79 Kadett C on Ebay

[opelnut10]

Originally Posted by hrcollinsjr "Buggy Springs", that was a low blow, I almost ruined my keyboard from the tears. So your theme song is, "Get An Ugly Woman To Marry You". A couple of lines from the song: But if you make an ugly woman your wife, You'll be happy for the rest of your life. I bought an Ascona project car awhile back because guys like you insist on it's superiority, we'll see. Harold

GT's can be made to handle like a slot car it just cost more to get one to handle well than it does for a 50 series car. I am a big fan of Manta's, and Wagons have their usage also (lots of space for lots of stuff). Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, if your thing is having a "sportscar" then you must be willing to make sacrafices as to room, easy of working on and cost of making them do what they were not build to do. The best Opel I have ever owned as far as all around room, driveability, power and good looks was a Diplomat. It was a prime examply of German engineering and American hot rodding at it's best (IMHO) too bad GM never brought that boy over so more of us could play with it.

[Aardvaark]

Originally Posted by timemachine Harold, No offense intended toward your prom queen, but your aerodynamically superior car was never banned by the SCCA because of aerodynamics like the Manta was. Fact is, Mantas ruled the twisties until all the crappy competition got together and kicked them out. They'd have preferred to allow a rebodied Kadett with the same old buggy springs, aka an Opel GT, had they been offered in the same class. Mantas provide the lifetime experience of a soul mate. But to be painfully honest, for the first time I do have a GT in my garage. Yes, it looks mysterious, has angles and is seductive. I'm thinking it's a fling, that I was seduced by the curves and that it could be trouble I will regret later. My knuckles are already indicating this. I'm not sure where it will end but I've got a feeling I will fix this GT up with care and yet it will leave me in the dark of night, after which I will replace it with a faithful and roomy SportWagon that can still kick that GT's a** up and down the road. Jim

Actually, the Manta was removed from SSS (Showroom Stock Sedan) class because they pretty much dominated, by a lot! The Ascona (1900) was still allowed and started dominating for a period on many tracks until the 77 VW Rabbit was allowed then the Ascona had real competition and the 74-75' Manta's were once again allowed.
The Opel GT ran in SSCS (Showroom Stock Sports Car) class and ran on the track at the same time the Mantas (SSS) did up until The '73 GT was too old to be allowed. Unfortunately cars like the 914-4 Porsche and Triumph GT-6 were generally faster on most tracks and the Opel GT never really caught on with racers. On shorter tracks the Mantas and Asconas could easily beat the GT's if the drivers were of the same talent level but on long straight away tracks like Brainerd the GT could make similar or better laps then the stock Manta's because of better aero mostly.
I ran a 1975 1900 Ascona in SSB and then a 1978 Buick/Opel and 1978 Rabbit
in SSC after the class names were changed to SSA, SSB and SSC and the sports cars and sedans were mixed in according to observed and expected performance. I was about the most fun I ever had with my clothes on!

[heimue]

