Yeah, apples and oranges right ? Or, how can I compaire a 30 year old, relativly crude and slow coupe against an s-body ?
But here I am, contemplating my next fun car and I just can't stop thinking about them! Seems things have changed since I last had one and they're easily fetching S14 money or more. I've had Mantas before but not an S14 and I know a few people who have had both and would like to know what they think.
This was my coupe. It was awersome but OMG rusty;
Sweet motor dont see many of these about anymore, gota love abit of old school!
I've had 3 Manta's and I'd love another one. Trouble is theres too many other idiots on the road and I'd be scared to use it much.
I was in the same position, I had a Manta coupe when I was 16, stripped it for a restoration and then scrapped the shell the year before last, never actually drove it on the roadDad said it drove really nice though
I remember when a guy that worked for us used to buy them for about £300, (he only ever had hatches though), I paid £750 for mine with good MOT and no major problems. When I was looking I couldn't find any for less than a few grand!
I still think they look great and are now in the 'classic' category. Another car I must own again one day!
Anyway I can't really help much other than to say I would have probably bought one over my S14a if I could have afforded one!
Alex B
Manta could be a money pit,getting spares harder than a 14/14a I'd have thought unless you have a mate who breaks them nearby?
Old school classic no doubt like the shape of them (prefered the saloon tbh) and loved watching Colins dad Jimmy Mcrae ragging the snot out of the rothmans manta's,
but the best model (road car) gte excutive 400i or some other was a fast as a rohypnol'd baby rabbit so unless you have a burning desire to be different/skint (likely) and slower I would stick with a 14/14a Back in the day I drove all of them and some were actually mine and the 2.0 crapi was slightly better than the manta imo and the capri wasn't great lets be honest,And this is from someone who was capri club member and owned maybe? 20 capri's
Unless a cheap less than £1k minter pops up get a 200, the only thing in mantas favour would be classic insurance could be silly cheap,
like less than 200 notes possibly?
just my 2p on it
Not sure you can compare the two, they're so different - only sensible solution is to have one of each
Or combine the 2 ,find a clean manta shell (if there are any?) upwards of the the flour pan and just cut the flour out and simply drop onto a 14 flour pan
If they were toy cars it would be easy peasy,I know in reality it would be an engineering nightmare possibly? I like the manta's shape but it ends there tbh
But a manta's body on 200 f/pan would be very cool and certainly a one off
i have a complete set of Manta front wishbones upper/lower stashed away if you want to cross my palm with greenbacks
Manta with 3litre 24v I6 from Omega / Carlton 3000 would be mad fun
Could always go m3 engine like Fergals was loved seeing that on track.
Here is a link: http://www.driftworks.com/forum/drif...drift-car.html
Wheelbase easy to lose 0.3" but you will need 50mm overfenders to get the 100mm extra width.Originally Posted by ANDY black s13
Or combine the 2 ,find a clean manta shell (if there are any?) upwards of the the flour pan and just cut the flour out and simply drop onto a 14 flour pan
If they were toy cars it would be easy peasy,I know in reality it would be an engineering nightmare possibly? I like the manta's shape but it ends there tbh
But a manta's body on 200 f/pan would be very cool and certainly a one off
Opel Manta B2 1982 on
Wheelbase 2,518 mm (99.1 in)
Track (front) 1380 mm (54.3 in)
Track (rear) 1375 mm (54.1 in)
S14 Wheelbase 2525 mm (99.4 in)
Track (front) 1480 mm (58.3 in)
Track (rear) 1470 mm (57.9 in)
Stuff it. I'd take this one.
http://www.cartype.com/pages/5016/opel_manta_b__1972
That was a total as I was typing guess tbh and surprised so close wheelbase wise,
50mm arches is easy just use some rep's from this awesome beast,
I'd forgot how cool they were
Manta B is a lovely shape lots of american flavours going on there,looks like AMC gremlin rear 1/4 glass and a sort of '72 oldsmobile cutlass or Buick Riviera arse end, and way to rare and expensive to fcuk about with it
Not a Manta B1 or B2 but the proper one that they dangled around the car shows an then failed to deliver.
there is a guy on here with an sr20 powered manta, i know because i gave him some s14 leather seats to go in it.
Manta, twin carbs, straight-through exhaust.
full of win.
bit of a thread resurrection.
I love Old Opels. So much fun to drive. My brother Had an Ascona B and I hade a had a Rekord E as a winter car. Sideways EVERYWHERE!
That Manta 400 + sr20 must be a monster!
My brother and I bought new Opel Manta GTE Exclusives in the 80s, E 139 VTU and E 140 VTU. I did 87K miles in mine in 3 years and serviced it once at the same time as I changed the tyres. A new one would set you back 11K in those days.
Neither of them saw the year 2000 though
It was only an 8V and it only had 150 hp but had the comfiest seats I've ever sat in - really high quality Recaros.
It was awesomely reliable and a real drivers car.
I'd love another one. Trouble is scarcity of good cars and parts and most have been butchered to make them look like 400s or rally cars.
Trader I bought my 3rd S13 from was about 40ish. Told me about his first meeting with a 200SX.
"I was in the Capri owners club, I only had 3L / 2.8i, the 2L didn't cut it. If you got a good one it was great but get a rotten one and you would be welding it forever. One day as a stopgap between Capris a guy turned up with one these, it was proper quick. We couldn't believe it, none of our Capris could get near it. After that the gloves were off, our eyes were opened, guys started turning up in Supra, TVR's and 911."
150bhp? How? Has it gained 1 bhp / year?
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