How old are you and tell us a story...

[billiard13]

Voodoou - I can't find the number of that guy in Cumming but i'm still looking.

[BQS4]

Billard13;
It's 770-844-0005 He has had it listed on www.traderonline.com for quite a while now.
Gene

[BQS4]

Here's the link to the page, it's down towards the bottom
http://www.collectorcartraderonline....chprocess.html

[Thom71GT]

Okey Dokey, I have an appointment to go see it on sat at 11:00. Ill take my digital camera with me and take pics. Anything specific you want me to get a picture of?

[billiard13]

Thanks Gene!

Voodoou - Not really. I'm going to need some rear-end body parts for the car i'm going to be restoring but I won't know more until Saturday. Now that i've already bought an Opel for my daughter and am getting a parts car to restore, I really don't want to spend the sort of money he's wanting for that one just for parts. Thanks for offering though.

Claud

[gtzero]

I think I saw my first GT in 1979. We had just moved to STOCKTON, CA in my junior year of HS. The house around the block had 2 GTs sitting in their driveway. I had just started getting into cars a couple of years earlier. And I was big on the DINO 246GTS. The GTs kinda reminded me of FERRARIs with their round tail lights and curvaceous body.

So when my MUSTANG was totaled in an accident, I said I wanted a GT. I didn't know how to drive a stick so I would take my father's TERCEL when he wasn't home and practice. I even took it out to SAN FRANCISCO to try out the hills. Lucky I never got into an accident. Can you imagine? What would you say to yor father?

The day came in 1980 when I saw a GT for sale in SACRAMENTO. I drove up with my parents on a Saturday and drove her home. I still remember my father saying, "it's up to you to find parts and fix her".

Well, I did just that. I worked on everything short of rebuilding the engine. I took automotive shop classes to learn as much as I could so that I could do my own maintenance. And it was fun. I also had a vision of how I wanted my GT to look. I knew right off the bat that I wanted 15 inch BBS wheels on my GT. Because all the high performance European cars (PORSCHE, FERRARI, BMW...) were on 15s. So I saved up my money and got a set. Gold BBS rims on a red GT. Slammed the suspension and got ADDCO sway bars. I also threw on an ALLISON electronic ignition. All was right with the world.

I also got big into car stereos. At one time, I had 1000 watts in my little GT. That's clean power courtesy of NAKAMICHI at 0.005 THD. I've spent more money than I wish to total on my little GT.

While in college, I designed and built a body kit for my GT. I had the pieces on the car but no money to paint it. Actually OGTS has my molds for the side skirts and Gil has them on his car.

When I finally graduated college, I got a job in BUCK'S COUNTY, PA. So I had to leave my car with my sister. Her car had just died and I told her she could use it for a few months until I get settled. Well, I never got settled and she wrapped my car around a light pole crossing a cement divider in the process. My BBS rims were all cracked and the nose of the GT was worse than a pug's.

I decided when I got back to Cali that I would turn that car into a roadster. No top, full convertible. I got as far as cutting the top and slapping on 17inch wheels all around (10inch wide in the rear). That was 1991. And that's how she sits to this day.

I've since gotten another GT and I immediately threw on a set of 17s and started planning a TARGA conversion. During the design phase, I had OGTS put in a 2.4 with FI and a 5spd. And also disc brakes all around. I found out that CORVETTE seats would fit in the GT so I installed those. I designed the bodywork on the computer and gave the rendered images to the body shop. The result of which you can see in my gallery.

I've since gotten a DINO 246GTS and a couple of other toys, but I will always have my first love, the little GT. I have so many other ideas for customizing the GT that I often think about getting another one. But first, I have to finish my roadster project.

Sorry for the lengthy story (actually it could be a lot longer) but that's just how much I love the little GT.

[West Coast GT]

Damn,
I checked your photo album. What a gorgeous car. And, its got a 2.4 in it to boot? This certainly sounds like a sucessful Opel Story.

Was that two separate GT's? Or was that the same one in different stages?

In the photos, looks like the car is sitting in a body shop parking lot. Is that where you performed the work. Because this work looks like its beyond some of our abilities/experience/equipment.

[gtzero]

Thanks,

That's the same car. I just recently got the new white rims. The pics in the parking lot was after she was repaired after a fender bender.

Then I got the rims and went cruising up the coast.

Thanks again and happy Opeling

[gtzero]

Hey West Coast GT,

I used my first GT as a commuter car from STOCKTON to CONCORD for a summer. 3 grown adults in a little GT. The one woman sat sideways in the back because the other woman was 6'2.

