74 Opel Manta

I picked up this Manta a few weeks ago. It is a 74, appears to be all original, not too much rust.

The plan for now is to get it running and use it for occasional daily driving and rallycross (when I'm not running the Miata). I just got a new Weber 32/36 DGEV and Geo master cylinder. Still need to make an exhaust but it did come with a good head pipe.

Eventually I would like to cage it for hillclimb and stage rally. The original plan was to swap in a 13b I have laying around but I change my mind about every day.

I love that color, nice.

Mine is currently Rustoleum/ 'Rally White'

The picture of this little model or whatever, it inspires me.... I'm not sure if it's "The car such-n-such ran at the 76 Monte " or whatever. It's hard to find Manta A pics (well harder) and have to wade thru a billion Manta B pics... oi.




https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrB8o7v0cdU0xgAsBqJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTIzZDVjam03BHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZANlYWYxZjUwNTc4NWYyODdjYjY0MGZhYmI4YmQzOGEyNARncG9zAzYzBGl0A2Jpbmc-?.origin=&back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fyhs%2Fsearch%3Fp%3Drally%2BManta%2BManta%2BA%26fr2%3Dpiv-web%26hsimp%3Dyhs-001%26hspart%3Dmozilla%26spos%3D12%26nost%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D63&w=723&h=510&imgurl=www.nasshan.com%2Fgetpicture.php%3Fpath%3D1%26pic%3Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasshan.com%2Fout%2Fpictures%2Fz1%2F003442-Schuco-Opel-Manta-A-Rallye-Coup-Conrero-Athens-Rallye_z1.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasshan.com%2Fen%2FSchuco%2FEdition-1-43%2FMotorsport%2FOpel%2FOpel-Manta-A-Rallye-Coup-Conrero-Athens-Rallye.html&size=41.0KB&name=Schuco+Opel+%3Cb%3EManta%3C%2Fb%3E+A+%3Cb%3ERallye%3C%2Fb%3E+Coup%C3%A9+%26quot%3BConrero+Athens+%3Cb%3ERallye%3C%2Fb%3E%26quot%3B&p=rally+Manta+Manta+A&oid=eaf1f505785f287cb640fabb8bd38a24&fr2=piv-web&fr=&tt=Schuco+Opel+%3Cb%3EManta%3C%2Fb%3E+A+%3Cb%3ERallye%3C%2Fb%3E+Coup%C3%A9+%26quot%3BConrero+Athens+%3Cb%3ERallye%3C%2Fb%3E%26quot%3B&b=61&ni=21&no=63&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=13h7tgroc&sigb=14a0lqd8e&sigi=14ks86o5f&sigt=12o52sutk&sign=12o52sutk&.crumb=fXqY/mKeSvQ&fr2=piv-web&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=mozilla



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/2015 12:04PM by Yellowhammer.

I know I am most likely in the Minority, cause of GpB fame,


but the BODY of the Manta B just does nothing for me, personally.


...but I'd love to have a full-tilt twin-cam motor in my Manta A!

anyone got one of those motors in the barn ? lol.

Quote
Yellowhammer
I know I am most likely in the Minority, cause of GpB fame,


but the BODY of the Manta B just does nothing for me, personally.


...but I'd love to have a full-tilt twin-cam motor in my Manta A!

anyone got one of those motors in the barn ? lol.

Agree the Manta B leaves me al meh..
A nice Ascona 400 however...Nice...

As for the motors they're funny... Has to be a bazzilion of the bottom ends since they were just Brazillian 2.3 diesels with way long rods...I dunno 150mm+ c-c , about 31mm compression height pistons which oddly enough is the same path I've been doing on the ordinary Opels since 27 years ago...It is the logical direction...And as for the heads, another story..

These days if you wanna go crazy there are motors that'll work every bit as good as the old ones and they crush 'em every day. GM 2.0 and 2,3 things 16v and allegedly descended from the great XE 16v

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

I have considered a Quad4 or Ecotec, that would be fun.

Quote
EvanB
I have considered a Quad4 or Ecotec, that would be fun.

Eco-tech, that's what they call it. the best looks to be the 2,0....and there's bellhousings for RWD for them
But they are LARGE engines....
(That's the thing with the XE16v..very nice, very compact, maybe 90lbs less than CIH...common, and bellhousings easy)

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

This is what I would like to go for. Maybe some revolutions instead of the ATS wheels. I have some Revolution RFX in 14" with rally tires for the Miata that I can use but still need some street wheels (aside from the BMW E21 wheels in the garage).

Quote
Yellowhammer
...but I'd love to have a full-tilt twin-cam motor in my Manta A!

anyone got one of those motors in the barn ? lol.

