Test drive Ford Capri 2.3 S and Opel Manta 2.0 L: Working class

Two people's cars of the 70s, successful fighters for the uniformity of the working day

They were the heroes of the younger generation. They brought a lifestyle touch to the dull suburban routine and spun tires in front of discos for girly looks. What would life be like without Capri and Manta?

Capri vs Manta. Eternal duel. An endless tale told by the car magazines of the seventies. Capri I vs Manta A, Capri II vs Manta B. All of this is categorized by power. However, sometimes Capri waited in vain for their opponent on a raucous morning of the place intended for the match. The Manta line had no equal competitors for the 2,6-liter Capri I, much less the three-liter Capri II. He must come to the meeting with them before the Opel Commodore.

But there was still plenty of material for heated discussion in schoolyards, factory canteens, and neighboring pubs—and much less often in law firms and doctors' offices. In the XNUMXs, Capri and Manta were popular regulars such as the Crime Scene crime series or the Saturday night TV show.

Opel Manta was considered a more harmonious and comfortable car

Capri and Manta felt at home in the dull courtyards of concrete garages in the suburbs, in the company of workers, small employees or clerks. The overall picture was dominated by the 1600 version with 72 or 75 hp, less often some allowed themselves to emphasize the status of the two-liter model with 90 hp. For Ford, it also meant switching to a small six-cylinder engine.

In comparative tests, the Opel Manta B usually won. In particular, the editors of auto motor und sport criticized Ford for its outdated suspension with leaf springs retained in the third edition and for the uneven operation of four-cylinder engines. Manta was evaluated as a more harmonious, comfortable and well-made car. The model was more refined, something the Capri failed to catch up with despite minor overhauls in 1976 and 1978. It was no longer possible to ignore the fact that an archaic Ford Escort was actually hiding under the well-shaped sheet. In the Manta, however, the chassis came from Ascona, with a finely steered rigid rear axle on reels that provided agility unparalleled in its class.

Ford Capri looks more aggressive

In those years, Opel models did have stiff suspension, but they were generally thought to have legendary cornering stability. Strict style and tight tuning made up a successful combination. Today, the opposite is true - in the public's preference, Capri is ahead of Manta, because he has a rougher character, more macho than the elegant, frivolous cute Manta. With clear power symbols on the sloping rear and long muzzle, the Ford model looks more like an American oil car. With the Mark III (which goes by the somewhat clumsy name of Capri II/78 in its precise classification), the manufacturer manages to sharpen the contours even more and give the car a much more aggressive front end with sharp headlights cut sharply out of the bonnet.

The meek Manta B could only dream of such a magnificently malevolent look - its wide-open rectangular lanterns without a real grille between them caused confusion at first. It wasn't until the combat trim of the GT/E version, including SR equipment and signal colors, began to garner sympathy; No less interesting was the cozy berlin with a vinyl roof and metallic lacquer, richly decorated with chrome decor. With its shape, Manta doesn't seem to aim for the flashy effects of the overpowered Capri typeface, its stylistic merits discreetly appealing to connoisseurs.

For example, the exquisite roof structure features an almost Italian lightness, characteristic of the style of then Opel chief designer Chuck Jordan. And the aristocratically extravagant form of the three-volume coupe - unlike the previous model - was characteristic of many high-class cars of that time, such as the BMW 635 CSi, Mercedes 450 SLC or Ferrari 400i. Needless to say, what pleases the eye the most on the Opel Manta is the sloping rear end.

Ratio - 90 to 114 hp in favor of Capri

With the advent of the Capri III, the established 1300 cc engine disappeared from the engine lineup. CM and a 1,6-liter unit with an overhead camshaft and a power of 72 hp. becomes the main sentence providing a certain temperament. At a meeting organized by us in the Langwasser suburb of Nuremberg, built up with municipal quarters, a rather unequal couple appeared. The Capri 2.3 S, which went through a light optical tuning in the hands of Ford enthusiast Frank Stratner, meets the perfectly preserved original Manta 2.0 L owned by Markus Prue of Neumarkt in the Upper Palatinate. We feel the absence of a fuel-injected two-litre engine that would better match the six-cylinder Capri. Even more impressive is the absence of chrome bumpers, as well as the symbol of the model - an emblem with a stingray (mantle) on both sides of the body. Ratio 90 to 114 hp in favor of the Capri, but moderate power doesn't change much about the rugged two-litre engine with the typical Opel husky voice.

It is designed more for good intermediate acceleration than fast acceleration. True, its chain-driven camshaft is already spinning in the cylinder head, but it needs short hydraulic jacks to actuate the valves via rocker arms. The L-Jetronic injection system frees the impressive four-cylinder unit from the phlegmatic nature of Opel engines as well as the 90 hp version. and the carburetor with adjustable damper also works - we are not in the race, and we wrote articles about comparative tests a long time ago. Today, the triumph of originality and impeccable condition of the Manta, acquired by the first owner, is manifested even in the precise curves of the thin chrome trims on the wings.

Unlike the Opel engine, the Capri's 2,3-liter V6 quite convincingly plays the role of a V8 for the little man. At first, he is properly quiet, but still his voice is thick and sonorous, and somewhere around 2500 rpm it already gives its impressive roar. A sports air filter and a specially tuned exhaust system accentuate the rude tone of the modest six-cylinder engine.

