RE: Opel Manta GTE: Spotted

[Devil2575]

T

Mr Tidy said:

Miglia 888 said:

This was my cue to swap the Manta GTE, for a Monza GSE with huge 15" wheels, 205 tyres, and a massive 180hp as standard...

Lovely, always fancied a manual Monza GSE (having had 2 Capri Injections) but it was one that got away!
Liked the early ones with the analogue speedo, although a mate had a later one with the digital speedo and getting 3 digits showing on the M1 was quite entertaining (especially as I wasn't driving at the time)!

The Monza was another one of those cars that was too thin on the ground to find a decent one by the time I could afford to buy and insure one.

[s m]

Miglia 888 said:

s m said:

Z

monthefish said:

Miglia 888 said:

Cool ad, but amazing how things have changed

60 was an 'ultra-low profile' tyre
0-60 in 'just' 8.9 seconds
Top speed of 120

They did manage to do the numbers too

8.5 achieved to 60 and a genuine 122 on the bowl so probably a real 125 on a long straight.

32 years ago with 110bhp

Indeed - very significant in context when the average 1.3 Escort or 1.6 Cortina / Sierra popular on the roads of the day had skinny 155 / 70 / 13 tyres and took 12-16s to reach 60, and highly competitive against the "new" hot hatchbacks of the time such as the Golf GTI & Escort XR3i which reached 60 in around 9s on their 185 / 60 /14s. 7600 quid was superb value compared with them.

The slippery aero shaped Astra GTE did manage a slightly higher top speed from its 115hp 1.8 engine when it started to appear from 84/85 onwards.
However, I can confirm that folding the (single) drivers door mirror back on the Manta GTE while approaching terminal velocity, was just sufficient to overcome this disadvantage (on the autobahn of course...) until the 2.0 Astra GTE's with 130hp and then 150hp started to hit the streets.

This was my cue to swap the Manta GTE, for a Monza GSE with huge 15" wheels, 205 tyres, and a massive 180hp as standard...

Yes, mid 80s there were really only a few turbo hatches like the Delta HF Turbo, 5GT and 11 Turbo and RS Turbo that were quicker. It wasn't until stuff like the 16v Golf and Astra, 1.9 205 started to filter through that the Manta felt slower.



By the time a couple of friends had got into new 1.9 205s, I'd gone for a 2.2i engine, gas flowed head with solid lifters, bigger exhaust, LSD etc so didn't really feel like the poor relation with 135ish bhp. They were long geared so you had to be a gear lower than in a hot hatch most of the time





I think quite a few cars were modded back then - sort of like has happened with the GT86/Scion overseas

[spadriver]

Mr Tidy said:

Small world, I bought my P6 3500S in 1979!
Still don't know why they stopped making the Manta - it would have been great with a Vauxhall 16V red-top engine!

And thats exactly what a lot of people did.Ditch the ecu and injection, replace with a pair of 48 dcoe webers-instant 200+bhp.Sort chassis and brakes to suit, and away you go.Had the privilege of driving an absolutely pristine car on Sunday that has these mods, no photo Im afraid but there could very well be one in the very near future;)
Nicely sorted interior with some very comfortable seats fitted along with four point belts.Ex Opel competions dept mechanic owned and built but unfortuneatly has to sell because of a back problem.
Its also in the same colour I repainted my 2ltr Limited edition version all those years ago Dark metallic Grey.I had always regretted selling mine but maintained that if a really nice version turned up, I would just have to have it!

[broadspeed manta]

EvPa said:

Even the mentioned Manta 400 was pretty common, my father had a rally-spec TE2800!



Unfortunately this is the only photo that still exists (the rest were lost to a cyclone)...

Hi,

I own a TE2800 to and we try to vind out where they are now. Do you now what number this TE is and where it went to?

Mvg. Johan

[generationx]

Always liked the looks of these but was a serial Ford buyer in my yoof.

I could get quite excited about a late 2-door in white, with a red-top 16v, 5-speed, LSD and quad lamps.

Or a 400.



I´m off to the internet...

[J4CKO]

Think these have got more expensive in the 12 months since that article.

[INWB]

Very fond of the Manta GTE. Remember playing Numb by U2 in it with 4 of us squeezed in (2 couples) and us just being so happy as we dashed around the new forest. Surprised any decent ones left. A guy in Leicestershire has one in white but it is a little rough round the edges

[s m]

generationx said:

Always liked the looks of these but was a serial Ford buyer in my yoof.

I could get quite excited about a late 2-door in white, with a red-top 16v, 5-speed, LSD and quad lamps.

Or a 400.



I´m off to the internet...

http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/detail/motors/classic-cars/opel/manta/127358