My first car (JGS166Y)

[Mantakdy 2]

Always wondered what happened to my first car. She was a bright red Manta GT/E coupe 2.0, registration JGS166Y. I loved that car but unfortunately being young and stupid I ran her into the back of someone and caused enough front end damage that she was too expensive for me to fix. I sold her as a project and someone must have got her back on the road because the last time I saw her was around 93 in Dunfermline, Scotland. Anyone got any info on her?

Edited February 5 by Mantakdy

[IanMc 331]

According to the details held by the DVLA it was untaxed when it fell due in Feb 1993 and they hold no MOT details for it.

Fingers crossed, somebody has got it squirreled away somewhere, but it doesn't look look good I'm afraid.

[KAA 23]

20 hours ago, Mantakdy said:

Always wondered what happened to my first car. She was a bright red Manta GT/E coupe 2.0, registration JGS166Y. I loved that car but unfortunately being young and stupid I ran her into the back of someone and caused enough front end damage that she was too expensive for me to fix. I sold her as a project and someone must have got her back on the road because the last time I saw her was around 93 in Dunfermline, Scotland. Anyone got any info on her?

Shame it was crashed. JGS 166Y was one of the original Vauxhall-Opel press cars in 1983.

The car featured in a really good magazine road test article in 1983 where it was up against a Lancia HPE 2000. Manta came out best against the Lancia and a whole list of other cars back then.

I remember reading the article at the time and you can find some images on Flickr now after a bit of Googling. There were also some black and white press photos issued about July 1983 which I think featured 166Y, which ties-in with the June first registration, plus there were other press cars in the series. I think JGS 165Y was a gold coloured GT/E hatchback.

[KAA 23]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231517627710

JGS 167Y in Polar White was the other one in the series - used for the Autocar road test. 

[Mickfrad 84]

Here’s the manta v lancia photo and link to the article 

 

 

Edited February 5 by Mickfrad

[Mantakdy 2]

Guys, you've made a middle aged man very happy. That will be going to my photoshop wizard to get it sorted for a desktop wallpaper. Thats her, exactly as I remember her. Interesting they mention the bumpy ride. When I got her she was lowered and had the stock dampers replaced with bilstein all round. Also did a wee bit to the engine with a new cam, improved airflow and a janspeed exhaust with dual tailpipe. I considered the Peter Maiden 2.2 conversion but sold her before I had enough saved up.

She ended her time with me after I ran her, at slow speed, into the back of a van at a roundabout. As I remember it Kool and the Gang were blasting out the Alpine stereo and the other driver said at least the radio was working. I was quoted over £1000 to repair her which was too rich for me at the time so I sold her. Subsequently saw her in and around Fife when I moved there. Oddly enough, shortly after that I owned a Lancia HPE but got rid very quickly due to corrosion. I've owned numerous other cars over the years but she was the first and the best. The stories she could tell...

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[Danny D114BCW 884]

Great car! What a shame these cars are forgotten about and probably now fridges.

would be great to have a little bit of history like this.