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Hoobby the 1st, that rotten GT/J coupe


fullsunian
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I reckon its best you get yourself a brew or better still a JD and coke or a beer, but ill break it down into parts to make it not so boring....

My return to Manta ownership was never planned to be like this, all I wanted was a B series 'doer upper'. I never really buy anything thats done and like to have something to play with, but I reckon I took to much on this time.

I bought the rotten 1982 GT/J coupe from Simon down in Suffolk back in April 2019, most of last year was spent gathering parts and stripping the car. I soon realised it was far worse then I expected (arent they all?) and really it was a scraper, only part that was any good was the none sun roof roof!.

Now the car is a strange one, its a standard 1982 GT/J coupe with none opening quarter glass, none tinted glass, no spoiler on the boot lid, the one on the car was added later and has a 20 litre S engine running a carb and 4 speed gearbox all in a late big bumper/air dam shell.. The 4 speed gear lever enters the car through a hole in the tunnel that is in the same place as a 5 speed. The 20S engine and 4 speed box are original, as is the 5 speed hole in the transmission tunnel. I have a German sales brochure from 1982 show the exact same model with both big bumper/air dam and 20S with 4 speed box, basically a bottom of the range car. A chat with James down in Bristol also confirmed that its an original car. Ironically I have a letter from the club dated mid 90s saying its a modified car and someone has fitted an earlier engine and gearbox!

A few pictures during the strip down and when I realised just how it was....part two soon

 

 

 

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A visit to the VBOA show at Sywell in July 2019 was good for enthusiasm and I met David from Mantasport in Whetherby. We talked lots about replacing the chassis legs as I knew that without a jig I was going to struggle with that and I really want the welding to be first class especially as it was the chassis. I visited Davids workshop in August 2019 and came away confident the he was the man for the job. A price was arranged and a date set. I stripped the car including removing the engine and box and early January this year I trailered the rolling shell to Davids workshop. I think he was shocked just how bad it was, but wasnt fazed at all.

David had to do additional work just to get strength in the shell so he could mount it on the roll over jig, but within a few weeks he was on the phone saying, come and get it. I came away with a pick up full of much needed bits AND most important of all a roll over jig.

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An 'interesting' tow home to the 'chicken shed', my farm based workshop, destroyed the headlining as I picked a very stormy Saturday.

Back in the shed the car was soon on the jig and I made a steady start at weekends and two evenings a week. Starting on the O/S sill first....

Then something happened....LOCKDOWN and all this covid sh ite. I didn't fancy decorating the whole house so devised a plan.. I was furloughed. So the Manta became my new job, every weekday I got up at normal work time, made a pack up and set off on the 6 mile trip to the chicken shed. Now I know what you are thinking...I shouldnt of travelled, but this was my new JOB, 40 hours a week, tea breaks and dinner break, working on my own and didnt see a soul and thats what I did for the next 12 weeks, just having the weekends off, but even then I was usually doing something Manta related at home......

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Personally I don't see anything wrong with working as you did during lockdown. Socially distanced and near enough within your Exercise range 🙂  Good for health of body and mind for sure💪

I don't know enough about the car models, dates etc to comment on that aspect, but it makes sense to me. Great progress, looks really good for floor and legs now. Shame the original chassis number rotted out though. I am so impressed with the manta owners & the jobs they seem to take on. Seems we are a brave bunch with massive balls of steel 😁 
 

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Some days I made good progress and other days I drove home that pi ssed off I could of scrapped it.

One worry I had and had to over come was sundries and parts supply during lockdown but to be fair the only thing I struggled with was when I ran out of gas for the mig welder. fortunately I managed to get a bottle of pub gas from my local pub, not like they needed it unfortunately!....

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I own a gtj too, think its 81, its a single slotter, so a late b, its a 2.0 also, think some where 1.9? Its early black plastic bumper, non sunroof, 4 speed, never really looked at tunnel, or just never payed heed, but im 99% sure its a 4sp tunnel, closed quarter windows also, speakers in doorcards from new, ascona/cavalier inner door handles, honeycomb design material on seats,  limited LSD, quick rack, low front spoiler, very original, unmodified car. Sorry cant see any pics, but working on that! 

