early 69 GT

[Jim Branham]

I just bought a 69 GT, green/ tan color, that was made in 9-68. It has extensive rust along the rocker panels and floors, so bad the rear control arm on the drivers side is about to fall off, plus up on the fender tops. The frame rails seem solid though over the back and down the middle. It has the rectanular indicater lights on the gauge panel, a different style headlight lever, a different style ashtray, no console along the e-brake, seat belts mount into the side panel under the rear side windows, and a flat panel in the rear by the l/p bracket. The production date was not on the driver door, I got it from the back of the speedo which had been removed and replaced by the PO. I wanted it for the engine and other parts and was planning on junking the body. Is this early GT of any significance to Opel GT enthusiasts? I don't want to destroy a piece of Opel history. With this production date, is it a 68 registered as a 69, or just an early 69 of no real importance. Please advise me.

[Jim Branham]

C'mon fellas, is this subject taboo or something! Nobody knows anything about this? My site searches have not given me much. I know I read something here about the 68, like the date on the back of the speedo but I can't even pull that post up by the search engine.

[jlthunder]

Try this link http://clubs.hemmings.com/frameset.cfm?club=oana

It helped me to verify my GT is an actual 72. The drivers door was dated a 70 but the rest of the car was a 72.

[RallyBob]

Since it's made in September '68, it's technically a '69. If it were made in August '68 or earlier, I believe it would be a '68 model (Opel retools for the upcoming model year in August). Either way, it IS a very early GT, and probably has a lot of unique hand fitted parts that differ from later models. The front bumper should be a two-piece affair, but a lot of those were damaged and replaced with one-piece bumpers.

Bob
'Not a GT expert by any means....'

[PROPEL]

Please give the VIN number and radiator support stamp info to Gary for his 68-69 Opel GT Registry project. That's definitely an early GT you have... it even has the seatbelt mounts under the rear quarter windows instead of on the B-pillars.

If you do decide to scrap this one, save the flat backpanel sheetmetal... it's rare and might be useful for someone restoring an early car.

Walter

[Jim Branham]

Thanks for the info and the link. IF I scrap the car, I will be sure to save the rear panel. I need to do a search to find out how to determine if it is a H-head, did anybody notice the breather on the drivers side of the valve cover. I never noticed one there on other GTs. Truthfully, I don't want to scrap it, but it would be a major task repairing the rust and it is the worst body I've got. That geen and tan look pretty good together. I will send the info to Gary for the registry but I don't the the # by the radiator. I should have it soon though.

[Jim Branham]

I forgot the pics are on the "I have an ilness" posts. This is what I was talking about.

[RallyBob]

Originally posted by Jim Branham I need to do a search to find out how to determine if it is a H-head,

Very simple to tell. The small raised boss area of the head directly above the #2 spark plug has the cylinder head ID number. It will simply say '19H'.

Bob

[Gary]

Jim, If you post the pictures in the photo gallery and place a link in the post, you will be able to have larger photos and keep them all together. (When the new forum program, Vb3, is released, the posts will have thumbnail pictures that expand when you click on them.)

I'm *still* waiting on 2 people who were supposed to be releasing registry programs. Only been 8 months now. I think they are waiting for vB3. Grrr...

The heater control valve is in the engine compartment which points to it being a '69.
One more question, Do the headlight buckets have a drain hole above the headlight like the later GT's.

[Jim Branham]

Yes, they do. I guess it's just an early 69. When I saw that date on the speedo, I thought I had a really special one. I have a 72 with a really good body I was going to fix up, maybe I should use it as a donor for the 69. I do like the idea of fixing that early 69 up to snuff, but is it worth sacrificing the 72? It would be so much work....

[namba209]

Gary, I thought all GTs had the heater mixing valve in the engine compartment, my 72 does as did my 71.

Jim, why not go for two operable GTs, one for you and one for ????

My Significant Other, Margaret, can't wait until I finish the V-6/T-5 mod, she keeps telling folks when I get it done, my back will go south again, and she'll have to drive it. She has made me promise that she'll get to take it to work ONE time to show it off.

Ron

[Old Hippie]

hey Jim, from the pics (if I got the right ones), it dosen't look that bad rust wise. From you comments, I must of had the wrong ones. If I can, I'll show you my 71 rust-bucket that I'm gonna mod. It's butt-ugly now.

[Gary]

Originally posted by namba209 Gary, I thought all GTs had the heater mixing valve in the engine compartment, my 72 does as did my 71.

One of the tell-tale characteristics for a '68 GT was the heater valve was located under the dash. Although Buick/Opel issued a Tech bulletin to replace them with the ones in the engine compartment like the '69- '73's have.

One of these days I'll find the time to scan those Tech Bulletins.

[Jim Branham]

Well, I didn't want to post the BAD pics! Believe me, it's got some rust. If I don't find any more deals on GTs, I have 5, 2 69s and 3 72s plus I just scrapped a 70 with air, the only driver is the one I bought from Kristi from this websites classified (Thanks again Kristi!), I should wind up with 3-4 drivers. I think the 2 extra 72s will be donors for the 69s (rust buckets) but the 72 Texas GT has a very clean body and it's hard to resist fixing it up instead. I just like the 69 models for reasons I'm not quite sure of! Older? Anything with the 60's? First year models? Insanity?

[BQS4]

Jim;
I think it's more from the insanity......