ANDY ABBOTT Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 Took delivery of yet another manta today, a star mist black exclusive coupe. I've wanted one in this colour for many years. I got my hands on this one and first impressions is I'm happy with it. It's not yo bad at all. It wants swan necks, lower A post repairs, drivers floor pan has the usual hole above the jacking point, small hole under washer bottle and couple of small holes in sills, plus a couple of other little bits, for the most part it's solid and better than most I've started with. This is going to be the first project for my new garage once my i240 is finished which is now at body work stage. 😀 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
®evo03 Posted September 18, 2019 Share Posted September 18, 2019 (edited) Seen this, thought id stick it up for inspiration, like the black. Silver graphics look Well too! Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Edited September 18, 2019 by ®evo03 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDY ABBOTT Posted September 19, 2019 Author Share Posted September 19, 2019 I need those wheels on my i240 😍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
®evo03 Posted September 19, 2019 Share Posted September 19, 2019 Anything is possible, think they are remakes, splits by the look of them, sure i seem them advertised, maybe works wheels or US, maybe! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDY ABBOTT Posted September 19, 2019 Author Share Posted September 19, 2019 6 minutes ago, ®evo03 said: Anything is possible, think they are remakes, splits by the look of them, sure i seem them advertised, maybe works wheels or US, maybe! I'll be looking at wheels next year I'm going 5 stud too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-400 Posted September 30, 2019 Share Posted September 30, 2019 Those 5 -stud Ronals are back in production, but you have to give your right arm for it. https://www.viadanny.nl/c-4427670/velgen/ In Germany they sell the hearts/centers in different sizes and you have to bolt the other parts (tubes) on it from (I think) BBS. So you can make a 16" or 17" rim with "400"look. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDY ABBOTT Posted September 30, 2019 Author Share Posted September 30, 2019 Thanks Herman, I didn't know that they was in production. As you say about the splitts, my brother is currently making these 17s for he's 400 Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-400 Posted September 30, 2019 Share Posted September 30, 2019 Thats a luck! Wanted to do the same with the original Ronal 6X14 of my "400". Was looking for the diameters of those "rim-tubes" if they would fit. Keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted September 30, 2019 Share Posted September 30, 2019 Yeah definitely 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDY ABBOTT Posted November 9, 2019 Author Share Posted November 9, 2019 (edited) Went and collected the replacement lump for this tonight. This may rustle a few feathers here, but I think these are a fantastic lump after driving my Commodore daily all year with same lump in. So much poke, very smooth, nice on the roads and are not too heavy being alloy block. 😊 this one has only done 52k so was worth the search and the wait 👍 I'm still going to keep the car looking all original. Just swapping this engine & box in, and got a LSD rear axle built up for it ready to fit. I think it's going to make the car much more fun to 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. Edited November 9, 2019 by ANDY ABBOTT 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted November 9, 2019 Share Posted November 9, 2019 Interesting choice Andy, can’t wait to see it sat in. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDY ABBOTT Posted November 10, 2019 Author Share Posted November 10, 2019 9 hours ago, Jessopia74 said: Interesting choice Andy, can’t wait to see it sat in. Thanks mate looking forward to it myself, after some info I've been given on Facebook. I'm also going to be on the lookout for the M50b28, so I can boost it and swap it back out at a later date. I've been informed they are the better engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-400 Posted November 10, 2019 Share Posted November 10, 2019 Lightweight BMW engine, great choice. Mate of the "400club" did this with his Ascona, together with the rear suspension of a E30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted November 10, 2019 Share Posted November 10, 2019 4 hours ago, ANDY ABBOTT said: Thanks mate looking forward to it myself, after some info I've been given on Facebook. I'm also going to be on the lookout for the M50b28, so I can boost it and swap it back out at a later date. I've been informed they are the better engine Yes I had a mate that was into Beemers. Coincidentally, the chap I purchased a load of manta parts recently from Ireland was also swapping to m5. great engines, obviously rear axle will be the weak link. Speaking of that, do you know if it is just the torque tube and extender that is considered very weak, or the diff/half shafts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDY ABBOTT Posted November 10, 2019 Author Share Posted November 10, 2019 Thanks Herman, I think I remember seeing something about that a while ago. They really are a good engine. And make the car so much better to drive. Jess I know the torque tube was one of the weak points, but I've heard of half shafts and bearing failure too. My Commodore GSE has the standard GSE rear end (LSD) like the 400. It handles the power of the BMW engine no bother. And I've give it some real pain too 😀💨💨 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-400 Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Thats why they putted the commo axle under the "400", and even this set-up was not that reliable to handle the competition engine: Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. The Volvo axle is known to be tougher than the commo axle... