Snowy Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 Found the nose cone was completely rotten, so.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted January 1, 2006 Author Share Posted January 1, 2006 Must have been rotten, its fallen off!!!! Is that one of the rebuilds your doing? Mick OMOC 5924 1980 Black Berlinetta Coupe, 2.0 SRI Project 1985 White GT/E Coupe, Standard 1984 Silver GT/E Coupe, Rebuilding as a Road Rally Car 1984 Red GTE Hatch Turbo, Rotten as owt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 Yes, want this one finished for billing. Starting at the front and working back. Cant belive that the chassis rails are solid execpt for the last six inches! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opel2000 Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 Good stuff Snowy, when I saw that car at your place I wondered if it would hit the road again, always nice to see work in progress, speaking of which, I'll be in touch with you shortly. http://www.customsolutions.me.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 1, 2006 Share Posted January 1, 2006 Thanks for the encouragement. It will be on the road again!! I'm just going to work through the car from front to back. Anyone with any tips on refitting the nose cone please let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 Are you sticking with CIH power there Snowy ? Pete M OMOC 5885 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 Yes i will be sticking with the CIH. But i will be fitting it with a full management system i'm building myself. Doing away with the distributor. Here is where the chassis rails are rotten. Someone had stuffed it full of fibre glass filler. You can just make out some filler behind the roll bar mount. That will have to come of to to be repaired properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 Just took the anti roll bar mount off while waiting for her to get ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunman Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 Looks all too familiar! I have just cut out the fist 20" of chassis leg both sides and replaced in exact same place. You can check it out on the 'work begins' topic! http://www.mantaclub.org/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5674 I thought the rails may be rotten when I saw the crossmember cut out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 my car looks the same as yours!!! the rest of the rails are solid, hard to believe!!! did you make repair sections or weld in pieces of chassis rails? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rab Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 Snowy,awe thi best tae yur rebuild as I said to gunman its great seeing all those Mantas being restored. Funny things those chassis legs some rot like yours at the front and rest is 100% and those that go under the floor and the front section is fine I wonder if it is how and where Mantas are parked up or is it just sods law !! Snowy did you take any reference measurments before you cut off,front panel and crosser and chassis leg ends will be the same, it can save a load of time when replacing front end. I did a dummy run on i200 with all new panels inplace including bonnet before thought about welding up. Found I was looking for 3-4 mill on o/s for door shut to be same as n/s lucky I had picked up one GM wing and the other a pattern once both GM originals problem sorted can get you going though `WHAT THI F.CK` IS GOING ON HERE. i`m sure that has echoed around many a garage. Scottish Rep /OMOC Mem.2094 Opel Team Scotland. `ScottishClanManta` Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 I have taken a few measurements. Easy cutting it off but putting one back on should be fun! Since the flanges on the inner wings are intact does this mean i shouldn't have too much trouble aligning things back up??? Thanks for your help, any advise is appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rab Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 If flanges are still intact they will help as to a guide [rough guide]to reasembly. You have to mind that you still have all front running gear on car with front panel and crosser removed new pressures will be acting on said panels [the front end can relax] not so as it snaps together but movement will have happened.Would clamp all new first and where alterations are needed it can be done when happy you can weld up. Scottish Rep /OMOC Mem.2094 Opel Team Scotland. `ScottishClanManta` Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunman Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 Snowy, what I did was get a pair of rotten rails from another car. ( had to mine hade been bodged before and were unrecognisable) I cut the rails along the edges so I had 3 (fairly) flat peices of steel. Transfered these to cardboard template then onto a sheet of 16g steel! After cutting them out it takes quite a bit of shaping for the undersides. I know its not as strong as all done in one piece but it would be nearly impossible to fold in the home garage. I could have gotten front sections of rails second hand but it it would be impossible to get them without some rust on the insides (they'd be nearly 20 yrs old). As it is it's all made now from new steel. How's the front crossmember? I had to do a bit of work to mine. Out of interest, What mileage is on the car? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick Posted January 2, 2006 Author Share Posted January 2, 2006 Good work there, beat me too it for the full face change..[] At least you left the bonnet fitted, that will be a good guide to the front being in the right place, just take the bonnet catch off the front panel as they will push the bonnet about in the wrong direction. Mick OMOC 5924 1980 Black Berlinetta Coupe, 2.0 SRI Project 1985 White GT/E Coupe, Standard 1984 Silver GT/E Coupe, Rebuilding as a Road Rally Car 1984 Red GTE Hatch Turbo, Rotten as owt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 2, 2006 Share Posted January 2, 2006 If it's any help, a metal cutting blade in a jigsaw (don't forget your face shield & gloves) is a good way of cutting 16 gauge steel sheet. Cheers, Joe. Made it Ma, top of the world. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 The cross member wasn't that bad. Except for the mounting flanges. Should be able to repair it easily. Thanks for the advice. I actualy though leaving the front suspension on the car would help with alignment. If not i might remove it. It will be coming off any way soon enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 Ifm you are having trouble lining the front up then bolt the wings onto the A pillar, this will help get the length of the front correct as you can line the front panel up with the ends of the wings next to the headlights, i have one car that has been repaired and the passengers side above the headlamp is about 8mm away from the end of the wing ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 3, 2006 Share Posted January 3, 2006 I haven't got that far yet but that's a good idea. That's one reason i have left the bonnet on. Everything was aligned perfectly before i removed the nose cone and wings. So in theory i should be able to use the bonnet as a refernce point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunman Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Snowy: leaving the suspension subframe on wont help aligmnet. All you are cutting out is in front of the mounting points. Did you take a measurement before cutting the roll bar mount? Why i ask is I didnt. I had thought of re-mounting the suspension and just raising the roll bar up to the chassis and welding them at the meet point. Doesnt work! you can move the bar back and forward about 4 inches! Luckilly my uncle owns a mk1 cav so i busted over to his house and took measurements. (hope they are the same, well they are now anyway!) Wish I had left my bonnet on now. I have planned just a dry refit of all panels before welding, doesnt help that i've now cut the 4 slot off either![:I] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 All i ment by alignment was that the subframe should stop the chassis rails spreading apart. I took all the measurements for the anti roll bar mount etc. I was just worried that the chassis rails might try and spread. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunman Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Ah right, get what you mean. I dont think they will spread. My view on it was with cutting large chunks from the chassis it was as well getting as much weight off them as possible. Dont even know if this would be a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Started to prep the drivers side chassis rail for repair today. Worse than i thought. Glad i have some spare front chassis rails!! Should i weld in the new section as is or cut the joint at a 45 degree angle?? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Put a step in the end and drill holes in the outer skin, spot it in place and then seam weld it, nice and strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 4, 2006 Share Posted January 4, 2006 Thanks. It will be going in tomorrow. Photos as soon as it's in. Thanks for you help everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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