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Once lockdown started to ease and travel restrictions were lifted I was here there and everywhere collecting parts and much needed body cuts. I really enjoyed meeting so many liked mind folks from just this side of the Welsh border to Cumbria to Norfolk to Hull to Leicester. Was great to be reunited with members/friends I knew from back in the day. Especially when Bobby from Derby called in at the shed last Saturday evening, I reckon we could of talked all night and it was a superb tonic right now.

One thing I was really worried about was the rear wheel arches, they were really bad, both outers and inners. I did try to get some inner arch panel cuts but couldnt find any, also tried to make some but in the end just lapped the inners on to the new outers, not original but at least they wont rot for a while.....

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By the end of May most of the welding was complete and it was time for me to return to work, but working from home. So my laptop was loaded into the car and on to the chicken shed and I carried on as normal, but with the interruption of the works mobile every now and again.

Once the welding was complete and panels lined up, my long time mate and drinking buddy Jim came to look at the shell...He laughed at me and said 'Ive got some f@?king work on then!'. We were both apprentices at the local Ford dealership, he is a bodyman and I was a mechanic many years ago. He now runs his our bodyshop.

As you can seen the car was originally silver, now I like original, but Jim said to me, as you have it down to a shell why dont we change the colour? Something I had not thought of, but I have a large collection of original sales brochures and there was one picture that I was always draw to......which ill show you soon.

I was worried about changing the colour and even spoke to Hoobby, the original owner about it. ....

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14 minutes ago, Jessopia74 said:

Did I sell you some stuff in a Hull Ian? 
But you are definitely right about the people that own Mantas, really friendly bunch, well mostly - a couple of grumpy sods in West Yorkshire (j.k lol).

 

I did go to Hull to see a guy called Dave he has a lovely orange early B. In fact I went up to see him twice.

The COLOUR.....

This is the brochure....

From my trips to Dutch Manta shows in the 1990s, I love the German/euro look with black bonnets and wide 13 inch ATS alloys, anyone got any?

Guess you can see where this is going now...

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So 1st August and the car was booked in the bodyshop.........

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He moaned  like hell about the fact I had painted everything in red oxide, but he moans all the time anyway lol..

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then the black bonnet......time to load up and back to the chicken shed

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Once back at the shed, it was rebuild time. I bumping into one of my old Manta mates in town one day and was telling him all about my 'new' Manta. The next day he turns up with a boot full of bits including an uncracked grey dash. Result.

Wax oiling was fun...

 

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I have another good mate in Derby who is a trim man, done it for years and very good it his job, all I had to do was talk him into driving over to Grantham. I got the headlining from East Kent Trimers and the recommendation of David at Mantasport. 

My mate turned up at the chicken shed one Saturday evening at 7 and by 11 it was in and looking great and all it cost me was a chip butty and a can of pop. Now I could get the glass in.

I took all the original glass out and even though the windscreen had a stone chip, I knew trying to find a clear screen was going to be difficult. So had a go at pulling the original screen back in, I got it in with out cracking. Fitting screens used to be a bit of my thing back in the day, even though I once broke 3 Capri screens before I got one in...I was just an apprentice back then..

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And thats about up to date really, the car is up and running still with a 4 speed box and 20s engine, both not original.

Only thing that is original is the glass, N/S wing, carpets, centre consul complete with dog claw marks Hoobby! , clocks, fuel tank and the none sun roof roof!

So its going to sit in the chicken shed till next spring, but I have a few plans as they say..

A few bits Im not 100% happy with but its been great fun through this shite year we have had. Im not much of a car show goer, I get bored sat in deck chair all day TBH, Im more of a sit round the camp fire out side my VW camper drinking beer and talking crap all night kinda bloke. But if I can get both the Manta and the Camper to the VBOA next year then ill have a beer with you!

I still feel slightly guilty about changing the colour but I have kept most if not all the original odd features of the GT/J. Im convinced  that if I hadnt bought it, someone would of cut the roof off and the rest would be a Hotpoint washing machine now and at the end of the day as they say...its my car and all that! and Ive got what I wanted.....

