Power to the Opel - 1974 Opel Manta

The BMW 320i has nothing on this thing, I'm shocked to admit as I'm running through the gears on Jim Ericson's 1974 Opel Manta. But it's easy to be misled with a quick seat-of-the-pants evaluation, on a car that you didn't expect much out of in the first place. But wow, it sure felt like it accelerated as fast, and held a corner almost as well, too.

It wasn't until I got back to the office and started running some comparison numbers that my initial thought proved to be at least partly true. In 1975, the Opel Manta 1900 offered zero to 60 numbers in the 11.6 to 13.5-second range, depending on which magazine you believed. The 1977 BMW 320i got there in 12.3. On a 100-foot radius skidpad, the BMW turned at 33 mph, with lateral acceleration of .726g, on a set of Michelin XVS 185/70HR13s. The Opel spun around at .665g on 165/13 bias-ply pizza cutters.

The cabin is austere, but find a German car from the 1970s that wasn't. "Woodgrain" adorns the dash, and a console separates the seats. Auxiliary gauges were standard for Rallye. Outboard vents new in 1974

But when the Opel Manta was for sale in dealer showrooms, it got less respect than Rodney Dangerfield.

In 1974, the Manta in Luxus trim sold for $3,535. A 1976 Road & Track road test pegged the then-new 320i at an estimated test price of $9,000. But the Opel's price seemed to work against it as much as it did for it. Good comparison tests put it up against cars like the Ford Capri. Bad comparisons pitted the Manta against the Datsun B-210, the AMC Gremlin, the Honda Civic, the Ford Pinto, the Renault 12 and the Subaru 1400.

What may have hurt the Manta more than anything was the strength of the German mark versus the U.S. dollar. That discrepancy alone made prices climb $450 in 1975, more than 10 percent of the car's original sticker price. That happened to the other German imports, as well, but more established brands were able to absorb the cost more easily than Opel. It was, after all, a GM product, right? Why shouldn't an American consumer expect a price break on another GM brand?

And that's not to mention the sales program. In the early 1970s, when you thought "sexy Euro sports sedan," the Buick showroom probably wasn't where you'd think to look. Muscle cars may have brought a younger crowd into Buick showrooms in the late 1960s and early 1970s, but for the most part, Buick was a brand that catered to white-haired fedora-wearers more interested in being isolated from the road than having a connection with it.

Thirty years later, Opel is just now beginning to be recognized in America as a builder of excellent, mechanically durable and stylish small cars. Jim Ericson's is a 32,000-mile, rust-free example that is, in his words, "original in literally every department except the lug nuts." Ericson has no illusions about the car's performance as it sits today. "Though the car is pleasant to drive as is and corners very well, there is a lot of potential for upgrading."

Bob Legere knows a lot about squeezing that potential with upgrades, from simple bolt-ons, all the way to hot turbocharged setups. For the Opel owner who's interested in extracting more performance out of a street-driven Manta, Legere breaks the modifications into bolt-on and internal modification categories, all of which he has extensively detailed in several posts in the forums on OpelGT.com (see sidebar for specific web addresses).

But Legere's best piece of advice is this: "Having the parts is one thing, but getting it set up right is another," Legere says. "Most cars are not getting nearly 100 percent of their parts' capabilities, so setup is crucial. Consider having it dynoed on a chassis dyno. These days, $75 to $100 will get you six pulls on a dyno, and can tell you more about your setup than a month's worth of driving on the street. If you can get six to eight horsepower from tuning, then you just got more power than a Weber 38 DGAS carburetor is worth, and for a lot less money. Not to mention, you will get better gas mileage, and save money in the long run."

When the Manta was first sold in the United States in 1971, it was referred to by its engine displacement, simply the Opel 1900. The new 1.9-liter "cam-in-head" four was also the motivation for the new Opel sedans and station wagons, known familiarly under the 1900 name, but officially badged Ascona. The 1900 coupe was available in two forms: Standard and Rallye. Ericson's 1974 is the standard trim. Manta Rallyes were given a flat black hood treatment, a lower rear differential ratio, full gauges, tape stripes and foglamps.

