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Rear axle opel manta 400 replica


Rallygroupb
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Hello again I would like to know if you would have any idea of what the rear axle would be (I would like to opel) to make my replica of a 400, I think the most similar are those of the opel commodore gse although I am not sure if they would be compatible all  commodore or other opel easier to acquire.

Edited by Rallygroupb
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The 400 rear axle is taken from the Opel Commodore B. If you can find an axle from the 2.8 GS/E model it will come with limited slip differential and disc brakes as per the 400 (hand brake uses small shoes in drums as part of the rear disc). The 400 road car uses a 3.18 : 1 axle ratio, again as usually found in Commodore GS/E models.

The axle can also be found on other Vauxhall/Opel models such as Viceroy or Commodore C - although those usually have drum brakes on the 2.5 models.

Lower arms on a 400 are the same as Commodore B and can also be found on Carlton Mk 1, Viceroy, Commodore C and Victor FE. Although all these cars are getting quite rare now.

There is also an additional chassis rail welded to the standard floor pan which I think originated from the South African Chevrolet Chevair, this will also need fabricating to accept the axle arms.

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1 hour ago, KAA said:

The 400 rear axle is taken from the Opel Commodore B. If you can find an axle from the 2.8 GS/E model it will come with limited slip differential and disc brakes as per the 400 (hand brake uses small shoes in drums as part of the rear disc). The 400 road car uses a 3.18 : 1 axle ratio, again as usually found in Commodore GS/E models.

The axle can also be found on other Vauxhall/Opel models such as Viceroy or Commodore C - although those usually have drum brakes on the 2.5 models.

Lower arms on a 400 are the same as Commodore B and can also be found on Carlton Mk 1, Viceroy, Commodore C and Victor FE. Although all these cars are getting quite rare now.

There is also an additional chassis rail welded to the standard floor pan which I think originated from the South African Chevrolet Chevair, this will also need fabricating to accept the axle arms.

In the opel commodore c the width of the rear axle is like that of the 400?  Because the conversion of drum to disc brakes is not a problem, thank you very much for your help

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3 hours ago, Rallygroupb said:

Hello again I would like to know if you would have any idea of what the rear axle would be (I would like to opel) to make my replica of a 400, I think the most similar are those of the opel commodore gse although I am not sure if they would be compatible all  commodore or other opel easier to acquire.

This guy in Holland does conversions to 5 stud and other work http://www.achterasrevisie.nl/opel400/ He works in conjunction with this garage https://autoschade-peters.nl/ and their work looks the dogs dangles. When I can afford the conversion these are the ones I hope to contact.

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6 hours ago, Rallygroupb said:

In the opel commodore c the width of the rear axle is like that of the 400?  Because the conversion of drum to disc brakes is not a problem, thank you very much for your help

It looks to be the same width across the half-shafts when comparing to my 400. I have just measured my spare Commodore C axle - using the point where axle tubes enter the differential housing (measuring from very edge of the differential casting) to outer face of the brake drums is 603mm, so about 600mm to face of the half-shaft flange. The top-arm bracket is 165mm to its inner position from the same datum and the bottom-arm bracket is 319mm to its inner position.

I have a disc-braked Commodore B G/SE axle stored away and may try and compare that when I can get to it. Looking at the 400, the main differences are the top and bottom arm bracket positions - the top arms look to be 20/25mm further inboard (closer to differential housing), plus the bottom arm bracket fabrication is different. The Commodore lower arms are angled inwards slightly towards the front, however 400 arms are heavily angled inwards because a Manta is much narrower, therefore the axle bracket pivot is angled to suit. Panhard rod mounting bracket is also different and may be in a slightly different position.

Bit of a struggle to measure the 400 with car stored away, although Herman also has a 400 and may be along at some point as I seem to remember he had some good photographs of the underside and may also have some measurements. 

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Hi Ivan, as KAA wrote I did some measuring under my "400" and took some pictures.

You can find them in this topic:

Hope it can help you. The problem as written by KAA  the brackets (M-400) of the lower and upper arms point not in the same angle as the Commodore axle. I'm going to build a Commo axle in my GSI but I'm trying to use the same setup as a Commodore, but this project needs some preparation.

Grts, Herman

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  • 1 year later...

Hi everyone, I have just found this thread & im wondering if anyone can help with some info, I have a ventora Fe running a 3.09 rear axle which is knackered, I’ve recently picked up an axle from a 1980 commodore c  manual. Can anyone help with finding the axle ratio? & anyone done this in an Fe? The fact that it bolts straight up will be the beginning of the headache I imagine.  Thank you very much in advance. 

Edited by Ken H
Forgot to say thank you.
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