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

[Mike Trout]

Im 19 soon to be 20. Picked up my First 69 GT for free from a family member in New Jersey its with me in PA now.
Mike,

[aknassassin]

I'm 19, rebuilt the '69 GT 4 years ago, still haven't driven it, grandpa took er out on the maiden voyage with no gear lube in the diffrential, well guess what the obvious happened, then a "old mechanic" went to go work on her and cut some important stuff off and i'm still trying to get those parts. haha This forum is great, getting all kinds of much needed help and insight.

[roundl]

I turned 40 in May but I'm going on 20. I've been driving/wrenching classic BMWs for about 8 yrs. Currently have am 87 535i as a daily driver. on my way back from picking up the kids from daycare this January I noticed a small pea green car sitting on a flatbed at a local salvage yard. I pulled over to check it out. it was getting dark but it looked pretty sound and relatively rust free (lower front rockers had a bit). The flatbed driver was getting ready to dump (literally) the car off and scrap it. I went in the office and asked if the car was for sale..he said everything is for sale and asked what i'd offer. I said $100 he said sure and the next day it was delivered with the title.

The car is a 1971 Kadett, 3-sp auto with 25,651 original miles. I called the PO (second owner) to inquire why he/she got rid of it. Turns out it was purchased from a little ol' lady from Woonsocket, RI who drove it occasionally around town and kept it in a gararge. His father bought it from her for $1,000 in 2002 and drove it until he died in 2004. the starter went and the owners son didn't want to deal and tried to sell it locally. No one bit so he decided to scrap it.

It needed a starter and battery, but I've replaced all vacuum, fuel and coolant lines, coolant, plugs, wires, fuel filter, oil filter, oil, diff oil, valve cover gasket, replace flexible brake lines and bleed brakes, rebuilt steering rack (replaced boots and repack), fuel vent lines, drain/remove/repaint gas tank, valve cover and air filter housing. Bought a used starter and service manual on e-bay. I removed the interior to inspect for hidden corrosion. i found none other than the previously mentioned lower quarters. The seats are mint, no cracks of blemishes in the dash. The tires are even original!

Even with all that i've done to it, i'm in it for less than $500 including purchase price. This weekend is the moment of truth. I install the new battery and crank it over. I've squirted Marvel Mystery Oil in the plug holes, let sit for a week and turned the motor by hand. turned nicely with good compression feel. I plan to drive the vehicle this summer and work out any bugs. Still has the original Solex carb. Looking at a 4-sp conversion. this was a rare find for the New England rust belt.

[tekenaar]

Originally Posted by roundl I turned 40 in May but I'm going on 20. I've been driving/wrenching classic BMWs for about 8 yrs. . . . I said $100 he said sure and the next day it was delivered with the title. The car is a 1971 Kadett, 3-sp auto with 25,651 original miles. I called the PO (second owner) to inquire why he/she got rid of it. Turns out it was purchased from a little ol' lady from Woonsocket, RI who drove it occasionally around town and kept it in a gararge. His father bought it from her for $1,000 in 2002 and drove it until he died in 2004. the starter went and the owners son didn't want to deal and tried to sell it locally. No one bit so he decided to scrap it. It needed a starter and battery, but I've replaced all vacuum, fuel and coolant lines, coolant, plugs, wires, fuel filter, oil filter, oil, diff oil, valve cover gasket, replace flexible brake lines and bleed brakes, rebuilt steering rack (replaced boots and repack), fuel vent lines, drain/remove/repaint gas tank, valve cover and air filter housing. Bought a used starter and service manual on e-bay. I removed the interior to inspect for hidden corrosion. i found none other than the previously mentioned lower quarters. The seats are mint, no cracks of blemishes in the dash. The tires are even original! Even with all that i've done to it, i'm in it for less than $500 including purchase price. This weekend is the moment of truth. I install the new battery and crank it over. I've squirted Marvel Mystery Oil in the plug holes, let sit for a week and turned the motor by hand. turned nicely with good compression feel. I plan to drive the vehicle this summer and work out any bugs. Still has the original Solex carb. Looking at a 4-sp conversion. this was a rare find for the New England rust belt.

DON'T DO IT!! Take it from someone who owns a completely stock '69 Kadett LS 1.9 A/T, a car THIS ORIGINAL needs to be left alone . . . don't change anything, not even the Solex!! Trust me, you'll regret it.

I just drove mine 3,005 miles back and forth from Texas to Carlisle with ZERO problems and >24MPG 87RON at an average, on-highway speed of ~85MPH . . . that's right, with an old-tech, non-lockup automatic! Of course the A/T cars' 3.18 rear end helps a bit here, at 85 it's only turning ~3900RPM.

You don't need to change a thing!

[vauxoff]

im 27
ive owned 2 16 valve kadette,4 wheel drive vectra,2.0 16v corsa

currantly i own a 1973 gt,and a turbo corsa bakkie

im from sout africa

[Richard117]

My GT was a birthday present from my wife and son a little over a year ago when I turned 65. My wife and I went to Los Angeles to celebrate my birthday with my son. Soon after we arrived I was presented with a set of rather old worn keys. Since I had no idea what the keys were for, they took me outside and had me standing next to the car. There were a lot of cars on the street, and I still didn't have a clue what was happening until I looked down and saw a big red bow on the steering wheel. I was blown away, since my wife was dead set against having a car in the driveway. Needless to say, the Opel is in the garage--the Trailblazer is in the driveway. Richard

[azopelnut]

Great story...tell us more about the car and how your wife found it

[azopelnut]

I am 53 years young.
The first Opel that I purchased was a red 1973 Opel GT. After saving my pennies for almost four years, in 1973 I found a demo return at a car dealership in Madison Wisconsin. My first GT was great ……but we parted ways when my then roommate totalled it in a late night race in 1976 with a MG on an icy Wisconsin back road
After months of looking, I found another 1973 (this time orange) with only 22,000 miles on it from a Buick Division Manager in Minneapolis Minnesota. I still have that GT although it has gone through more “wars” then the US Marines…still it lives on with about 46,000 miles on the clock.

I also owned a sweet little 1971 4-door Kadett that was white with red interior that I actually used when I sold real estate in the late 70’s. I wish I would have kept that rare one!

My next Opel was another 4-door, but this time a 73 Ascona that has a/c and a 4 speed. I bought this one in 1996 from the original owner (little old lady). This 175,000 mile gem had sat for 12 years but all I had to do was to change belts, hoses, fluids and tires to make a 2000 mile trip from Indiana to Arizona… with no problems!!! Oh by the way… before I made my westward migration I also picked up a clean 1969 Kadett wagon with a 1.1 litre engine it. Not being that much of a 1.1 litre “fan” I sold that wagon and a 1970 wagon (that showed up at my door one night) to my friend Jim at Opels USA.

With two 73 Opel’s in my stable the “Opelitis” disease was left unchecked and I simply had to have more Opels!!!!

In 1999 I hid a 1974 Manta (that someone delivered to me for
$100) on the other side of my house so my then-wife Mary Rose wouldn’t see it right away. I am no longer married to Mary but I still have the Manta..
(its funny how that worked out).

I picked up this 1970 rotary GT in 2000 from a guy in Palm Springs. This was after Marty Reimer let me drive his “rotary rocket” at the OMC picnic… I just had to have one too!!!

Then in 2002 I found another one-owner Opel that had to be mine. It was a 1975 Sportwagon (4 speed with air). The previous owners were just down the road in San Diego and liked the car so much that they sent me a Christmas card to ask how “Berford” (their name not mine) was doing. I invited them to the San Diego OMC event at Point Loma so they could see their old Sportwagon repainted, reupholstered and shining.
They were proud and so was I.

I think I will stop for now but ooooooooooo how about a “grey-market” Calibra!!! Stop me please five is enough!!!

1) 1970 Rotary GT with recaros, 5 speed, and roll cage
2) 1973 GT with 4-speed
3) 1973 Ascona 4-door 4 speed with a/c
4) 1974 Manta with AT and a/c
5) 1975 Sportwagon with 4 speed and a/c

Paul Heebink
1078 South Brahma Lane
Yuma, AZ 85364
E-mail: azopelnut"at"yahoo.com

[Sabin]

i'm 22 now, got my 75 Manta when i turned 16 from my dad...he was the original owner.

[weatherman]

I'm 18 and have been restoring my 72 gt for the past 2 months, almost drivable

[Paul C]

I am 56 and a car man since a kid. Had the absolute privilege of working in the industry for 36 years. 9 years at GM at Port Elizabeth SA in the R&D operations as a trainee and Experimental Engineer. OPEL CHEVROLET and HOLDEN product specialist. 20 years running the technical operation at Nissan SA Product Development, Quality Assurance and Field Service Operations. Raced Opels at a time when GM were serious only about Trans Am Z28's. Smoked the Ford and Mini opposition Big Time. Absolutely wonderful stories. Like building 100 production 302 V8 Firenza's from engines built for us by the Tonowanda Engine Plant out of Parts Dept Stock in 1973! Ran my own Specialist Tuning operation focused on Turbo Diesels and real time rolling road tuning. Out of the industry by choice doing a second career in international logistics in Dubai - love it, my previous career is now my hobby.Love this Forum!

[dan101]

Well, I'll be 56 soon enough. I bought my first GT in June 1970, upon my return from Vietnam. It was a left-over 1969. Wish I had it today! I don't own another one yet, but dream of revisiting that youth someday.

If I did this right, there should be a picture of that blue 1969 GT attached.
Blue, white interior, manual trans, Uniroyal tires... sweet.