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Thanks Herman. I have a 4ha scimitar gte axle ready for black coupe, but was wondering what was the weak point in original axle as I have seen updated part for the torque tube on eBay (exchange) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H-400 Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 The torque tube (aluminium) is indeed one of the weak spots, they can be changed by an iron one and I 'v seen shafts that are reinforced with a metal tube around it: Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 4 hours ago, H-400 said: The torque tube (aluminium) is indeed one of the weak spots, they can be changed by an iron one and I 'v seen shafts that are reinforced with a metal tube around it: Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. That is the shaft I was referring too herman. With the shaft upgrade does it then allow a slightly higher amount of torque through the axle or is it pointless if the half-shafts will fail anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffy1984 Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 Great engine choice there Andy, I put an M52B28 in my E36 daily driver last year and love it. Not sure what mods you’ve done to your commodore engine but I did the M50 inlet manifold along with a mapped ecu and what a difference. I actually thought about the same engine for my Manta for a bit there too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDY ABBOTT Posted November 11, 2019 Author Share Posted November 11, 2019 31 minutes ago, biffy1984 said: Great engine choice there Andy, I put an M52B28 in my E36 daily driver last year and love it. Not sure what mods you’ve done to your commodore engine but I did the M50 inlet manifold along with a mapped ecu and what a difference. I actually thought about the same engine for my Manta for a bit there too. Hi mate, I've not done any mods to it myself, I'm not sure if anything has been done by previous keeper. But I can say it goes like an absolute rocket ship, and is surprisingly quick. I will be looking into some mods soon for both engines. I'm really out of my comfort zone with these at the min. It's new to me 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biffy1984 Posted November 11, 2019 Share Posted November 11, 2019 3 hours ago, ANDY ABBOTT said: Hi mate, I've not done any mods to it myself, I'm not sure if anything has been done by previous keeper. But I can say it goes like an absolute rocket ship, and is surprisingly quick. I will be looking into some mods soon for both engines. I'm really out of my comfort zone with these at the min. It's new to me 😀 As far as I know they’re pretty bombproof, when I got my ecu mapped they raised my rev limiter to 7300rpm😂and it quite frequently bounces off the limiter in 2nd and is still all holding up good. I read that the vanos can give bother, but I’ve not had any dealings with that side of it yet thankfully..... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDY ABBOTT Posted December 23, 2019 Author Share Posted December 23, 2019 (edited) Got this one into my new garage at home. This will be my first project in this garage 😀 as we was saying it don't take long to fill them. I can just take my time now with this one, at my own leasure. It will be nice to be able to work here at home now, rather than everything being done at my business workshop. It was beginning to feel like I was never away from the place. 😊 now need to source some desent fire retardant covers for the Commodore and mancona. Long term I thing I'll have a curtain devider put down the middle to protect the cars from all the crap. 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. Edited December 23, 2019 by ANDY ABBOTT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ANDY ABBOTT Posted December 23, 2019 Author Share Posted December 23, 2019 (edited) 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. First propper assessment, it's not really all that bad for an exclusive. 😂 the tunnel has been bashed in to allow room for what ever was in it previously. Radiator brackets been chopped aswell. But I'm putting the bmw lump in this so would prob have to modify that anyhow. 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. Edited December 23, 2019 by ANDY ABBOTT 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monaco Blue Posted December 23, 2019 Share Posted December 23, 2019 Well, that all fits in nicely! and still a bit of room to spare. Not sure painting the walls white was the best idea though! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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