Suttys most expensive but long lasting collection/project thread EVER. Contains Manta porn.

[sutty2006]

I’ve been keeping this secret. And I don’t really know why. There is a long story to this one, but I’ll shorten it down as much as possible. 
 

A little over 12/13 years ago I was talking to my builder friend about my Carmine red Manta Hatch. He told me that his builder mate had one and that he’d pass my number over if there was anything he needed help with. Dave contacted me not long after, with a problem with his Carmine red GTE exclusive coupe, a knocking on the front end. I visited, and what I found was a low mileage, garaged all its life from new car. Amazing. It had knocked from new, the selling dealer, local to us, had replaced the front shocks with equally knocky replacements. This had annoyed Dave but he lived with it. Long story short, I fitted better shocks to it, and cured a 30 year gripe he’d had. A friendship was built and as the years went by, anything that “the old girl” needed she got. Over the years I’ve had the radiator recored, new water pump, new fuel hoses, new battery, and new wheel cylinders. Since the great plague of 2020, Dave had some medical problems and mobility issues. 50 years of being a bricky also payed a toll on his hips and knees. He kept the old girl MOTd, fuelled and ready to go despite this, but rarely drove her. Last time I spoke to him, November last year, I suggested that I’d take him out in it, go for a drive and have a few “scoops” on a day where clouds were at a minimum. Sadly, Dave passed away in December just before Xmas, and I only found out 5 days before his funeral in February. The family and friends sorting his estate out were left specific instructions to allow me to buy the car in the event of this happening. I met with the family last month, an emotional rollercoaster due to my own family issues with deaths and heart attacks left right and centre, but none the less, I agreed to buy the car. Raising the funds was a “hey dad, lend us some money and I’ll pay ya back soon as” kind of conversation. I’d also had good friends offer to lend the cash, which was also heart warming, as times have been tough recently. 
 

Good Friday was agreed on to collect the car and another manta club member picked me up and shuttled me over to Dave’s house. 
 

 

Dave was meticulous with his cars. Dry garage, covered and on trickle charge. A very well looked after car. 
 

 

we uncovered her. I could tell she was happy to be getting another nice warm home to live in. 
 

pictured above, is Dave’s son getting into the car for the last time. He wasn’t keen on it as a child, but the memories proved lasting. 
 

the family had pictures next to the car before I set off for home 

 

and there she is, her new residence for the foreseeable future. 

 

🥰

[wesacosa]

that's lovely.  I could never quite get on with the shape of the hatch but the coupe is magnificent. Sorry your acquisition came in sad circumstances but how nice that he thought of you as a next owner to the extent he left his family the instructions to let you have first refusal 

[yes oui si]

What a great tale, and an absolute survivor of a car. It's found the right home.

[Marina door handles]

Bloody hell, that looks spotless, have we just slipped back in time to 1987?

Anyway congrats on your new steed! 

[grogee]

Fabulous. AOAS (All Opels Are Superb). 

Will we see it at any meets this year? 

F plate feels late for one of these. Was Exclusive a run-out model? 

[sutty2006]

Just now, grogee said:

Fabulous. AOAS (All Opels Are Superb). 

Will we see it at any meets this year? 

F plate feels late for one of these. Was Exclusive a run-out model? 

Hopefully yes. This one has never been to any meets or shows in its life (apart from one that he stumbled on by accident and left when it got too busy for him)

and yes. The exclusive came in 86 or 87. This car was ordered in February 88, then invoiced in May, and finally delivered to Dave on the 1st August 1988 when the F plate came out. 
 

 

[eddyramrod]

I didn't know Dave, and outside of AS I don't know you either, but I'm delighted to see his car, that was obviously his pride-and-joy, has gone to someone he knew would appreciate it, understand it and care for it.  I love that!  It's a proper Happy Ending to the "Dave" part of the story.  Quite a bonus is that it seems to be in absolutely lovely condition!

I hope you can enjoy many many happy hours with it

[Brigsy]

Looks fantastic. Always liked manta's.

[scdan4]

Ooof.

You'll look after that right for him. 

I expect that it will always be an emotional driving experience for you. In a kinda good way. 

[Bear]

That's a very sad background but a beautiful car, and hopefully you'll enjoy it as well as preserve it. I had a Carmine Red 1.8S hatch, C40 TSH - and it was a brilliant thing. Kept me away from Capris!

