Is it worth?

[McLovin]

One my friend gives me Opel Manta A as a gift. Manta is in bad shape, it's need hell of hard work and money to fix and rebuilt this Manta.

I wanna ask you, is it worth to rebuilt this Manta and how much will cost me? What do you think?

[BQS4]

In a word "no"

[opelnut10]

You are right, it will take a lot of work to make that one driveable, however there are a lot of useable part there and if you have some place to keep it I would strip the parts and use them to rebuild a more road worthy Manta. Remember the old saying, one man's junk is another man's good used parts.

[heimue]

You can get a better condition Manta for less money that it'll cost to reanimate this one, even in Serbia.

Dieter

[McLovin]

Originally Posted by opelnut10 You are right, it will take a lot of work to make that one driveable, however there are a lot of useable part there and if you have some place to keep it I would strip the parts and use them to rebuild a more road worthy Manta. Remember the old saying, one man's junk is another man's good used parts.

I tought that hope is alive, but i now that this Manta is lost case. I will try ti find new one. But, what parts are useable? What I can use? (sorry for that, but I'm new in "old car world", and don't now what parts i can save and use later)

Thanks for answers.

[SpringGT]

It looks like rust has devoured most of the major body panels, so it is basically a parts car. However, there seems to be many usable interior and exterior trim parts and taillights are still there. The transmission and rear drive seem to still be there as well as the front suspension. From the stance of the car the engine seems to still be there, too. Good Luck!
Bob

[mschmalenberg]

I am not a Manta expert, but I would save all the glass, clutch cable if not broken, parking brake cable, tail and side light assemblies, any sheet metal not rusted thru, drivetrain and engine, including motor and transmission mounts. My TCW

[ungermm]

Originally Posted by McLovin I But, what parts are useable? What I can use? (sorry for that, but I'm new in "old car world",

The short answer might be to strip everything off the car that looks good and/or everything except the shell of the car. But, if you have the space, you can save the whole car until you get another one that would be best. It's hard to know what parts to save until you get another one. Since you are "new in "old car world"", do you want to go down the road of making this your first restore? What your abilities are have a lot to do with your success. Hopefully, you will find another one that doesn't need much work and you can enjoy it right off. Good luck, Jerry

[69whitegt]

Looks like you got a parts car.

[DennisGardiner]

IF,.... and that's a big if you get another Manta A.

Keep this one, because you will never know what you might need.

Sometimes its just one 'lousy' bolt that will stop a project cold just when you
are getting going.

Never give up though.
Or
See what I mean below.

[newman27]

Originally Posted by McLovin One my friend gives me Opel Manta A as a gift. Manta is in bad shape, it's need hell of hard work and money to fix and rebuilt this Manta. I wanna ask you, is it worth to rebuilt this Manta and how much will cost me? What do you think?

First, welcome to the site! Second, that car is in bad shape! Third, you now have my vote for best screen name - "Superbad" is an awesome movie - "'fo sho..."

Matt

[Sparky73]

McLovin - - Superbad!

[Sparky73]

Damn Newman; You beat me to it!

[newman27]

Originally Posted by Sparky73 Damn Newman; You beat me to it!

Yeah, but you got the driver's license photo for extra credit!

Matt

[heimue]

Originally Posted by DennisGardiner Keep this one, because you will never know what you might need.

For that exact reason I bought a parts car (Kadett Rallye), to get that awkward bolt, nut or whatever part if needed for my Kadett Rallye project. The expense of US$ 400 has paid off a couple of times already!

Dieter

[yellaopelgt]

Take anything that you think you could get a few bucks for on e-bay.....chrome trim,glass, interior parts,fuse box,harness, ignition,steering colum,lenses,maybe even the drivetrain if it has some exotic high performance oddity(doubt it but you never know) you name it. You could sell that stuff and maybe get a few bucks to find a better Manta???A little cleaning up of those parts and it could be worth it. Pull every nut and bolt you can get off and save in a bucket, you WILL need one of them if you should ever get another Manta. But I'd have to say stick a fork in this one....its done.
Joe

[McLovin]

Thanks again for the answers, I'll keep this car and save the parts. I will try to find new Manta A (in better shape), if I don't, then I'll try to find Opel Kadett C coupe...

Anyway, just wanna to say hallo to all forum crew.
This is hell of good forum for Opel cars and their future or present owners. It has many interesting things.

[GoinManta]

How close are you to Tivat, Montenegro?

We sponsored an exchange student last year from there and his father was a mechanic.. He maybe able to help you, and give you a good overall estimate on what it would cost.

Good thing is being in Europe your surrounded by old motors, and other used parts..

That said its in really sad shape.. How well do the doors open and close? If the doors are sagging or the door frame is weak.. the car is gone. If the jack points are rotted (and it looks like they maybe) and the frame is weak in front of them then its also probably gone as well.

Now if the frame and doors close well and its simply the exterior metal, rear wheel arches, and floor boards that are rusted it MAYBE salvageable.

