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

[lgladdis]

I'm 45 and I saw my first OPel GT when I was 14 years old. The driver was a very attractive woman and I didn't know where to focus my attention; cool headlights!

So it's quite a few years later and I still couldn't get that first impression out of my mind, so I'm elbows deep into a '71 GT.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by lgladdis I'm 45 and I saw my first OPel GT when I was 14 years old. The driver was a very attractive woman and I didn't know where to focus my attention; cool headlights! So it's quite a few years later and I still couldn't get that first impression out of my mind, so I'm elbows deep into a '71 GT.

The car's or the woman's??!!!

[Gary]

Originally Posted by tekenaar The car's or the woman's??!!!

LOL, Good one Otto.

[computerthug]

I was 15 or 16 when my parents obtained this very unusual sporty little car, from a manufacturer that I'd never heard of before. It was blue, with a midnight blue vinyl top, roll-back sunroof, navy blue velour and black interior, and the biggest trunk I'd ever seen on such a small car. A 1973 Manta Luxus. I was instantly smitten...so much that after 2 years of begging, they sold me the car. And now, 22 years later (to the intense chagrin of my wife), I still have not one but 2 Opels sitting in my driveway in various percentages of being complete, a basement stacked with boxes of Opel parts...you could say I'm still in deep smit!

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by computerthug I was 15 or 16 when my parents obtained this very unusual sporty little car, from a manufacturer that I'd never heard of before. It was blue, with a midnight blue vinyl top, roll-back sunroof, navy blue velour and black interior, and the biggest trunk I'd ever seen on such a small car. A 1973 Manta Luxus. I was instantly smitten...so much that after 2 years of begging, they sold me the car. And now, 22 years later (to the intense chagrin of my wife), I still have not one but 2 Opels sitting in my driveway in various percentages of being complete, a basement stacked with boxes of Opel parts...you could say I'm still in deep smit!

If I'm not mistaken, that's a Blue Max!!!

[greensmurf20]

i hear talk of "BLUE MAX".........what exactly is it? assuming its a Manta with a bunch of unusual options with a bunch of blue?

[Boone]

I'm 43 and going through my teens years all over again as the wife left me this week. WWWWWOOOOOOOO HHHHHHOOOOOO, I get the car to myself now!

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by greensmurf20 i hear talk of "BLUE MAX".........what exactly is it? assuming its a Manta with a bunch of unusual options with a bunch of blue?

Charles . . . you want to jump in here and field this one?!!

[Old Hippie]

Boone, sorry (?) too hear about that. I had that happen to me 4 yrs ago. Felt good to be alone , for a while. Now, though, we are getting back together. AND! no static about my "toys", as in Opel, Opel and computers. Plus, I get to build me a new shop. Things work eventually .

[Boone]

Originally Posted by Old Hippie Boone, sorry (?) too hear about that. I had that happen to me 4 yrs ago. Felt good to be alone , for a while. Now, though, we are getting back together. AND! no static about my "toys", as in Opel, Opel and computers. Plus, I get to build me a new shop. Things work eventually .

As hard as it my sound, I do hope that we can work it out, but I seem to be the biggest pr on the planet lol. If I had to choose tho, the car stays Thanks for the answers to my post, brightened up an otherwise drab day

[xxnod96]

Im 35 and have a 90% original 72' GT Im finishing off too sell, and a 69' GT 40-50% to be restored (and sold). And just found what I believe to be another 72' GT, checking it out this weekend.
I have been restoring and modifying 1st Gen RX-7s for about ten years now and before that 70's Ford Trucks and now Im restoring GT's as well. Love the shape and the drive. (Hate the work)

[Wayne]

i'm 70 and have restored 43 Corvairs (incl.Spyders). During that period, I owned a '73 and a '72 GT. Now own a '70 (?) that I'm working on. Worked with General Motors in the '60s and drove one of the first GT's in Augsburg, FRG, in '68.

[Old Hippie]

It's a honor to meet an "original" Opeler, Wayne. Doubly so if you were a test pilot for the 68's GT's .

[yiger]

I'm 22. I bought my GT as my first car when I was 16. I think I'm on my 5th or 6th everyday-driver since then, but I'll never get rid of the GT. Never.

