CortinaDave Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Now resident on my driveway. Bloke acttually turned out to be alright despite the ebay shenanigans 50k miles... 3 owners before me.. one that kept it for 24 years until he popped his clogs... its a minter! Full history stamped up at a vauxhall dealer until 2008! Only thing i can find wrong thus far is one of the headlamp wipers doesnt work. Not bad at 30 years old[/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcqueenmachine Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Mantastic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dollywobbler Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Love it. Top buy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRegieRitmo Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Whoa! Sexay!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.welfare Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Absolutely beautiful - you can't beat a pre-facelift Manta B, especially on those ATS alloys. Presumably that's a "Silver Two" special edition? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrogeezer Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Always liked them....had a 76 Cavalier GLS coupe (RPH62R) when I was 18...great car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredTransit Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Now that is nice. And I don't usually like vauxs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CortinaDave Posted May 28, 2009 Author Share Posted May 28, 2009 Its the silver 2 spec, and from the silver 2 production year, but apparently they were all coupes whereas this is a hatch.Very rare tho as an SR berlinetta, even the insurance co had to look it up.. apparently its like the ghia x equivalent, which from opel in 1979 got you... er... comfy seats and headlamp wash.It also has a very early digital radio in it which is sheer classI dont know much about them TBH.. theres not nearly the amount of info online that there is about old fords.it is ace although has nowhere near the power of a 2.0 litre cortina/capri but feels much better / smoother to drive.Only prob is I'll have to sell the capri or the 2.0s to make way.... which one goes??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRegieRitmo Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Only prob is I'll have to sell the capri or the 2.0s to make way.... which one goes???Wow you must really like it to consider doing that! I'd say the Capri or you'll have to change your username as well! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Only prob is I'll have to sell the capri or the 2.0s to make way.... which one goes???Without a doubt capri to go. Cortina's are better than capri's FACT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VWPowered Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 just simply beautiful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Top notch! Vicsmith used to have the Cavalier Sportshatch version in brown which is not his, but still floating about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fordpoplier Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 lovely looking car, is it really as good as it looks in the pics? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnthonyG Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Absolutely Lovely.Sell the Capri as they are two a penny compared to a Mk4 2.0s. Plus it's 'broken'!Didn't you have a Saab 9-3 cabrio or has that gone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSparrow Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Nice one.I R JELOS!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michiel Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 That is jolly nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigger Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I had my eye on that as well, Would of had a punt if it wasn't the other end of the country for me. You've got to love that interior! You done well there me thinks, I'd lose the Capri over it, Do you really need 3 coupes? beside i think the Manta is the better looking car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Lobster Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Lovely! Think I'd be selling the Capri rather than Cortina as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Lovely! I've expressed my fondness for early Manta B's before and that certainly looks a nice one. It must be on the cusp of when they started fitting black plastic bumpers, in fact in that colour it almost surprises me to see it with chrome ones.I had a go in a Mk1 Cavalier GLS years ago, which I was considering buying. While in terms of toys it was still fairly sparse, the materials used, tinted glass etc did give a feeling of plushness.Another vote here for selling the Capri, keeping the Cortina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.welfare Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 The 1979cc cam-in-head lump felt pretty smooth and unburstable in the two Rekords I had, but not fast as you say. Mind you, the Rekords felt as fast (or slow) as the 2.3 Mk2 Granada I had, so that evidently gives gravitas to what I have read about the 2.3V6 giving no performance advantage over the 2-litre Pinto in a 'Tina or Granny.Where the Opels seemed to score over the equivalent Fords of the day was in the use and construction of interior materials. Not a lot of kit but what's there is very nice. I'm a particular fan of the "cheeseblock" gearknobs in this era of Opel, but then I'm odd like that :lol:Another vote for keeping the 2.0S - it's such a rare car and you've spent so much time on it, after all. Capri 2.8is are ten-a-penny by comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CortinaDave Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 