Kermit will live again...

[TallyOpel]

and I'm more car savvy than computer savvy, so I can't save the pics of Kermit from my phone as a jpeg file on my computer...dang! Ah well...

Hello, my name is Chris, and it's been 20 years since I had my last ride in my Opel GT. I'm about to fall off the wagon.

I've had Kermit since I was 17 years old. I'm now 46. I continued to drive him, as a daily driver, until I had child #2, and as you know...a GT is only a two seater, and I couldn't exactly ditch the child. Besides, it was time to take him down to the metal for a full on restoration.

Well...life happened, as it tends to do. Both of my girls are in college now, and I've had my fill of other sports cars, so it's time. The TR3 was a mistake. The Austin Healey Sprite, a larger mistake, and I so should've fixed Kermit instead of buying my dream car, a 1987 Lotus Esprit, last year of the flying wedge, Johnny Player Special Edition. My Dad worked on British cars. I was his apprentice for years and years. I freakin' knew better. "Why do British drink their beer warm?"

I would love to sell Colin Lucas. My husband wants to keep him. It's a dilemma, but I digress.

So...anyhow...Kermit's body has been restored to his former glory. Kermit's seats have been recovered. The machine shop of my choice has finally reopened, so I can finally finish building the motor my Dad and I began. In theory it never gained oil pressure, but I wasn't there when Dad started him the first time...with the performance cam, with the 50 over high compression pistons, with the dual webers. I often wonder if Dad fibbed after taking him down the road and deciding it was too much car for a 17 year old lead foot. A different, low mileage, stock engine was installed, and Kermit was back on the road after, to quote my Dad, "I drove the piss outta' my pistons." It was a sad day when rolling him down the hill and popping the clutch failed to bring about the appropriate response...and I digress again...

I'll likely be checking in looking for parts that have been misplaced through the years, and probably offering extra parts to those in need. I've purchased four parts cars thus far, the latest of which was just this week, so I highly suspect I'll have left over pieces/parts.

Thanks for letting me introduce myself, and digress...

[Phoenix]

Lime Green?

Engines the easy part, sounds like you already got the hard part out of the way- the body.

[TallyOpel]

Originally Posted by Phoenix Lime Green? Engines the easy part, sounds like you already got the hard part out of the way- the body.

Promise not to tell?

1999 Ford Jalapeno Green Pearl

Super close to the color he faded to, that I liked better than the color in the door jams.

[TallyOpel]

Figured it out.

The leaves are falling. I couldn't take the pictures fast enough.

[Aardvaark]

Hi Chris and welcome. Your story is interesting and it sounds like you are on track to driving your Kermit again soon!
It's also nice to have another lady Opel enthusiast join us.

[TallyOpel]

This is the one I just purchased.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWNX%3AIT

(Posting the link does help.)

It, and the extra parts that come with it, will be enroute to my Dad's shop (not my shop; my landlord would have a fit) next weekend. Where he will sit next to the next project AFTER Kermit. The 1958 Morgan +4, that Daddy left to me. I rather have Dad.

The Morgan:

My brother was determined that we'd find all the parts before leaving the shop, and he insisted we were missing the round body panel in the back. I asked, "You mean where the round spare tire goes?" He then told me to shut up.

[TallyOpel]

Originally Posted by Aardvaark Hi Chris and welcome. Your story is interesting and it sounds like you are on track to driving your Kermit again soon! It's also nice to have another lady Opel enthusiast join us.

Thank you. I'm glad to be here. FINALLY!

[BQS4]

I hope you have a cover/blanket for Kermit, as he has no glass in/on him....

[TallyOpel]

Of course I do.
I'll actually probably be carting him up to my Dad's shop in Dublin, GA.

I'd put him inside mine, but mine is an actively working shop, and if someone dinged or scratched him, I'd have to kill 'em.

[saxybiker]

Chris,

Welcome...It is great to have another lady "Car Enthusiast/Opeler" aboard. Having a Morgan is awesome... perhaps the only wood-framed car still made! Very cool.

The Opels, though, somehow they get in your blood, and by your recent acquisition I can see that Opelitis has already bitten you. If you are not careful, many more Opels will be following you home!

Perhaps we will be able to meet at one of the Opel Events.

Vickie

[TallyOpel]

Originally Posted by saxybiker Chris, Welcome...It is great to have another lady "Car Enthusiast/Opeler" aboard. Having a Morgan is awesome... perhaps the only wood-framed car still made! Very cool. The Opels, though, somehow they get in your blood, and by your recent acquisition I can see that Opelitis has already bitten you. If you are not careful, many more Opels will be following you home! Perhaps we will be able to meet at one of the Opel Events. Vickie

That Opel is a parts car. My fourth GT parts car. It's sad why I felt I needed it. I've parted out two others. All of the parts from Kermit and those parts cars are sitting in bins...scattered by the winds of time. I've got one GT sitting at the shop in its rusted entirety, but it's got an automatic transmission, and I need all the missing bolts and sh*t for a manual. I've also got a Manta sitting at Dad's shop that the stock engine came out of.

I do hope to get involved in Opel events, as time marches by. I must admit I feel a bit out of my league here. I've been working on Volvos for the past 18 years. I've lost my GT skills. It's time to find 'em.

The Speedster could follow me home. I'd be totally okay with that.