611 Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 (edited) I spent so much time at the end of the summer/autumn doing the paint on the Opel and fitting bits back on that i think i had become a bit fed up with working on the car. So I've not touched it for over a month now as i didn't feel like it and the weather wasn't great and just couldn't be bothered to be out in the cold working on the car like i normally would. But today after a bit of the old Christmas shopping i found i had the afternoon free, i knew the battery had gone flat so i thought i would charge that up and as the weather wasn't too bad i decided to do a bit on the car!! I decide to try putting on one of the new chrome wheel arc trims i had been keeping! And its looking pretty good, and i think i have found my enthusiasm again!! I had sort of convinced myself that the paint job wasn't as good as i had hoped and i think that knocked me back a bit but looking at it again, its not perfect but is so much bloody better than before!! I dropped some bits off to be chrome plated last week as was thinking i would pop them in the box of bits when they came back and put them on next year, but now i think i will get cracking and put them on as soon as they come back! So a break from your project is a good idea 🙂 Andy 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 12, 2021 by 611 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1200bandit Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 The last time l got to my one was late July.( doing a lot of work on the house) Had to move it out out of the garage today ( put the battery on charge on Saturday) Started up fist time and running sweet.Let it run for 30/40 minutes Had to stop myself from getting involved in it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
®evo03 Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 Time defying classic you have there, this really is what a 45/50 yr old manta should look like: so whats the problem! Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Or its at least what i keep telling myself, Keep up the great work. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted December 12, 2021 Author Share Posted December 12, 2021 3 hours ago, 1200bandit said: The last time l got to my one was late July.( doing a lot of work on the house) Had to move it out out of the garage today ( put the battery on charge on Saturday) Started up fist time and running sweet.Let it run for 30/40 minutes Had to stop myself from getting involved in it I kept telling the missus that the house would get finished once the car was painted so i have run out of excuses now 🙂 Luckily Christmas has given me a bit more time but it looks like 2022 will have to start off with the DIY 🙂 It is nice when they start up and run first time but as you say it does make you want to get back to getting it running 🙂 2 hours ago, ®evo03 said: Time defying classic you have there, this really is what a 45/50 yr old manta should look like: so whats the problem! Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Or its at least what i keep telling myself, Keep up the great work. That is a mess!! Working on the car again has made me want to get it back on the road and drive it again!! Think i need to bash through the DIY in Jan and Feb to keep the missus happy and then get the car on the road for the spring! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1200bandit Posted December 12, 2021 Share Posted December 12, 2021 Yes will be doing move in January on .Have finish ripping out the fire place and getting a log fire fitted On to the next room Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted December 12, 2021 Author Share Posted December 12, 2021 3 minutes ago, 1200bandit said: Yes will be doing move in January on .Have finish ripping out the fire place and getting a log fire fitted On to the next room I have been saving the fireplace!! got to get that done next year and finish a few rooms decorating and now i have finished painting rebuild the sun lounge 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Pounsett Posted December 13, 2021 Share Posted December 13, 2021 5 hours ago, ®evo03 said: Time defying classic you have there, this really is what a 45/50 yr old manta should look like: so whats the problem! Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Or its at least what i keep telling myself, Keep up the great work. It’s been beaten up but I can’t see any rust. The chrome arch trims are a nice finishing touch @611 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted December 13, 2021 Author Share Posted December 13, 2021 10 hours ago, Jonathan Pounsett said: It’s been beaten up but I can’t see any rust. The chrome arch trims are a nice finishing touch @611 My personal view on the A series that its not right without the trim, it just finishes it off, especially on the arches. And looking at the wrecked one it does seem to have all the trim on it!! and as you say no rust! so apart from all the dents it might not actually be that bad!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moodoo Posted December 16, 2021 Share Posted December 16, 2021 I'm with you Andy, the arch trims make a job of it. Always good to take a break from stuff if you can, anything gets tedious if you're doing it for long enough! Has to be a hobby, if you're not enjoying it, step back, it's easy to be your own critic 'why aren't you doing this or that'...and the fun goes out of it then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted December 16, 2021 Author Share Posted December 16, 2021 4 hours ago, moodoo said: I'm with you Andy, the arch trims make a job of it. Always good to take a break from stuff if you can, anything gets tedious if you're doing it for long enough! Has to be a hobby, if you're not enjoying it, step back, it's easy to be your own critic 'why aren't you doing this or that'...and the fun goes out of it then. You are right there Fin. The Opel has always been a bit of a tinkering project which is why its taken so long to get to this point! I collected a little bit of Opel bling today! Fresh back from the chrome platers, and another little bit to spur me on 🙂 Hopefully the weather will stay dry over the Christmas period and i can get these bits back onto the car and have her back on the road for some 2022 motoring 🙂 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. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moodoo Posted December 16, 2021 Share Posted December 16, 2021 Nice...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted December 19, 2021 Author Share Posted December 19, 2021 Chrome pillar now fitted to the glass with a nice new rubber strip from ATZ in Germany https://atz-online.com/p/opel-manta-a-tuerscheibendichtung-an-b-saeule-links-neu/ https://atz-online.com/p/opel-manta-a-tuerscheibendichtung-an-b-saeule-rechts-neu/ Now i just need to finish cleaning up the chrome trim under the rear quarter glass and i can fit that and the windows 🙂 Then its onto the door handles and finally the trim around the roof gutter, boot lock and new boot lid rubber and we are almost done 🙂 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. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted December 21, 2021 Author Share Posted December 21, 2021 (edited) Chrome trim is always a pain, its very hard to find any new stuff apart from the wheel arch trim which you can find the odd one or two in Germany but they are super expensive and there is no chance of finding any of the other trim new these day. If you can find a good second hand piece that doesn't have scratched on its ended up having that milky white finish to it that i have never been able to get to polish up properly! So after a test i decided on the drastic measure of flatting back the trim to get rid of the chrome finish and then going right through the paper grades from 320grit, 600, 800, 1000 and then a final polish with some Autosol on a drill mop to get a nice shine. Its similar to the wheel arch trim as i don't think that is chrome plated. In an ideal world i would have had it re-chromed but not many people chrome the allow and i expect it would be super expensive. Having said that i think it came out pretty good. just a test fit of the front A port trim, still all the rest to do. But as its not really outside car weather it will give me something to do over the festive season and January's restrictions that im sure are coming our way!! Andy Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. Edited December 21, 2021 by 611 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted December 29, 2021 Author Share Posted December 29, 2021 Well, one good thing about global warning is that is was a barmy 15 degrees today on the south coast and as the sunshine had come out in the afternoon and in the morning i done a bit of DIY to keep the missus happy, i thought it would be silly not to make the most of the dry warm weather and i have started putting the chrome parts back on the car. It was getting a bit dark by the time i finished the drivers side! That's all the all the window trim back on and now i can fit the door handle in the next couple of days as the weather is still looking like it will be warm for a few days! Then its on the passengers side. If the weather stays like this for a while i might be back on the road by the end of Jan!! Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 Both rear quarter windows fitted with the newly chromed parts. Drivers door runners fitted and no more window rattle 🙂 I now just have the passengers side to do and then the door top and gutter trims to finish polishing and fit. Then its mop and polish both doors ready for the door handles and inside trim and we are all set to go. Still aiming for end of Jan to be back on the road if we have some dry weather for the rest of Jan. Andy 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. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monaco Blue Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 That dechroming and polishing must be a labour of love, but it looks bloody good,and quite possibly nicer than chrome. Especially that bit in the door frame! 👌 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 10 hours ago, Monaco Blue said: That dechroming and polishing must be a labour of love, but it looks bloody good,and quite possibly nicer than chrome. Especially that bit in the door frame! 👌 Thanks, It has been a labour of love! The door insert and rear glass pillar are actually chromed. But needed as much work as taking the trim back as when i went to the chrome place they said it took them 2 weeks to chrome but in between the initial stripping of the chrome they send it off to get it polished (as they call it) which is basically having it cleaned right up to remove any rust, imperfections etc.. but they company that do that have a 4 month backlog! so they stripped it, i cleaned and polished it (and you do actually have to get it as good as if it was polished as the chrome shows any imperfections!) then i took it back for chroming. It was way cheaper that way as well! but hard work. Unfortunately they don't chrome aluminium as otherwise i would have got all the trim done, it seems its quite specific aluminium chroming and no one anywhere near me did that so that's why i went the polishing route. Just the big gutter trim to do next!! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
®evo03 Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Any details on the polishing process, would be interesting to learn, method, tools, equipment needed. Thankfully have no manta bling, chrome, but it would be helpful, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1200bandit Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 This is what I did to the wiper motor on one of previous mantas, will be doing this to the manta l have 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. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
®evo03 Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Any equipment preferences, or how to guides, both effortd very impressive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1200bandit Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Strip the motor down,used a wire wheel on a drill.Remove the rust Rub down with 240 grit paper,then go to wet/ dry paper until you get the light lines out Then rub down with 1000 wet/ dry paper,then use a metal polish ( l used Autosol) Finish of with a polishing wheel until you are happy with the end result I finish by sealing it Is will take so time to do dut the results are excellent 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...
611 Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 1 hour ago, ®evo03 said: Any equipment preferences, or how to guides, both effortd very impressive. Same process for mine but with the chrome stuff you have to really get it super smooth as any small dents or knocks that you dont get out show up much more once it has been chromed where as just polished up it does not quite show the same. The guy at the chroming place said the people they use would do it on a wheel, using a corse grit, then moving down the grits and then they would use various different cutting compounds until it was super polished. The when they get it back they dip it to remove any polishing compound and then go through the chroming process. I had a couple of bits that looked super smooth to me but once it was chromes you could see a little marking, so must use some good cutting compounds. With the alloy trim i did the same flatting process but before finishing with Autosol i used those 3m Trizac 3000 discs. The only problem with the trim is that over the years its had a few knows and with it not being that thick you cant totally get every knock and mark out so i dotn think it would have been good chromed even if i could have had it done. I think the polishing is the better option. Its the same as painting, the more time you spend on it the better the end results!! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1200bandit Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 (edited) Having small knocks and ding’s is natural as is a car which is 40/45 years old Is not a new car out of the Opel dealership The chrome is looking excellent Edited January 11, 2022 by 1200bandit 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
®evo03 Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 (edited) Great efforts by both, i found a wee alloy mini spray gun, must look it up and see what its worth, it was that bad, took a good soak to get the lid off, dont really need it but, thought id give it a go, i do remember using it years ago, and thought it was giving great results! Have it stripped, will build it up again to check before stripping it for bling, bling. Not really into chrome but like the detail, hard graft and effort getting a result, better than the way it was, always messing about with old bmxs, motorbikes, skateboards etc, so learned something, time to get the wet and dry out! Edited January 11, 2022 by ®evo03 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 2 hours ago, 1200bandit said: Having small knocks and ding’s is natural as is a car which is 40/45 years old Is not a new car out of the Opel dealership The chrome is looking excellent Yep, i have gone for that i got it as good as i could, which im happy with. I was more conscious of getting the door handles and rear quarter parts as good as i possibly could as i was paying to get those done, and i only wanted to do it once 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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