1973 Opel Manta GT A Series

First registered in 1973 and imported from South Africa in March 2016, this delightful Opel Manta 1600GT is as rust-free and solid as you’d expect. It has had one previous UK owner, moving into the vendor’s care a couple of years ago.

Finished in white with a contrasting black bonnet and interior, it is running well and looking terrific. Still sitting on period wheels and featuring those iconic round rear lights, the vendor has a strict ‘one in, one out’ policy, forcing its reluctant sale now the Manta-shaped itch has been scratched.

Its condition will appeal to both collectors and enthusiasts alike – and to further sweeten the deal it, like the vendor’s Jaguar XKR that we also have listed, is being sold with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid.

The white coachwork, brilliantly offset by that matt black bonnet, is in a wonderful condition. Almost certainly never having seen salt-covered roads in its life, it is free of the sort of serious rot and corrosion that plaques the European cars.

The panels are straight and true as well, and have good alignment and shutlines. The doors all open and close easily, and the flanks are free of ripples and major dinks. The paintwork is good overall and while it may have had the odd localised repair, the vast majority of the finish appears to be the original.

The Manta’s modest chromework is all bright and shiny, and the twin factory pinstripes are in fine fettle too. As are the light lenses, glass and badges, including the wonderfully period chrome Manta emblems on the front wings.

There is plenty of evidence of the Manta having received an extensive Waxoyl-type treatment at some point, and this may well help explain its staggeringly good condition; it really is a bit of a time warp car and enthusiasts will know how rarely they are found in this sort of condition.

Speaking of which, the Manta is still fitted with what we believe to be its original 13-inch, five-spoke alloy wheels. They’re in great shape and look sensational. They are also shod with matching 206/60R13 Toyo tyres, all of which are fairly new and so have plenty of tread left on them.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

Problems? Well, aside from the inevitable minor stonechips and marks, the lower edge of the nearside rear wing and the upper section of the offside front wing have a few small bubbles, some of the paint is chipped on the boot lid, and quite a few of the window and door seals are perished.

This might sound like a lot but the key thing is that the basic structure is strong and free of rot and white is an easy colour to match, so the new owner has a fabulous base to slowly improve it as time and funds allow.

Besides, wouldn’t you rather buy something that wears its faults on its sleeve like this than a car that has been hastily tarted up before sale?

The interior is only very lightly patinated and remarkably well preserved for a car that’s knocking on the door of its 50th birthday. The black vinyl driver’s seat, one of the first places we’d expect to see problems, is still firm and taut and completely free of any significant wear much less damage, rips or tears.

The passenger’s seat is even better and the rear seat is in an incredible condition. It’s a guess, of course, but given the lack of UV damage to the seats and dashboard we think it must have been stored undercover to protect it from the hot South African sun.

The steering wheel is wrapped in an aftermarket cover and while they would normally start alarm bells ringing, we quite like the look. Of course, we don’t know what’s underneath but we’re guessing that it’s been there for years and so has probably protected the original rim rather than being fitted at a later date to hide a problem.

The headlining, door cards, and instruments are in all a very good condition, and the windows still sport some of the previous owner’s South African stickers, which is a nice touch.

Work to do is minor and seems to be restricted to a rusty gearlever, a stray grommet for the heated rear window wiring, missing trim for the nearside door lock and driver’s seat tilt mechanism, scruffy lower door shuts/upper sills (albeit this is seeping Waxoyl rather than anything more ominous…) and the need for a new set of carpets to replace the threadbare originals.

The Manta appears to have been standing for some time, so a degree of light recommissioning may be necessary. For example, we’ve had to fit a new battery, earth lead and terminals, and the engine feels like it could do with a full service and tuning.

But, let’s not get too downhearted because the engine starts promptly and quickly settles into a good idle. The car also goes, steers and brakes as it should, and nor does it make any weird noises.

The carburettor is fitted with a ‘Ramair’ foam air filter, which contributes an attractive induction rasp to the proceedings.

The engine bay is reasonably tidy, but a few hours detailing it would go amiss. The underside of the bonnet would do with tidying up as it bears signs of Waxoyl on it but that’s largely because the rest of the car is so good rather than because it is especially unsightly .

The Manta’s MOT certificate expired in November 2019, so it doesn’t have a current MOT certificate and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have the car re-MOT’d at the earliest. The cost of an MOT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic car, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

The Manta still has its original driver’s handbook and V5 registration document.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

And please be reassured, we’ve undertaken a full COVID-assessment and put into place strict control measure to enable us to safely facilitate a no-contact, socially distanced viewing that includes disinfection of the vehicle before and after your viewing.

NB. We know that many of you will be limiting your social exposure over the coming days and weeks, so if you’d rather not come to see the car in person, please give us a call and we can shoot a personal video of the car honing in on any areas you’d like us to concentrate on.

Or, even better, why not contact us with your mobile number and we can set up a WhatsApp video call? You get to direct us in real-time, giving you a virtual personal viewing experience while maintaining the lockdown. We like to call it ‘The Market’s 2020 Vision’…

If you’re anything like us then your dad’s loyalty was either to the blue oval or the griffin – and never the twain shall meet. So, the chances are that you are either a Ford Capri kinda bloke, or an Opel/Vauxhall Manta chap.

Which, if you’re the latter, means you’re in luck because not only is this rare and highly desirable Manta in an unusually good condition, it is also likely to be significantly cheaper to buy than the Capri.

Because, at a time when we’re seeing the prices of fast Fords having risen beyond the reach of the average enthusiast, we think this beautifully preserved Opel will only sell for somewhere between £8,000 and £12,000, which is a pitifully small sum for such a gorgeous car.

And, it’s being sold with no reserve, so will sell from the very first bid. So, why not pop in a cheeky bid now and see what happens? After all, the very worst outcome is that you’ll end up with one of the nicest Opel Mantas we’ve ever seen for not a lot of money…

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.