611 Posted March 25, 2022 Share Posted March 25, 2022 Took the Opel out today to take a few pics and thought i would share the results!! A couple of little niggles to sort out but apart from that the Opel Project is almost completed!! 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. 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. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted March 26, 2022 Share Posted March 26, 2022 Looks stunning out in the sunshine 😎👍 Very cool. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starmist Posted March 27, 2022 Share Posted March 27, 2022 Love that👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted March 27, 2022 Author Share Posted March 27, 2022 1 hour ago, starmist said: Love that👍 Thanks 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullsunian Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 I hope you are very pleased with it...you should be 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moodoo Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 Well done that man. You should be very proud. (BTW, I've only just now noticed...your cars dash has 4 vents, 2 centre and 2 edges...mine only has the 2 centre ones...did the dash design change for later cars or something?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted March 28, 2022 Author Share Posted March 28, 2022 11 hours ago, fullsunian said: I hope you are very pleased with it...you should be 👍 Thanks, mate. I'm pretty pleased with it, but you know what its like, you look at bits and think, hmm, if i did that again! Got to stop myself from doing that and just enjoy it now. One good thing is people are always stopping me in places and wanting to ask about it as they have never seem one before or not for a very long time 🙂 8 hours ago, moodoo said: Well done that man. You should be very proud. (BTW, I've only just now noticed...your cars dash has 4 vents, 2 centre and 2 edges...mine only has the 2 centre ones...did the dash design change for later cars or something?) Hey Fin Even the Honda and the Vespa have now been moved to the back of the garage so i can get the car out easier now 🙂 Its not perfect but a million times better than before and there are a few bits off the bodywork i would liek to do again, but this time keeping it on the road, but on the plus side i dont stress too much when parking it like i would do if i had forked out 3K+ for someone else to paint it!! Im not sure if the 2 vent, 4 vent thing was model related or age related. I seem to think it was the SR/Luxus that had the 4 vent and the lesser models had the 2 vent (but i might be wrong). When i first had the car a went to a show in Northampton and there were lots of German cars over for it and i saw one with the gauges in the centre and thought, hmm, im going to copy that!! Mine was a 1.6s so had the 2 vent, so i found the 4 vent and swapped it over. I'm not too sure how easy they are to get now? I don't miss the 2 vents as there is not much cooling from it anyway with that motor in it!! its windows down and sunroof open for ventilation!! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 Haha, stop looking so close. Back away a little 👍😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted March 28, 2022 Author Share Posted March 28, 2022 1 hour ago, Jessopia74 said: Haha, stop looking so close. Back away a little 👍😀 Your right, everything looks better from a distance 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted March 28, 2022 Share Posted March 28, 2022 9 minutes ago, 611 said: Your right, everything looks better from a distance 🙂 It’s really easy to fall into the trap of self criticism mate. And the paint needs time to settle too, give it a year and it will flow out more, shit sinks and by ready for a polish. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike. Posted March 29, 2022 Share Posted March 29, 2022 That is one great looking Manta, well done, you have achieved a first class restoration with it, spring and summer months ahead now to enjoy👍 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted March 29, 2022 Author Share Posted March 29, 2022 19 hours ago, Jessopia74 said: It’s really easy to fall into the trap of self criticism mate. And the paint needs time to settle too, give it a year and it will flow out more, shit sinks and by ready for a polish. After a bit of DIY i will be moving on to the next project. The Lambretta Project!! and i can use all the things i learnt on the Manta to get that one spot on! and it wont take as long as it so much smaller 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
®evo03 Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 You 100% did the right thing, self paint, I would be the other way, so critical of a professional paint job, look at new bmws, orange peal city. I remember looking at particular show car, it's won hundreds of awards, picked up on 7 or 8 flaws, and I'm no professional, so could have missed loads, car is still winning awards, weird eh! Can't wait to see the scooter start. Think you will enjoy as you said, alot smaller. Manta looks spot on, summers coming, now go..... Enjoy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 1 hour ago, ®evo03 said: You 100% did the right thing, self paint, I would be the other way, so critical of a professional paint job, look at new bmws, orange peal city. I remember looking at particular show car, it's won hundreds of awards, picked up on 7 or 8 flaws, and I'm no professional, so could have missed loads, car is still winning awards, weird eh! Can't wait to see the scooter start. Think you will enjoy as you said, alot smaller. Manta looks spot on, summers coming, now go..... Enjoy! Yeah, when a professional does the repaint and returns it to a coatings expert 😂 Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRealExile Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 I can only imagine the painters expression when you took it back 🤣 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Pounsett Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 This is good advice! It should have said run and hide! 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...
