Radiator mounting frame GT1100

[g.rosen]

Hello
While helping my son to restore a GT 1100 -69 we have run into a problem:
The car was missing engine, and some other stuff in the engine compartment, and we have managed to find it all, except for the radiator mounting frame. I found it at the web shop of Opel GT parts in Suselbeek (Netherlands), but it turns out that they don't have it any more. Any suggestions on how to find one, in usable condition?

Gunnar

[GTJIM]

With only 3 1/2 thousand 1100 GTs made they are few and far between.
Lots more of them stayed in Europe though - over 3,000 of them were not exported.
Hopefully someone on this site can help - or you may have to make it from sheet metal.
Below is the illustration from the Opel Parts Book - part 7 is the same in both 1.9 and 1.1 GTs but part 2 is special to the 1.1L models.

HTH

[g.rosen]

Yes, part 2 is the one we are looking for, and as you say, I guess that it will not be easy to find. In Sweden there are just a few hundred GTs, and most of them (all?) are 1900, and no GTs can be found in the scrap yards any more, so we will have to look abroad.
It looks like the previous owner used a 1900 radiator, but we would like to keep it close to the original, so even though that is the simple way out, we would like to try to find it.
I have a good idea about how it should look, and having both the car and the radiator, and maybe some input from you guys out there, a little reverse engineering should be possible, but it would be easier if someone knew about where to find one, regardless of condition, to repair or use for template.

Gunnar

[bear's GT]

I have one I will sell you. I am parting out a 69 with a 1.1

[GTJIM]

That did not take long to turn up - what a great web-site!

GT.com triumphs again - PM each other.

[tekenaar]

Just thinking out loud here for a moment, but why wouldn't a Kadett 1.1 radiator "air guide/mount" work?!

[oldopelguy]

Originally Posted by tekenaar Just thinking out loud here for a moment, but why wouldn't a Kadett 1.1 radiator "air guide/mount" work?!

Kadetts don't have them. On the 1.9 Kadetts the rad drops down through a cutout in the top of the nose piece to fit some internal mounts. On the 1.1 Kadetts a couple welded-on ears stick out the back of that nose piece to hold the rad and there is no hole in the top.

Really, given cost and availability, I can't think of any reason to not just run the 1.9 radiator.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by oldopelguy Kadetts don't have them. On the 1.9 Kadetts the rad drops down through a cutout in the top of the nose piece to fit some internal mounts. On the 1.1 Kadetts a couple welded-on ears stick out the back of that nose piece to hold the rad and there is no hole in the top. Really, given cost and availability, I can't think of any reason to not just run the 1.9 radiator.

. . . D-OH!!

[g.rosen]

Originally Posted by oldopelguy Really, given cost and availability, I can't think of any reason to not just run the 1.9 radiator.

As I said before, that would be the easy way, but why make things easy?

[PROPEL]

Originally Posted by oldopelguy Really, given cost and availability, I can't think of any reason to not just run the 1.9 radiator.

The hoses would have to be longer, as the 1.1L motor sits farther away from the radiator support. Plus the top and bottom outlets on the 1.1L radiator are in different locations. Not saying it can't be done, but the 1.9 installation may not be as a clean looking.

[bear's GT]

Here is a picture of my rad. support. I could not find how to send it in a PM