Another Manta Project - This Time In New Zealand

[opelmantagsi]

guess I am in the furthest place to do what I am doing, I must be nuts.
I have a UK imported 1.8 Manta thats still running and I had a 2.0 thats been broken for spares after developing tin worm around the sun roof and the previous owner letting the registration lapse (major cost to reinstate)
Doing the tried and tested 20XE conversion but going with twin side drafts, audi 80 vented discs, Calibra front callipers etc etc, cook book stuf but still finding issues getting good advise from afar, hence the reason I signed up to this site.
I have not started work on the Manta yet, still sourcing parts but have the 20XE and bits off the 1.8 and a big list of things I have brought in from the UK but still need more.

having a hella job tracking down replacement hella lights for my quad set up, thats pretty high up the list so would really appreciate some help on that

more info on the opel manta owners club UK forum or check out the NZ site

www.opelforum.org.nz

[Melv]

Welcome to MIG and good luck with the project.

[Kev_G]

welcome to mig and ill be following that thread

[opelmantagsi]

have started to take the red manta apart now, going to dummy up most of what I need to do before I get to stripping back to bare metal.removed the heater box and brake servo as I need to test fit the brake bias pedal box and fabricate new duct work for the micro fan / heater, I also need to modify the bulkhead slightly to accommodate the rear coolant hose on the XE head. fabricated up the bracket for the electric fan and had the new radiator in place, that all works, took the rad out in case it gets damaged. need to now look at mounting positions for oil cooler. will be quite a bit of welding to do on the bulkhead as most of the holes will no longer be used so will attack the whole bulkhead once I have test fitted everything in place. had to take the dash out so I could work out how to run the duct work and blank off holes in bulkhead, brake bias pedal box will need to be test fitted so I can work out where new holes are needed, the intention is to run the brake likes on the inside of the bulkhead rather than in the engine bay.

[opelmantagsi]

did a test fit of the brake bias pedal box, its tight but will be very tidy. fits high under the dash so no worries about it being too close to the drivers legs

[opelmantagsi]

did a test fit of the brake bias pedal box, its tight but will be very tidy. fits high under the dash so no worries about it being too close to the drivers legs

[opelmantagsi]

got the interior and wiring loom out, removed sound deadening from floor pan, no rust. will relocate battery to boot.

[opelmantagsi]

7 tins of brake cleaner and a litre of acetone took away all of the residual glue & bitumen left behind, still tripping with the fumes

[MSG]

So cool this thread ! Hey man you are one lucky guy, you don't seem to have hardly any rust on your Manta, must be due to reverse gravity I recon. Good work keep going.

[opelmantagsi]

thanks mate, small rust hole about the size of an old 1/2p under the washer bottle and a little bit on the inner sill where water has got in through the window at some stage, other than that the bottom of the doors need a bit of a tidy up but no serious rust to worry about. bulkhead mods are next and then its out with the soda blaster.

on the side of this I have a complete front sub frame / suspension set up stripped down and ready for media blasting, then off to the powder coater.

poly bush that and it will be good to swap out with the one in the red car.

[opelmantagsi]

modified the bulkhead to clear the rear coolant hose fitted to on the 20XE, just need to do the seam sealing to complete.

[Briggz]

il be following this thread looks like it could be an intresting one

[opelmantagsi]

rear drum to disc conversion plates arrived today from Germany, think I will see if these work on a Chevette as well..

[opelmantagsi]

just spent the day media blasting the front suspension and other bits now ready to get powder coated.

[opelmantagsi]

reinforced the lower wish bones prior to powder coating

[opelmantagsi]

1/2" - 5/8" Bulkhead Hose Adapter (narrow spacing) arrived today, this will allow me to fit the micro heater within the car and cut down on the amount of hose in the engine bay.

[opelmantagsi]

ventilation holes blanked off and all other holes welded up, as the battery is going in the boot I trimmed away the edge of the old battery tray to clean up the bulkhead further and create a little more service space around the exhaust manifold area.

[Admin_Steve]

Welcome!!! Good luck with the projects!

[opelmantagsi]

parts back from the powder coater, got my sons Chevette wheels done at the same time

wheels workes out at 100 pounds the rest 200 that included rust killer priming prior to powdercoating

[opelmantagsi]

Clutch & Throttle Pedal Powder Coated & Sparco Pedal Covers Added (Pedal Covers Ford RS Versions)

[opelmantagsi]

mock up of micro heater installation, once its all fabricated it will be removed and laid aside for installation once inner areas finished / painted. heat to wind screen only.

[opelmantagsi]

welded up the hole where the brake booster went through the bulkhead along with the throttle cable hole and a couple of others, twin throttle cables will be fitted in new holes.

[opelmantagsi]

super flex bushes on the lower wish bone, did not use the powerflex ones as they don't come with the stainless steel outer sleeve.
lower ball joint fitted (still has protective cap on it for now)

power flex bushes on upper wish bone, still to fit the upper ball joints (once I get some new bolts) and the chassis outrigger

[opelmantagsi]

Manta front suspension set up

[RodOGW]

Amazing project - I'm following it with great interest...