paulmanta Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 Ok, so the idea of putting this BMW close ratio box in the A series has just got expensive, after much forum searching, googling and asking questions i decided to see what the BMW main dealer had to say on the subject of fitting a mechanical speedo drive to this gearbox. I spoke to an astoundingly helpful bloke at Ocean, our local BMW dealer and he looked up all the relevant parts on the computer (bear in mind this gearbox came from a 1985 M5 BMW) He e-mailed me the screen shots of the pictures he was looking at and i told him what i required, 1 x rear seal, 1 x drive ring for output shaft, 1 x spacer washer for output shaft, and the speedo drive assembly. He told me he could get all the parts by the end of the week !! Shame vauxhall cannot give as good a service (my local dealer told me "we only do vauxhall once and cannot even get me CiH oil filters) The only set back was the BMW price tag that weighed in at £104.56. AFTER the 10% trades discount. Still. its done now and is probably the most expensive part i have bought so far. So that all fresh in my mind i acid cleaned the gearbox outer case and painted it and the bell housing silver, made up the selector mech and played with the clutch a bit. Then i saw that some dust might have landed on the Ascona so i had to polish that again. ---paulnewport "at" breathe.com--- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Paul get that camera out and pop up some pics of the progress work [] good to see the gearbox issue is now sorted. Modifying is never cheap [] http://www.mantamagic.com OMOC N,Ireland Rep id="blue"> OMOC 5706 Please dont shoot me it,s only an opinion not a demand Email robbie @ mantamagic.com (without the spaces) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 The A has seen a bit of work as well today, i removed the second set of gearbox mounts someone had welded to the transmission tunnel and got a bit more done to the gearbox linkages so i can use the Manta selector, its almost done underneath now, mostly just priming and gravitexing to do in the inner wings and trans tunnel. mostly played with the Ascona today though. no pics yet, will wait till there is something to show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted March 1, 2007 Author Share Posted March 1, 2007 Well this is not good, I have been doing some odd jobs to the A over the week and its just got to that point in the project where its got so much left to do its like paddling to stay still, I have been finishing off the trans tunnel unbodging, and have found more welding to repair the areas that someone had welded extra gearbox mounts on. I have cut them off and the metal underneath is rough due to water getting trapped behind the bodgery. The best i can hope for is to get it ready for sometime this year, not Billing. Its an enjoyable hobby to me and i dont need the stress of trying to rush the job. My back has been playing me up like hell the last couple of days and i have started to take the pills again. hopefully i will be a bit better by Saturday. I am not posting pics up on here at the momnet because there really is nothing much to see, as soon as some progress has been made that is visible i will post it up. still at least the Ascona is responding to treatment.....see other thread. ---paulnewport "at" breathe.com--- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted May 15, 2007 Author Share Posted May 15, 2007 Well the gearbox of difficulty is done, I have also got the clutch sorted as well, no mean feat that its a BMW/monza/senator/frontera hybrid with one component of each in the clutch system !! I have started to get the lads ready to paint it as 99% of the body/welding is done, another couple of Saturdays and it will be on 4 wheels and in the booth being made shiny. Next on my little trouble shooting list is the prop shaft, this is going to be fun as i have to mate BMW to manta. and get it balanced. Reco-prop are getting a call i think. Exciting news on the front grille too, i am talking to a guy in California who makes Camaro front grilles with hideaway headlamps....now he says its no trouble to re-size the grilles......could look very different indeed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANTAMAN Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 I've visited the Manta Sanctury at Crowlas (there should be a sticker you can put in your window saying that!) Whilst there i got to see the A Series project,well the underside of it as its up on a two post lift,so here is a couple of 'spy' shots to give you all a taste of what to come.... Replacing drivers side front jacking point. Restored Manta B rear axel. I've got piles of all sorts of Manta parts,i might even have something you need! surplus parts bought,whole cars considerd. M/B 07947 640505 OMOC Member number 2658F Ian Virco,area rep,Beds Herts and North Bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 Like the grill idea Paul and good to see some pics of the car at last cheers Ian [] http://www.mantamagic.com OMOC N,Ireland Rep id="blue"> OMOC 5706 Please dont shoot me it,s only an opinion not a demand Email robbie @ mantamagic.com (without the spaces) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opel2000 Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 quote:Then i saw that some dust might have landed on the Ascona so i had to polish that againid="quote">id="quote"> [][][] LOL Shiny bits http://www.customsolutions.me.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
