Discovered in a barn: Manta B GSi Exclusive

Discovered in a barn: Manta B GSi Exclusive

Paul-Moritz Klöß already had some experience: The lifting platform in his home workshop had previously only been used for VW, Audi and Porsche vehicles. The 20-year-old apprentice had carried out initial minor repairs on a Golf 1 coupe. It needed a new fuel tank, and Klöß installed it without any problems.

Then he stumbled across an Opel Manta B GSi Exclusiv in a barn. It is a very rare model: "the GSi is practically the GTI of the Mantas", he explains. Dating from 1988, the Manta comes with an impressive punch of 110 hp from its 2-litre engine.

It took three months for the future estate agent to win over the Manta's owner. The problem was that another enthusiast, a member of a Manta club, was dead-set on buying the Opel for quarry racing. But the owner wasn't happy with the prospect. In the 80s and 90s, he had lovingly taken care of the Manta he bought as a new car. Although he had fitted it with a rollcage, Hella rally headlamps and an Irmscher bull-bar, he didn't want it to be treated in this way. Paul-Moritz beat his rival and bought the car for a reasonable price. It had spent the previous 28 years with 89,000 kilometres on the clock in a barn in the company of chickens and cats.

After securing the vehicle, Paul-Moritz reported on his find in an online forum for like-minded fans. The session launched preparations for displaying the vehicle on the Young Fans presentation area at the Bremen Classic Motorshow 2024. It was immediately clear that the Manta belonged on the special presentation area in Bremen. "This will be my first major project", says the young restorer.

It wasn't easy to retrieve the Manta, which was covered in chicken droppings and paw prints. Paul-Moritz called in a few friends and older, experienced helpers. Together, they put their backs and skills into the job, and succeeded in lifting the Manta B off the four stacks of bricks it was standing on and hauling it out of the barn. But the biggest obstacle turned out to be his parents. They were adamant: "We're not having an Opel in our workshop". Paul-Moritz applied all his negotiating skills and finally persuaded them to allow the Opel Manta into the workshop.

Then, very carefully, he brought the Manta back to life. That involved replacing the rusty fuel tank, injecting oil into the spark plug mounts, checking the compression, filling the tank and starting the engine. Visitors to the Bremen Classic Motorshow will be especially impressed with the paintwork, which looks sensational despite the difficult job.

When handing over the Manta B, the previous owner also included various papers and contracts, including a letter from the police about the original Irmscher fairings. The document states: "Please report to this police station for a police inspection and approval of the fairing".

Visitors can also look forward to the outfit Paul-Moritz Klöß will be wearing. He is confident the presents under this year's Christmas tree will include a pair of cowboy boots and a fox tail. It remains to be seen whether he turns up in Bremen with the boots and of course the obligatory fox tail on the antenna.

© Paul-Moritz Klöß