How many GTs left? - Page 2

jeffw · 03-22-2005

I was looking at the Opel Garage (Great Job Gary) and noticed that there were several photos like Hippie that included a parts type car
I myself know of 3

1.9L cars that were distroyed back on the rock
given Dave *********' Article " the definitive Opel Gt he suggested the following Numbers produced
31 gt 1968 shipped to the US of 121, 1.1L
11,880 gt 1969 shipped to the US of 34,997, 3,523-1.1L, 31,474-1.9L
21,240 gt 1970 shipped to the US of 24,342, 38-1.1L, 24,304-1.9L
13,696 gt 1971 shipped to the US of 14,715-1.9L
12,055 gt 1972 shipped to the US of 17,389-1.9L
11,693 gt 1973 shipped to the us of 11,380-1.9L
70,595 Total 1.9L GT
I'm not sure how many 1.1L were shipped to the US

Not sure if this poll has been done

nobody · 03-22-2005

Ok kind of an unusual idea, but my input on it is 1 of 8 still around that I've had. A 69, 70, 2 71s, 2 72s and a 73 all have gone elsewhere for various reasons. I know of two other people locally that are 1 in 3 still around. I also know of 6 in junk yards, so that makes 17 I'm aware of off the total.

Old Hippie · 03-22-2005

Ah, but those "parts" cars are great to experment on! I got some great ideas for mine. I REALLY HATE TO JUNK A GT!!!!! I'll try to fix anything. It's a true test of a poor man's ability (to drive his wife crazy!)

kwilford · 03-22-2005

I merged this with an earlier thread...

simplemind7 · 03-23-2005

I see the number for how many were imported to the states, were any imported and sold directly in Canada? or were all of ours hand offs from the states? I know my '69 GT started in Alabama, I still have the plates from when it was taken off the road with a tag good til 83! its been a while. I can count for 4 GTs in my family, I have 2 and the parts from a 3rd that was far to rusty for anyone to dream of a restoration, so it was scrapped. Also another uncle of mine used to have a real clean blue one many years ago, I've only seen one picture of it... always wondered where it is now

soybean · 03-23-2005

Originally Posted by PROPEL

Maybe it's time to start an official Opel GT registry like most other marques have? People could even submit the VINs of abandoned cars sitting in fields.

This came through Classic Opels on Yahoo.

Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 01:59:06 +0100
From: Rüdiger Cordes <rc@opelgt.org>
Subject: Registry

Hello,

ashes on my head cause I have unread 3217 mails of classicopels in my
inbox.

This gives me time to send a mail to inform you ;-)

I have made an update to the registry with chassis numbers in the
european GT group.

And I changed the location for this.

Now its at http://opelgt.org/db/fgnr.php

When I will be ready in some minutes it will contain 160 GTs.
Everybody can see it and register his GT by himself. No membership
required.

Rüdiger

Check it out. Between the european group and this group there could be a good accounting of how many are still around. Jarrell

kwilford · 03-23-2005

Originally Posted by simplemind7

I see the number for how many were imported to the states, were any imported and sold directly in Canada? or were all of ours hand offs from the states?

Yes. Some of us are old enough to remember brand new GT's in the local Buick dealer showroom!

I have never been able to find direct evidence, but reason would suggest that about 10% of the GT's imported into North America made their way directly into Canada (since our population is, and was, about 10% of the U.S.). So if 70,222 went to the States, then about 7,000 came to Canada.

We also had Kadetts and Manta's brought in as well. I don't believe that the 1900's (Ascona's) were ever officially imported here, but Rob Cassidy could straighten me out there (hmm, maybe I have already asked him that)

jeffw · 03-25-2005

My thought is that when they indicated that there were cars shipped to the US they meant North America, Canada included

So How about it Gary
Can you make a pole out of this May be if we could capture the Vin Number wound make it creditable

I'm sure there are still folks out there that have not seen this web site, PITTY!
But an accuarate would realy be nice to know

By the way did anybody see tjhe program "CAR CRA"ZY (Late February or early March 2005)where they had a letter submitted on the air it brought a smile to my face!

regards

netandtim · 03-26-2005

If RallyBob's average is correct of 125 GT's per state, please, please, please let me know if anyone knows of another one here is Hawaii. As far as I know, mine's the only one....rumor is that there is a white one, but unable to confirm.

