Monaco Blue Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 That's a tidy looking car. The GTE interior makes all the difference albeit not original. https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1091410 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dog321fish Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Where headlamp washer/wipers not standard on this ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 (edited) 18 minutes ago, dog321fish said: Where headlamp washer/wipers not standard on this ? I had a 1982 Y reg that I had back 20 years ago did not have the wipers, It was an 1800 Berlinetta. The 1800 Y reg Hatch I bought recently and have here now has not got them either, I looked to see if they had been removed but there is no sign they were ever fitted. To be honest I am glad, I think they make the front look cluttered and they are feeble at best. Edited March 22, 2019 by paulmanta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monaco Blue Posted March 22, 2019 Author Share Posted March 22, 2019 25 minutes ago, paulmanta said: I had a 1982 Y reg that I had back 20 years ago did not have the wipers, It was an 1800 Berlinetta. The 1800 Y reg Hatch I bought recently and have here now has not got them either, I looked to see if they had been removed but there is no sign they were ever fitted. To be honest I am glad, I think they make the front look cluttered and they are feeble at best. That's interesting. I always thought that the headlamp wipers were indeed standard fitment on the facelifted Berlinetta's. That and and the the the the rear wash/wipe along with the alloys were the main differences between the GT/J and the Berlinetta. The GT/J also had different more basic door cards that were upgraded to the Berlinetta cards when the GT superceded the GT/J. The front end of your recent purchase may have been rebuilt at some point in the past, however the other one you had 20 years earlier makes me wonder. Interesting both and this silver car are all Y plate. I'll need to consult the 83MY brochure! 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 (edited) The Recent purchase has only done 56000 miles from new and is untouched, its never had bodywork and its all original apart from the removal of the engine and box for the Sump, pick up pipe, mounts and gearbox.to put in some other car. I am the third owner, the first owner bought it new and kept it until 5 years ago, then sold it to the bloke who pulled all the 1800 bits off and sold it to me around July last year. I got the car as a rolling shell. Its timewarp and I have no doubt it didn't have the wipers. there are no mounts or evidence the bolt holes have ever been used. no water pipes or that funny little valve thing wired up to the lights, I was the first person to remove the bumper, and that was so I didn't damage it or anything around it while I drop the subframe out to put the new 1800 engine and box in. My silver hatch from years ago, possibly, I bought it used with lots of miles but no rebuild evidence, not crashed or repaired, certainly never painted. I never checked the bolt holes to see if the wiper system had ever been there and I don't have the car any more. Edited March 22, 2019 by paulmanta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monaco Blue Posted March 22, 2019 Author Share Posted March 22, 2019 Here's a link to the October 82 catalogue. The page for the Manta mentions that the headlamp wipers were standard on the Berlinetta. And early 83 brochure: Of course this doesn't explain why both yours & the silver car never had them fitted. I don't doubt what you are saying. The other tell-tale is the washer bottle. Large rectangular bottle when fitted with headlamp wipers and the much smaller round bottle where no wipers were fitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 The washer bottle is large, as it was on my old silver 1800. My two GTEs have the same washer bottle but those both had headlamp washers (that I removed when I fitted twin lights to them) Its not the only thing that is weird about the red hatch I have here, the carpets are the most plush deep pile I have ever seen, I thought it was because they were some kind of hand made or aftermarket ones that had been made for the car, when I removed them they had the GM stickers and printed on part numbers, they are also moulded and embossed the same as all the carpets I have here and have ever handled. They are more like the deep pile Senator or Carlton carpets, close pile, smooth. Very nice indeed and have been protected by GM rubber mats their whole life too ! No Ariel and its got GTE 5 spoke alloys on it. complete with a matching spare. I suspect this car was ordered differently from the factory, 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monaco Blue Posted August 3, 2019 Author Share Posted August 3, 2019 Still for sale but at £4895 which might be more realistic: https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1138329 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted August 3, 2019 Share Posted August 3, 2019 (edited) Clicked wrong link 🤪 Edited August 3, 2019 by Jessopia74 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monaco Blue Posted August 31, 2019 Author Share Posted August 31, 2019 (edited) Now reduced to £4950 with 200 mile free delivery (still advertised for £5999 on Car & Classic). 40K miles and good MOT history too. It's quite tempting. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1983-OPEL-MANTA-BERLINETTA-S-RARE-SIGHT-LOVELY-CONDITION-GTE-INTERIOR-TRIM/202768339635?hash=item2f35ef52b3:g:GYQAAOSwNRJczadt Edited August 31, 2019 by Monaco Blue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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