13 replies to this topic

[Mick]

A couple of years ago Andy got a Manta SRB which belonged to an old mad who had died. The family wanted it to be saved so it was collected from Scotland back to Lincolnshire and repair work started. Time, children and other cars slowed down the progress until it stopped.

Now its restoration is happening again, I have it at my place now to help with the work and get it all sorted and get the welding done. It was on the Opel NEC Motorshow stand in 1978 and was bought at the show. He couldnt get it straight away as it was before the UK release date of the Hatch so he got it later on. It was registered on a Glasgow area T plate but the family kept the reg and its on one of the cars they own. It has a new T reg number now.

It has only done 30k miles and runs very very well. Its a silver Automatic with perfect unfaded blue velour interior due to seat covers being on since new  

It needs a pair of sills, a pair of arches, a pair of wings, the other jacking point and door post repairing. The front valance and headlamp surrounds are rough but I have replacements for all the panels execpt one sill. Its now stripped to a running shell, I actually drove it today for the first time, I suspect its the first time its done 40mph for a long time I have access to a long private road from my house    Brakes work, usual tight calipers but it all works. Autobox is a bit slow to engage but its been unused for several years so who can blame it, I expect with a fluid change and filter clean it will be ok.

I was issued a challenge from the wife on the previous Billing weekend that there is no real reason why this one cant be at Billing 2012   So thats the plan, have this all finished painted and at Billing next year...

Edited by Mick, 30 July 2011 - 07:04 PM.

[stradacab]

Good luck with it Mick, nice back-story and be good to see an early hatch around.

[Rapierdave]

Look forward to seeing it at Billing in 2012.

Chrome bumpered hatch's are a rare species now.

[Mick]

They are a Rare beast now... I even did the research about it being a Silver2 but it has no sunroof so isnt and Im glad it hasnt  

Im really keen on doing it, for the first time I have a garage big enough to leave it on stands and be able to work on and around it.

[1900SR]

The Silver 2 was only available as a coupe. Good to see work starting on this again, I want a drive when it's finished.

[Scribe of Lincoln]

Good luck with the project Mick.

Love a nice B Hatch!

[Mick]

1900SR, on 30 July 2011 - 07:58 PM, said:

The Silver 2 was only available as a coupe. Good to see work starting on this again, I want a drive when it's finished.

No problem having a Drive Steve... I thought the Silver 2 was a Hatch too, learnt something today  

Thanks Ben, im not far away if you fancy a trip over one day in yours for inspiration  

Edited by Mick, 30 July 2011 - 09:05 PM.

[manta88]

Good luck Mick with the challange, it looks a good start for a project. I have always liked the Blue velour trim since Clive had one some years back.
   Will you keep the auto box?

[Mick]

Yup, keeping it as an auto, seems a lot livelier than my old auto ascona so may be able to live with it

Edited by Mick, 31 July 2011 - 04:05 PM.

[cop]

hi mick can you tell me wots happening to the spares that we where on  about as you have not been in contact ive sent you pms etc and youvre not got back to me so ive put the listing on here ?

[opel2000]

Superb mate.
The Chrome bumpered Hatchbacks were only made for a year or 2 (can't remember precisely) before they fitted the hideous black plastic bumpers in 1979 / 1980.

Had 2 silver B hatchbacks and both were absolute mint underneath quite surprised to hear that this has decayed as much as it has, also the blue interiors on these cars really did suit the Silver bodywork so well, and the fitting of boot trim, wheel arch carpet, and the speaker pod area at each side of the parcel shelf just added to an absolute quality Retro feel of these hatchbacks, look forward to seeing this come to fruition.

Still miss the one I crashed to this day, also miss the Red B hatch that went off to Ireland too, wish to God I'd had the space to have kept that.

[Mick]

Cop, I have replied to you via PM..

I have looked in the Factfile and the Chrome bumpered hatches were only for 1 year...

Im hoping to get it sorted at a steady pace rather than it sit doing nothing like most things I do  

Its not that bad underneath, the sills and arches would probably have been repairable but to do a good job its worth doing it all properly. Door posts are a bit crispy but not gone completely, its certainly not a rot box  

Edited by Mick, 31 July 2011 - 06:19 PM.

[stradacab]

Hey Mick, long time no update!

Are you still working on this hatch and will it make Billing this year?

[Mick]

Been a while since I have been online, been busy with other projects and have moved house since getting this so its been left for a while.

I finished the Mk2 Cavalier SRi and thats on the road now, last few hours of welding on Grahams (Manta Modifier) Teabag Astra SXi for its MOT then the Manta is being moved from the corner to work on it again. I doubt it will be at Billing this year, maybe next but I should be there in mt Mk2 Cav...sorry

Edited by Mick, 19 May 2012 - 07:57 PM.