Matt M240Z · 03-26-2005

We made a trip down to charelston sc the other weekend to get spare parts from an opel guy that we heard about. We pulled up to his house, where we saw just from the front -
1. 95% restored opel gt
2. old yellow unrestored opel gt.
3. a blue unrestored corvetter
4. (this was quite a car) a tube frame car with an all carbon fiber black '67 corvette body on it that was supposed to run in the 5's (yes, in the 1320) at a grand total of 1850 lbs.
5-?. numerous opel gts covering his backyard. There were probalby about 5 gts back ther

apassens · 03-26-2005

Originally Posted by lezliewk

I live in a small town of 900 peeps in north central Ind. I have one gt and a guy just outside of town has three, So that count for four

Let me calculate:
4 Opels divided by 900 peeps makes 0.004 average ownership of a survivor Opel.
70,564 GTs imported to 270,000,000 people in US averages 0.0002613.
That means you have nowdays roughly twenty times more surviving Opels in your town than at the time they were exported.

If this are correct numbers you just live in the GT Capitol Of The World! Congrat's!

greenopelgt · 03-26-2005

I recently ran a nationwide search of the DMV's in all states except Hawaii and Alaska and determined that there is only one registered 1969 Opel GT with the 1.1 liter engine declared as all original and that one just happens to be mine. I still don't believe it..........

Tire Fryin GT · 03-26-2005

Originally Posted by greenopelgt

I recently ran a nationwide search of the DMV's in all states except Hawaii and Alaska and determined that there is only one registered 1969 Opel GT with the 1.1 liter engine declared as all original and that one just happens to be mine. I still don't believe it..........

you count yours as the only one because it has original tires. 100% original doesn't mean the tires have to be the ones that came on the car 35 years ago. I think everyone would agree that yours is a rarety. But I had an ALL original 69 1.1 GT .... Yes it had the oil changed and differant tires does that make it not original? bye your standards you can not change the oil in your GT or it would no longer be original. There are others out there that are 1.1 and original. I am not sure where your DMV search checked but my state doesn't ask if it is 100% original and they certainly don't put it on the registration or verify it in any way.

As for how many left, I know I sent 6 or 7 to Opel GT Heaven, had I known then what I know now, there would still be 6 or 7 left to add to the count.

greensmurf20 · 03-26-2005

well, i have a 69 GT with a 1.1 liter and its ALL origional. so i guess theres two. maybe its a third of a 69 1.1 liter GT now, but none the less was complete when i got it and it is a 69 1.1 liter SR engined GT. built in 12/68 even.

PROPEL · 03-26-2005

Originally Posted by Tire Fryin GT

I am not sure where your DMV search checked but my state doesn't ask if it is 100% original and they certainly don't put it on the registration or verify it in any way.

I agree and would add that many states only ask for the number of cylinders and not displacement. Therefore, 1.1L's would be grouped with 1.9L's as four cylinders.

My GT 1100 is registered and driven regularly. It might not be 100%, but it is close to original condition with no modifications.

nobody · 03-26-2005

Greenopel, I'm sorry, you might want to consider tire rack, OGTS for brake parts. Checker has alot of electrical stuff. With some money and time you can probably get up to a safe driving condition. this site has alot of info on how to.

greenopelgt · 03-27-2005

I tend to agree with Propel, Greensmurf20 and TireFryin' GT regarding the DMV nationwide search but some states include descriptors and most don't so a key word search could be misleading. I can also say that the use of the term "original" is in the eye of the beholder. I know I use the term as a banner for my car as a marketing tool but I do so not to judge anyone who also markets their car using whatever adjectives they so choose. I am glad we can all find the beauty, uniqueness and flare in each of our Opels. I enjoy the diversity of our Opels (all types and styles) as much as I may seem to be narrowly focused. Our differences make us unique and maybe even a little weird to other folks.