• Friday, 8pm: The garage door opens in Dallas, TX, and a screaming orange, low and clean 79 Kadett C 2dr sedan blinks at me. I sit in it, turn the key and drive it out of the garage. It's love at first sight. Behind the front seats: a bottle of NOS, with a red warning banner on it "Remove Before Flight". That's exactly what I'll do now, "fly" this little racer home on I-20 from Dallas to Newnan, GA.
• Friday, 9pm: After getting familiar with the Kadett, I'm on my way. Going on the Interstate through Dallas, people giving me a "Thumbs-up" all over the place. Let's do something to stay awake and count 'em.
• Friday, 9:10pm: Memory overload - I stop counting the thumbs, it'll just be too much. I have to concentrate on the traffic.
• Friday, 10pm: Just outside of Dallas, I'm going about 5 over the speed limit, a state trooper jumps into his cruiser, turns on the lights, and goes behind me. Shoot, I didn't think they are that picky here! I stop, and here is about our conversation:
  Trooper: "license and registration please". I hand it to him.
  Trooper: "Sir, I see you have a Texas license plate, but a Georgia registration. How come?"
  Me: "I just bought the car in Texas, and my cardboard plate is taped inside my rear window." (hardly visible behind the tinted windows...).
  Trooper: "So I see that you are driving a ... let's see ... a 79 Opel. Who made that?"
  Me: "Opel did, the car was imported from Germany."
  Trooper: "OK, I've just never seen such a cute lil' car and was kinda curious what it was. Have a good trip, and drive safely!" I'm speechless...
• Friday, 11pm: I'm going around 60, a Honda with a huge front spoiler and rear wing comes up from behind, going probably 80 or so. Parallel to me, he steps off the gas, looking over, all of him saying "I'm a bored 18 year old, and wanna race your freakin' orange thing". He steps on the gas again, pulling off. I was thinking for about two tenth of a second (yeah, I'm getting old, I have to think about stuff like that...), then I was nailing the pedal down to the floor. A moment later, the ricer is next to me again, then I'm gone. He gave up at 120, I continued to 130 before I let it go because I didn't want to spend the night in a Texas jail. I know I have friends at the Texas police, but I didn't want to overdo it...
• Saturday, 12:10am: I'm crossing into Louisiana, and the Interstate is really bad. The suspension on the Kadett is like a brick, and my rear end feels like a test device for gravel roads. I don't see the truck tire on the road, and hit it with the passenger side of the front spoiler. "Nur fliegen ist schöner". It does a BANG like in a war zone, the Kadett goes airborne, I land a little askew with the front towards the right shoulder. That's where I wanna go anywhere, I stepped on the brakes and rolled out on the shoulder. Man, everything there including my right front wheel and tire must be gone! I check my passenger side, the tires are both OK and hold air, but the front spoiler is shredded. A few parts are dragged underneath the car, including the front license plate, and I just rip off the rest of the spoiler and the tag. The passenger fender is slightly dented, but I'll be able to fix that at home.
• Saturday, 12:20am: After I pulled off the next exit to check on the damage without fear that an 18-wheeler kills me, I go back on the Interstate. I see the pot hole on the entry ramp too late, and hit it full force. I stop again to check my tires and wheels for any damage, but I'm a lucky one again. I spontaneously love that little car!
• Saturday, 3-6am: I'm catching a little rest, soundly asleep in the car in a Walmart parking lot, just a mile after crossing the Mississippi river bridge.
• Saturday, 8am: Somewhere after Jackson, I'm going 5 under the speed limit, out of nowhere I see blue lights behind me. What the heck is it now? Do I need a large bumper sticker, saying "It is a 79 Opel. Opel made it!" or what? Here again, the conversation:
  Trooper: "Hi, how's it going? I was just noticing your beautiful Kadett C. Where are you heading?"
  Me: (speechless) "Ahem, home to Georgia, I just bought..."
  Trooper: "Yeah, you know, when I was stationed in Heidelberg in the military, I had just the same Kadett C, same body, just a different color. I liked it so much you wouldn't believe it. I never thought I would see one ever again. Is it for sale?"
  Me: "Ahem, no, like I said I just bought it, in Texas, and now I'm driving home to Georgia."
  Trooper: "OK man, well, have a good trip and drive safely!". I'm speechless again.
• Saturday, 2pm: I'm back home in Newnan, I had a good trip, I was driving more or less safely (except the truck tire incident), and yes, I'm still speechless... AND I DO LOVE THAT LITTLE GERMAN CAR!!! It's name will be "Jägermeister", and the tag that I applied for is "JGRMSTR".

Dieter

[heimue]

some more pics

[Phoenix]

Alright Dieter! I can't wait to see it in person.

[timemachine]

Dieter,

Yeah! That's how you break in a new car! Thanks for the great story. When will we see this thing? Charlotte?

Mark, thanks for the education. I knew it was SSS but stand corrected again.

Jim

[heimue]

Originally Posted by timemachine When will we see this thing? Charlotte? Jim

The Jägermeister will definitely be in Charlotte. Maybe another car too, depending on whether a German Intern working with me wants to come along, driving or trailering another of my Opels.

Dieter

[opelenvy]

Congrats Dieter! I am sad to see it leave TX.
I'm guessing a LOT of ricer boys will challenge you.
Thanks for sharing your story. If you'd have waiting until this weekend you could have brought it to the TX Opel meet before heading home.

[heimue]

Originally Posted by opelenvy If you'd have waiting until this weekend you could have brought it to the TX Opel meet before heading home.