[urbsnspices]

2 weeks ago My aunt let me know she was going to get rid of her old GT. She was selling it for pretty much nothing so I started researching this great little car. In about a week or reading up on GTs I was hooked! I checked with the fiance and she agreed that this would be my birthday/wedding present. So I bought the car sight unseen.

Well trailered the GT home across 2 state lines. I got it home and a day later I fired it up. The rebuilt engine runs great, unfortunatly the car is about 40% rust, not 40% rusty, but 40% is literaly just flakey rust and bondo

Here is the funny bit, I did not know how to drive stick! I knew how a manual worked but I had never actually had a car to learn on. SO over the last 2 days my 'soon to be wife' taught me how to drive stick. She is definitly a keeper. As for the GT, me an my brother are searching high and low for a rust free rolling chassis to swap this drivetrain into. Wish us luck, we have 3 months before the wedding and the move to bring a GT back to life.

Forgot to mention I am 26, and this is my second car. My first is a Buick which I have wrenched into low 13s in the quarter mile.

[GoinManta]

Originally Posted by greensmurf20 i hear talk of "BLUE MAX".........what exactly is it? assuming its a Manta with a bunch of unusual options with a bunch of blue?

See thread.. "Speaking of Blue Maxs" have the adverts for the Blue Max in the thread.

[GoinManta]

How come this thread keeps popping up as a new one?

[kwilford]

With "Polls", every time somebody votes, even if they haven't posted, it shows up as "new". And all polls show up as "un-read" all the time.

[Virtus]

I think its funny to know that most of the US population dont know how to drive stick here in Denmark its a demand that you learn how to drive with stick, unless your crippeled and ofcourse dont have the opportunity to drive stick.

urbsnspices this is not a taunt or anything, i just think its a funny fact
I would definatly keep that soon-to-be-wife if i were you, nothing is more sexy than a girl in overall working on a car

[Bastian]

Hi!

So I'm 20 years old. About three years ago I got my first car that was of course a GT!

Bastian

[Mike Preble]

I'll be 50 in October and my Opel days started in '69 with a '67 wagon my parents bought. 1.1 L and a stick that 8 of 11 of us kids learned to drive in. It was also my first car that I learned to change a clutch and rebuild a tranny that one sister broke a main gear of.

In '73 I bought a '70 Kadett Rallye that my father insisted on instead of a souped up Camaro just 3 months before the first gas crisis hit. Now I always listen to my Dad. That car was with me until '76 when I sold it in Denver. Wish I could find it now.

After that I owned aroud a total of 15 Wagons and GTs but never a Manta until now. Now I own 2 GTs and just picked up a Manta Rallye in boxes. One of the GTs is my DD and the other is in very good condition in storage in Tucson. The manta is to be totaly striped, painted and put back together into another DD. Another fun project. There will be pictures and discription of its rebirth here in the next few months.

I will keep you informed.

Mike

[fredopelgt]

59 Yrs old in my third childhood,

1st owned I GT/J in 1974 second hand. My son complained so much about the camping gear falling on him, could not aford B&B or hotels, we bought Manta "Manta Magic". Followed by "Black Magic" twix times wrote to Opel to be place on the list to purchase "GT 2", to learn prototype only. Nearly cried.

On my 4th GT, Drive Opel Senata 3ltr 24V

[Motor Mouth]

33years old and the son of 59year old in his third childhood!

After complaining bitterly in my childhood about the lack of space in the back of a GT, I'm now pleased to say that I'm the driver and so have all the space I need

As a result of seeing dad's GT photos and an inspiring copy of Mayfair in 1986 I decided I wanted a GT by my 25th Birthday.........and finally realised the dream at 24!.........I'm now on my 6th GT and have plans for many more......but don't tell the wife!!!!

[ravn99]

I am now 30 and turning 31 in less than a month. All my GTs just sort of happened I never planed on being "one of those opel guys" but I love every bit of it. I have done the V-8 thing and the road race thing and the "I got to have that car" thing... Opel has made me mad and glad . But no regrets. I am an Opeler for life-just look at my arm.

[1960 olympia]

I am 39 and we (my girlfriend and I) got our first opel-69 kadett wagon three years ago off ebay...then we saw another one-60 olympia on ebay and got it too -I keep hoping I won't see another one till I get these ones fixed up!! (the parts hunt begins in earnest)