buying guide

[opelkid]

Does anyone have a guide or could tell me about what to look for when looking at buying a gt. I'm looking at a 71 one that needs quite a bit of work done to it tomorrow, so any hints would be helpful.
some questions i have:
How to check if it's high or low comp. engine- the guy says it is
How to check if it's an earlier head- has a different head on it
Any rust prone spots, ect.

[baronbors]

I don't think what you are looking for exists but the questions you are asking have answers on the seach engine of the forums. There has been considerable discussions on each of the topics you present. You might want to take a couple of minutes and run thru each one of the different threads provided. Some of the reading can over whelm you but it is ALL there. As far as rust, our poor Opel GTs have a major problem with the battery support.

[Anonymous D]

Here's a link, to information you're asking for:

GT "Things to Know"

[newman27]

Originally Posted by Anonymous D Here's a link, to information you're asking for: GT "Things to Know"

One of the most valuable tips in this article:

"Also avoid body damage -- Use a magnet to locate "bondo" body-filler areas. When damage is in in the rotation area of the GT headlights, it can be very difficult to repair."

Fixing previous "patches" and eliminating bondo repairs has been a significant part of the work required to restore my GT which, if you've been following the project thread on my car, you know had a lot of hidden surprises when it came back from the sandblaster.

[opelkid]

I'm not too conserned about bondo, because i will have to use bondo anyway. i don't have the resources (or money-i'm only a teenager) to fix any small damage. he says it is a pretty solid car, but in the pic it has some bodo (hopefully not too deep) on the side.

[opelkid]

he sent me some pics.

[Sparky73]

Post up some pics and maybe we could help determine a value.. or at least if he is asking too much.

[opelkid]

i'll try to post some pics. he's asking 1400 with it needing a complete interior and a new paint job. also needs shocks and pinion bearing and seal. it's had a lot done to it mechanically and a rebuilt head. here is one of the emails i got from him. i think it sounds like a ok deal or too much if he would get it running, but not quite sure with it needing a lot of cosmetic work.

"I removed the rear axle, drivetrain, tranny and front suspension system. I cleaned and painted them all. I installed new bearings and seals in the front, along with all new poly suspension bushings. I installed 4 new ball joints. I put new seals in the tranny and new front and rear main seals in the engine. New pilot bearing. I rebuilt both front and rear brake hoses and rebuilt the calipers and cylinders.The rear end needs a new pinion bearing and seal as it makes noise. I installed new rear poly suspension bushings.I removed the notoriously bad headlight wiring and replaced it.I dont think you will find one that has had this much mechanical done to it for this kind of a price. I never touched the body and you can see the bondo in the pic. It does have two holes in the floor by the rear axles. The interior is bad. It currently has no shocks."

[jordan]

Originally Posted by sugg578 wair did you see the pic of the car at

If you are interested in WAVELET ANALYSIS OF IMAGE REGISTRATION I'm sure Todd Kirby could explain more about it to you.

[opelkid]

here are a couple of pics

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...46_64_full.jpg
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member...46_63_full.jpg

and it comes with door panels and center council

[jvandyke]

I'd guess, if it's not got very serious rust problems and the engine and drive train are solid, $1,000 max.
$700 in interior pieces (seats, panels, carpet, dash cover)
body and paint is the expensive part, very expensive rust repair

Offer him $500. Play hard ball.

I looked at one worse than that last year close by me. Guy was asking $2,000 I tried not to show it but I think he saw me laughing.

[opelkid]

i was thinking of trying to get him to put in the shocks and the pinion bearing also.

[jvandyke]

You might be better off low balling him as he's likely just looking to ditch it rather than get him to fix it. Usually if someone (myself included) has lost interest in something, the last thing they want to do is work on it. Then maybe if he's in a hurry and just does a fast crappy job installing parts on a car he just wants gone you don't want him doing it anyway. I could be reading it all wrong, depends totally on the guy and his attitude.
When I was looking to buy the constant advice was get as straight a body as you can.

[newman27]

Originally Posted by opelkid I'm not too conserned about bondo, because i will have to use bondo anyway. i don't have the resources (or money-i'm only a teenager) to fix any small damage. he says it is a pretty solid car, but in the pic it has some bodo (hopefully not too deep) on the side.

I was 21 when I bought my GT. Twenty years later I am finally restoring it. Think long term - you may have the resources and money later in life and could regret having to start with a car that is hiding a ton of rust, bondo, and poorly patched body panels. Just food for thought - when you are young, it is sometimes hard to imagine 10 - 20 years out... Good luck in your search!

[opelkid]

yah this guy found a better opel and restored it. his log on is tomking and he seems like a really nice guy. Guess i'll see the opel tomorrow afternoon. anymore comments would help.

[tomking]

I find this a really interesting thread!

[newman27]

Originally Posted by tomking I find this a really interesting thread!

Maybe the fact that the car was being sold by a member of the forum should have been mentioned a little earlier on...

[yellaopelgt]

yea....its a small opel world after all.


(open mouth and insert foot)

Joe

[tomking]

Dont worry, none taken guys.

[opelkid]

yah, tom, i was just trying to check things out before i came down today. i didn't say your name until later so as to not offend you or anything, but that will make a selling point seeing how you would probably have taken care of it better than some.

[jvandyke]

a seller who has a good reputation and experience with the car is worth paying more for!

maybe a good ruler is knowing a decent GT sells for 3-4k, then work backwards, if it needs body touch up and paint and you can do it or get help and make it happen for $1,000 then pay 2 for the car, you'd have your nice GT for 3. If you can't do the body and paint yourself or with buddies, then you'll pay 4K plus for body and paint work, then you'd better wait and buy a nicer GT for 4 up front, if you don't have 4 wait until you do, nothing worse than unfinished project and all the money thrown at it was a waste.
Don't buy a car just because you can afford it but can't afford to fix it up. I would have done that many times in the last year but I held out and I'm glad I did. The cost of making "nice" is part of the cost of the car and it's cheaper to buy "nice" then make "nice".
Luke 14:28
28"Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?

[young_wrench]

the only place that i have rust on mine is on the drivers front fender. I don't know if anyone else has this problem but it may be a good thing to check if anyone has tried to fix it and has failed. The only thing that you need to do by that is just run your hand on the inside of the fender and see if there is anything back there.