NorCal Opelers Meet

[grslightng02]

NorCal Opelers will be having a run/meet in Livermore, CA on Sunday September 28th, 2008 at 9:00am. The official car show we will be attending is hosted by Altamont Cruisers, www.altamontcruisers.com and their car show in old town Livermore draws over 700 cars and over 5,000 spectators!

Dieter, BMWOnly suggested that this be a meeting place for NorCal Opelers and any other Opel owners that would like to attend. Altamont Cruisers is charging a $35 entry fee, see their website to print and mail en entry form. We would like to caravan together so we can get there and park all of our GT's in a row. I also understand that Dennis from OGTS may be there as well with his GT.

Please email me at grslightng05@aol.com with your name, number, and location, if you would like to join us at the run/meet and I can email you back with info as we get closer.

Happy Opeling, Neil

[ephillippe]

I'll see if my Manta and I can make it - sounds like a good opportunity to get the little guy together with some family!

http://www.altamontcruisers.org/ (Looks like the website is .org not .com)

[West Coast GT]

I plan on attending.

[traytodd]

I would be happy to attend but will have to make some arrangements first.

By the way, there is a black GT in Cameron Park for sale if anyone would like me to look at it. It is just minutes away.

Terry
Placerville

My '71 GT is currently down waiting for a brake booster.

[grslightng02]

Hey Guys... Since this pertains to Opelers in NorCal... while I was out driving my GT the other day, this guy here in Sacramento honked his horn at me and told me he had 2 GT's in his yard and he'd sell them both to me for $500 ~!!

Today I went and previewed them. While I don't have an entire $500 to spare right now, I told him I'd talk to some buddies and get back to him. My thought was that a group of us could go in on a pool of $500. We'd schedule a day and time on a weekend to go over to the guys home and pick the cars clean. They've been sitting for nearly 20 years and the interiors are almost gone. One is a 70 and one a 71 I believe.

Between the two of them there are 4 doors & door windows, 2 pop out windows, 2 stationary windows, 2 rear windows, 1 windshield, 2 hoods, 4 headlights, 1 front bumper, 2 rear bumpers, 2 4-speed trans, two engine blocks, miscellaneous lights and lenses. If someone wanted the rest of the bodies, you would have to bring a flat bed with a wench to tow them home.

Also there is another 1973 Opel GT sitting in a driveway not far from me. I looked at it before buying mine. It would need new carpet, door panels, headliner and seatcovers. Body is clean and has a small corrosion area at the rear passenger wheel well. I can't say whether the motor is good or not. We hooked up a battery and the dash lights came on... but motor didn't turn over at all. She said she wanted $1,500.00 for it. Let me know if you're interested.

[BMWonly]

By the way, there is a black GT in Cameron Park for sale if anyone would like me to look at it. It is just minutes away.

I just saw it on Ebay:
eBay Motors: Opel (item 190250461424 end time Sep-14-08 17:54:16 PDT)

I believe this very car sold on Ebay in April 2007, the listing even uses some of the same pictures (I was about to bid on it, and saved the picture).
Interesting, but looks like a very good car.

Dieter

[traytodd]

My GT should be back on the road soon. Dennis shipped a new booster yesterday. I need the GT running since the ABS hydraulic control unit went out on my '91 Caravan (200+ kmi). Dodge is balking at replacing it under the permanant warantee so I need to go argue that this morning. If I can't get them to fix it, it may have to take a oneway trip to the salvage yard unless I can find a way to eliminate the ABS system. I am trying to limp this vehicle along until I get the last one our of college.
Keep me posted on the salvage attempts. My ability to get out of the house is limited due to my wife's illness and with my son now working part time and going to school.

Terry

[grslightng02]

Hey Terry,

Dieter and I will also be going to Old Town Auburn's Cruise Night on Lincoln Way this Friday Sept 12th. No fee to bring your car down. I believe things get going around 4:00pm.

It would be great to see you and anyone else in the NorCal vacinity here too.

