Oh my God, what the hell have I bought yet again!?

We used to have an orange GTE, and the back wheels used to lock up on that when changing down too :)

I prefer the A, but finding decent ones of them is tough, although one would make an ideal candidate for the 3.5 RV8 TT I'm slowly building.

I'll have to keep an eye out for you now you have a relatively recognisable car ;)
 
Thanks for the comments, I was expecting more
icon13.gif
from most of you.

Short term plans:

Polish it properly

Car holds good oil presure but has an intermittent sticking tappet which is very embarrassing - but it comes and goes so I may just tolerate it for the mean time.

Exhaust knocks the body which is so annoying it's untrue, so I will be getting her on ramps to try and sort that this weekend.

Otherwise there are no defects that instantly need rectifying. [TW]Fox will be stunned to hear it even has Goodyears - okay so not Eagle F1's, but they are ideally suited to the car (Eagle GT+4)

Long term plans:

Fit an XE engine. This really is a relatively easy conversion, as I already have most of the correct parts (if memory serves the block itself is the same) so it makes sense to do the conversion. If I want originality it can easily be put back as it was.
 
Lopez you have the best gf ever mate! How on earth you get away with random car purcahses and half built cars all over the place I'll never know.

Kudos to Lostkat.

Car looks good though actually! :)
 
Lopéz said:
Thanks for the comments, I was expecting more
icon13.gif
from most of you.

Short term plans:

Polish it properly

Car holds good oil presure but has an intermittent sticking tappet which is very embarrassing - but it comes and goes so I may just tolerate it for the mean time.

Exhaust knocks the body which is so annoying it's untrue, so I will be getting her on ramps to try and sort that this weekend.

Otherwise there are no defects that instantly need rectifying. [TW]Fox will be stunned to hear it even has Goodyears - okay so not Eagle F1's, but they are ideally suited to the car (Eagle GT+4)

Long term plans:

Fit an XE engine. This really is a relatively easy conversion, as I already have most of the correct parts (if memory serves the block itself is the same) so it makes sense to do the conversion. If I want originality it can easily be put back as it was.
Click to expand...

To make an XE RWD you neeeeed....

The sump, pick-up pipe et cetera from a Manta 1800...

Aaaaannnd something to sort out the dizzy drive because it'll be an 'interferance fit' with the bulkhead.

XEs cost a pretty penny if you're not lucky so for cheap powaaahhh, grab a 2.0 8v from a Cav SRI, fit with a decent fannymould and bike carbs then enjoy 150bhp and lovely lovely low-down usable torque. :)

*n
 
Had an 1800 Berlinetta hatch about 12 years ago. Absolutly love the thing, the only car i've regretted selling:(

Have fun with it mate, nice buy!
 
penski said:
To make an XE RWD you neeeeed....

The sump, pick-up pipe et cetera from a Manta 1800...

Aaaaannnd something to sort out the dizzy drive because it'll be an 'interferance fit' with the bulkhead.

XEs cost a pretty penny if you're not lucky so for cheap powaaahhh, grab a 2.0 8v from a Cav SRI, fit with a decent fannymould and bike carbs then enjoy 150bhp and lovely lovely low-down usable torque. :)

*n
Click to expand...

Well the sump and pick up pipe I already have, 'cos it's a 1.8

As for the distributor, remember I have one of these:

Manta03.jpg


Which is what you need to do this:

Manta04.jpg


You still need to trim a very small area from the flange on the bulkhead to clear a water pipe though (IIRC)

I know what you mean about XE lumps. One day you get a whole Calibra for £150, the next people wanting £500 for the engine on it's own so the 8v route is always an option.
 
Last edited:
I have completed my maiden voyage as driver of the Manta. It's SO much better than I thought it'd be. Really nice, positive car to drive but I'd forgotten how cars feel with no power steering. Needs a bigger engine :D
 
Great cars, when I was younger either the Manta or Capri were the cars to have ( I had 3 Capri's :) ) a friends dad had a genuine Manta 400 with wide body that was amazing and are true collectors car now, actually they were then as they were built for the Group B homoligation and most were used for Rallying.
I remember the AC Delco and Andrews Heat For Hire 400s flying round the rally stages :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom