in that car park eh 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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