Olly928 Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Hi all, I just recently purchased a 1985 Manta 1.8 GT, I suspect a few of you may have seen it up for sale as I saw it advertised in a few places. This is the first non Ford I've owned/own, and am looking forward to getting stuck in with making it usable again. I'm aiming to tidy it up, get it road worthy and get some use out of it, with the eventual aim to drop a red top in, but we will see what happens. It needs welding in a few areas first, swan necks, sills, above the headlights, below the washer bottle and behind N/S head light. I've found some good spare panel availability, but first question is if anyone knows of repair panels for the front panel behind the lights, or will it be easier to just fab up a panel myself to fit? its gone at the point where the inner wing meets the front panel. Anyway I look forward to my future Manta adventures. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny D114BCW Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Welcome along. Panels are hard to find and the panels you are asking for a hard to find, new grills/nose cones come up now and again as do complete new front ends. Depending on what you are wanting there are fibreglass ones available too. If you are going down the red top route you have all the bits you need so you are onto a winner. Be sure to join the club for maximum content and advice, well worth it and it only costs a round of beers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cam.in.head Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Inner wing join to front section by headlight and the actual headlight mounting panel are all common rust areas and easy to fabricate . I personally now do all my repairs in galv if i can .its worth the extra effort in prep. my cars are cavaliers rather than actual mantas and ive never ever seen rot on the inner of that top piece .upper top by headlight yes but never further round.maybee thats just a later manta trait ? . as been said replacement front ends do pop up for sale ,im sure someone on here should be able to help with either a full panel or a section of it . Or just fabricate it .its not an overly complicated shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny D114BCW Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Oh they do rust there a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cam.in.head Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Blimey. In all my cavalier years I’ve never seen one as bad as that .even tops of chasssis rails. Is that a manta pic (guessing so as the colour ?) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danny D114BCW Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 yeh it was a manta, ha ha i have seen a few over the years go here. Does this one count too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cam.in.head Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 Its amazing how the later mantas seem so much worse than even the early cavalers (1976) i have also seen uk built cavs that were worse than belgiun built ones but never that bad !. All repairable thou ( well almost all! ) looking at the posters manta that front panel would be repairable as its not an immensly complicated area but depends on how the rest of it is with regards just swapping the entire front panel or at least the top skin of it. hes in the right place for help and advice thou ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sutty2006 Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 oh god Is that ONW / FNW in the back ground? Great manta by the way, my GT started out life like that.....and is my pride and joy now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly928 Posted July 12, 2018 Author Share Posted July 12, 2018 I'm not worried about the top of the front panel, it was more just cautious about recreating the curve up the side behind the light with the strengthening steps in it, but I don't mind if it doesn't look 100% original, so i will probably just fabricate something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cam.in.head Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 No problem. once you get the wings off you will be able to tackle the sides easily and any other areas that need doing behind.it also makes it a little easier to do chassis legs and jacking point as required. enjoy yourself and look forward to having a great car once finished. Your in good hands on here ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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