A 20-year love affair

Miss Beth · 09-02-2009

It was 1985. I was 17, just graduated from high school and had a job in West Los Angeles. Because I was carpooling down there every day, I would drive the same path every morning to my coworker's house. It was along that route that I first encountered an Opel.

I had a '69 VW Bug so I was easy to spot. Every day, a beautiful car with sensuous curves and a gorgeous deep blue paint job would pull up next to me and we would drive tandem for a while. The driver was an older man who must have really enjoyed the attention I paid to his car. One day he rolled down his window and asked me if I wanted to stop for coffee one morning. We agreed on that Friday, and then went our separate ways.

Friday came and we met at a donut shop along the way. I don't drink coffee, but I let him buy me hot chocolate and a donut and we sat and talked cars. That was my first introduction to the Opel GT. I don't remember what year it was, but I do remember him explaining that the deep, luxurious color came from a special blend of metallic paint used on airplanes.

I had never heard of such a thing, even though my father was a small craft pilot. Aircraft paint on a car? I was intrigued. Having to get to work, we made a date to go driving that Saturday. I was too naive to know how inappropriate that really was - all I knew was that I wanted to wrap myself in the luxurious cockpit of that sexy little sports car.

I still remember that night. The smell of the leather seats, the satin smoothness of painted metal, the powerful thrust of the engine. It was magic. I don't know how long we drove, but I never wanted to get out of that little car. Eventually though, he drove me home. Soon after, I got a different job and didn't travel that path any more. Eventually I forgot his name.

But I never forgot the Opel.

grslightng02 · 09-02-2009

Now we need to work on getting you a GT to drive!

Miss Beth · 09-04-2009

She arrived today.

I bought a '70 GT yesterday and the towing company brought her to me today. She's basically a start-from-scratch project. Now the hard part - where to start. Theoretically she has a good upgraded 2.0L engine and was drivable recently until something broke in her ignition. So that's most likely where I'm going to focus initially. I'd like to have her drivable by the first couple of weeks of 2010.

She's been stripped and is ready for painting, but needs a little body work to smooth out a couple of dents and dings. No rust though, so that's nice.

See, originally I was going buy a restored 240Z on payments over time that would have totaled over $6k. I decided to put that money into this little one instead. Even in the condition she's in, I think I made the right choice. When I'm done, I'll have the car the way I want it, not the way someone else has restored her.

2 Fast 4 U · 09-04-2009

Good luck!!

Bill Hoffmann · 09-04-2009

Originally Posted by Miss Beth

the powerful thrust of the engine

Sure it was an Opel?

jordan · 09-04-2009

Originally Posted by Bill Hoffmann

Sure it was an Opel?

Same question, though about the leather seats?

alfred · 09-04-2009

You mean I can pick up 17 year olds in my GT?!!!

Just kidding! (did I say that out loud?...)
The only girl I need to pick up is my wife

That's a nice story! Good luck on your car!

after 7 years or so of wishing my GT was running, I have now driven a GT about 80 miles/day for the last 3/4 weeks. And I love it! Granted, I bought another one in better shape, but my original one is now in good hands with my brother.

Miss Beth · 09-06-2009

That's it... spoil a perfectly good story.

Yes, it was most definitely an Opel GT. From what I've seen now of most Opels compared to my memory, it was quite customized. And considering that I was driving a VW Bug, the engine seemed pretty darn powerful to me at the time.

SantaClaw · 09-06-2009

Originally Posted by Miss Beth

That's it... spoil a perfectly good story.

Yes, it was most definitely an Opel GT. From what I've seen now of most Opels compared to my memory, it was quite customized. And considering that I was driving a VW Bug, the engine seemed pretty darn powerful to me at the time.

34 bhp in the bug, if it was the "large one" and 109 bhp stock power in the 1.9 ?

09-02-2009	#1 (permalink)
Miss Beth New Devotee Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Granada Hills, CA Posts: 4	A 20-year love affair It was 1985. I was 17, just graduated from high school and had a job in West Los Angeles. Because I was carpooling down there every day, I would drive the same path every morning to my coworker's house. It was along that route that I first encountered an Opel. I had a '69 VW Bug so I was easy to spot. Every day, a beautiful car with sensuous curves and a gorgeous deep blue paint job would pull up next to me and we would drive tandem for a while. The driver was an older man who must have really enjoyed the attention I paid to his car. One day he rolled down his window and asked me if I wanted to stop for coffee one morning. We agreed on that Friday, and then went our separate ways. Friday came and we met at a donut shop along the way. I don't drink coffee, but I let him buy me hot chocolate and a donut and we sat and talked cars. That was my first introduction to the Opel GT. I don't remember what year it was, but I do remember him explaining that the deep, luxurious color came from a special blend of metallic paint used on airplanes. I had never heard of such a thing, even though my father was a small craft pilot. Aircraft paint on a car? I was intrigued. Having to get to work, we made a date to go driving that Saturday. I was too naive to know how inappropriate that really was - all I knew was that I wanted to wrap myself in the luxurious cockpit of that sexy little sports car. I still remember that night. The smell of the leather seats, the satin smoothness of painted metal, the powerful thrust of the engine. It was magic. I don't know how long we drove, but I never wanted to get out of that little car. Eventually though, he drove me home. Soon after, I got a different job and didn't travel that path any more. Eventually I forgot his name. But I never forgot the Opel. Last edited by Miss Beth; 09-02-2009 at 03:02 AM. Reason: Corrected my age. I was younger than I remembered!

09-04-2009	#4 (permalink)
2 Fast 4 U Detroit,where my home was Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Maria - Hoop, The Netherlands Posts: 2,214 Real Name: Erick	Good luck!! __________________ Opel Ascona; driving one is like living on the edge. Only built from 1970 - 1975

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09-02-2009	#2 (permalink)
grslightng02 Opeler Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sacramento, California, USA Posts: 424 Real Name: Neil	Now we need to work on getting you a GT to drive!

09-04-2009	#3 (permalink)
Miss Beth New Devotee Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Granada Hills, CA Posts: 4	She arrived today. I bought a '70 GT yesterday and the towing company brought her to me today. She's basically a start-from-scratch project. Now the hard part - where to start. Theoretically she has a good upgraded 2.0L engine and was drivable recently until something broke in her ignition. So that's most likely where I'm going to focus initially. I'd like to have her drivable by the first couple of weeks of 2010. She's been stripped and is ready for painting, but needs a little body work to smooth out a couple of dents and dings. No rust though, so that's nice. See, originally I was going buy a restored 240Z on payments over time that would have totaled over $6k. I decided to put that money into this little one instead. Even in the condition she's in, I think I made the right choice. When I'm done, I'll have the car the way I want it, not the way someone else has restored her.

09-06-2009	#8 (permalink)
Miss Beth New Devotee Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Granada Hills, CA Posts: 4	That's it... spoil a perfectly good story. Yes, it was most definitely an Opel GT. From what I've seen now of most Opels compared to my memory, it was quite customized. And considering that I was driving a VW Bug, the engine seemed pretty darn powerful to me at the time.

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