h0tr0dder_uk Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 I'll have a grill for my a series - should look the dogs b*****ks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opel2000 Posted May 18, 2007 Share Posted May 18, 2007 Nice hole mate[] Nice axle too [][] any, er, pics of the car though mate? [][][] Shiny bits http://www.customsolutions.me.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted May 18, 2007 Author Share Posted May 18, 2007 Not at the moment, i am tying to push to get it done for this summer/billing if i can raise more money for paint etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted May 21, 2007 Author Share Posted May 21, 2007 Waiting.......... for the interior to be finished and for june 4th to 9th when the shell goes too the bodyshop !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie Posted May 21, 2007 Share Posted May 21, 2007 that car is going to finish with a bang paul ur getting everything well sorted http://www.mantamagic.com OMOC N,Ireland Rep id="blue"> OMOC 5706 Please dont shoot me it,s only an opinion not a demand Email robbie @ mantamagic.com (without the spaces) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shug Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 That doesn't look any different to when I was down. Have you actually worked on it in the last 1/2 year? [] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ OMOC #5988 hmackay at opel-manta.com I hae a few guid reasons for drinkin’ And yin juist entered ma heid If a man canna’ drink while he’s livin’ Hoo the Hell can he drink when he’s deid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted May 22, 2007 Author Share Posted May 22, 2007 The bits that are not on the car are all done, its like a huge jigsaw puzzle, once its in paint it should come together very quickly. Plus i did a lot of welding to areas that looked good before, now they look the same but i know they are good now. But you are right, it looks like sod all has gone on, its what drives me mad about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted June 17, 2007 Author Share Posted June 17, 2007 The engine and gearbox went in for a trial fit, now i have to make the new crossmember and gear selector up and possibly muck around with the tinnel with a hammer. Also had the seats back from the trimmers..........Nice.....very !! might put a pic up in fact. ....Been stuck in airports, terrorized Sent to meetings, hypnotized Overexposed, commercialized.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 Not in the paint shop yet due to my slackness and the need to raise more money again. I have bonded the sunroof surround in now and also sanded and primed the roof ready for prep and paint, the brackets for the gearbox are planned on paper and i am going to try and make these this week. I had a bit of faffing with the seats and making the GTE subframes fit the A series floor, they are slightly different so i cut a coupe of bases up and modified them to fit, I have borrowed a set of recaro sliders from a mates seats and have fitted them to the seat bases with the lock adjusters on the inner edge so you cant see the mechanism when you open the door anymore, a bit of a fiddle to get the handle to miss the transmission tunnel but its in now and working a treat, now to remove and paint them. ....Been stuck in airports, terrorized Sent to meetings, hypnotized Overexposed, commercialized.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 pics Paul get the dig camera out [] http://www.mantamagic.com OMOC N,Ireland Rep id="blue"> OMOC 5706 Please dont shoot me it,s only an opinion not a demand Email robbie @ mantamagic.com (without the spaces) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 will do when the rain stops, its absolutely throwing it down here, I was hoping to get a few more bits done today but rain may well stop play. ....Been stuck in airports, terrorized Sent to meetings, hypnotized Overexposed, commercialized.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark1963 Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 ...And if it's raining in Cornwall now, then it will be raining in Oxfordshire later on. Might not get my new alternator fitted today after all. [] Best Regards, Mark OMOC 5998 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shug Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 quote:Originally posted by paulmanta The bits that are not on the car are all done, its like a huge jigsaw puzzle, once its in paint it should come together very quickly. Plus i did a lot of welding to areas that looked good before, now they look the same but i know they are good now. But you are right, it looks like sod all has gone on, its what drives me mad about it. id="quote">id="quote"> The missus read that reply and says I was mean and hurt your feelings. [] [:I] If it's any consolation my progress is actually regressing! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ OMOC #5988 hmackay at opel-manta.com I hae a few guid reasons for drinkin’ And yin juist entered ma heid If a man canna’ drink while he’s livin’ Hoo the Hell can he drink when he’s deid! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 I took it in good humour mate, if you own a Manta you tend to develop a thick skin from all the ribbing you get off your mates, "when you going to buy a proper car" or my personal favourite "how many cars have you got ? how many are on the road ? " right i am off to read your project post now.... ....Been stuck in airports, terrorized Sent to meetings, hypnotized Overexposed, commercialized.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted October 19, 2007 Author Share Posted October 19, 2007 Been doing a lot of faffing and a few small fiddly jobs to the car, nothing great as work has got in the way of any real progress but now its winter it should calm down again. anyway..... Whats in the box ? I wanted one when i found out Vauxhall were still selling them new but i am really happy now i have one in the workshop, the 2.2 that is currently fitted in the car is coming out and the 2.4 going in. You get a hell of a lot with a new 2.4 crate engine, flywheel,clutch, power steering pump, alternator, injectors fuel rail, inlet, exhaust manifolds. Well worth the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbie Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Looks the part paul how much are they, when you going to pop up some pics of the car [] Good to see u back on the A series project [^] http://www.mantamagic.com OMOC N,Ireland Rep id="blue"> OMOC 5706 Please dont shoot me it,s only an opinion not a demand Email robbie @ mantamagic.com (without the spaces) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulmanta Posted October 19, 2007 Author Share Posted October 19, 2007 £1900 if you go through a vauxhall garage in normal circumstances.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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