74 Opel Manta Build

In reply to EvanB:

It's yours at our next intersection. As long as I remember to pack it at least.

Did a little work on the Manta today. Mocked up the Miata seat. It feels much better, just need to make some mounts.

Turns out the Geo master cylinder won't fit over the rod in the Manta booster. I took the old one out and I'll order a Geo booster. Might as well have everything new.

Removed the oil gauge that was leaking in the center console and cleaned it up a little.

Also removed the rear bumper but I haven't figured out how to remove the bumper shocks yet.

Today I removed the deteriorating insulation from the firewall and started cleaning it up a bit.

Then I found rust on the front frame rail. I missed this when I was looking over the car before purchasing it. Nothing goes all the way through (because I didn't poke it hard enough) but it looks like there are multiple layers that are rusting.

Opinions? Can this be patched or should I just cut my losses now and get rid of it since I have no emotional attachment. I don't want to pour a ton of money and time into a car I can buy a perfect example of for $5000.

Coming from Chicago that doesn't even count as rust . Get in there with a wire brush/sander and get to clean metal. If it feels weak maybe a little patching, otherwise a little por 15 and call it good.

My RX-7 has more rust than that.

Guess I'll start patching tomorrow then.

In other news I found out that the po took off the front brake pads then reinstalled the calipers without pads.

That's classic Manta rust, they all go there. If this was a UK car you would find it would have been patched there several times already. Get it back to bare metal, make sure it isn't totally shot then patch. MAke sure you get inside and prevent further rust coming through from the inside

EvanB wrote: Today I removed the deteriorating insulation from the firewall and started cleaning it up a bit. Then I found rust on the front frame rail. I missed this when I was looking over the car before purchasing it. Nothing goes all the way through (because I didn't poke it hard enough) but it looks like there are multiple layers that are rusting. Opinions? Can this be patched or should I just cut my losses now and get rid of it since I have no emotional attachment. I don't want to pour a ton of money and time into a car I can buy a perfect example of for $5000.

This is YOUR call, and your call only. All of us have different levels of ability. Id that kind of work is going to keep you up, or is beyond your comfort level to perform... then maybe it is better to part it out for yourself, and find another chassis.........

On the other hand... have you ever seen the rust/rot surgery some folks perform.... I'm amazed

I feel comfortable that I can patch it well enough. I just haven't have experience with rust like this on a frame rail , only non-structural components.

EvanB wrote: I feel comfortable that I can patch it well enough. I just haven't have experience with rust like this on a frame rail , only non-structural components.

That is a critical point for the strength and integrity of the chassis. I don't want to see the car scrapped, but if you are going to tackle it make sure you do it well. I'd go googling in Europe to see how people do it. It's very very common in the UK so no language barrier.

I thought the way rust was repaired in most European countries was "if you can poke a hole with a screwdriver, you scrap the shell"

So, er, look to the UK?

Actually, look for "Windy's New Project" and read all 84-86 pages.

Certainly you can repair the frame rail. It won't be all that easy, and as with most things, the first time teaches you to do it properly the second time around.

In the past, I would have repaired it for myself. Now if I had to do it, I would be doing it because someone is paying me to do it and I would start with a replacement frame-rail if at all possible.

Economically, even as a sweat-equity venture, the project has entered the "No Return On Investment" side of the financial spreadsheet. It has also entered, the "I will be damned if I let this thing beat me" space where I don't give a damn what it cost.

It appears that there is a thicker structural beam inside the outer frame rail (not my picture):

Apparently there are aftermarket frame rail skins to replace it. I'm more inclined to just clean it all off and if the inner rail looks reasonable I will patch up the outer skin.

Maybe this is why the driver door sags a bit.

The driver door probably sags because one of the POs allowed people to lean on the door when it is open.

Leaning on an open door WILL drive me ballistic. You can easily adjust a door that latches funny by bending the door frame when it's open. It lakes very little effort.

I doubt that rail is very heavy gauge steel, should be easy to patch if it's just the outboard side that is bad and you have a halfass decent mig welder.

Easy to fabricate too, if you have a vise, some 2x6/2x10s, and a scroll saw or some other way to cut a nice curve.

You cut two pieces of wood in the shape of the curve you need, clamp the sheetmetal in the vise between the pieces of wood, then hammer the sheetmetal to form the curve. Helps if you have to form in the direction that stretches the metal and you trim off most of what you aren't going to be using first.

Learned the method from a thread on corner-carvers where a guy made new body rails for his Ford Capri.

Finally got the brakes bled and working. I still need to get a hose for the booster but it does drive and stop! I went around the block a couple times yesterday. It is loud with the open header but not as bad as the GTI.

Also cleaned up the garage a bit while it was out.

http://www.motorsportreg.com/events/ovr-rallycross-pe-7-bitzers-farm-scca-ohio-valley-415715#.Ve8lMdLBzGd

I don't quite trust it to go that far yet...

Maybe if we had a rallycross van to haul our equipment in I could hook up the tow dolly but that would be too convenient. We can just use our personal vehicles for that so the club can save more money they will never spend.

Ah, I take it the van was denied?

Yea, the board said we could buy a new van and said the price range was good, we were keeping them updated on the search. Then when we were set to get it they thought we should wait and explore other options...

That's a shame. The van I looked at was actually in pretty kickass shape for its age.

Pressure washed the opel today, including the rear seat which was nasty. Took out the headliner and more of the interior in an attempt to get rid of the mouse piss smell.

Ran a vacuum line to the brake booster and the brakes are much better. I still need to bleed them more but they work for now.

Found some chewed through wires going to the brake lights so I'll have to fix that. I'll have to go through all the wiring to get the lights working.

EvanB wrote: Yea, the board said we could buy a new van and said the price range was good, we were keeping them updated on the search. Then when we were set to get it they thought we should wait and explore other options...

Come to WOR. As RE for the first year we've already bought a new(ish) trailer for SOLO so rallycross can have the old one (which you see isn't that bad). Also new cones, MVSCC's wireless timing for SOLO (so rallycross has it's own timing now)... And I know our budget is WAY less than OVR.

Made it to the gas station and back. Fixed the brake lights by wiggling fuses. I have an atc style fuse box to put on because berkeley glass fuses.