[Sven]

I've been asked on the street 3 times if my manta was a coupe or sedan, also a friend when i told him i bourght the car he asked if it was the coupe version.

As far as i know theres only one body for the manta, and then theres the Ascona/1900 which is an entirely different car.

I've studied pictures and all Mantas look the same to me apart from the 75's with all the ugly parts added.

 

[BQS4]

Sven;
In techincal terms, a Manta is a "coupe, as it has no destinct "B" pillar, the part that would make it a "sedan". The "B" pillar was made more prominant in the 74-75 Mantas, but, that was to just strengthen the area.

 

[Kadett]

When Manta's were first sold in the States they were called 1900 Sport Coupes. So yes its the coupe version of the 1900.

 

[Sven]

ah.. thats good news.... i wouldn't want to drive a sedan
Still i think that my friend got something wrong as he refered to the coupe as "better looking" and that couldn't have been just the B pillar, thanks for the info!

 

[DaveJ]

Maybe your friend was referring to the Manta B (1975-1987), which was available as a coupe or hatchback, in Europe. In which case he would be correct, the coupe is much better looking than the hatchback.

 

[kwilford]

What about this?

 

[kwilford]

Or this?

 

[Sven]

Mutants. The estate looks cool, but i don't like the green one.

I'm pretty sure he ment Manta A, we both used to think of the Manta B as the biggest flop of Opel and count in one of the worlds uglyest cars. It sort of grew on me since, but i still don't like it very much. Thats the car that ignited all the stupid manta jokes i have to hear every day from people who don't know the difference between A and B

BTW did you see the Manta C? suposed to go on sale in 2005.

 

[BQS4]

Could he possibly be referring to this "Sedan?"

 

[Sven]

No, Kadetts and Asconas are not so rare here, they are normal cars you see on the road every day and not pay any atention to them, everybody knows them, while Mantas are really rare, most people have never even heared of it. So he has most definetly seen something wrong.

 

[tekenaar]

Could he possibly be referring to this "Sedan?"

Is that yours, Gene? Don't know about you, but I like the "green" one . . . not as well as a "real" Manta, but it looks good. Oh well, as they say, different strokes . . .

NO, I'm NOT changing my Ascona . . . er, 1900!

 

[BQS4]

Otto;
No, it's not mine, I plucked it off a German Ascona site, but, I have a 74 Sportwagon just like like, in color at least

 

[calvin]

those are not mutants!

Those are Mancona's, manta fronts with ascona backs. The other way would be the even rarer Ascanta's...

don't let the Holden folks from down under see those or they will breed them like manaros' for the next mad max movie...

 

[baz]

need to find $49000 as we get manaros in the uk this spring
you've just got to love a car company that will put a vette engine and box in a coupe' and sell it to minicab (private hire cars) drivers

 

[oppositelock]

those are not mutants!

Those are Mancona's, manta fronts with ascona backs. The other way would be the even rarer Ascanta's...

In the UK they apparently like to put Ascona front ends on Mantas. They call tose Manconas over there. Of course, they drive on the wrong side of the road, too... (Ooh, I'm gonna get it for that!)

Here's a hatchback with a round headlight conversion and Ascona 400 bonnet but no airdam. B chassis, of course!

 

[oppositelock]

Here's a coupe with Ascona 400 bonnet and airdam but no flares.

 

[tekenaar]

. . .

Here's a hatchback with a round headlight conversion and Ascona 400 bonnet but no airdam. B chassis, of course!

REALLY looks good on that car . . . much nicer than the rectangular!

 

[oppositelock]

Yeah, I think the Manta B front ends look better with the round headlights, too (Like on the Manta 400.)

After I rolled my Ascona I had to convert to round headlights because I smashed the Euro headlights. Luckily I had already made molds of the Euro lenses for just such an eventuality. I must have had a premonition! Now I have trim pieces for around the round headlights.

I used Manta A headlight assemblies for the conversion. They're great because they are a self contained adjustable holder. You just bolt them onto a bracket. I did the same thing with my Audi 4000 Quattro!

This was shortly after the roll and I had only just banged the bodywork out a bit. I had just slapped the stock front bumper in place of the smashed airdam:

 

[Stipe77]

Oh Sven.... you are dissappointing me. In my opinion Manta B is the best looking car ever made. Here is a picture of my manta. It does not look good as it was crushed but I am gonna rebild it

 

[Sven]

I don't like it coz it looks ricy. also people that buy it tend to rice it out even more. also from the back it looks too ordinary with those tailights.

Manta B was a Civic of its time. The tipical boy racer.
But yours looks cool on that pic. mad maxy. Otherwise i really disslike B's.