Lakeland Motor Museum

[Chris M]

Visited above yesterday and they have a stunning Monaco blue exclusive coupe which is badged as a GSI

Loads of interesting vehicles there including the Campbell Bluebird exhibition

[monaco ray]

Hi Chris, we also went here in August this year and was very impressed with the collection of vehicles on display.

 

The GSI at the Lakeland Motor Museum

[MANTAMAN]

 The really interesting bit is the GSi badging, briefly encountered a early facelift injection coupe that was sold new in Jersey, that was badged GSI not GTE ( even GSi Recaro's ) and it was devoid of any extras, no sunroof ( good !! ) fixed rear windows, no headlight wipers etc, often wondered about where it was supplied from, perhaps had to order R/H drive Manta through a French dealership, explaning the GSi badging and low spec, having to make a special order they no money to spare for all the extras.

[robah]

Ian some of these Manta GSi's would have been bought in Germany by Military guys posted there. They could specify them as R/H drive for use in the UK. I knew of a few that came to our shores that way, and missed out on a White GSi in the mid 90's as a friend brought one back. At the time I couldn't afford it  . With the discount they got out in Germany and how frequent they could sell the cars (any) with a great profit on them, it didn't take the government long to close the loop hole. A few people ended up making small dealerships in selling the cars on.

[MANTAMAN]

 Ah Yes, that would tie in with the Jersey Manta, it appears that any Manta bought outside the UK and Eire, even when ordered as R/H drive got GSi Badging.

 

 The whole issue of fuel injected Manta's in the UK and Eire is a little strange, fuel injection appeared on Manta's in 1973 yet 'we' didn't get that till the facelift occured by which time i think Opel had stopped making CIH engines with a Carb, hence had to supply injected Manta's and the 1800 Manta, biggest engine Opel made with a carb post facelift.

 

 Wonder if the Triumph/Lucas mechanical fuel injection was in a way to blame, it always had a bad reputation, justified or not, so the public on these shores might not have had an appitie for fuel injection and when it did come on the Opels it was GT/E, as if to make the point that it was electric not mechanical.

 

 Mainland Europe seems to have embraced injection, there being almost no 1800 Manta's at the OMON rally in the Netherlands

[rutts]

that is exactly how the local used opel dealer to me started business. he bought ascona and manta 400s from Belgium direct in early eighties, had the first nova and corsas in stock cheaper than main dealers. we had ascona and manta 400s parked on side of the road from 1980 till 1984 that is when I got the bug for ascona s and mantas.

 still trying to get pictures from the guy who ran the garage( he could sell sand to arabs) he ended up closing down early 1990s and went working for prodrive. now fully retired.( his navigator was paul Howarth who ran prodrive Subaru and mini cooper wrc team)

 

years later TTR rallying had the same garage with AC Delco and Frazer eagle manta 400s in the show area. was offered an ascona 400 non kitted off them for 5k but I had no cash at the time big mistake it went to eire  .

 

wish I could go back in time  .

 

anyone got any genuine Blackwoods Garage number plates on their 400 ?

[Danny D114BCW]

Was the engine choice (non injection mantas) to do with company car tax? Hence keeping the non injection cars to the uk being made?

[robah]

Was the engine choice (non injection mantas) to do with company car tax? Hence keeping the non injection cars to the uk being made?

 

I think your right Danny, it was cheaper tax on cars below 2 litre and as Vauxhall / Opel had an abundance of 1.8 engines it made sense.