Ian

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1 hour ago, Jessopia74 said:

WoW another guy in Hull with Manta and no doubt bits. Is he a member on here?
 

Always a thumbs up from me for orange👍 I have a reluctant fascination with orange 😂

Yes he is a member on here.....nice bloke and a nice Manta

Edited by fullsunian
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What a transformation from a rusty shell to a first class Manta. A lot of effort obviously went into the welding, getting the time off with lockdown has given you the perfect opportunity to get this one finished, great to see another Manta saved. 👍

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Great build! About the gearbox: My second Manta was a B2 from '86, with original 4-speed. It had the same centre console as the 5-speed with the casette-rack and the same transmission tunnel as the 5-speed. The one with that metal (higher) part. The 4-speed had a longer bracket where the gearlever was fitted in, and the two levers to the gearbox were longer than the B1 model. So your setup will be original. (Must have some old pictures laying around...) 

Enjoy the car!

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5 minutes ago, H-400 said:

Great build! About the gearbox: My second Manta was a B2 from '86, with original 4-speed. It had the same centre console as the 5-speed with the casette-rack and the same transmission tunnel as the 5-speed. The one with that metal (higher) part. The 4-speed had a longer bracket where the gearlever was fitted in, and the two levers to the gearbox were longer than the B1 model. So your setup will be original. (Must have some old pictures laying around...) 

Enjoy the car!

Hi thank you and yes that is exactly how this is..

2 hours ago, Mike. said:

What a transformation from a rusty shell to a first class Manta. A lot of effort obviously went into the welding, getting the time off with lockdown has given you the perfect opportunity to get this one finished, great to see another Manta saved. 👍

Thank you and something I have really enjoyed during the year

11 hours ago, jamie077366 said:

Great job and a fantastic read 👍😀

Thank you👍

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Hi Ian what can i say that looks stunning and very happy with your choice of colour  this car has a special place in our hearts with many happy memories.

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The last time I saw my old manta being trailed away by Simon to be honest thought I would never see it again but he kept his word and made sure it went to the right person thanks Simon.

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This handsome chap was jaspa he used to stand on the middle of the back seats and lean into to the corners  no matter how fast I drove never known a dog to read the road but he did shoot forward a few times hence the scratches on the center console.

You have done an incredible job on the car never thought it would look so good look forward to seeing it in the future when things get back to normal.

Many many thanks Graeme & Judy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On 22/10/2020 at 21:52, fullsunian said:

And thats about up to date really, the car is up and running still with a 4 speed box and 20s engine, both not original.

So its going to sit in the chicken shed till next spring, but I have a few plans as they say..

I still feel slightly guilty about changing the colour but I have kept most if not all the original odd features of the GT/J. Im convinced  that if I hadnt bought it, someone would of cut the roof off and the rest would be a Hotpoint washing machine now and at the end of the day as they say...its my car and all that! and Ive got what I wanted.....

 

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Yes he is a member on here.....nice bloke and a nice Manta

Very nice indeed! It's more like what the 4-slot facelifted GT/J should have looked like! I'd be tempted to add the side stripes as per the earlier GT/J.

https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C746417

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On 23 October 2020 at 13:20, hoobby said:

Hi Ian what can i say that looks stunning and very happy with your choice of colour  this car has a special place in our hearts with many happy memories.

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The last time I saw my old manta being trailed away by Simon to be honest thought I would never see it again but he kept his word and made sure it went to the right person thanks Simon.

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

This handsome chap was jaspa he used to stand on the middle of the back seats and lean into to the corners  no matter how fast I drove never known a dog to read the road but he did shoot forward a few times hence the scratches on the center console.

You have done an incredible job on the car never thought it would look so good look forward to seeing it in the future when things get back to normal.

Many many thanks Graeme & Judy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So pleased you like it Graeme and a nice piece of history regarding the car.

The car will stay dry and covered up in the chicken shed all winter and will MOT and tax it next spring. So you can come and have a drive then or if you are passing, then call in for a look anytime👍

Ian

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