A stable engine with a smooth ride and surprisingly even firing intervals allows for lazy driving with infrequent gear changes, as well as shifting gears up to 5500 rpm. Then the voice of the V6 engine, once unofficially called the Tornado, rises to the upper registers but still craves to change gears - as the unit with ultra-short stroke, timing gears and lift rods begins to lose power near the top speed limit. . It is especially pleasant to control the vital functions of the cast-iron six, watching the chic round technology on the dashboard.

In its natural state, the Manta rides softer than its former rival.

The Manta in the L version doesn't even have a tachometer, the very simple interior lacks a sporty spirit and even the gear lever looks too long. The situation inside the Capri is different, taking a big sip of the S trim with matt black and checkered upholstery. However, Opel's four-speed transmission offers one idea lighter than the standard Capri five-speed transmission, which lacks precision but has too long a lever.

Stratner's preferred navy blue Capri 2.3 S comes from last year; Connoisseurs can spot this on doorknobs without a built-in locking cartridge. In addition, you sit on Capri much more like in a sports car, i.e. deeper, and despite the abundance of space, the cabin literally envelops the driver and his companion.

Manta also gives a feeling of closeness, but not as strong. The space offered here is better distributed and the rear sits quieter than on Capri. Stratner highlighted the healthy chassis rigidity of his car with a slight drop in ground clearance, lateral spread in the engine basket and wide 2.8-inch alloy wheels styled like the XNUMX Injection. The Manta, which has retained its natural look, albeit quite firmly in motion, exhibits a much more resilient suspension in everyday travel.

Markus Prue sells used cars and his company in Neumarkt is called Classic Garage. With the right instinct, he senses extraordinarily good neoclassicists like the coral-red Manta, which has traveled only 69 kilometers. Markus has already received an offer for the original, perfectly preserved BMW 000i, and in order to fulfill his youthful dream, the car-obsessed Bavarian will have to say goodbye to the beautiful Manta.

“Only if I hand it over to safe hands, not by any means to some tuning maniac who will turn a beautiful stroller into a monster with opening doors and a Testarossa view,” he said. As for Frank Stratner, his connection to his custom Capri 2.3 S went much deeper: "I would never sell it, I'd rather give up my Sierra Cosworth."

TECHNICAL DATA

Ford Capri 2.3 S (Capri 78), manuf. 1984 year

ENGINE Water-cooled six-cylinder V-type (60 degree angle between the rows of cylinders), one connecting rod for each shaft elbow, cast iron block and cylinder heads, 5 main bearings, one central camshaft driven by camshafts, used is driven in action of lifting rods and rocker arms. Displacement 2294 cc, bore x stroke 90,0 x 60,1 mm, power 114 hp. at 5300 rpm, max. torque 178 Nm @ 3000 rpm, compression ratio 9,0: 1, one Solex 35/35 EEIT vertical flow throttle carburetor, transistor ignition, engine oil 4,25 l.

POWER GEAR Rear-wheel drive, five-speed manual transmission, optional Ford C3 torque converter three-speed automatic transmission.

BODY AND LIFT Self-supporting all-steel body. Front coaxial coil springs and shock absorbers (MacPherson struts), transverse struts, side stabilizer, rear rigid axle with leaf springs, lateral stabilizer, gas shock absorbers front and rear, rack and pinion steering (option), power steering, power steering rear drum brakes, wheels 6J x 13, tires 185/70 HR 13.

DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT Length 4439 mm, width 1698 mm, height 1323 mm, wheelbase 2563 mm, front track 1353 mm, rear track 1384 mm, net weight 1120 kg, tank 58 liters.

DYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS AND COST Max. speed 185 km / h, acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h in 11,8 seconds, gasoline consumption 12,5 liters 95 per 100 km.

TERM OF PRODUCTION AND CIRCULATION Ford Capri 1969 - 1986, Capri III 1978 - 1986, total 1 copies, including Capri III 886 copies. The last car was released for England - Capri 647 November 324, 028.

Opel Manta 2.0 l, manuf. 1980 year

ENGINE Water-cooled four-cylinder in-line, gray cast iron cylinder block and head, 5 main bearings, one duplex chain driven camshaft in the cylinder head, parallel valves driven by rocker arms and short lifting rods, hydraulically operated. Displacement 1979 cm 95,0, bore x stroke 69,8 x 90 mm, power 5200 hp at 143 rpm, max. torque 3800 Nm @ 9,0 rpm, compression ratio 1: 3,8, one GMVarajet II vertical flow regulating valve carburetor, ignition coil, XNUMX HP engine oil

POWER GEAR Rear-wheel drive, four-speed manual transmission, optional Opel three-speed automatic transmission with torque converter.

BODY AND LIFT Self-supporting all-steel body. Double wishbone front axle, coil springs, anti-roll bar, rear rigid axle with longitudinal struts, coil springs, diagonal arm and anti-roll bar, rack and pinion steering, front disc, rear drum brakes, wheels x 5,5 6, tires 13/185 SR 70.

DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT Length 4445 mm, width 1670 mm, height 1337 mm, wheelbase 2518 mm, front track 1384 mm, rear track 1389 mm, net weight 1085 kg, tank 50 liters.

DYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS AND COST Max. speed 170 km / h, acceleration from 0 to 100 km / h in 13,5 seconds, gasoline consumption 11,5 liters 92 per 100 km.

PRODUCTION AND CIRCULATION DATE Opel Manta B 1975 - 1988, total 534 copies, of which 634 Manta CC (Combi Coupe, 95 - 116), manuf. in Bochum and Antwerp.

Text: Alf Kremers

Photo: Hardy Muchler