jeff denton · 03-27-2005

Myself, I've never even understood the importance of any car being "original".
I much more appreciate one that has been customized to show the tastes, necessities, and talents of its owner. When I go to a car show the last thing I want to see is a car that is original. Show me some "originality"!
Is my car any less an Opel GT than that one that is rumored to be still sitting on a showroom floor? Is Killer GT less Opel than Dallas' sweet yellow "Spyder"?
Tire Fryer's dream GT will have the engine on the wrong end someday, but still we will take one look and say "Right on, an Opel GT!"
Namba's has the wrong engine in it, according to the purists, but there's a GT that has had time and talent and money thrown at it that most of us can only dream of someday doing. Reading the threads and posts at this site as meticulously as I do convinces me that a good percentage of the writers are playing with themselves, not their cars...
Were I ever to be able to go to an Opel gathering and see the above mentioned cars in the same vicinity as all the ones painstakingly preserved and restored down to the original European air in the spare, guess which ones I will be looking at?

nobody · 03-27-2005

Right now I'm working on or have worked on both, I know which one is harder to do and takes more talent. Mine is built for my tastes, all the normally aspirated power possible with brakes and suspension to match. I'm also involved with a restore to original. I can buy, just as an example, aftermarket poly bushings. Ever try to find unbent A arms with original rubber ones in good shape? Restore to original is harder, trust me.

jeff denton · 03-27-2005

I do fully understand why it would be harder to restore to original. I have been working on my '32 REO Speedwagon for fifteen years. Where do you suppose I get parts for it?

What do you do when "harder" becomes "impossible"?
And I do appreciate the talents of a person with the ability to find the parts needed, and there certainly are skills involved in changing parts.
My point was that I just don't really understand why it is that important to be that original, to me it means nothing but to each his own.
Is an original one worth more than a customized one? Is either one even "worth" anything, compared to, say, an Edsel or a Thunderbird? I don't know... Somehow everything always turns out to be all about money, when it is supposed to be just a fun hobby.

nobody · 03-27-2005

It is about choices and tastes, money isn't the issue. Keeping a rare car on the road is the issue. I recently heard of one to be scrapped just to pull the intake off. I don't like to see them taken out of commission unless it has to be. In whatever form they just need to be kept alive for future generations to enjoy.

Tire Fryin GT · 03-27-2005

I know I will catch flack for this one, but here goes. I stopped driving GT's 18 years ago, not because I didn't love the cars but because I was sick of working on them ALL the time. I personally find nothing appealing about the stock drive train. Althought I did have a stock 1.1 that was a great runner and never really gave me any problems.

The GT is a "looks" thing for me and probably the reason most of us started liking them to begin with. I will be replacing every drive train componant in my project. And all I can say to the stock stuff is "good riddens".

Would I like to have an all original GT? Yes I would, in fact I would buy a 69 1.1 with the flat back panel in a heartbeat, if I could find one in reasonable shape. I, as well as everyone else on this forum, would probably jump at the chance to own an original 68 GT.

For now I look forward to the day I get to drive my GT to an Opel Meet and get to show off my handy work. When that day comes I hope it will be parked between Jeff's GT and Dave's 170hp Opel powered GT.

And yes this is a FUN hobby for me, and a long time love affair with the GT.

03-22-2005	#26 (permalink)
jeffw Opeler Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Newfoundland Posts: 61 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Any Idea how many GT's are left? I was looking at the Opel Garage (Great Job Gary) and noticed that there were several photos like Hippie that included a parts type car I myself know of 3 1.9L cars that were distroyed back on the rock given Dave *********' Article " the definitive Opel Gt he suggested the following Numbers produced 31 gt 1968 shipped to the US of 121, 1.1L 11,880 gt 1969 shipped to the US of 34,997, 3,523-1.1L, 31,474-1.9L 21,240 gt 1970 shipped to the US of 24,342, 38-1.1L, 24,304-1.9L 13,696 gt 1971 shipped to the US of 14,715-1.9L 12,055 gt 1972 shipped to the US of 17,389-1.9L 11,693 gt 1973 shipped to the us of 11,380-1.9L 70,595 Total 1.9L GT I'm not sure how many 1.1L were shipped to the US Not sure if this poll has been done

03-26-2005	#34 (permalink)
netandtim Opeler Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: North Florida Posts: 74 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Looking for sibling for my GT If RallyBob's average is correct of 125 GT's per state, please, please, please let me know if anyone knows of another one here is Hawaii. As far as I know, mine's the only one....rumor is that there is a white one, but unable to confirm.

