burns
Part of things
Posts: 373
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My manta arrived yesterday, ready to donate an engine and some other bits to the chevette.  Thing is all that rust seems to be surface rust. It's been prepped for painting, then left for a few years. I'm now wondering whether I really want to gut it then scrap the shell, it's kind of left me in a tricky position. I need to jack it up and have a look underneath when my disertation is done. At the moment my plan is to get the engine running as I need that for the chevette anyway. Then just drive it to an MOT and see what it fails on. Once I know what needs doing I'll take it from there. |
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Last Edit: Apr 8, 2007 14:11:27 GMT by burns
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Would be AWESOME to keep it looking like that (if its solid), drop it low with a working engine and cruise.....  |
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qwerty
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,410
Club RR Member Number: 52
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1988 20SEH Opel Mantaqwerty
@qwerty
Club Retro Rides Member 52
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Man does seem to be a shame to scrap it. I love the shorter arsed ones. Suppose the look of it would probably scare most people but your plan sounds like a good one.
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burns
Part of things
Posts: 373
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Would be AWESOME to keep it looking like that (if its solid), drop it low with a working engine and cruise..... I know, I just don't want it to rot away in the winter and I hate the idea of a car I can only use when it's dry. I like the idea of an omega v6 on a slush box for cruising up motorways, whilst the original engine can go in the chevette. Hmm, decisions decisions. |
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You can use Ankor wax to keep it looking like that, without getting any worse, and to protect it from the elements. The VW rat/hoodride guys have techniques to keep their vehicles drivable all year round....
Now that with an Omega engine + slush box with that look!! ooooooooh yeah!
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qwerty
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 2,410
Club RR Member Number: 52
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1988 20SEH Opel Mantaqwerty
@qwerty
Club Retro Rides Member 52
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Or you could laquer it with matt laquer. Sound's like a rather sweet idea. Although i like the idea of it totally smoothed out slammed on some euro look wheels. Do a proper German stylee job on it. With a L.E.T engine in it ;D
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burns
Part of things
Posts: 373
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I had a spurt of energy today and did some work on the manta. My neighbour Toby who lurks on here came over and gave me a hand getting the head off the manta. Pictures below. Any ideas what the orange gunge in cylinder 4 is? Toby thought maybe old petrol. Everything came apart quite easily, it's really nice to work on after being used to peugeots.   |
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My dad (who is much more learned in these things) thinks the orange gunge is probably an oil and water emulsion,... which is probably the result of a blown head gasket... but it could be a split in the water sleeve things*
*My term, not his.
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I second the V6 + slushbox + ankhor wax = Hoodride Cruiser + win.
*n
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Top grammar tips!
Bought = purchased. Brought = relocated
Lose = misplace/opposite of win. Loose = your mum
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Definetely looks like headgasket.
Problem with mantas is if they look like that from the outside then the front chassis rails A pillars and bulkhead probably retired gracefully from active service a long time ago.
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I second the V6 + slushbox + ankhor wax = Hoodride Cruiser + win. *n me toooooooo ;D more pics of bodywork ? |
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 once again rocking with 1117cc and 4 gears! |
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heg123
Part of things
Posts: 129
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you cant scrap it. save the manta.
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Bioshock
Posted a lot
It aint hip to be square.
Posts: 1,861
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burns mate,you gotta keep it as is,the rat look is the biz,just think,no more washing the car,no giving a toss if it gets a stonechip,scratch wack or whatever.and when it comes to parking,hell they'll leave you ten foot of space all 'round it! ;D
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Almera GTI = ugly bird who turns out to be great in the sack = Win
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burns
Part of things
Posts: 373
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Heh, thats true. I just can't help thinking it would take a lot of looking after stopping it rotting through. Assuming it is a viable project I'll probably matt black it on black wheels  . My dissertation is nearly done now so I can get going on the manta once more. All the bits have shown up to get the head back on so it should be running before too long at least. |
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Bioshock
Posted a lot
It aint hip to be square.