Not many Exclusives in this colour at all, I bet.

[Bmwdumptruck]

Ooooof…..  wow, just stunning.  Envy levels at a new maximum.  Best colour too.  

[High Jetter]

I don't think that car could have a better home. As said, you'll think of him every time you look at or drive it. Well done for taking it on at what sounds like a difficult time for you.

[Bren]

Lovely. Glad i'm not the only one who has a thing for fast 80's vauxhall.

I would love another mk 2 cavalier SRi.

[Steviemillar]

Absolutely superb!

[eddyramrod]

3 hours ago, High Jetter said:

you'll think of him every time you look at or drive it. 

Just as I do with WiFeY; Allan (Senior especially, but also Junior) will always be a part of that car for me, and I can, will and do tell the story of his time with it whenever questions are asked.

[Popsicle]

Sad backstory, but gorgeous looking car. I'm certain it's found the right new keeper, it was very good of Dave/his family to seek you out for it.

I always preferred the coupe looks, rather than the hatch, but I wouldn't say no to either nowadays.

[sutty2006]

Compulsory new car pictures were achieved today. From this spot at Thorncliffe, you can see the Wrekin, joderal bank, elmsmere port and the Welsh mountains. Such a nice place to be. 
 

 

jobs going forward. 
 

1. she’s not happy. I think the fuel filter is blocked. Lack of power intermittently after idling in traffic, eventually pops back into life. 
 

2. very slight pull to the left on braking. Possibly needs the front brakes stripping and cleaning or they might just come back around after some use. 

[eddyramrod]

Those could be Opel brochure shots!  

[320touring]

Just seen this thread, looks fucking epic!

 

Enjoy!

[Asimo]

Oooh, twin headlamps. Wasn't expecting that.

Was that part of the "Exclusive" spec?

[24vdiamond]

Excellent, glad it's gone to an enthusiast rather than a dealer 👍

The delco single piston sliding calipers were never great, always sticking

[sutty2006]

1 hour ago, Asimo said:

Oooh, twin headlamps. Wasn't expecting that.

Was that part of the "Exclusive" spec?

Yes, GT and GTE exclusive models got the twin headlights. Factory scotch locks are still in place. 
 

im most amazed the dim dip relay still works. 

[ProgRocker]

Spankingly gorgeous. 😎 @sutty2006you have exceedingly good taste. 🙂

One of my sister's exes had a white C reg GTE 3 door in the early 1990s and I thought it was as cool as fck.

[Mudster]

That's a time warp!  Looks fantastic.

[stuboy]

yes that is very nice...............

[dome]

What a honey, Exclusives look great in red. 

[Billy - Medhurst]

Sad story but thats a car to sell a kidney for - that is superb looking.

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, Mudster said:

That's a time warp!  

God, not that again! 😀

[Joey spud]

I so love a Manta. 

I started my apprenticeship at a Vauxhall/Opel dealer in 1984 and so got to drool over brand new ones everyday. Unfortunately i damaged a white 1.8 GT hatch once that was in for it's first service. (1000mile/oil and filter if memory serves me right).

I had lifted the Manta with a large trolley jack on the front cross member and on letting it down again the car slipped off the jack and landed with a sickening crash. Looking under the car I could see the saddle of the jack had cracked the alloy sump and even worse the bonnet had slammed down but not before the end of the bonnet stay had put a sharp dent in the bonnets skin.

I got a right bollocking from the service manager but luckily stores had a sump on the shelf and in the compound there was a new unregistered white Manta to swap the bonnet with so the owner was none the wiser.

In my twenties I had two black GTE coupes at the same time (A111KLR and B573MKP). Back then an mot'd runner could be had for £500. 

And I've never had a car fall off a jack since.

[vaughant]

A lovely/sad story and it looks too me as I'd the car has found it's perfect home.

I'd not be able to do something like that justice right now but when we move out to Spain, probably next year, I'll be repairing, then collecting some nice vehicles that can live out their lives in a lovely warm dry climate ❤️❤️❤️.

I've not got a proper garage of my own anymore. My Cossie is kept in a dry garage and luckily was incredibly solid before it went in and after checking on it frequently,I can't see any developed rot so I'm crossing all fingers 😬😬.