If I didn't have my 10-year-USA-Party this weekend, it would have been possible

Dieter

[opelenvy]

Originally Posted by heimue If I didn't have my 10-year-USA-Party this weekend, it would have been possible Dieter

So is the Kadett an Anniversary present for yourself??
Congrats. I know a couple here, he is German, she is British and they throw a big party every year. They are only on like three now.
Drink a good ol' American Budweiser for me!

[bello]

Hello Dieter- Ernie Bello in So Florida. So you bought the Kadett C! I have a 78 GT/E 2-liter I brought from Germany in 1985. I am racing the thing in HSR, and having a ball! I think the handling and the tossability of the "C" is awesome, always getting comments from other drivers... "what the hell is this thing anyway?" I think, Dieter, you will enjoy this car tremendously. Gruss! Ernie

[heimue]

Ernie - I have heard a lot of stories about you and your Kadett, but never seen a picture. Maybe you wanna post a few, or send me some by email? The Jägermeister has collected some racetracks of his own, in his former life in Germany. You might know them - the top one is the Nürburgring (Nordschleife), the lower one is the Hockenheimring. You can go on the racetracks over there on specific open days, pay a fee and race your head off. I hope to get a sticker with the "Tail of the Dragon" real soon...

Dieter

[BQS4]

I have to tell ya'll, I drove this "rocket" on Saturday, and every bit of what Dieter says is true, this little thing hauls A$$!!!!!!!!!!

[bello]

Originally Posted by heimue Ernie - I have heard a lot of stories about you and your Kadett, but never seen a picture. Maybe you wanna post a few, or send me some by email? The Jägermeister has collected some racetracks of his own, in his former life in Germany. You might know them - the top one is the Nürburgring (Nordschleife), the lower one is the Hockenheimring. You can go on the racetracks over there on specific open days, pay a fee and race your head off. I hope to get a sticker with the "Tail of the Dragon" real soon... Dieter

Hey Dieter- Just got back from vacation- reason I did not answer sooner. I have done several Driving Schools @ the 'Ring with the BMW Club- between '77 and '89- it has a hoot! but it got expensive. So I started racing over here (stupid) in '91! And here I am- still no signs of a cure! I will be at Roebling Road (Savannah) in early September to race with VDCA- my first race with this group. Come on out! Edwin has been out there a couple of times. If I know you are coming I can get you in N/C- hell of a deal for a schmutzfink? This goes for anyone that wants to come out. I was at Road Atlanta in May. If you need some interior trim pieces for the Kadett, I saved almost everything when I stripped the car for racing. I even have a Matter Roll Bar for the car! Hope to see y'all @ Savannah. Ernie

[heimue]

Ernie,

unfortunately, it's on the same date as the Opel Nationals weekend in Charlotte, which I just can't miss ! I just looked on their website, they'll be on the same track again in December, keep me updated, I'll run down to Savannah in a heartbeat!!! Gene, Tony, anybody else? GA & FL Opelers, we could involve some adult drinks and call it Decemberfest

Dieter

[BQS4]

Originally Posted by heimue Ernie, unfortunately, it's on the same date as the Opel Nationals weekend in Charlotte, which I just can't miss ! I just looked on their website, they'll be on the same track again in December, keep me updated, I'll run down to Savannah in a heartbeat!!! Gene, Tony, anybody else? GA & FL Opelers, we could involve some adult drinks and call it Decemberfest Dieter

I'm in, keep me posted!!

[JonsZX2SR]

You're right about the wagons and other variants. Probably my favorite was a '73 2 door wagon I helped a friend build back in the early 80's with a Manta nose and sheetmetal (the Mantawagon..!!) '71 block and hydraulic lifter head, 94 mm bore, flat top 9.2 to 1 pistons, 4 speed, electronic breakerless ignition, sprint cast exhaust manifold and Weber 32/36 carb. With minor suspension mods and 14" alloy wheels that car was a runner.

Too bad he got T-boned by a drunken driver. Fortunately he only suffered minor injuries and got a nice settlement.

[heimue]

I finally got my tag today. Too bad they didn't mail it out a few days earlier, in time for the CLT meet. The Jägermeister is now complete!

Dieter

[heimue]

I found a picture of the Jägermeister when it was still in Germany at a 1/4 mile event. The link is here.
It's the one circled in the attached screen shot. Looks a little different, but the orange cage, the wheels, the sticker on the window and the Kamei front spoiler (not existing anymore) are dead giveaways...
Here is another shot. First pic in the collection.

Dieter