1974 A Series Opel Manta Blog

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

Big brakes update

After popping into friction linnings and looking at how big the catalog was the guy there was super helpful and said he would see what he could find for me. So after quite a bit of searching and only being able to find simmilar ones to what i had or 5 stud ones he come up with a different plan. He found some brembo volvo discs that were 280mm across, 26mm thick and almost spot on offset. the only problem was that the stud holes were way out, so far out that it was possible to have them drilled out…

Continue reading
Uncategorized

Brake discs

Spoke to my local brake supplier about some bigger discs to fit the fronts and it seems that they have a catolog with all the sizes that I can borrow! To find the right ones. So im off over there tomorrow to get it and hopefully find somewhat fit, will let you know what I find. http://www.frictionlinings.co.uk/

Continue reading
Uncategorized

Brakes and fuel stuff

Just going to order all the hardline fittings etc.. for the fuel system today and maybe the goodridge fitting for the brakes and the clutch. But am finding it had to get any info on brake discs! i have some vented disc that if have used with volvo 4 pots that fit perfect, but as im going to willwood 4 pot fronts now i need to upgrade the discs to some that are a bit bigger and dont know what will fit that are about 280mm, 4 stud and the same offset? seems to be some info about vectra ones…

Continue reading
Uncategorized

Front springs

When the car had a bit of an upgrade to the suspension about 12 years ago, it had coni adjustable shocks fitted and uprated springs. And to stop the front of the car looking like it was taking off, as a temporary measure the front springs were cut down to get the right ride height. And the plan was to then get some made to the right length, but as you can guess this never happened and the car ran around like that, which wasnt too bad but it did kill the spring top mounts which did need replacing every…

Continue reading
Uncategorized

Petrol tank update

The petrol tank should soon be sorted! i took it up to ad metal spinners (http://www.admetalspinners.co.uk/) today, who were soooooo helpful. they are going to make the collar that i can have welded to the tank to hold the fuel pump in. All i need to do now is find a nice helpful person at a fiat parts department to find out how the pump is help into the tank so i can do the same. Then maybe a tank breather adaptor and we are there. I will add a picture when its all done.

Continue reading
Uncategorized

Exhaust

After dropping the guys at Opel GT source www.opelgtsource.com a line to see if i could maybe adapt a header from the GT to fit the manta it turns out that one of the guys there had a manta years ago and kept the bits when he broke it up and has a 4 – 1 header from the manta and its nearly the same as the GT one. It 2 1/2 exit which is just right and looks like it hugs the engine, so it should solve the problem with the steering column hitting it like the old one…

Continue reading
Petrol tank with collar for fuel pump
Uncategorized

Almost there on the petrol tank!

I have now cut the hole in the petrol tank which all went ok, nice and easy to cut through as i took it nice and slow using a pillar drill. I have decided to remove the sender float and continue using the standard manta one as i dont think the reading would be that good with the one fitted to the pump as it wont reach the top and could only give half a reading even when the tank is full. Now its off to AD metal spinners in boscombe to get a piece made to weld to the…

Continue reading
Uncategorized

Petrol tank and pump

While i wait for the weather to get better (or just stop raining!) so i can get on and cut out whats left of the rush and start making up the new plates, i thought it best to get on with a few other bits that i can do inside. So its the petrol tanks first. I need to cut a 100mm hole in the top to insert the new pump as this will be used as the main pump for the injection. As it has a built in swirl pot and high pressure pump so no remote tanks etc…..

Continue reading
Uncategorized

List of modifications

Here is a quick list of the modifications I’m doing to the car: BMW angle eyes in place of the original lights. Aluminium radiator. Full webber alpha engine management system with 45 throttle bodies. Servo less brake system with willwood adjustable bias front-back pedal. Willwood 4 pot front callipers and cosworth read callipers with disc conversion. Hydraulic clutch using willwood pedal and hydraulic puller. In tank electric fuel pump with built in swirl pot. Fully updated suspension front and back with coni adjustable shocks and all poly bushing. OZ racing wheels 205/55/15 with yokahama tyres. Limited slip diff. And a…

Continue reading
Uncategorized

A little bit of history!

Ok, so i thought it was best to add a bit of history about the car here. Where do i start! any one who knows the car will know that it has spent more of its time off the road than on! but it has made it to Hockenheim and the Nurbergring in the past when it was going! So about 6 years ago i decided it would be a good idea to do a proper rebuild once and for all. It should have only taken a couple of years to complete! so i thought…. i should have known it…

Continue reading

Popular posts

GM/Opel CIH Engine Timing Chain Guides & Potential Problems

Im writing this little post on some of this issues i have encountered when building my Opel Manta CIH engine due to the differences between the Original GM/OPEL timing...

Finishing the Exhaust

I have finally got back round to doing some more work on the car!! The summer has been a bit busy with work so not much time has been...