That's pretty much the way the breakout worked for the following five model years. By 1973, the model became known as the Manta, and there were some minor changes throughout the years. In 1974, the slender chrome bumpers were replaced with larger, five-mile-per-hour bumpers that added a full five inches to the car's length and 150 pounds to its curb weight. Inside, a new pair of outboard dash vents moved a little air past the windows, and the auxiliary gauge set on Rallyes moved up a bit to be more readable. Models from 1975 are easily recognized by their Bosch L-Jetronic fuel-injection system, and the accompanying "Fuel Injection" emblem on the rear decklid.

The expectation set by the Manta's original--and its current--price is that it's going to be a thrashy little box, full of squeaks and rattles, and lacking in the performance department. Aside from lackluster acceleration--which can easily be rectified--we found the Manta an absolute pleasure to drive.

Steering in the Manta is unassisted, but you'd have to be Olive Oyl to need the help. The whole car, full of gas, only weighs on the order of 2,100 pounds, and the power assist would soften a lot of the feedback from the front tires. The Manta's suspension is where the comparison with the 320i gets interesting. The BMW featured decidedly unexotic MacPherson struts up front. Unlike the GT, with its transverse leaf spring front suspension, the Manta uses upper and lower A-arms and coil springs, and they do an admirable job keeping the front wheels in contact with the road.

The Manta's rear suspension is similarly exotic, especially for what was considered to be an economy car in the 1970s. The rigid rear axle is located by a three-link rear suspension, sprung by a set of coil springs, and improved by a Panhard bar and an anti-sway bar. In all, it's a great setup, and one that's remarkably easy to improve. "Basically, a set of shocks and better rubber could easily transform the Manta from a street car to a showroom stock contender," says Bob Legere.

And contend, the Manta did. Until 1975, when it was banned from SCCA competition, the Manta dominated its showroom stock class. Engine power wasn't up to the competition, but handling and aerodynamics made it absolutely unbeatable in those years. In period comparison road tests, the Manta came in second to last, but on the track it won every race it entered.

Sure, there's fake woodgrain and black plastic inside, and the elite turned up their noses at it circa 1974. But there's a lot of fake woodgrain and black plastic inside a 2002 or a 320i, too, only it came with a price tag nearly three times that of the Opel. Competing with the darkness of the dashboard, the front and rear seats in Ericson's Manta are tan, which results in a much more open feeling inside than pure black. The Manta seems to be made a lot more for comfort than it is for all-out speed, but more than 30 years after it was produced, we're not calling that a negative. With a reclining seat and plenty of adjustability in the tracks, it's easy to get yourself comfortable behind the wheel, no matter what your size. Jim Ericson is a lot taller than I am, and has no trouble at all adjusting the seat to optimal position.

Owner Jim Ericson

We drive a lot of cars in this business, and we're supposed to maintain at least an arm's length when we write up our drive Reports. But I can't help telling you that the Manta suddenly rocketed to near the top of my list of "Must Owns." It has the perfect combination of driving character, exterior styling and overall usability that makes cars like the 320i so appealing. And its current price tag makes it even more so. The Manta is one of an ever-dwindling number of cars that offer a lot of fun, as well as an engaging community of enthusiasts who enjoy these cars precisely because of their thrifty nature, not only to drive, but to buy outright. "You're not going to make a lot of money in the Opel game," says Ericson. "The fun of Opels is having a cheap hobby to share with like-minded folks."

OPEL MANTA MODIFICATIONS

For the car hobbyist, the Internet has become an indispensable community. Ironically, Internet forums provide a connection that physical car clubs just can't seem to replicate. Members from all over the country can trade stories and information on a real-time basis, something that a monthly newsletter could never begin to provide.

The best source for vintage Opel information exists at www.OpelGT.com, which contains subforums on just about every possible facet of Opel collecting, restoring, modifying and driving.