Depending on the amount of mechanical work also needed.

Value? It's worth, in the US, about $150 at best. The question is what other options do you have ? Do you have friends and other "labor saving" options. Can you scavenge parts locally?

Opels are hardy vehicles and I have known a number of them that have been raised from the dead for realitively lttle money.. they werent pretty and smoked and leaked oil all over the place but they could get from one place to the other..

I assume your wanting to at this point just have something to drive.. and maybe fix the car up later as money permits.. if thats the case. Wouldnt surprise me you could get this one back on the road for under $300 USD.. if you are careful with your money and get used parts for the brakes, etc..

Good luck you will need it..

Charles

[McLovin]

Tivat is no good to me, he is 400 miles away from me. I will see what to do. I have good friends who are mechanics and fixing and restoring car is not problem to me. But this car is lost case, I will keep some useable parts. I will find new one. (if I don't i will try ti find Opel Kadett C coupe)

I have some ideas, one of them is that front side of car will be like this (on picture). Lights will be beyond the plastic(or metal) mask, I think that looks better, car angle on picture isn't good, but, that front mask will give Manta A more muscle apperance. (i think so)

Firs picture is from Wikipedia, on second I was making some little corrections. (with Photoshop)

[jvandyke]

Like it. You should keep the blitz emblem on there though, maybe offset to the side a bit?

[GoinManta]

Originally Posted by McLovin Tivat is no good to me, he is 400 miles away from me. I will see what to do. I have good friends who are mechanics and fixing and restoring car is not problem to me. But this car is lost case, I will keep some useable parts. I will find new one. (if I don't i will try ti find Opel Kadett C coupe) I have some ideas, one of them is that front side of car will be like this (on picture). Lights will be beyond the plastic(or metal) mask, I think that looks better, car angle on picture isn't good, but, that front mask will give Manta A more muscle apperance. (i think so) Firs picture is from Wikipedia, on second I was making some little corrections. (with Photoshop)

Hmm does give it that 68 Camaro RS look.. or Dodge Charger..

THink it would bea tough modification to excute well though.

Good luck finding a Manta A .. told they are getting as scarce there as in the US. Go to: Dr. Manta and contact Wolfgang.. he may know of a Manta A in your area for sale. May have to go to Greece or Italy to get it though.. told Opel wasnt sold much in the then Yugoslavia region.

Again, check the doors, frame, A-pillar (Where the door attaches), and floor board. Considering how rare they are becoming if the frame is solid enough it may not be as bad off as the intial pictures suggest.

Check Wolfgangs website and he has all the metal patches there.. so you can get an idea of how much parts would cost. In your area inexpensive Opels will always have rust.. it's just the extent you have to repair. If you have friends that do body work and welding.. then it may be worth to restore this one.. especially if your going to customize it.

Charles

[McLovin]

I think to put Opel logo, something like this
http://freenet-homepage.de/der_vectra/opel_logo.jpg

[GoinManta]

Check these out

Floor - Driver - Opel Photo Gallery
Interior - Opel Photo Gallery
Battery Box - Opel Photo Gallery
Rear Quarter - Passenger - Opel Photo Gallery

Turned into :

This guy rocks - Opel Photo Gallery
Finished Install - Opel Photo Gallery
Rear Quarter Patch - Opel Photo Gallery
Painted - 3 - Opel Photo Gallery

Became :

Finished, Passenger side 1 - Opel Photo Gallery
Finished, Passenger side - Opel Photo Gallery
Finished, Backside Driver - Opel Photo Gallery

Mechanically the car was solid but needed all the maintence items.. carb, clutch brakes, exhaust, etc.. I used Toyota Seats, Datsun Side Mirrors, BMW Rims, etc..

Yes it was rusted to hell.. but the frame was solid and the doors were straight and closed tight.. so it wasnt a lost cause.

Alkso should mention, I was given the car as well Well I got it in a trade that ended up making me $200 and gave me the car as well.. so technically I was paid $200 to take it home with me.

Overall I probably spent about $3500 on it.. of that $1600 was the paint and finishing the body work, $400 for tires, $1000 in parts, $500 misc..

I could have saved money by using more used parts, and having the sheetmetal patches just hand made (they were from Wolfgang).

I guess my point is.. no car that is striaght and has not been hit is a lost cause as long as the frame hasnt gone on it and its fairly complete.

BTW.. my son puts about 100 miles a week on it, going to school and work.

Charles

[Sparky73]

Originally Posted by GoinManta Hmm does give it that 68 Camaro RS look.. or Dodge Charger.. Think it would bea tough modification to excute well though.

I am thinking maybe something along the lines of an old 1967-1970 Mercury Cougar. Didn't they have a grill with the hidden headlights?

[OpelGT-de]

cantact theses

opelmantaclubitalia@yahoogroups.com


guys.

They can help you to find a good body or car in your region.

A good body is worth than a with tons of sheet metal patches repaired rust bucket and 1" of bodo between the patches and the new paint.