1976 Opel Manta coupe. A long haul project. Setting the show standards…..not

[Joey spud]

I would hang the lamps below the bumper.

On my Cavalier I had a pair of Cibie Oscar spot lamps mounted on the top of the bumper and I thought they looked the dogs dangly bits until I had a low speed bump in Strood high street on the way to work.

The bumper took the impact well and would have straightened up again but the Cibie's were wrecked and got pushed into the front panel denting that too.

[Snake Charmer]

Horrible those corner panels above the lights, they seem to survive better if the boot stays dry.

[sutty2006]

Another job ticked off the list. 
 

crank pulley looked like it was wobbling around. So I took it off. 

looks bent to me. 

 

just to double check, I got my highly calibrated tyre lever straight edge out. 
 

yep that’s bent. 
 

luckily I have a spare. It’s slightly different (has a dampener?) but it fits so it’s going on. 

 

that’ll do

 

 

I’ll test it’s run out when I next fire her up. 

[sierraman]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/286334001297?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=xhSU5JDDSU2&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=0gRg2HOGS5y&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY
 

This has your name all over it. 

[sutty2006]

Well, I’ve been quiet on this. Been way too busy with illness, family, work etc. to cut a long story short, I’ve fucked about for weeks with running issues, timing issues, 3 different fuel pumps and 2 different carbs and sets of jets. 2 weeks ago I got the historic status sorted, and insurance sorted. Then last Saturday I grew a pair and got it out. 
 

 

id already done pre flight checks the night before

 

then creeped to the end of the road. 
 

 

it was running poor. Fuel gauge not registering anything. 
 

so limped it to the fuel purchasing establishment 1/4 a mile away. 
 

stuck some v power in and went back home. Did some more checks, then headed out to get the tracking sorted (as it’s all new down there)

 

 

on Sunday, I took it out towards my home town, attempting to adjust carb mixture as I went. No success. 
 

visited a good friend. 

 

then went to my dads for Sunday takeaway. 

 

it’s official, it’s on the road. 

[motorpunk]

I am bloody loving that! 

[Six-cylinder]

58 minutes ago, sutty2006 said:

 

 

it’s official, it’s on the road. 

Well done.

You beat me!

Ours has been test driven by my garage. It has not been driven by me yet, but is now ready for me to collect. The plan is for me to give it a good shake down and then return it for any snagging. Trouble is my back has been bad and messing around with cars is difficult.

[sutty2006]

Last night it got tuned on a dyno by a friend who is local and really knows his stuff. 
 

 

once the timing was set, the carb was messed with and it was checked for remaining horses. 
 

second run produced 98 horses remaining of the original 100 that it started with. 
 

 

[spike60]

Good stuff! I had a Manta, several Asconas and a Monza GSE way back when and still have a soft spot for them.

[Snake Charmer]

On 11/03/2025 at 10:19, sutty2006 said:

 

 

it’s official, it’s on the road. 

I really like that photo  took me back to 1993 when l first had my Mancona on the road. Light green body, white front panel, new wings in black, dark green bonnet, grey GTE boot, spoiler and sideskirts. No carpets or dash top  just bare wires, switches and gauges, Rover V8 and 5 speed through a 1.6 axle.

Enjoy it. 👍

[jim89]

17 hours ago, sutty2006 said:

Last night it got tuned on a dyno by a friend who is local and really knows his stuff. 
 

 

once the timing was set, the carb was messed with and it was checked for remaining horses. 
 

second run produced 98 horses remaining of the original 100 that it started with. 
 

 

That can be rounded up to 99 shurely? 

Impressive either way 👍🏻🥳

[sutty2006]

6 hours ago, jim89 said:

That can be rounded up to 99 shurely? 

Impressive either way 👍🏻🥳

I never thought of it that way, but I’ll take it! 😁

[sutty2006]

Well boys and girls. I drove this old banger down to the NEC yesterday. It made it here without hiccup. It’s still jerking when I let off the throttle in gear, but we will get to that. 
 

I got all this way, and heading into the NEC from the N12 car park it died. Won’t idle. It’ll start and rev up but didn’t idle. 
 

 

I made it into the show hall, allbeit having to constantly restart it after it cuts out. 
 

 

 

 

 

I’ve taken primary idle jet out and there was a tiny blob of crap in the end of it. I’ve cleaned it out, and cleaned the secondary jet too. Hopefully this will have cured that issue. 
 

im here all weekend, I’ll be hovering around the manta club stand over the weekend but this place is VAST and I’ve a pocket with cash in. So come and say hello 😁

[Matty]

17 minutes ago, sutty2006 said:

Well boys and girls. I drove this old banger down to the NEC yesterday. It made it here without hiccup. It’s still jerking when I let off the throttle in gear, but we will get to that. 
 

I got all this way, and heading into the NEC from the N12 car park it died. Won’t idle. It’ll start and rev up but didn’t idle. 
 

 

I made it into the show hall, allbeit having to constantly restart it after it cuts out. 
 

 

 

 

 

I’ve taken primary idle jet out and there was a tiny blob of crap in the end of it. I’ve cleaned it out, and cleaned the secondary jet too. Hopefully this will have cured that issue. 
 

im here all weekend, I’ll be hovering around the manta club stand over the weekend but this place is VAST and I’ve a pocket with cash in. So come and say hello 😁

Fucking hero 👏 

[Tickman]

That looks ace. Enjoy the weekend and fingers crossed the idle is sorted after the clean.

