Can't believe no-one's done this yet. Ascona's still up for grabs:
In 1979 work began on a rally-spec Opel. Both the Ascona B and the Manta B were used for this. Although the Ascona 400 model was the most successful of the two, the fact still remains that the Manta 400 was a remarkable car.
Opel joined forces with German tuner Irmscher and Cosworth to make the 400. Cosworth was given the task to develop a 16 valve 2 cam head for the CIH spec engine block, and Irmscher who earlier in 1977 and ' had proven that they knew their way around an Opel building the i2800, was to design the exterior and interior of the cars. The results were not bad. Opel however had problems with the engine. The first idea of using a 2.0 litre engine and then using the 16 valve head from Cosworth simply did not give enough power. The problem was that the heads had already been built, so the heads were made to fit on the CIH type 4 cylinder engine block. So they built an unusual engine using a 2.0 litre engine block with an overbore and larger pistons, a crankshaft from the 2.3 litre diesel engine of same type (CIH) and ended with a 2.4 litre engine block. Mounting the 16 valve head on this gave a massive output, and the opportunity to make several tune-ups for the rally drivers.
Opel delivered the first 23 cars in 1981 which were recognisable by the 2 slot front grille ('82, '83, & '84 models had 4 slot grilles). The cars were delivered as both road-spec cars and factory tuned rally cars. The road cars known as Phase 1 cars, were luxury versions of the known Manta B Coupé. Although all the changes to give the body more strength were still implemented, the cars were delivered with all kinds of exclusive packaging. Recaro seats, Irmscher leather steering wheel, and even front light washers (a very 80's thing). The cars were all delivered in Arctic White colour, with White Ronal lightweight 7x15" alloys. The engine was fitted with Bosch LE injection and power output was 144 bhp. The Phase 2 however was quite different. It had extended arches front and rear made of carbon and kevlar to keep the weight down, lightweight doors, bonnet, spoilers and windows. The wheels were still from Ronal but now measuring 8x15" front and 10x15" rear. The engine output was 230 bhp using a set of 48 mm DCOE carbs, and the cars could be delivered with different gearboxes from ZF and with different rear axle options like LSD. Phase 3 which is also a term used when talking about the i400's was not a factory tune-up. Many racers of the time had their garages tune up the engine even further. Some made it across the 300 bhp mark and even today, engines can be tuned to deliver just over 340 bhp still normally aspirated.
The i400 was produced in a total of 245 specimens following the homologation regulations by FISA (now FIA). But the i400 also spawned some other "i" models. The i200 which basically was a GSi model Manta B (700 built) and is still today considered a collector's item. The i200 used a tuned 2.0E engine delivering 125bhp. The i240 which is rarer; only 300 were built and was fitted with the i400 engine block but using a normal 8 valve cast iron head from the 2.0E engine delivering 136 bhp.
Also Irmscher themselves tried building the Manta with their own specs. The reason they were used for the 400 project was that in 1977 they had taken a 1977 Manta B 1.9S and put in a 2.8 litre H spec engine from the Opel Admiral. Success was limited though and the cars were on display in the '77 Geneva car show. The cars had been painted in some special colours giving it the nickname Paradiesvogel (Bird of Paradise) because of the rainbow like colour theme on the cars. However they did produce 28 cars with the 2.8H engine delivering 150 bhp (112 kW) and 220 N·m (162 lb·ft). The cars are considered extremely rare today.
After the success of the 400 (and i200/240) Irmscher once again tried the 6 cylinder layout. This time producing the most powerful Manta B ever released on the public market. In 1985 Irmscher bought 29 400 cars from Opel, which were on stock. The cars had no gearbox or engine but were fitted to Phase 2 spec. Irmscher installed the new 3.0 litre LE engine from the Monza and Senator models, which delivered 177 bhp and 171 lb·ft. Power was transmitted to a big Getrag 265 gearbox (the type also fitted to big BMWs), onto a 3.18:1 LSD, giving the car some awesome figures. 0-60 mph was over with in just 8 seconds flat and the car topped out at 140 mph making it the fastest street Manta ever built. If not for the big 1980s fuel crisis being at its worst at that time, several are sure that Opel would have adapted the idea and built a series of 6-cylinder Mantas. But instead they chose to build the economically more affordable Manta B with a 1.8 litre alloy lump as fited to the Cavalier/Ascona.