03-26-2005	#37 (permalink)
greenopelgt Greenopelgt Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 337 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	How many Opel GT in the USA?????????? I recently ran a nationwide search of the DMV's in all states except Hawaii and Alaska and determined that there is only one registered 1969 Opel GT with the 1.1 liter engine declared as all original and that one just happens to be mine. I still don't believe it..........

03-27-2005	#42 (permalink)
greenopelgt Greenopelgt Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 337 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	1969 Opel GT with 1.1 Liter I tend to agree with Propel, Greensmurf20 and TireFryin' GT regarding the DMV nationwide search but some states include descriptors and most don't so a key word search could be misleading. I can also say that the use of the term "original" is in the eye of the beholder. I know I use the term as a banner for my car as a marketing tool but I do so not to judge anyone who also markets their car using whatever adjectives they so choose. I am glad we can all find the beauty, uniqueness and flare in each of our Opels. I enjoy the diversity of our Opels (all types and styles) as much as I may seem to be narrowly focused. Our differences make us unique and maybe even a little weird to other folks.

03-22-2005	#27 (permalink)
nobody No Access Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: in transit Posts: 3,873 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Ok kind of an unusual idea, but my input on it is 1 of 8 still around that I've had. A 69, 70, 2 71s, 2 72s and a 73 all have gone elsewhere for various reasons. I know of two other people locally that are 1 in 3 still around. I also know of 6 in junk yards, so that makes 17 I'm aware of off the total.

03-22-2005	#28 (permalink)
Old Hippie Senior Contributor Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Paxico, Ks. Posts: 787 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Ah, but those "parts" cars are great to experment on! I got some great ideas for mine. I REALLY HATE TO JUNK A GT!!!!! I'll try to fix anything. It's a true test of a poor man's ability (to drive his wife crazy!)

03-22-2005	#29 (permalink)
kwilford Über OpelGT.com Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 3,773 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	I merged this with an earlier thread...

03-23-2005	#30 (permalink)
simplemind7 Opel GT? Who makes that? Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Ayr, Ontario, Canada Posts: 632 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	I see the number for how many were imported to the states, were any imported and sold directly in Canada? or were all of ours hand offs from the states? I know my '69 GT started in Alabama, I still have the plates from when it was taken off the road with a tag good til 83! its been a while. I can count for 4 GTs in my family, I have 2 and the parts from a 3rd that was far to rusty for anyone to dream of a restoration, so it was scrapped. Also another uncle of mine used to have a real clean blue one many years ago, I've only seen one picture of it... always wondered where it is now

03-25-2005	#33 (permalink)
jeffw Opeler Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Newfoundland Posts: 61 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	My thought is that when they indicated that there were cars shipped to the US they meant North America, Canada included So How about it Gary Can you make a pole out of this May be if we could capture the Vin Number wound make it creditable I'm sure there are still folks out there that have not seen this web site, PITTY! But an accuarate would realy be nice to know By the way did anybody see tjhe program "CAR CRA"ZY (Late February or early March 2005)where they had a letter submitted on the air it brought a smile to my face! regards

03-26-2005	#35 (permalink)
Matt M240Z Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: SC Posts: 127 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	We made a trip down to charelston sc the other weekend to get spare parts from an opel guy that we heard about. We pulled up to his house, where we saw just from the front - 1. 95% restored opel gt 2. old yellow unrestored opel gt. 3. a blue unrestored corvetter 4. (this was quite a car) a tube frame car with an all carbon fiber black '67 corvette body on it that was supposed to run in the 5's (yes, in the 1320) at a grand total of 1850 lbs. 5-?. numerous opel gts covering his backyard. There were probalby about 5 gts back ther

03-26-2005	#39 (permalink)
greensmurf20 OPEL-LESS!!! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Gobles michigan 49055 Posts: 2,110 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	well, i have a 69 GT with a 1.1 liter and its ALL origional. so i guess theres two. maybe its a third of a 69 1.1 liter GT now, but none the less was complete when i got it and it is a 69 1.1 liter SR engined GT. built in 12/68 even.

