LostSoul Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 Hi there This superb V8, spotted at this year's Kop Hill Climb, is what re-ignited my wish for a Manta A. Just wondering if the owner is a member here? (I won't be putting a V8 in my car but am keeping watch in case a ready-made one pops up for sale!) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 Amazing what sometime resparks the interest, but that is a bloody good example indeed. 😎👍 Not fancy going V8 in your car ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSoul Posted November 30, 2023 Author Share Posted November 30, 2023 No V8 for this one, I'm afraid. I love Custom Cars but also love originality and a good story. The Manta has come to me with a (possibly) unique level of originality and a good family history. I plan to preserve it as-is as much as possible (though it is about to get a wheel upgrade) The idea of converting one to 'my' V8 spec really appeals but the £50k+ it would take is financially beyond me. If that Unicorn of a well-converted/all-done V8 one pops up, I'll be at the front of the queue... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 50k is a bit of exaggeration there 😁, you could do it for 1/10th of that if your careful with the purchases. However I know what you mean, any major mod should be able to be undone imo, returning back to OEM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSoul Posted November 30, 2023 Author Share Posted November 30, 2023 Here's the last car I owned with a V8 conversion... 1986/7/8! First built by a friend, I bought it from him then he re-did it to top spec for me. Proper sleeper. Couldn't afford to do it now. 50k seems like an exaggeration but is easily reached if you're like me and have no skills..🙁 Full retail for pretty-much all labour means huge bills for me, so I have to be careful! Including buying a Manta and a half-way decent donor car, my estimate got to £60k quite quickly...🙀 On Youtube, there's a guy building a Ferrari-powered Alfa GTV (home built by Jeff - Alfarrari) On episode 200 now, that's four year's. Say 2 days a week minimum, that's 5000 hours, probably a lot more. His car is stunning though, but he has a way to go yet... V8-ing a Manta is a nice day-dream, but so is the idea of a car that's already finished 😁 LS 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted November 30, 2023 Share Posted November 30, 2023 Yeah, I guess if you want everything to be new and just so, plus having to pay specialists for the conversion, then yeah probably right. Although 4years at 2 days a week is closer to 3K if we are honest, But still a huge chunk of time and I would not want to be paying a wage for that!!. In all seriousness, a shop geared up for it should have no more than a couple of hundred man hours into a high end restoration, otherwise they would be out of business. Circa 25K labour, then car, then parts, so yeah 50k easily burned up if it’s new nut and bolt job. As I am privileged to have use of a full garage, I do sometimes forget about the days gone by of doing everything on a concrete floor 😬 Would not be possible these days as my knees are already well worn lol. But I recon we could do a source, rebuild and fit of say a fresh Rover V8 & used gearbox for around the 6k though. (Not on offer though haha). For my AsconaA , I just don’t see a V8 in it. Far better would be a full alloy V6. Gives a bit more room( I am 100% not chopping any steel away to give clearance), lighter than the CIH boat anchor and some very respectable engines out there for transplant. This is the way I will be going, but yet to 100% land on donor yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSoul Posted November 30, 2023 Author Share Posted November 30, 2023 "Far better would be a full alloy V6" I wonder if anyone has put a VW R32 V6 into a Manta/Ascona? Think they are a very narrow V6 (almost in-line?) Plenty of power and very smooth... Don't know how heavy/light they are though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted December 1, 2023 Share Posted December 1, 2023 3 hours ago, LostSoul said: "Far better would be a full alloy V6" I wonder if anyone has put a VW R32 V6 into a Manta/Ascona? Think they are a very narrow V6 (almost in-line?) Plenty of power and very smooth... Don't know how heavy/light they are though. Yeah, they are single head V engine, so should be fairly lightweight. So I did the obvious and found the following. https://www.vwvortex.com/threads/what-does-a-vr6-engine-weigh.3041047/ So that’s ~180kg Issue with Audi lumps is lack or rwd 2wd gearbox options, and no I don’t fancy 4wd conversion lol anyway, others that was interesting; 350z VQ35DE ~150kg Toyota 2GR ~ 174kg Chevy V6 3.6 LLT ~ 165kg So all roughly around same or a little more kg more than 2.0cih , according to this thread; 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSoul Posted December 1, 2023 Author Share Posted December 1, 2023 Maybe someone makes an adaptor for VW VR6 (Passat 3.6 version close to 300hp) to Toyota GR86 transmission? (I don't know what I'm talking about, by the way, I am just scratching around the internet to see what others have done!) I haven't driven a 350z but imagine they have a pokey and free-revving engine. Staying in the family also has its merits - so the Chevy? It's probably more fun to think about all the possibilities than it would be to settle on one and make it happen! 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessopia74 Posted December 1, 2023 Share Posted December 1, 2023 (edited) 3 hours ago, LostSoul said: Maybe someone makes an adaptor for VW VR6 (Passat 3.6 version close to 300hp) to Toyota GR86 transmission? (I don't know what I'm talking about, by the way, I am just scratching around the internet to see what others have done!) I haven't driven a 350z but imagine they have a pokey and free-revving engine. Staying in the family also has its merits - so the Chevy? It's probably more fun to think about all the possibilities than it would be to settle on one and make it happen! MyMrs always looks over at my when I am on my iPad sat with her “engine porn again hun!” 🤣 But PMC do the V8 so suspect the VAG bolt pattern will be same over all the range? Only reason I stay away from the Audi lump as a choice is need for aftermarket ecu, where as the Nissan can be transferred pretty much like a Motronic Edit - that is to bmw gearbox though . Edited December 1, 2023 by Jessopia74 Add gearbox info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEPETE Posted December 1, 2023 Share Posted December 1, 2023 This is my V8 from 1983.... now Chevy V8/ 5 Speed Monza box..yes, not a cheap engine conversion, but a cheap way to get a very quick car... http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff261/GTEPETE/ArchivePictures1212.jpg A modern LS Chevy V8 and 6 speed box in a Manta would be my dream too... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSoul Posted December 3, 2023 Author Share Posted December 3, 2023 Now that looks like an awesome car! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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