From Chelsea Auto Legends:
In 1979 work began on a rally-spec Opel. Both the Ascona B and the Manta B were used for this. Although the Ascona 400 model was the most successful of the two, the fact still remains that the Manta 400 was a remarkable car.
Opel joined forces with German tuner Irmscher and Cosworth to make the 400. Cosworth was given the task to develop a 16 valve 2 cam head for the CIH spec engine block, and Irmscher who earlier in 1977 and ' had proven that they knew their way around an Opel building the i2800, was to design the exterior and interior of the cars. The results were not bad. Opel however had problems with the engine. The first idea of using a 2.0 litre engine and then using the 16 valve head from Cosworth simply did not give enough power. The problem was that the heads had already been built, so the heads were made to fit on the CIH type 4 cylinder engine block. So they built an unusual engine using a 2.0 litre engine block with an overbore and larger pistons, a crankshaft from the 2.3 litre diesel engine of same type (CIH) and ended with a 2.4 litre engine block. Mounting the 16 valve head on this gave a massive output, and the opportunity to make several tune-ups for the rally drivers.
Opel delivered the first 23 cars in 1981 which were recognisable by the 2 slot front grille ('82, '83, & '84 models had 4 slot grilles). The cars were delivered as both road-spec cars and factory tuned rally cars. The road cars known as Phase 1 cars, were luxury versions of the known Manta B Coupé. Although all the changes to give the body more strength were still implemented, the cars were delivered with all kinds of exclusive packaging. Recaro seats, Irmscher leather steering wheel, and even front light washers (a very 80's thing). The cars were all delivered in Arctic White colour, with White Ronal lightweight 7x15" alloys. The engine was fitted with Bosch LE injection and power output was 144 bhp. The Phase 2 however was quite different. It had extended arches front and rear made of carbon and kevlar to keep the weight down, lightweight doors, bonnet, spoilers and windows. The wheels were still from Ronal but now measuring 8x15" front and 10x15" rear. The engine output was 230 bhp using a set of 48 mm DCOE carbs, and the cars could be delivered with different gearboxes from ZF and with different rear axle options like LSD. Phase 3 which is also a term used when talking about the i400's was not a factory tune-up. Many racers of the time had their garages tune up the engine even further. Some made it across the 300 bhp mark and even today, engines can be tuned to deliver just over 340 bhp still normally aspirated.
The i400 was produced in a total of 245 specimens following the homologation regulations by FISA (now FIA). But the i400 also spawned some other "i" models. The i200 which basically was a GSi model Manta B (700 built) and is still today considered a collector's item. The i200 used a tuned 2.0E engine delivering 125bhp. The i240 which is rarer; only 300 were built and was fitted with the i400 engine block but using a normal 8 valve cast iron head from the 2.0E engine delivering 136 bhp.
Also Irmscher themselves tried building the Manta with their own specs. The reason they were used for the 400 project was that in 1977 they had taken a 1977 Manta B 1.9S and put in a 2.8 litre H spec engine from the Opel Admiral. Success was limited though and the cars were on display in the '77 Geneva car show. The cars had been painted in some special colours giving it the nickname Paradiesvogel (Bird of Paradise) because of the rainbow like colour theme on the cars. However they did produce 28 cars with the 2.8H engine delivering 150 bhp (112 kW) and 220 N·m (162 lb·ft). The cars are considered extremely rare today.
After the success of the 400 (and i200/240) Irmscher once again tried the 6 cylinder layout. This time producing the most powerful Manta B ever released on the public market. In 1985 Irmscher bought 29 400 cars from Opel, which were on stock. The cars had no gearbox or engine but were fitted to Phase 2 spec. Irmscher installed the new 3.0 litre LE engine from the Monza and Senator models, which delivered 177 bhp and 171 lb·ft. Power was transmitted to a big Getrag 265 gearbox (the type also fitted to big BMWs), onto a 3.18:1 LSD, giving the car some awesome figures. 0-60 mph was over with in just 8 seconds flat and the car topped out at 140 mph making it the fastest street Manta ever built. If not for the big 1980s fuel crisis being at its worst at that time, several are sure that Opel would have adapted the idea and built a series of 6-cylinder Mantas. But instead they chose to build the economically more affordable Manta B with a 1.8 litre alloy lump as fited to the Cavalier/Ascona.
From Chelsea Auto Legends:
