Carlisle 2005

[Gary]

Carlisle 2005 category is live. Post away.

[markandson]

Guess I have to catch up - I'm so darn busy at work after taking one whole day off............Anyway, I too had a fantastic time. This was my first experience with the Opel group and I can't say enough, everyone is great. Hopefully I will have my GT in running condition for next year, maybe not with the full blown built 2.2, but with a nice 1.9 in it, depends on how long it takes me to get everything done.

Mike,
Sorry to hear about your drive shaft, I made it home in about 3 1/2 hours in the M3-----hammer down!!!

[jerseyopel]

Opeldean and jlthunder, the yellow gt is mine and it is a 71 with 73 wheels. Also, the picture Dean posted with the question marks at 2:40 in the morning is me. Had a great time and see you all next year.

[opelgtguy]

Hello Everyone:
Adam and I had a great time - as always. It's been said many times, but it was nice seeing old friends and making new friends as well.
Congratulations to Charles and Ben for the completion of the Manta (and surviving the "semi" encounter). Rob, it was great seeing you and Derek as well as seeing the Broadspeed - I think the word awesome is overused these days, but, AWESOME ! Otto, it was great finally meeting you, as well as Jared, Dean and Jordan. Tom Adkins - your '69 lean green machine is looking nice ! Big Gene and Todd Kirby (my first "chatting buddies") - nice talking with you both.
John Grosh - thanks for arranging the food supplies and recordkeeping.
I know I'm leaving people out, but believe me, it was great seeing you all out there. Thanks for reminding us all why we look forward to Carlisle every year - in spite of the weather !

Tri-State Opelers - let's carry on with the enthusiasm this summer !

Thanks again for a great turnout,
Rick and Adam Gradwell

[opelgtguy]

I've uploaded photos - please feel free to caption them - funny, serious, or just to identify your car in the photos !

Thanks, Rick

[oldopelguy]

Well, I've got to think I'm probably just about the last one besides maybe Otto to get home. It'll be nice to sleep in my own bed tonight. I did keep an eye out for Opels strewn along the side of the highway but happily there were none.

Thanks again to everyone who made it, we had a great turnout in cars and even better in Opelers. Next time I'll have to bring at least one of my own to help boost the #'s. What a great group of people.

Oh Yeah, if you were there and have pictures you didn't post here, please e-mail me them at oldopelguy2-at-yahoo.com, I'd love to have them on file for the Blitz. Thanks again for that.

[Bill Hoffmann]

Well, I made it back safely at about 11:30pm Monday after a 12 hour drive. I didn't hit any deer on the way back, fortunately. It was good to see everyone and meet some new people. Believe it or not, I spent a lot of the trip thinking about the cross country drive to the OMC meet, and I'm really looking forward to that even more now. But that's the subject of a future thread...

Bill Hoffmann

[opeldean]

i always wanted a german plate $10

i picked some tools at good prices...finger ratchets were two for $9..there was a lot of stuff like abrasives/sanding supplies at good prices too

[jpavlack]

Although I only came for a couple hours, I thought Carlisle was great. I am very happy that the Broadspeed made it and received its appreciation. I still can't believe I personally saw a legendary Broadspeed!

[Stanley_P]

Dean,

I had a German Plate I would have traded for lunch. Did you have any
troubles getting a "taker" on the rims?

Stanley_P

[mr_udy]

Just posting to let you all know that even as a "bystander", I thouroughly enjoyed the show. Unfortunatelly, I was not able to bring my GT to Carlisle due to some brake problems and a bit of (minor?) chain/guide/tensioner noise that was making me aprehensive of the 5.5hr drive. It was still great to see all the cars...from in-process restos, drivers, racers, to mint conditions restorations/originals. Nice to talk with many of you and put faces to the cars/user IDs. Hope to see even more cars/people next year. You can count on at least 1 more as I am going to make it a winter priority to have my '73GT prepared for Carlisle '06!

[greensmurf20]

a friend jokingly come up with a great idea at school today. could carlisle 06' possable be transformed into a graduation party for me and jordan? as i believe he also graduates next year.

[opeldean]

stanley:
what kind of lunch? ...

we took the southern route to pu the rims from you, we liked the drive so much,we repeated it. western ky was pretty and so was west virginia.interstate was great.

yes,the rims are spoken for. i brought them to carlise and gene(bqs4) took them back to his " connections to ship them" . he shipped my prior rims for dirt cheap and he will ship these other rims to micah1(thomas). they have already worked it out. the rims we got from you will be on micah1 's car soon.

micah1 was happy to get the wheels and more so with the shelby center caps you threw in.

[tekenaar]

Several of you asked me what kind of mileage I got on the trip up from Texas with my '69 Kadett 1.9 with Solex and A/T. I had roughly calculated it at 22.8 mpg in my head and that's what I said. I was wrong!

Kept a detailed log of gas used on this trip to Carlisle, PA and back, detouring via Richmond where I visited my son in his new home. While I'm at it, let me sing some praises on BP/Amoco gasoline . . . engine ran really strong and smoother with it, better than with other brands. Too bad they don't sell it in Texas.

Put a calculator to it just now and found I was a bit off. In a nutshell, I traveled 3005 miles using 124.4 gallons of gas . . . that's 24.16 mpg!! That's in a "brick" with a non lock-up automatic at 85 - 90mph (~3900RPM) for 90% of the time on the Interstates! Engine ran like a fine watch . . . several stretches at well over 100mph. Not bad for a '60s technology carbed engine (you do remember the Solex, right?) and auto transmission!

[BQS4]

I have posted some of my pics, not all, will do more tomorrow. I'm still trying to catch up!

[BQS4]

BTW, Dean/MICAH1
The wheels will be shipped out via UPS tomorrow. Had to get caught up at work first before mailing out packages

[greenopelgt]

Thanks to all for the postings and pictures (to date). REMINDER: Don't forget to also forward your pictures to Steven (oldopelguy) as a potential pool of pictures for future publications of the BLITZ.

( For information if interested)
Ms. Opel (my 1969 original Opel GT with the 1.1 Liter and 17,094 original miles) received a very fair, comprehensive and detailed inspection and judging in the Standards of Excellence Judging event. She received Endorsement (average) ratings for the under carriage, engine and the exterior presentation. She received Compliment (above average) ratings for the interior and storage areas. I received some great advise from the judges which should inspire me to take her to the next level. No commendations so no trophy.
Also, for your information, MY $50 bucks in registration fees I got my car critically judged by third party professionals, I received 4 nights for camping, parking space close to the Grandstands for my truck and trailer, under tent parking in the #1 slot for the SOE judging, $300 worth of professional detailing supplies from IBIZ and Meganius (spelling ??), the ability to move my car to the Opel field area and the opportunity to help John by preparing lunch on Saturday, selling raffle tickets (sold out) and then calling the actual raffle of items (Gil and Sir Charles Goin donated the prizes folks) and tallying the people's votes for the four awards given out by the North American Opel Association. By any measure, I got my money's worth and then some.

I just got to my computer since I had to make a detour on the way home due to my mother having surgery at 6:30 am Monday morning in Kentucky. I got to experience the 656 mile trip from PA, thru Maryland, VA to West VA to Kentucky. I was a walking zombie yesterday.

I am retired so give me 3 days rest and I'll be off again.... to somewhere.

It was great meeting the folks with weird names on the opelgt list. Oldopelguy offered to move an air filter ( originally from Jared) to me so catch me off list at <tadkins1 "at" cinci.rr.com> Steven.

I really enjoyed the diversity of cars presented by us Opel folks and I got to see a Broadspeed Turbo. It took me forever to learn the various Opel models.

Keep the faith and the hard work up and maybe next year we can get even greater numbers in Carlisle and beat out those BMW, TR and Audi folks.

GO Opel....................


Regards,


Tom Adkins
Cincinnati, Ohio

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by Rionart Hey Everyone, Just reporting in....Derek and I, and the Broadspeed are all home safely, 9 1/2 hours on the road, plain sailing all the way. I have to say I'm still pumped with the reception the car received, and to come home with best of show is awesome, and was honestly unexpected. A huge thank you to everyone, it was a brilliant weekend, and I hope everyone enjoyed themselves as much as we did....and you are all home safe. OK, time for a last couple of beers to round the whole trip off nicely.... Rob.

Just wanted to post a personal "Thank You" to both of you for chasing down that little pencil magnet for me. That is what allowed me to fix the oil pressure problem that thankfully showed itself on the way to the showfield Saturday morning, with Gil in the car, no less. Talk about having a multitude of resources available at your fingertips! Very lucky that!!

Couldn't retrieve ball initially due to suction of oil behind ball being stronger than magnet. Assembled regulator and briefly started engine to pressurize ball. Then immediately disassembled regulator (old style, side of timing cover) again and was then able to retrieve regulator ball.

Once checkball was retrieved from oil passage, found small piece of metal on surface that kept it from seating, effectively creating a huge pressure drain right at the oil pump outlet. Piece of metal was luckily ferous, so it came right out with the steel check ball. Looked like a small piece of threading that had broken off somewhere and wedged itself between the OP regulator ball and seat.

I had no other mechanical issues on the rest of my 3005 mile trip other than the little razorback that tried to cross I-40 in TN when I was doing 88 in the slow lane. And I thought AR was the razorback state!!! Dashed out of the shrubs at the edge of the road just as I was coming on. He lost, but took out my right side Rallye light below the bumper and bent some sheet metal there. I digress.

Learned something else from Rob . . . asked him about his Rionart moniker. Assumed he was in "art" business somehow. Well, secret's out. Nothing to do with "art" at all. His given name is Robert and, once upon a time, he had a girlfriend named Iona. Had too many things tied to it and never changed it. Hope you don't mind, Rob!

[Mach1Tom]

Hello fellow Opelers,

From the posts & pics it looks like Carlisle was a huge success again. I really wanted to be there. Unfortunately, they wouldn't discharge me from the hospital till they could get my 102-103 daily fevers under control. So, FINALLY after 46 days, I'm "outa there".(minus a few parts) I was discharged Monday evening & have been getting situated at home the last few days, along with going through a pile of bills.

Again, I really want to thank everyone for the posts & calls that made my stay a bit easier. Rick G and I email & talk regularly, so when he sent an email after Carlisle with a pic attached, I figured it was of him & Adam with some Opels in the Background. WOW, was I surprised to see that huge "Get Well" banner & all of the Opelers there in the pic. I recognized & could name over half the people. To the others that I haven't had the pleasure to meet, I truly thank you. I hope to meet all of you in the future at an Opel event. The OMC meet is still a possibility for me as is the RT 66 event.

To top it all off I get a package today with an Opel GT model & a "Get Well" card signed by many of the Carlisle Opelers. Words can't say how much I appreciate the closeness & friendliness that this club has to offer. That's why this is definitely the best car club I've ever been invovled with.

Thanks again,
~ Tom C

[Willy_g77]

glad to hear your doing better Tom. man it looks like it was a blast. those are alot of nice photo's of the show. if i get my opel done, it will be there next year, hopefully.. and i have a question... those gt's that have those real nice big sporty wheels, do those rims have to have spacers?