OPEL

Its so nice now i can just roll the Opel out and go for a drive 🙂 I took her out for a run today and when I got back gave he a quick wash and that was all that needed doing 🙂 I have a small adjustment to do on the exhaust as it sometimes knocks on the gearbox cross-member bolt but that can wait until the weather is not so got, while its sunny I’m just going to drive her as much as I can!!

There are a few tweaks left and I’m sure there will be some other modifications and the engine bay does need a paint!  but basically, the Opel Project is in its final stage and its now time to drive the car and enjoy it!!

Finally, after a long few months of getting the exhaust all sorted out, we are finally on the road. It was a beautiful sunny morning on the south coast, so it was time for a few last tweaks and checks and then it was time to head of for a shakedown. Everything ran fine, the temp was good, oil pressure reading ok and the steering was fine, the exhaust didn’t seem to knock, so all good :-). The brakes need a bit of bedding in and adjusting but that was expected. Time to check over and tighten up anything that…

So on Tuesday i had managed the pull the dash and get all the gauges working and hopefully the temp sender. So it was off down to Tesco’s to fuel up as the level was reading a bit low. With the new battery, i hoped it would start ok so as Tesco’s was not far i thought it was best to head there and back! Got there ok, the temp gauge was reading nicely and all the other gauges working great. Filled up, started up ok, so i thought, maybe a run a little further!! Once i got going she…

Today was a big day! we finally hit the road for the first shakedown of the A series. Apart from a couple of niggles and i need a new battery as the battery doesn’t hold its charge, it was a good run around the block. The engine seems to have a nice bit of pull to it so I’m looking forward to the time when its run in and i can get it properly tuned and open it up! I need to get the temp gauge working as that not reading so I’m not to sure how hot she is…

As the title says, the car is as ready as it can be for its trip to Northampton Motorsport for the initial startup and cam run in. Everything is checked as best i can so its fingers crossed when we get there. The plan is to get the engine checked and setup by Northampton Motorsport as they know their stuff so im told. Then all being ok they will get her started up and the cam run in and then setup the map so the car is ready to run in. Then if everything is all ok i will bring…

So now the bad weather is out of the way and its getting warmer its time to get moving on the car again. I have a new plan of attack to try and get her finished this year! The crank is at the engine shop and needs a slight grind which i think was down to the problems starting her up and getting the oil pumping as a few of the bearing did have wear that looked like they had been short of oil. So hopefully in a couple of weeks, the crank will be back and i can get…

The Opel Project blog has been setup to record the rebuild of my 1974 A Series Opel Manta.

Every morning i open the garage to get the Vespa out and this is the site im greeted with. Even in the half-finished state, she does look stunning. I must get my finger out and drop the engine and box and pop in the new S10 clutch, check the bearings and get back on with the last few jobs and try to get her on the road for the summer!!