Opel Manta Turbo Ecotec Build

[Later-A-body]

I’m really excited to start my new project.This is a 1974 Opel Manta. GM imported the Manta from Opel in Germany and sold them through Buick dealers from 1971-1975. My friend and I traveled up to Northern California to get the car after his brother-in-law told him he would not be able to do anything with the car. My buddy owns two Manta’s, and he knows that I really like these cars, so he asked me if I was interested. His brother got the car about 5 years ago, but never started on it. He said he didn’t need any money for it, so for the price of gas to drive from Southern California to Sacramento and back ($275.00), the car is mine. It sat outside under a tree and greenery and was pretty dirty inside and out. After getting it home I realized the car was only registered once. I tracked down the original owner and spoke with him on the phone. He explained he bought the car in 1975 at age 26 for a cash price of around $3,000.00 at San Rafael Buick. The car had been on the lot for over 1 year. He originally wanted an Opel GT, but that model was discontinued. The dealer explained that the Manta was highly discounted to sell. The reason the Buick dealer couldn’t sell the car was the color. Nobody wanted a lime green Manta. Well he bought it, and drove it until 1986 when the head cracked at 133,000 miles. He was a high school auto shop teacher, so he parked the car at the high school for the next 15 years. Apparently during that time, a student that received an F in auto shop decided to vandalize the car which explains the busted windshield and some dings and dents. He sold it to an Opel enthusiast who never touched the car, and then it was sold to my friend’s brother. No other buyer ever registered the car in their name, and the original owners name is still on the pink slip which is how I found him. After speaking with the original owner, he agreed to send me some old photographs of the car. This poor little green car deserves a break.