Today I finished a project that i had in my workshop. I moved the car that I had been working on into my garage, did a quick clean and then put the Manta into the shop. I removed the body to get a good look at the frame and suspension.
The person that I bought the car from was installing C5 Corvette rear suspension. He used a kit from a company called DOBBERTIN. You can see the aluminum piece that bolts to the frame. Then the C5 cradle bolts to the Dobbertin piece. He had test fit a SBC engine bolted it to a Boxter S 6 speed transaxle. (Adapter from Kennedy) I can see where he had cut out part of the frame and the aluminum cradle to make it all work. I plan to keep the C5 suspension and use the Boxter transaxle. I have an LS engine ready to go. I'll probably use it.
In the front he was in the process of fitting a tubular suspension which I believe is based on Mustang 2 geometry. I plan to remove this and install C4 Corvette suspension. I have the parts and jigs for it.
I found that the frame had been cut completely in half. It looks to me like it was shortened. I've read that the Manta had a 96 inch wheelbase. My car has a 94 inch wheelbase.
The frame is very heavy. I'm trying to decide whether to use it and finish it as necessary. Or, build a new one from scratch. One thought is to build a frame with a longer wheelbase. I'm thinking like 6 inches longer. This of course, requires fiberglass work. I would make the extension to the middle of the cockpit. Then I would be extending the side pods, internal tub, and doors, side windows.
I need to decide if I'm going to keep things simple and build the car with the existing frame and not touch the body. Or, if I'm going to build a new frame and modify the body. I never seem to take the easy approach.
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Manta Mirage build
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