611 Posted March 31, 2022 Author Share Posted March 31, 2022 5 hours ago, ®evo03 said: You 100% did the right thing, self paint, I would be the other way, so critical of a professional paint job, look at new bmws, orange peal city. I remember looking at particular show car, it's won hundreds of awards, picked up on 7 or 8 flaws, and I'm no professional, so could have missed loads, car is still winning awards, weird eh! Can't wait to see the scooter start. Think you will enjoy as you said, alot smaller. Manta looks spot on, summers coming, now go..... Enjoy! I figure if i drive fast you wont be able to see the imperfections!! I will post some pics when i start the scooter. 3 hours ago, Jessopia74 said: Yeah, when a professional does the repaint and returns it to a coatings expert 😂 Project images are available to Club Members Only, Click to become an OMOC Member. No way i could have taken it to a paint place unless i knew the guys and knew the kind of job they did. I was critical of the way the plumber installed the boiler!! I did all the rest of the system as i cant seem to trust anyone else to do a good job. I remember the guy next door had an expensive Merc, a few years old and someone scratch the side, he took it to a so call professional custom painters, it came back with that side looking nice and new, all flatted and polished and the rest of the Merc covered in dust from it being in the body shop!! what sort of service is that! I did have mine painted by the Vauxhall main dealer years ago and it came back with a run on the lower front valance and when i took it back they just said, you cant see it down there unless you crouch down!! and that was their answer! it was an insurance one so i didn't have much i could do. As they say - Trust no one!! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Pounsett Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 10 minutes ago, 611 said: I figure if i drive fast you wont be able to see the imperfections!! I will post some pics when i start the scooter. No way i could have taken it to a paint place unless i knew the guys and knew the kind of job they did. I was critical of the way the plumber installed the boiler!! I did all the rest of the system as i cant seem to trust anyone else to do a good job. I remember the guy next door had an expensive Merc, a few years old and someone scratch the side, he took it to a so call professional custom painters, it came back with that side looking nice and new, all flatted and polished and the rest of the Merc covered in dust from it being in the body shop!! what sort of service is that! I did have mine painted by the Vauxhall main dealer years ago and it came back with a run on the lower front valance and when i took it back they just said, you cant see it down there unless you crouch down!! and that was their answer! it was an insurance one so i didn't have much i could do. As they say - Trust no one!! The problem is having access to the best equipment. With most jobs if you’re reasonably practical I think you should give everything a go. I used to be able to do most thing except plastering and welding - but my welding is passable now having had loads of practice. ”Professional” can mean you just do something for a living - it doesn’t necessarily mean you are any good at it. “Amateur” means you don’t do it for a living you just do it for pleasure. I think your work is a good example of how an amateur can achieve “professional” results. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1900SR Posted March 31, 2022 Share Posted March 31, 2022 (edited) On 28/03/2022 at 13:11, moodoo said: Well done that man. You should be very proud. (BTW, I've only just now noticed...your cars dash has 4 vents, 2 centre and 2 edges...mine only has the 2 centre ones...did the dash design change for later cars or something?) The early cars had the 2 vents, for the 1974 model year (late 73 on build) they moved to 4. Other changes at the same time were the wiper switch moving from the dash to a stalk, the washers being fitted to the bonnet rather than poking through a hole, different centre console and probably other things I've either forgotten or didn't know. Edit: - forgot a biggie, the later cars had a proper B post that the seatbelts top mount was on. Edited March 31, 2022 by 1900SR 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
611 Posted March 31, 2022 Author Share Posted March 31, 2022 1 hour ago, 1900SR said: The early cars had the 2 vents, for the 1974 model year (late 73 on build) they moved to 4. Other changes at the same time were the wiper switch moving from the dash to a stalk, the washers being fitted to the bonnet rather than poking through a hole, different centre console and probably other things I've either forgotten or didn't know. Edit: - forgot a biggie, the later cars had a proper B post that the seatbelts top mount was on. I just stole all the good bits i liked from other ones 🙂 The rear quarter black vents changed from the push in to ones that fit through the panel and secure from inside. I like the fact that the B pillar could take proper seat belts but it didn't look as nice as those thin pillars, probably safer!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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