The Opel Project – The Mission – to get to the nurburgring in the Opel

1974 A Series Opel Manta^Featured

September 30, 2017

My 1974 A Series Opel Manta. It’s been a long project and there are still a few little modifications I want to do in the future,. Now running a 2.0l+ CIH engine on full OMEX 600 engine management with Webcon throttle bodies. Everything is custom-made or adapted, from the full 2.5″ stainless steel exhaust, Wilwood racing callipers, Cosworth rear callipers, Hydraulic clutch, Chevy S10 clutch kit and lots more.. Read on for full details of the rebuild and hopefully one-day pictures of her out on the road in Germany!

Travel

A couple of little trips out in the Opel

July 22, 2024

In between all the July rain there have been a few nice days where I have been able to get out in the sunshine for a drive in the Opel. On Thursday I took a trip up to Compton Abbas airfield as they had a day when the 2 seater Spitrie’s were flying in and out of the airfield. And on Sunday it was a trip out to the Sherborne Caster Classic & Sports Car show. Loads of really nice classic cars supercars but not an Opel in site! You could pay to put your car on display but as…

Travel

American Speedfest 11

June 10, 2024

Another great event at Brans Hatch circuit at the weekend. So many nice old American cars to look at (and unfortunately loads more of the new versions that you can buy from your Ford dealer here in the Uk 🙁 Loads of great racing from the Euro Nascar series and some other great older American cars racing, such a good event. I took the Opel up again and she drove great! A bit boring on the way up as i took the main roads but on the way back i took all the A roads which the Opel loves 🙂…

Exhaust

A little exhaust upgrade

February 19, 2024

It’s been a while since i did anything on the Opel as I have been busy with my new project, the restoration of a 1997 Fiat Cinquecento Sporting Abarth (www.abarthproject.co.uk). And it turns out its very hard to find parts for it! But I did get some time to do a little bit on the Opel as I have 3 or 4 things I want to do before spring and one of those is to turn the Rage backbox I have into a repackable one. I know how I want to do it so the first step was to cut…

Travel

Enjoying the Opel

July 2, 2023

As we have had some nice weather recently and after she drove so well to Brans Hatch the other weekend, im just going to drive and enjoy the Opel until the winter comes along and then i might do a couple of little bits on her that are more annoying me than functional. I need to sort the dipstick as its a bit lose and i would like to make the rear silencer re-packable as its getting a bit nosier as i think the packing must be degrading, but until then im just going to enjoy some drives in her….

Travel

American Speedfest 10

June 18, 2023

It was time for a little trip in the Opel this weekend as i have not done that many long journeys in her since the Vauxhall meet last year! So it was off to Brands Hatch for the American Speedfest! The weather was great for the drive up and on the way back it ws even nicer so i took a slightly longer route and went on a few A roads as the Opel drives so nice on these! and its a bit more fun than motorway driving! Here’s to the next big trip!!

Fuel tank

Fuel tank filler hose problem (Solved!)

May 20, 2023

Ever since i had the Opel back on the road there as been a problem that if you took a left-hand bend quickly there was a real smell of fuel. Initially, i thought it was to do with the breather hose maybe letting fuel vapor out as you do get a bit of a slosh and you can then see some fule sitting in the pipe but after swapping it for some proper stuff from a go-carting supplier with some nice hose clips it was still there but i could never work out what was causing it as i could…

Bodywork

A year on and how is the Opel doing?

April 8, 2023

Well, it’s been a year now since the Opel properly went back on the road. So how is it doing? It still puts a smile on my face every time i take her out for a drive. Apart from the previous alternator issue she has been running well. The bodywork? Well considering its never an easy job painting a car in a small garage i have to say the paint is still looking spot on! the bits that i knew i had spot on are still looking great and the places that i knew could be an issue like the…

Electrical

A little bit of rewiring!

September 19, 2022

I decided i should do a little bit of rewiring to see if it would help to solve the mystery of the alternator not charging as since adding the new regulator it seems much better but not back to its normal reliable state. I decided to get some new terminals and fit these to all the connections so I could get rid of all the old hotchpotch ones! and while I was there I fitted some new battery clamps. I will have to do some run-outs new to see what the charging is like.

Travel

Classic Cars on the Quay

September 9, 2022

There is a great little car meet on Christchurch Quay on Sundays in the summer. Its a mix of all sorts of classics and this is the 3rd one I have been to (4th Sept) and weather being ok I will go to the last one of the year on the 25th Sept. Now the roads are a bit quieter I will be trying to use the Opel as much as I can over the Autumn and on good days in the winter.

Electrical

Alternator

July 30, 2022

As the alternator was not happy on the way to Northampton and back it thought it was best to take it off, check all connections and pull the regulator to make sure the brushes were not worn out. Did that, all looked ok, popped it back together and put it back on the car. Got the tester out and fired the car up and guess what, yep you guessed it, its all working fine now!! Why is it electrical stuff does that! Took her for a run this morning to get a coffee and she was running spot on and…

1974 A Series Opel Manta Blog

1974 A Series Opel Manta^Featured

A couple of little trips out in the Opel

American Speedfest 11

A little exhaust upgrade

Enjoying the Opel

American Speedfest 10

Fuel tank filler hose problem (Solved!)

A year on and how is the Opel doing?

A little bit of rewiring!

Classic Cars on the Quay

Alternator

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