Spent some time looking through the history last night... it has absolutely everything including the orginal special order to factory sheet from dec 78 then the delivery note in April 1979.then the new owner taking it back under warranty a few weeks later to moan about the sunroof not closing properly and it running too hot fully stamped service book, almost all at vauxhall/opel dealers... it even still has its dealer numberplates and tax disc holder in the window.The original owner sold it in 2003 and died shortly after... in the history folder theres a letter inviting the bloke that bought the car off the original owner to his funeral, which is a rather strange item to have kept.It literally looks as good in the metal as in the pics... the front valance has a few specks of rust from stonechips but that is it.I think it will probably be the capri to go although as I've had the cortina for a few years now I am a bit bored of it. I know its by far the better car both in condition and rarity but the chuckability of the capri puts a smile on my face. hmmm...Ideally I want a mk2 capri 3.0S or ghia so i'm tempted to sell the 2.8I and keep the cortina until a good mk2 comes up then flog it for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredTransit Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 If it was me I would get rid of the plasticky thing in the middle..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CortinaDave Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 I have to admit I like the cougar. I do a shedload of miles , have to leave for work at 4.30 AM some mornings and cant be arsed coming out and having to fiddle with points etc (which has happened before).Plus its not worth enough to cover much of what the manta owes me :lol:Came to work in the manta today. 23 degrees, shades on, arm out window, tinny radio assaulting my eardrums and winding road with no traffic.As good as it gets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volksy Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 That truly is a thing of beauty, I never used to like them, but the uncluttered lines have grown on me. Think I would like an equally original later Manta GT/J (the pov spec one). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.welfare Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 There's a gorgeous GT/J in the Manta owners' club that was at the VBOA show at Billing the two years I went (2005 and 2006); a coupe with the black metal bumpers in a sort-of olive green - sounds shite but it looks *amazing*, like it just rolled off the Russelsheim factory floor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Came to work in the manta today. 23 degrees, shades on, arm out window, tinny radio assaulting my eardrums and winding road with no traffic.As good as it gets.Sounds like it. I’ve used the Laurel for the last couple of days and I must admit it does brighten up the journey to work. Looking forward to my drive home in it shortly, but window open and listen to the straight-six (and noisy tappet), Radio 4 LW on the mono radio, or the Jean Michel Jarre cassette it came with on the stereo tape player?I suspect the Manta is much like my Laurel and other stuff from this era – not desperately quick off the mark(unless you have no mechanical sympathy) but get it rolling and it hustles along quite well.I had the 1.9CIH engine in my Manta A. Seem to remember the ‘box has quite a long, raked gearlever? Ah, just looked at the interior shot and yes it’s similar to yours. Are you still 4-speed on this one? 5-speed out of a Carlton or Manta GT/E would presumably slot in easily, and be a practical upgrade I’d have thought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CortinaDave Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 It is four speed yeah.. and I have to say a five speeder would make a big difference.. at motorway speeds you do feel like you need the extra cog. Just a question of where the hell i lay my hands on such an item!Didn't you have a Saab 9-3 cabrio or has that gone?The saab is away, yep. Decided to get shot as the power hood packed in, that alongside all the other faults that were wrong with it and i could see it was just going to be a money pit.Got back what i paid and had fun with it for a while so i was happy enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r.welfare Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Neither of my Rekords had a tach, so I had no idea what the revs were at motorway speeds - but you could certainly hear the engine working. But the lump was smooth enough, just noisy - that said, they were both "high days and holidays" cars so I did more than 60. Opel were pretty good masters of the live axle, although the steering was atrociously low geared (9 million turns lock-to-lock, you'd have no hope rescuing it from a big slide) - I'd hope the Manta is better in that respect, but I'd assume it's a rack-and-pinion rather than recirculating ball.Anyway, pump loads of Waxoyl in it while the weather's good! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garycox Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I'd definitely sell the Capri over the Cortina. I'm going to go against everybody here though and say I'd rather keep both and sell/not get in the first place the Manta. I do like it, and I'd probably buy it myself but not if I had to sell a Capri 2.8 or Cortina 2.0S to do so! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split_Pin Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Thats a lovely Manta!I spent some time looking round the Manta stand at Billing last year. I hadnt seen one for years and forgot how smart they looked.Your Manta would certainly be admired at that show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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