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Opel Manta A Series Hot Rod (Beast)


DiMarco
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  • 2 weeks later...

Today was all about the body work and sanding back all the rusty looking panels and as you can see it was all surface rust as I thought. From all the sanding back there so far there has been no nasty surprises.

Welding has been started.

Last week:

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Front panel (nosecone) was fillered to hell and dented to buggery.

This week:

After hours of sanding this is what it came out like my arms are dead.

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Did a good amount of work today :D now from all the hard work the body is now totally sanded back to the shell as is underneath and inside the car. The welding can now be done was hard work but worth it. Found out from chris today I have done over 50 hours on the car already from my weekend days plus the rare days during the week so the car is getting there. Looking forward to the next trip up to the Beast I can do more work to her.

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Also recall seeing this car up at the Pod years ago, but didn't see it run. It looks like a lot of money has been spent on it in the past. You were lucky to find it after all these years. You cannot beat a large capacity V8, I have owned a Corvette and still have a Chevy engined 5.8 Viva GT.....instant horse power off idle....and that sound!!! Did it come with a registration document with V8 engine added?

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Also recall seeing this car up at the Pod years ago, but didn't see it run. It looks like a lot of money has been spent on it in the past. You wre lucky to find it after all these years. You cannot beat a large capacity V8, I have owned a Corvette and still have a Chevy engined 5.8 Viva GT.....instant horse power off idle....and that sound!!! Did it come with a registration document with V8 engine added?

Hello buddy,

A few have said they have seen it before at the pod. I saw it when I was at school years ago and thought I would never see it again but was sat outside a house un used for years so put a not through his door and said he would sell her. She is running a mustang 351 Cleveland 320 HP with nos. The log book matches the car engine colour is all on there :D

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Today I went to work on the beast and got there early and find that the new floor pan is in plus the rear seat floor have been cut out and patched very happy looks like a great job also :).

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I have spent all day sanding down the engine bay getting it all keyed so the primer will stick for paint then I did the same to the rear and the front bumper. Was a very knackering day but rewarding and the job needed to be done.

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Edited by DiMarco
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Got a good amount of the list of parts sorted for the manta :) some I still have to do but most have been done. But the expensive parts have been bought

 

 

Bonnet scoop

wind mirrors

Bonnet locks

Boss snap off steering wheel for security

Headlining

Carpet

sound proofing

Britax sunroof repaired

Bonnet

Rear shock

Front shocks

Tyres

Driver floor pan

Bonnet catches

Edited by DiMarco
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  • 4 weeks later...

Been a little while since I have updated you guys due to my laptop getting wet and blowing up :( so the only photos I have of her is on here now :(. Anyway I went up on Saturday to crack on with some more work. Started off not a great day as there was a problem with my every day car not getting sold but headed off to Coventry :). The sun shining great warm day and when I got to Chris's I had an even bigger shock. The car was covered in primer the front end, engine bay, left side and the tail gate was very impressed. The only part that wasn't was the right side due to the part still on back order to finish off the sill. But was a great surprise and I can see the light getting closer now at the end of the tunnel and getting so excited.

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Another update for the week I contacted the manta magic magazine and they have been very kind to put my car in the mag so I was even more happy as I have written every thing for the article and sent photos. So keep you eye out for it in the manta mag :D.

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New update as always :D.

This weekend has been another shock to come up to chris and see the car. I am very happy as the car is looking amazing the right side has been finished with the primer and is ready for paint. The left side is almost ready but due to it being sanded back to bare metal due to finding issues its taken a bit longer. I have to take my hat off to chris he has done an amazing job he really has.

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As you can see the wing I did at the weekend which took a little while inside and out fully stripped down as found little specs of rust so needed treating. The engine bay wow I have to say all the hard work sanding it back and fillering and sanding back again has so paid off.

I started doing the job I have been so looking forward to over the hole build and that's getting my hands oily and dirty from the engine, transmission and the rear axle. Spent Saturday grinding and degreasing the axle getting it ready for paint :D.

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A lot has been done this weekend and loads has been done over the week as you can see I am so happy with the outcome.

On a bad note. Saturday night after coming from chris's I found out that it would be a cutting it close to make billing. After going over it for a few hours I decided that it would be best to take it slow and not rush the build as I want her complete A1 to be shown. If she was ready for billing at a push she would be missing a few things like the stripe down the side, the new exhaust would have to show her with the old crappy one and a few other things. I thought it would be best to keep her away as I didn't want to show a almost complete car as it wouldn't do her justice so was a hard decision but has keep the stress off chris :) as he was working really hard to make it for billing which I am so grateful for but now he can relax. It is a pain but there are other shows and I believe I have made the right decision.

Edited by DiMarco
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A good call on the dealine, but make sure you set another, as many of us will know, without dealines these kinda resto's never get finished and just become money pits.

I agree with you paul. But I think it will just take another month to make sure it is totally fine or maybe another week who knows but would rather her be perfect than rushed and cutting corners for billing.

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All the service items are now ordered.

Oil (engine)

Oil filter

rocker cover gaskets

Inlet gaskets

water pump

thermostat

seal (for above)

Gearbox oil

Spark plugs

came up to including delivery and VAT £202.20 isn't that bad as that is 2 loads of V8 oils which is a lot of oil it takes plus is USA stuff.

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