64 replies to this topic

[mantaray]

Rear arches are good apart from a small area on the D/S.






Generaly the underside is very good, Not worried about P/S floor as I have the new floor sections to go in here.




Biuld date now very visable.


Over all I am very pleased, for a shell that is 40 years old this year, I don't think it is in too bad a shape.

[mantaray]

Well as I got hold of a Corsa B power steering unit,I thought I would have a go and see if I could fit it to the Manta.

Some club members have fitted it to the B and C Mantas but as yet no one has tried to fit it to an A series Manta.

Well I can confirm that it does fit and with out any real problems.







So when the car does go back on the road next year, I will have a 40 year old car with power steering.

[mantaray]

Well a bit more of an update.



Managed to spend a few days on the Manta over the last couple of weeks.



I have now removed the rear floor section and started to repair the the inner sill. As with the other side i needed to make up a peace of floor section for the rear most floor under the rear seat. Once this was welded in place, I could start to fettle the new rear floor section which is now ready for welding in.

















I have also started to prepair the inner chassie rail ready to fit the new rail.

[Rab]

Hi Chris,

Great view through the floor pan almost looks like awe photo shop picci, wi welder in fore ground.Awesome fabrication going on like watching awe surgen at work.

Regards.

Rab.

PS.  Mind und pit thi lavy lid doon nixt time  

[mantaray]

n/s chassie rail now all in along with rear floor section.

[Robbie]

Blimey Chris thats the most chunks I think I ever seen chopped out of an A series, glad to see u added braces . Great to see the project coming along well keep up the good work

[novashed]

nice work fella.

[mantaray]

Floor compleat !     

[Robbie]

Nice work Chris, you have been busy. The project is cracking on well now

[mantaray]

Managed a few more days work on the Manta. P/s floor and sill now all welded in place.






Also made a start on lower rear corner.





Once I've sorted this corner out, that will be all the major welding work done. I then need to sort out all the small areas that showed up after blasting. Don't know how much more I will get done for a while as I have a large paying job coming in later this week, so the Manta will have to take a back seat again.

[novashed]

nice progress there, very jealous.

[mantaray]

Been able to spend a bit more time on the A this week.

Rear corner is now all sorted.



Next to do was have a look at the d/s front inner wing, blasting had showen up poor metal work.





and I even found a big crack in the chassie rail, this was around the area were I had cut the rail to mount the brake servo. As I am now having a remote servo, I can repair this section back to original.

(Please excuse the **** welding that was done 13 years ago when I was a novice )



Right now it was time for a herble cigge and a cup of tea, while I deceided how I was going to takle the job. After some hunting around I found a section of inner wing I had cut off that very rusty yellow Manta before it went to the scrapyard. As luck would have it, it was just big enough to replace all the small patches in one go.
So the job I thourght would only be small has turned a bit bigger.



Having cut out the old wing, this gave me better access to repair and strenghen the chassie rail and repalce a section of the top rail.



You know how jobs just get bigger and bigger, well while repairing the rail I deceied that it would also be easyer to repair the bolk head while the wing was removed, so I have started to cut the bad metal out ready for a new section to go in.

[mantaray]

Other side of bluk head as it was:



After refabrication.



Shapeing of new section.



Got my new custom sections back from the lazer cutters last week, so I can now get on and finish the inner wing and bulk head when i find some time. (Got to finish decorating the spare room first )



This plate will be welded to the pedel box to convert it to a bais box.

[mantaray]

Managed to spend a few more hours on the Manta today and have finished welding in the remaining baulk head section, but as i am still waiting on some other bits for the inner wing I can't do any more here.
So I have made a start on putting the gear lever hole back to the original posision, which I changed when I fitted the 5 speed box meny moons ago. When i fitted the V6 I found that this moved the gear box folward and I had to extend the linkage ,so I am now going back to the standard linkage which ment repositioning the hole.

[stoo2000]

It's looking more like a car now, more so than when I last saw it anyway!

When do you think you'll have it on the road ?

[mantaray]

Bit more done over the last couple of days.

almost finished of the bauk head and started to put the inner wing back on.

I fitted both wings and the bonnet and set the gaps before claping the wing section in place, tack welded it in place and then checked the gaps again. happy all was good i then seam welded it






Just the section up to the bauk head to finish now.



new plate in bauk head  for the wiring loom to go through is now fitted in place.



And after having had the lend of a spot welder, I was so inpressed that i have just got myself a new toy.

[druid]

Looking good Chris. I must pop in to see your progress in the flesh sometime soon

[mantaray]

stoo2000, on 27 January 2012 - 06:20 PM, said:

It's looking more like a car now, more so than when I last saw it anyway!

When do you think you'll have it on the road ?

It's getting there slowly, I was hopeing to had her back on the road this year, But that is just not going to happen.

I don't have much welding left to do but when thats finished I want to do a trail fit up of engine and running gear ect. to make sure I have not missed any brackets. then it's strip back down and start preping for paint. I hope to have her in paint over the summer while I hope we have some nice sunny warm days. But as all work is done between paying jobs, we'll just have to wait and see how I get on.

[mantaray]

Bit of an update.

D/S inner wing and baulk head now all welded, just needs some more fettaling when i come to body prep.







Just to make sure nothing had moved after clamping or during welding, I bolted the wings and bonnet back on to cheak the gaps.

Not bad at all, the P/S wing - bonnet gap is a little smaller than the D/S, but they are both uniform all the way up,well happy.









And as this is the nearest it has looked to a compleat shell for years, I had to take a coulpe of pics.





I think that is all the major welding done, now it's a case of going round and welding any small patches or holes.

Finally feel as if I'm getting some where.

[druid]

Well done Chris. Nice job!