Neil

[traytodd]

My son has class on Friday nights so I have to stay home a take care of my wife. Otherwise I would love to run up 49 to Auburn.

I got my new brake booster in tonight. Everything is back together, just need to bleed the brakes then the GT will be back on the road.

Dodge wants $3100 for a new ABS hydraulic control unit for my '91 Caravan. NAPA has a bebuilt for $740. Does anyone know how difficult it is to replace? The van has $200 kmi on it with the original untouched engine. Other than the no whoa it runs great. Only need it for another year or tow to get #3 through college.

Terry

[West Coast GT]

Rancho Cordova has a slew of salvage yards. Most specialise in specific brands. Try ALL DODGE TRUCK PARTS at 11350 South Bridge. 916-635-7602.
The trucks of the same vintage my be using the same ABS control unit.

[traytodd]

Thanks for the tip but I work only about a mile from them. I have used them in the past for body parts and other incidentals. I am reluctant to use them for master brake cylinders and such. Rock Auto has the part for $350 so we should be able to get the van going again for less then 20% of the $3100 the dealer wanted. At that price, I can recover the investment in less than 10 kmi which the vehicle should do.

The GT is abck together and the brakes bled but I spotted a leak from the thermostat housing so no road test tonight. Will pick up a new thermostat and gasket tomorrow.

Terry

[traytodd]

My GT is back on the road. Brakes are great.

Terry

[BMWonly]

My GT is back on the road. Brakes are great.

Terry

Great, so you are all set for the 28th???

Neil and I showed our GTs at the Auburn Cruise Nite last night (last event for this year), they had about 350 cars there, and ours got a lot of comments. I'll post some pictures soon.

Dieter

[grslightng02]

Yes Dieter and I had a great time showing our cars in Auburn, CA. The show was VERY crowded with people since it was the last show of the summer season.

I was also pleased to see my GT make it's first long distance (60 miles round trip) on the freeway through the hills. I didn't push it hard since I just got the transmission working again and the valves need adjusting and the alignment is rough.

Unfortunately I will be unable to make the show in Livermore, CA. I have to fly out to Arizona and help my mother pack and move.

Look forward to Dieter's pics! Oh yeah.... I also bought that Gold Opel GT on craigslist in North Highlands! Excellent body to start restoring while I putt putt around in my Orange GT!

[traytodd]

Well I am sending in my entrance fee. Hope it is not too late. Do we have a head count yet? Is there a meeting location and time? I will probably come in early. I will need to go to the Bart station and pick up Quentin first.

Terry
Placerville

[ephillippe]

Got my fee in as well (At least we'll get one Manta out there!) Let me know how we're all going to meet up.

[grslightng02]

Just a last minute FYI reminder to anyone in Northern California. The Altamont Cruisers Car Club will be having their annual car show in Livermore, CA this Sunday September 28th from 9am-4pm. The show usually has more than 500 cars on display and over 5,000 viewers! This event is going to serve as the unofficial get together for NORCAL Opelers.

Altamont Cruisers Classic & Custom Car Club- Livermore, CA

Click on the link for more info. Unofficially I believe we have about 6 GT's attending along with other owners as well. It would be great if we could all meet there around 730am at the latest to ensure we can all park our GT's in a row or near each other.

Neil 916-370-5578

[GTRoy]

Count me in with gold 1.1, will be coming from Martinez, 680 s 580 e. Is anyone else going that way ? Where & when do we meet ?

[BMWonly]

Count me in with gold 1.1, will be coming from Martinez, 680 s 580 e. Is anyone else going that way ? Where & when do we meet ?

How about at the parking lot of "Lincoln Highway Memorial Park", take the N. Livermore Ave. exit off 580, go to Portola Ave.

7:30 seems early, 8:00 might give us enough time, show starts at 9.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Dieter
530-320-6087

[grslightng02]

Hey Dieter,

If after Chris and I work on my brakes and tune my carb, and me hopefully rewiring my headlamps, If my car is not up to the trip, can I catch a ride with you in your GT and I can give you some gas money$.

Thanks, Neil