[ging]

Yea, these age questions really bring it home. As someone said before I may be 38 but I act more like a teenager. Life's too fun to ACT like you're old.
Got my first GT in college. First thing, I replaced the Solex with a Weber that was not legal in California (are any of them? ) and was happy as clam with my first car that I got to choose. Before that it was VW's that kept getting hit by tanks. LTD's and Monte Carlo's to be exact. (Didn't realize you could bend a VW into a horseshoe shape and still have it sit there and run anyway. The accident report was a hoot. Had a little triangular corner on the front fender of the LTD shaded where there was damage - they just shaded the whole left side of my little representative car.)
ANYWAY, took a friend on a ride to basically show off my Opel and the great acceleration and speed right after Georgia got thier new silvery/grey highway patrol cars. Once I got up to a good speed (no, I'm not telling) I saw one of those patrol cars parked in the median as I passed it. I put up a smoke screen that James Bond would have been proud of slowing down in hopes I could keep his radar from getting an actual speed. You know, reduce it at least a little. Thank all the little GT gods he only clocked me at 76. Ahem. That was significantly less. Still, I never learned my lesson. GT's are just too fun. And never too fast.
Ging

[Thom71GT]

Billiard. Go to my profile and e-mail me your e-mail address and I an sed you those pictures that I took today.

Oh, and Gene, He has a whole engine and automatic transmission out of a Manta if you know anyone that wants one.

[MantAscona]

Hi gtzero,

Where did you work in Bucks County PA? I live in Plumsteadville, just outside of Doylestown.

Duane

[opelblitz]

Well I am 46. I let go though my fingers a '72 GT and a "74 Manta Luxus. I now have a '74 Manta Rallye, '75 Sport Wagon and a '73 GT. My father had a '68 1.1 Kadett LS and '72 wagon. My Great Uncle was a Buick-Opel Dealer. My wife hates the wagon but I'm keeping them both. My Opel's will always be off limits. BTW my 7 and 10 year old loves the our newest Opel the wagon.

[opelwasp]

I am 28. Have had my 71 GT for 6 years. Have a 70 GT in parts in garage and a hammered 73 Manta. Opels have been in my family since 1971 with a 71 Kadett Wagon he bought new. My dad has had Opels since as long as I can remember.

[longshot_270]

Just one more in the over 40 crowd here, actually 49. Bought my first Gt in 73 (it was a 71 and love at first sight) and paid a whole 1,200 dollars for it. It was a blue automatic and unfortunately became the victim of my late night speed runs over the back roads of rural CT (Damn those things were light in the rear end). Insurance company replaced it with another 71 this one orange with a four speed and learning from my mistakes I took better care of that one taking it with me when I went overseas for the Navy. Met and married my wife when I owned that one, she loved it. Unfortunately I had a relapse and it became a victim to a late night speed run, this time in the Phillippines. Returning stateside with a wife and baby girl rich in love but poor on money I saw an Opel wagon (year? 71 I think) for 300 dollars which the owner said did'nt run right. 5 minutes adjusting the Solex had it purring and I had cheap transportation.
Flash forward 24 years and I'm still married to the same gal, 3 kids grown and moved away, retired from the Navy, and needing something to stem the tide of midlife crisis rising in me, then I see and Opel GT. Surprisingly the wife is all for it maybe because of the role Opels played in the beginning years of our marriage. Got a red 73GT about 3 years back and although it ran (poorly) I've finally got it restored and will pick it up from the paint shop today, Just a few more items left to do and I'll be finished with this one. yep that's right, although the wife was all for buying the GT it had to be an automatic so she could drive it, But now its my turn. And so begins my long hunt to find an affordable 4 speed to call my own. Although late night speed runs are a thing of my past (I hope) you just can't beat hitting the curves of the backs roads with a four speed. Just have'nt quite figured out how to tell the wife yet.
By the way, am I the only one who often wonders if those victims of my speed runs ever found a home in somebody else's GT restoration project?

Roger

[mac88chp]

I'm 47. Bought my first car in HS, a brand new '73 Rallye Manta in the signature Opel colors of yellow/black. Sold it a few years out of college to buy a new '81 Scirocco S (another great German car) which was sold off in '89 to make room for a much needed larger car. Since then, I've owned nothing but V8 Mustangs for my fun cars but I've always missed that Opel and someday hope to find another Manta to tinker with and enjoy.