[Skizzer]

12 hours ago, sutty2006 said:

Well boys and girls. I drove this old banger down to the NEC yesterday. It made it here without hiccup. It’s still jerking when I let off the throttle in gear, but we will get to that. 
 

I got all this way, and heading into the NEC from the N12 car park it died. Won’t idle. It’ll start and rev up but didn’t idle. 
 

 

I made it into the show hall, allbeit having to constantly restart it after it cuts out. 
 

 

 

 

 

I’ve taken primary idle jet out and there was a tiny blob of crap in the end of it. I’ve cleaned it out, and cleaned the secondary jet too. Hopefully this will have cured that issue. 
 

im here all weekend, I’ll be hovering around the manta club stand over the weekend but this place is VAST and I’ve a pocket with cash in. So come and say hello 😁

I came over and drooled over this yesterday afternoon but I don’t think you were around — I’ll swing by again today. (I’m across the hall with the Rancho.)

It’s FANTASTIC. 

[Surface Rust]

I somehow missed your most recent updates - congratulations on getting this back on the road. It looks great - period 1990 street scene material!

Enjoy!

[sutty2006]

50 minutes ago, Skizzer said:

I came over and drooled over this yesterday afternoon but I don’t think you were around — I’ll swing by again today. (I’m across the hall with the Rancho.)

It’s FANTASTIC. 

This one? I may have shared drool 

 

[sutty2006]

Fitted the original mudflaps yesterday. I’m a left flap missing unfortunately so couldn’t put them all on. 
 

 

[sutty2006]

I made it home last night around 19:15, faultless drive home apart from the clutch wasn’t engaging very well and the last 5-10 miles were done by mainly rev matching or restarting in gear. Hopefuy it just needs adjusting now the new clutch has bed in properly. 

what a fantastic weekend it’s been!

 

[Skizzer]

4 hours ago, sutty2006 said:

I made it home last night around 19:15, faultless drive home apart from the clutch wasn’t engaging very well and the last 5-10 miles were done by mainly rev matching or restarting in gear. Hopefuy it just needs adjusting now the new clutch has bed in properly. 

what a fantastic weekend it’s been!

 

You did well, I was still in the hall when you got home! I saw you driving out as I was collecting my trailer — the Manta looks as fantastic on the road as it did on the stand. Love it.

It was great to meet you and have a chat! 

[sutty2006]

5 hours ago, Skizzer said:

You did well, I was still in the hall when you got home! I saw you driving out as I was collecting my trailer — the Manta looks as fantastic on the road as it did on the stand. Love it.

It was great to meet you and have a chat! 

It was great to meet you too skizzer and it was also great to meet @Saabnut too! It’s great when you can put a face to a username! 

[Noel Tidybeard]

you made it onto furious drivings walk round

[sutty2006]

8 hours ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

you made it onto furious drivings walk round

Just looked it up, pretty much at the start too! 
 

The crap car collective did a small interview with me, as yet to see it. 
 

if anyone else sees my manta pop up in videos or photos please let me know, it got loads of attention over the weekend! 

[sutty2006]

I was soooooo happy that the manta made it to the NEC (and back!) unaided, I bought it some tunes. 
 

long gone are the days of heading to Chapels (high lane) and buying some radio gear, and Halfords is wank. So I bought this nifty little number from CEN-UK. Blaupunkt Skagen 400, with a nice little pair of 4 inch speakers to complement it. 
 

lovely little thing!

and it’s this big 

 

 

so it should fit snug in the dash without using an extender. 
 

 

[Noel Tidybeard]

it might* have been me that suggested to matt furious that the manta may not be as found!😂

[andy18s]

15 hours ago, sutty2006 said:

I was soooooo happy that the manta made it to the NEC (and back!) unaided, I bought it some tunes. 
 

long gone are the days of heading to Chapels (high lane) and buying some radio gear, and Halfords is wank. So I bought this nifty little number from CEN-UK. Blaupunkt Skagen 400, with a nice little pair of 4 inch speakers to complement it. 
 

lovely little thing!

and it’s this big 

 

 

so it should fit snug in the dash without using an extender. 
 

 

I have one of those extensions for the stereo kicking around in a bag somewhere,along with a Vhs of Manta Magic,2 Exclusive wheel centre-caps and a new rear diff gasket for a 1.8, because just in case ......

[sutty2006]

12 hours ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

it might* have been me that suggested to matt furious that the manta may not be as found!😂

Yeah, if he’d read the piece of paper in the window he’d have know it lol 

[sutty2006]

Started fitting some speakers to the rear shelf. 
 

these are new German made high quality speakers (hopefully)

I had to space them out with silicone vacuum hose to clear the top of the speaker 

 

wired up 

 

and fitted. 

 

I’ve ran the wiring up to the dash. Need to wire up the radio now. 

[sutty2006]

Setting the bar right at the bottom. 
 

took the 49 year old to the largest show of the year, the VBOA. It made it the 90 odd miles without fault but it was HOT HOT on Friday! Car ran cool as a cucumber. 
 

 

 

 

and to top it off, won two trophies. A top ten award, and “oldest B” at the show. (And it was a trophy I’d made 😆)