03-26-2005	#41 (permalink)
nobody No Access Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: in transit Posts: 3,873 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Greenopel, I'm sorry, you might want to consider tire rack, OGTS for brake parts. Checker has alot of electrical stuff. With some money and time you can probably get up to a safe driving condition. this site has alot of info on how to.

03-27-2005	#43 (permalink)
jeff denton former opel racer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: near some glaciers Posts: 2,774 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Myself, I've never even understood the importance of any car being "original". I much more appreciate one that has been customized to show the tastes, necessities, and talents of its owner. When I go to a car show the last thing I want to see is a car that is original. Show me some "originality"! Is my car any less an Opel GT than that one that is rumored to be still sitting on a showroom floor? Is Killer GT less Opel than Dallas' sweet yellow "Spyder"? Tire Fryer's dream GT will have the engine on the wrong end someday, but still we will take one look and say "Right on, an Opel GT!" Namba's has the wrong engine in it, according to the purists, but there's a GT that has had time and talent and money thrown at it that most of us can only dream of someday doing. Reading the threads and posts at this site as meticulously as I do convinces me that a good percentage of the writers are playing with themselves, not their cars... Were I ever to be able to go to an Opel gathering and see the above mentioned cars in the same vicinity as all the ones painstakingly preserved and restored down to the original European air in the spare, guess which ones I will be looking at?

03-27-2005	#44 (permalink)
nobody No Access Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: in transit Posts: 3,873 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	Right now I'm working on or have worked on both, I know which one is harder to do and takes more talent. Mine is built for my tastes, all the normally aspirated power possible with brakes and suspension to match. I'm also involved with a restore to original. I can buy, just as an example, aftermarket poly bushings. Ever try to find unbent A arms with original rubber ones in good shape? Restore to original is harder, trust me.

03-27-2005	#45 (permalink)
jeff denton former opel racer Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: near some glaciers Posts: 2,774 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	I do fully understand why it would be harder to restore to original. I have been working on my '32 REO Speedwagon for fifteen years. Where do you suppose I get parts for it? What do you do when "harder" becomes "impossible"? And I do appreciate the talents of a person with the ability to find the parts needed, and there certainly are skills involved in changing parts. My point was that I just don't really understand why it is that important to be that original, to me it means nothing but to each his own. Is an original one worth more than a customized one? Is either one even "worth" anything, compared to, say, an Edsel or a Thunderbird? I don't know... Somehow everything always turns out to be all about money, when it is supposed to be just a fun hobby.

03-27-2005	#46 (permalink)
nobody No Access Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: in transit Posts: 3,873 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	It is about choices and tastes, money isn't the issue. Keeping a rare car on the road is the issue. I recently heard of one to be scrapped just to pull the intake off. I don't like to see them taken out of commission unless it has to be. In whatever form they just need to be kept alive for future generations to enjoy.

03-27-2005	#47 (permalink)
Tire Fryin GT Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maine Posts: 137 Classified Rating: 0% (0)	I know I will catch flack for this one, but here goes. I stopped driving GT's 18 years ago, not because I didn't love the cars but because I was sick of working on them ALL the time. I personally find nothing appealing about the stock drive train. Althought I did have a stock 1.1 that was a great runner and never really gave me any problems. The GT is a "looks" thing for me and probably the reason most of us started liking them to begin with. I will be replacing every drive train componant in my project. And all I can say to the stock stuff is "good riddens". Would I like to have an all original GT? Yes I would, in fact I would buy a 69 1.1 with the flat back panel in a heartbeat, if I could find one in reasonable shape. I, as well as everyone else on this forum, would probably jump at the chance to own an original 68 GT. For now I look forward to the day I get to drive my GT to an Opel Meet and get to show off my handy work. When that day comes I hope it will be parked between Jeff's GT and Dave's 170hp Opel powered GT. And yes this is a FUN hobby for me, and a long time love affair with the GT.