Mike

[opelgt692004]

I am 18 years old and bought my first Opel about a year ago. A friend from work wanted something different, so he conned me into buying it. I had never even heard of an Opel before I got my 69 GT, but I'm big into Corvettes and that's what it looks like. We took it out on the backroads near where he lived, and I fell in love with that little car. It needs a lot of work, and I would really appreciate it if anybody could give me some advice. I'm looking to make it as fast as I can possibly get it. At the moment it isn't running. I should be able to get it back on the roads before too long though. My part-time job isn't the best for buying car parts, especially for a car that isn't even in production anymore. Thanks in advance for any help that anyone can give me.

This is the site that my friend had before he sold me the car.
http://www.graceba.net/~kanzig/index.html

[spamseptictank]

I'm 39 and my 71 GT is my first Opel. Better late than never.

[me1hi]

My dad has always had the opel. With in the last year or so I've been addicted to opels and i always wanted to get this one running(71 GT). Its still not running its a shame, its been sitting for almost 17 years. So its goint to take lots of work!! Im hopping i can get lots of help from all you!!



Kyle Guthrie
Young Opeler
K_K_Guthrie@hotmail.com

[opelgtmaster3]

im 18, and i have allready owned two gt's

[Jnjvan]

I’m 42. My first Opel was a ’70 Kadett that I bought in 1980 for $150. That car was totaled by a drunk driver (not me – the other guy) shortly after midnight on new year’s day, 1981. I pulled the engine, and put it in a ’69 Kadett ($100). A year or so later, my brother totaled that car. I then put the engine in a green ’73 1900 wagon ($125). I also bought a red 1900 wagon ($75, I think) for parts. I put the hood and tailgate from the red car on the green one. I nearly burned the green car up while welding in new floorboards. It seems that the plastic fuel line cannot tolerate direct exposure to a welding flame. Somewhere around 1984, I bought my first GT. I paid $1000 for it. I was a ’70 model, and full of bondo. Shortly thereafter, I also bought a '74 Manta ($50), for the Weber carb. When the ’70 GT got scary rusty, I started looking for another. We had high water one spring, and I saw a GT up to its door handles in the Kalamazoo river. Due to its condition, the owner was willing to negotiate. I got a damp, but rust free ’73 GT for $750. I drove the ’73 for a while, but was never happy with its automatic trans. I gradually transferred over the seats, interior, dash, etc from the ’70 GT. I rebuilt a 9:1 engine (from either the '70 GT, or the green wagon, I can’t remember), and converted the ’73 GT to manual trans. I also added a header, Ansa exhaust, and Addco sway bars. That car was my daily driver for quite some time. I still own the car, but haven’t driven it in several years. I was in three mild fender benders, so the body is pretty rough. One of these days…

John Vandervoort

[kickinback88]

im 22 and got my first opel, a 74 manta rallye when i was 16. i paid $500, complete with the factory manuals and spare parts kit in the trunk. however it was plagued with electrical bugs and a rotten exhaust. i worked over 40 hours a week and went to school for 30, so i never had time to fix it (i did drive it however, lol, loud exhaust tickes from a 4 cyl!). i had to sell it before i came into the navy, and have regretted it ever since. however, after a couple years of looking, i have found a pair of gts, 69 and 70.one will probably get an engine swap, the other a hi-po rebuild of the 1.9. i would still like to get my hands on another 74 manta rallye, tho.....

[greensmurf20]

John Vandervoort:
I LIVE IN GOBLES!!!! i tried to send you an email, but it said you did not wish to recieve emails. please email me at greensmurf20@hotmail.com...maybe we could meet up sometime, so i could see your opel(s), and i can show you my GT i just redid this winter. i have two others sitting around the house, ones next in line to redo. please get back with me, excited about a fellow opeler being so close!!!!
~jared~

[Scott McDonald]

Age: 32

Didn't even know what one was until I went to college back in 1989. Then I saw one (a blue steel) GT in Ft. Davis, TX @ a Veterinarian's office...That's how much of an impression it made upon myself.

I didn't own one until 2 weeks ago. After, my other car (Mitsu-Galant) was stolen, and later found destroyed. I was irritated. Then I thought, "Why don't I just get a used car?" So I began looking, and was not impressed at what I saw. So then I thought, "Why not look for a classic car. So I made a list of all the cars I remember as really cool, and began researching. For upgrades, looks, fun-to-drive regard, AND the online support, like this website, the Opel stood unmatched.

I have learned more here in a month than, I could have thought possible...and the cars look kick-ass!

[nikola]

I'm 55 and my first new car was a 70 GT