Bob Legere is OpelGT.com's top poster, and has provided reams of information on modifying these cars and extracting the best, most usable performance from this simple engine. Here are a few of Bob's tips:

Bolt-On Performance:

www.opelgt.com/forums/engine-faqs/2305-looking-performance-ideas.html#post15975

Hot street engine, doubling rear wheel hp:

www.opelgt.com/forums/13287-post30.html

D-I-Y head porting:

www.opelgt.com/forums/opel-engine-performance-modifications/7426-street-porting-1-9-big-valve-head.html

A full turbo setup:

www.opelgt.com/forums/opel-engine-performance-modifications/3316-cih-turbo-efi-rallybob.html

Owner's Story

I got into Mantas in 1976 when my brother loaned me his 1971 1900. A year later I was 17 and bought my first, a five-year-old Rallye with 88K on the clock. I drove that car, packed to the roof with guitars, clothes, books, stereo, records and houseplants from Eugene, Oregon, to Chicago.

The car I found last year came tighter than the three I drove 20 years ago, a serendipitous find that needed only new fluids, belts and a little surface rust repair under the hood. The car inspires confidence and just sits down as you push it through turns, taking me back to some of the best years of my life. Modern Pirellis make it corner much better than designed. Finding my old car like new is better than nostalgia and very cheap for an obsession. When people look quizzically and ask, "Why an Opel?" I smile and start telling stories all over again.

-Jim Ericson

What to Pay

Low: $1,500

Average: $4,500

High: $8,000

Club Scene

The Classic Opel Community

www.opelgt.com

Opel Motorsports Club

www.opelclub.com

Pros & Cons

Pros

Sophisticated, class-winning suspension and aerodynamics

Inexpensive to purchase

An active online community

Cons

Watch for rust on a less than perfect example

Out-of-the-box engine performance is more economy-class

Restoration parts are hard to come by

1974 Opel Manta specs

ENGINE

Type: Inline four-cylinder, cast-iron block and head

Displacement: 1,900cc (115.8-cu.in.)

Bore x stroke: 93.0 x 69.8mm

Compression ratio: 7.6:1

Horsepower @ rpm: 90 @ 5,200

Torque @ rpm: 111-lbs.ft. @ 3,400

Main bearings: 5

Fuel system: Solex two-barrel carburetor

Lubrication system: Full pressure

Electrical system: 12-volts

Exhaust system: Single

TRANSMISSION

Type: Four-speed manual, all-synchro

Ratios: 1st 3.428:1

2nd: 2.156:1

3rd: 1.366:1

4th: 1.00:1

Reverse: 3.317:1

DIFFERENTIAL

Type: Open

Ratio: 3.44:1

STEERING

Type: Rack and Pinion

Ratio: 19.7:1

Turns, lock-to-lock: 3.8

Turning circle: 32.3 feet

BRAKES

Type: Power assist, front disc, rear cast-iron drum

Front: 9.4 inches

Rear: 9.1 x 2.0 inches

CHASSIS & BODY

Construction: Steel unibody

Body style: Four passenger, two door sedan

Layout Front: engine, rear-wheel drive

SUSPENSION

Front: Upper A-arms, lower transverse arms, coil springs, tube shocks, anti-roll bar

Rear: Live axle, upper and lower trailing arms, coil springs, tube shocks, Panhard rod

Wheels Steel: disc

Front/rear: 13 x 5.5 inches

Tires: Pirelli P4000

Front/rear: 185/70R 13

WEIGHTS & MEASURES

Wheelbase: 95.7 inches

Overall length: 171.0 inches

Overall width: 64.3 inches

Overall height: 53.3 inches

Front track: 52.4 inches

Rear track: 52.0 inches

Curb weight: 2,150 pounds

CAPACITIES

Crankcase: 2.9 quarts

Cooling system: 6.0 quarts

Fuel tank: 12 gallons

CALCULATED DATA

Bhp per cc: 4.74

Weight per bhp: 23.8 pounds

Weight per c.i.d.: 18.5 pounds

PERFORMANCE

0-60 mph: 10.5 seconds

¼ mile ET: 17.8 seconds @ 75.5 mph

Top speed: 105 mph

(Source: Car and Driver Road Test, March 1971)

PRICE

Base price: $3,267