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PICS on, NEARLY DONE! - Manta GTE (15 years on) - now 18 years on.


Danny D114BCW
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Owned this since 2002 so nearly 20 years, Wow!

So the last time this car was stripped and welded was back in 2003/04. It’s seen a lot of action and miles all flat out and driven very hard. 

Life got in the way and I was going to sell up. I decided to stick it in a garage and leave it. I used it without a care in the world for a further two years and put it in a garage as it wouldn’t pass an MOT with the state of the chassis leg on the drivers side, it’s sat untouched since then for three years under a cover.

So since then I moved back from Spain, bought my new home and got engaged it’s now the right time to get D114 BCW on the road and showing it the love I showed it 15 years ago when I bought it.

Plans are replace the chassis legs, jacking points and wheel well (even if parts are solid there’re being replaced) the boot floor where it meets the back panel looks crusty too - basically all the bits I never did 15 years ago (I was only 15) 😬

i am going to put new doors on it and get a new headlining made for it as this non sunroof one back in the day was a hard find but it’s bloody horrible. And just do bits that annoy me.

next couple of year I want an LSD and toying with the idea of englemanns 🤔 don’t know yet. 

Here todays progress, 1 man - 6 hours 

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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6 hours ago, Danny D114BCW said:

1 man - 6 hours 

That's because like many of us on here we are so familiar with Mantas that working on them is easy for us, there isn't anything that we haven't seen many times before

6 hours ago, Danny D114BCW said:

basically all the bits I never did 15 years ago (I was only 15)

Now suddenly i feel old !! i can picture this Manta fresh at Billing parked near the fence in the days when camping was allowed along the fence line.

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One of those rare gtes with side repeaters, did you replace roof skin? Why did they fit ariels in the weirdest of places, half ways to know where! 

 I had the good sense of selling my first manta, for twice what i paid for it, never missed a beat, never done a thing to it, just learned what to look for, which has stood by me, of course loved that car, but would have needed too much work, what im in the middle of now, saving another manta.

good luck with the pro, its up hill before its down hill, crack on

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15 hours ago, ®evo03 said:

One of those rare gtes with side repeaters, did you replace roof skin? Why did they fit ariels in the weirdest of places, half ways to know where! 

 I had the good sense of selling my first manta, for twice what i paid for it, never missed a beat, never done a thing to it, just learned what to look for, which has stood by me, of course loved that car, but would have needed too much work, what im in the middle of now, saving another manta.

good luck with the pro, its up hill before its down hill, crack on

Yes the skin was replaced years ago (properly), I like the aerial there as I hate it on the wing. 

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2 hours ago, Danny D114BCW said:

I like the aerial there as I hate it on the wing. 

This is where the aerial is situated on early B series, though maybe a little further forward, i like it located here, something different to most others cars.

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Have two b,s with bee sting ariels on the roof, from new! A bit more stylish, then a later 1.8s, back to the wing, what the hell! 

Dont mind them on the wing tbh, cant replace a quarter panel as easy ;) a bit more stylish on the roof, but have an option of removing 1 completely from roof. Time will tell, 

think it dates a car badly, its like an after though, ........ah shit we forgot the friggin ariel? Quarter panel is a bit far! Just one step away from wing mounted chrome mirrors.

know you can get windscreen ariels, but can modern slimline units run without ariels? Given that i never listen to the wireless!! 

Anyway, more interesting is that lsd.....:thumbup

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I agree totally. Wing ariels seem to make the car look older. So do wing mirrors rather than door mirrors.its one major regret i had when i bought my viva many years ago. It had no mirror at all exept one clipped to the actual door frame. I fitted a proper door mirror similar to chevette style but the proper chrome arm type. Then after visiting various shows saw earlier cars had two wing top mirrors. Not as good as an actual mirror as such but they look soooo much better.cant fit them now as there would be two holes left in the door !

i know this doest realy apply to our cars mirror wise but a good old wing top ariel realy does make the car look older. I dont know why but it does .especially when extended.!.   Maybee its just me !

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On 21/07/2018 at 17:38, Mike. said:

Looking forward to see the progress on your GTE, it looks like a great project. :thumbup

I agree with the above sentiments. Good to see your GTE getting some TLC.

I have a soft spot for this car as it's identical to the one I ran for 12 years. Still one of the best colours for a standard GTE never mind Exclusive. I preferred the GTE shade of Monaco Blue to the Exclusives'. 

I'd also leave the door mirrors where they are. A case of function over form. A modern stub roof arial would look good however.

Edited by Monaco Blue
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  • 9 months later...

Well it’s sat doing nothing since the last time I posted. 

I thought long and hard and came close to selling it but help and motivation from best friends has kinda talked me out of it (for now 😉

So its off to Neil’s tomorrow so he can show it some love and get it back on the road, he is helping me out massively and I cannot thank him enough. New legs etc going on and the back panel is just in case as it’s rotten where the boot floor and panel meet.

Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member.

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Danny you would have always regretted doing that, im in the same boat, first car i built was 15yrs ago, on the road, zero mot failure, would i sell it, i would in my f........ 

Even if it takes you another 15yrs to complete, dont sell it, you will spend 15yrs kicking yourself, looking for a replacement which just wont ever be the same.

 

Edited by ®evo03
need smaller fingers
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9 hours ago, H-400 said:

Hi Danny, if I understand it (I'm Flemish...) your friend Neil is going to help you with your car? 

You are correct, he is helping me massively, otherwise it just wouldn't get done.

8 hours ago, garymanc said:

Good man about time you listened 😂

were lucky to have such a good Opel family in the NW 

Very true Gary.

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  • Danny D114BCW changed the title to Manta GTE (15 years on) - now 16 years on
  • Danny D114BCW changed the title to PICS on, NEARLY DONE! - Manta GTE (15 years on) - now 18 years on.

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