[rockytopmark]

I am 42. I do not have the skills of a mechanic or body man, but I LOVE driving them, so this Opelitis thing is getting me in trouble. I need to find someone local to Chicagoland that I can go to for my work needed, as there is much. I am currently in ownership of a 1970 GT that I got from ebay purchase a month or so ago. It was listed in better condition than reality. I even had an inspection done. C'est la Vie. This is my 3rd GT, the first, a 73, being my first car at age of 16. Dad and I did a mini restore on it and I loved it, as did many of my friends and schoolmates. Actually had 5 'people' in the GT a couple times, and going a few miles, not just around the block. Those were the days... Dorve it through all college and it fell prey to the rust problem that Chicago Salt will cause. sold it to another young wannabe Opeler when I graduated.

Got the itch again this year and bought a 72 GT which had an Automatic. I decided after owning that car a short time, that I needed to have one with a stick, so rather than paying a ton of cash to do the swap, I decided to sell it to a guy that wanted to get into the disease, in memory of his just passed Dad.

I hope to make my first ever visit to a group meeting someday soon, probably the Milwaukee Opelers group, listed here on this site.

[72manta]

Purchased a brand new Manta Rallye in 72. I'm restoring a 72 Rallye now, to remember the past. Was the best car I ever had. and now I'll have it again.

[cmhardage]

I'm 38. My first car was a blue 73 GT, and I miss it horribly. I drove it for almost 2 years. Before that, it was my dad's weekend car.

When I went to college, I made the practical choice and transitioned to a larger car. My dad proceeded to sell the car while I was in school and didn't have the money to buy it from him. I've always regretted my choice.

Since then I've looked off and on at getting another one, but I keep making the practical choice. I am determined that when I get my next Opel GT, and there will be a next one, darn it, I will make time and find money to restore and maintain it. Therein lies the rub -- I don't want to back out of that commitment, but both time and money are in short supply. I feel so strongly about preserving such a superb example of automotive history that I won't do a half arsed job of it.

So, I will continue to admire and pine and hope I can find a solid daily driver sometime soon. If anyone knows of one, keep me in mind. I want to be a good home for a deserving car.

[opelenvy]

Originally Posted by cmhardage So, I will continue to admire and pine and hope I can find a solid daily driver sometime soon. If anyone knows of one, keep me in mind. I want to be a good home for a deserving car.

Join up on http://www.texasopel.com. We have state wide meets twice a year and local mini meets every once in a while. There are folks at the meets that don't have an Opel or theirs isn't running, so you'd fit right in showing up without a car. There have been a couple very nice GT's sold out of the group over the past two years, three that come to mind.
Texas is a good place to find a nice clean GT.
Good luck, and anytime I come across one here in TX (Austin area) I always post it on the Texas club site before I post it out here.

[Jo Anna]

I'm 53 and some months old. (Sheesh, you guys.) Female. Learned to drive a stick when I bought my first Opel GT--a '71 new--had to drive it from Flint to Lansing, MI on the expressway not knowing how to drive a stick. I'll never forget it. I shook the whole way home (1 hour + drive) but from then, was changed forever and imprinted with the GT like a newborn duckling. Towed it to MT to the Crow Reservation where no one had ever seen one nor did they have metric tools. First day there watched a drunk fellow lean over and heave on my beloved. Knew then I had the wrong car in the wrong place. Let it slip out of my fingers....
Owned a 73 in '75 and traded it in after Maaco painted it and three weeks later, all paint bubbled up and peeled off. Tried to sue them but Better Business Bureau showed me the file on Maaco they had and said all I would get out of it would be another paint job--broke my heart--didn't have any more money to paint it again--traded it in.....
Found my "new" 72 beauty in July and have had only 1 week driving it before starter crapped out, drivers seat collapsed and carb needs repair. It is sitting in garage and breaking my heart. My mechanic is 100 miles away (my son and future inheritor of GT).
Guess a relationship with a GT is the same as with a man. Broken hearts interspersed with extreme joy...

[jeff denton]

Lempi, I am somehow curious why on earth you would be visiting the Crow reservation, that is the saddest, most desperate area I've ever seen and I've been all over the world. For those who don't know, to come to Montana and visit there would be like going to California and landing in Watts.
Regardless, welcome back to Opelry, and I hope your car gets the help it needs. Don't give up!

[Jo Anna]

I moved to the Crow Reservation because of the Teacher Corp. Man, the play real live Cowboys & Indians out there complete with murders...it was a beautiful beautiful place on the planet but you are right, the Reservation was a disgrace to the Federal Gum'ment--they should be ashamed.--the took the town I lived in off the Rez so they could sell alcohol to the Native Americans. That should have been a crime. They succeeded in finding another way to ruin lives. BTW, I also lived in MIssoula and have been to Kalispell a few times. What a state Montana is!
jo
PS--turned out it was a bad tank of premium gas bought at a small rural gass station. Coupled with a little timing adjustment, the beauty goes to work today and you can't wipe the smile off my face this morning.