Posts: 1,861
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matt black.good call i've been thinking along those lines for the dub,though i'll probably have mine sprayed as its a sod to get it right with cans.
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Almera GTI = ugly bird who turns out to be great in the sack = Win
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burns
Part of things
Posts: 373
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Jul 24, 2006 19:36:52 GMT
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Much progress since last I posted in this thread. The engine was running a month or two ago, very loudly since all the silencers have holes a good 3" square rusted in the bottom of them. It does move under it's own power now though. I need to work out how to make a new system for as little as possible as most of it needs replacing and I fear I may be to tight to spend £100 on a complete new system:D. I've also learnt to weld kind of poorly since I started this project. We've found 8 or 9 bits of rust which need patching. 2*wing tops where the outer and inner wings bolt together, 2*floor patches, a patch between the footwell and A-panel, two patches in the sills and one near the fuel tank. Of those I've done the first 3.5. One of the wing tops. Painted up in hammerite rust beater. Think I might have to put a top coat on that.  The A-panel. I'm not sure how to attack this. Either make up to seperate patches, one for the a pillar and one for the footwell then weld along the edge of these two which will be difficult, or do it as a series of L shaped patches bent through 90 degrees to do away with that seam which pass now rusted out.  The O/S which is half done.  The N/S floor which I welded up today.  Still soldiering on. My target to get it finished is the 8th of august when the MOT on the Chevette runs out and that gets the same treatment. Then I need to start swaping engines about. It's certainly been a hell of a learning experience so far and I've got the confidence to tackle a few more jobs on the car now. |
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Matt black is pretty easy with rattle cans, far better than shiney colours, and you can get a thick coat on easier as less prone to runs. I'm no expert at spraying but did a whole golf for about 15 rattle cans, so less than £30 all in. Hardest parts are the flat surfaces like bonnet and roof as the can work best upright. If you can get the car on a decent slope and jack it further, you'll be OK for the roof, and do the bonnet when it's opened.  Oh and sorry for thread hijack, good luck with the car, always loved Mantas. |
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burns
Part of things
Posts: 373
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Jul 25, 2006 11:09:26 GMT
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Thanks for the advice. I think I'm going to just work through the rust thats there at the moment and aim just get it all about the same shade of white for the moment.
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onlyrwd
Part of things
'78 Cavalier 4 door / '78 Manta Berlinetta
Posts: 469
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Jul 25, 2006 20:58:10 GMT
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Mick Gradually trying to own one of everything  |
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burns
Part of things
Posts: 373
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Sept 19, 2006 9:23:36 GMT
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Well it was in for it's first MOT in ten years yesterday And no surprises it failed  . The main problems were brake imbalances front and rear. NSR brake was binding and the OSR brake recorded little effort. I think this might be down to the auto adjusters, but I'm not really sure how to set them up, they certainly seem loathed to auto adjust. The NSF caliper seems to be seized on, I arrived at the MOT centre with smoke pouring off the wheel, never a good start:D. So the plan now is to take the drums apart, fit new brake cylinders as they're only a few quid, and then try and put them back together so they actually auto adjust. Then I need to do something about the front calipers. I'm not sure if I can put calipers off other GM stuff on, it'd be nice to pop down to the scrappy and find something that'd go on easily. I think Astra GTE capliers are supposed to be the way forwards, any ideas? Any way, I've got 10 days left for a £15 retest so keep an eye out for this beast around Southampton soon.  In total we did 16-17 patches I think, in around 9 different places. |
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Last Edit: Sept 19, 2006 9:25:25 GMT by burns
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. My dissertation is nearly done now so I can get going on the manta once more. All the bits have shown up to get the head back on so it should be running before too long at least.
. The main problems were brake imbalances front and rear. NSR brake was binding and the OSR brake recorded little effort. I think this might be down to the auto adjusters, but I'm not really sure how to set them up, they certainly seem loathed to auto adjust. The NSF caliper seems to be seized on, I arrived at the MOT centre with smoke pouring off the wheel, never a good start:D.