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]

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]

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]

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]

Damn Newman; You beat me to it!

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

Matt

[heimue]

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?