Original Cosworth "400" engines are pricey. $6-$8k for a stock street version. Figure $30k for a modern motorsports version making 320-330 HP.

A lot of guys are cutting down the 3.0 litre 24-valve 6 cylinders and fitting billet cams and special
pistons into 2.4 litre shortblocks (from Omegas and Opel SUV's) to make a modern interpretation if the Manta 400 engine. Saves you maybe $10k.

FWIW, there are a few guys getting 260-270 hp from the old cast iron engines, using heavily modified (non crossflow) 2.2 heads on 2.4 blocks. Still costs you $15k, but makes almost as much as the old Group B Manta 400's.

---

Opel is a 4-letter word...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10498579@N07/sets/

Quote
john vanlandingham

Quote
EvanB
I have considered a Quad4 or Ecotec, that would be fun.

Eco-tech, that's what they call it. the best looks to be the 2,0....and there's bellhousings for RWD for them
But they are LARGE engines....
(That's the thing with the XE16v..very nice, very compact, maybe 90lbs less than CIH...common, and bellhousings easy)

Interesting...

Quote
Ascona73

Quote
Yellowhammer
...but I'd love to have a full-tilt twin-cam motor in my Manta A!

anyone got one of those motors in the barn ? lol.

Original Cosworth "400" engines are pricey. $6-$8k for a stock street version. Figure $30k for a modern motorsports version making 320-330 HP.

A lot of guys are cutting down the 3.0 litre 24-valve 6 cylinders and fitting billet cams and special
pistons into 2.4 litre shortblocks (from Omegas and Opel SUV's) to make a modern interpretation if the Manta 400 engine. Saves you maybe $10k.

FWIW, there are a few guys getting 260-270 hp from the old cast iron engines, using heavily modified (non crossflow) 2.2 heads on 2.4 blocks. Still costs you $15k, but makes almost as much as the old Group B Manta 400's.

also very interesting...


* I like the 'Motor discussion' ; good stuff.

I know it's dorky, or whatever, but I really would like to AT LEAST see an Opel valve cover of some kind with the hood up.. this all opens up if the 80% built motor-to-be is stillborn.

Yes, 146th person (in Bama yeah) that says "Put an LS1/6speed in that badboy and quit trying to find all this nerdy Opel unobtainium shit... "

https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrB8pW_CshUiBAA7ruJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTI0MzFpaXNkBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZANjZGZkNzZjNGQ1MDE3NTFkM2IwN2Y3YzMwY2JhYjdhYwRncG9zAzE0NgRpdANiaW5n?.origin=&back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fyhs%2Fsearch%3Fp%3Drobert%2Bdowney%2Bjr%2Brolling%2Bhis%2Beyes%2Bmeme%26n%3D60%26ei%3DUTF-8%26fr%3Dyhs-mozilla-001%26fr2%3Dsb-top-images.search.yahoo.com%26hsimp%3Dyhs-001%26hspart%3Dmozilla%26spos%3D24%26nost%3D1%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D146&w=450&h=373&imgurl=2.bp.blogspot.com%2F_jpvPgewRi-4%2FTUJEWvTPuKI%2FAAAAAAAAADc%2FLSPY5XMUxeg%2Fs1600%2Fretard.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fretailmorons.blogspot.com%2F2011_01_01_archive.html&size=96.8KB&name=Posted+with+brilliance+by+Dave+at+2%3A37+PM+No+comments%3A&p=robert+downey+jr+rolling+his+eyes+meme&oid=cdfd76c4d501751d3b07f7c30cbab7ac&fr2=sb-top-images.search.yahoo.com&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&tt=Posted+with+brilliance+by+Dave+at+2%3A37+PM+No+comments%3A&b=121&ni=160&no=146&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=11ovkp2nr&sigb=16m4vobr1&sigi=12j7nmjdm&sigt=11m49lbi4&sign=11m49lbi4&.crumb=fXqY/mKeSvQ&fr=yhs-mozilla-001&fr2=sb-top-images.search.yahoo.com&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=mozilla


Evan, you can kick me out of your thread-bar anytime if you want...





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/2015 04:06PM by Yellowhammer.

I am lacking this badly...

its a shame they don't make cars like that any more

---

I would rather drive a slow car fast as a fast car slow!
first rule of cars: get what makes you happy, your the one paying for it!

Quote
Yellowhammer



Evan, you can kick me out of your thread-bar anytime if you want...

Nah, this kind of discussion is what I started this thread for. Otherwise it wouldn't move very fast since I don't work quickly.

In reply to Bob:

How close is the Quad 4 to the Cosworth engines? According the wikipedia they have a "Cosworth designed" head. 180 hp stock and bellhousings available for RWD transmissions as well as DCOE manifolds.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/2015 06:29PM by EvanB.