Best GT Year for Quality and Performance

[rockytopmark]

What is everyone's opinion, Subjective and/or Objective... as to what was the year the GT was built with the most Quality and Performance?

[greensmurf20]

best performers were probably 69 and 70 GTs, which had high compression engines, best quality built were probably the 73's, had extra bracing in the doors what whatnot.

[baz]

i thought the best year for both was 2005 as they just get faster and better

[jlthunder]

I'd have to say '71 and 72 because they have the better rear axle(well you can get parts for it) and don't have the dreaded 2 extra holes in the cylinder head.

[saxybiker]

My little 69 outruns all our other ones!

Vickie

[Motor Mouth]

I have to say '68 purely because I can and it's not on the list!

Worst engine has to be '73......it's asthmatic!

[neuropel]

Years ago (perhaps even on the old Armory list) there was a discussion on this and the '72 GT was rationalized as being the best one to have.

Dang...has it been 10 years since those old days? WOW!!

[GTJIM]

The '69/'70's had the best performance with high compression engines but the quality of the cars is reputed to have improved through to '72
A '72 with retro-fitted 9:1 pistons and a 32/36 DCD Weber is one of the best!
THe original owner of my '72 had these fitted in late 1972 after taking the car back to the dealer and complaining about lack of power - so mine has the best of both eras.
BTW: The bodyshop that restored my car had a 1975 Ferrari there at the same time and the comparison between the Opel and Ferrari bodywork was a revelation - the Ferrari was noticeably inferior!

[Al Olmo]

and don't have the dreaded 2 extra holes in the cylinder head.

Can you explain what this is??.

[jlthunder]

Yes, I can

From Mid Model Year 1972 until 1975, there were two extra holes drilled in the front of the head, in front of the timing gear. They went into the timing case. It may of been a response to oil leaks.

The problem with these heads is that they were "hardened" so the valves could tolerate the unleaded fuel being introduced. They were not very tolerant to heat, sooooooo if you overheated just once, you were very likely to crack a valve or the head. The earlier style heads were more tolerant to heat.

There are others here who could go into more detail.

HTH

Jeff

[Al Olmo]

I see I never knew about this.

[gtmaxx]

Thats Cool....But i have a 1971 Gt with a 1970 Gt 1.9L Motor with the high Compression so id like to know what the diffrence is instead of the loss of about 20whp loss from 1970 to 1971 because of the emmision law in 1971. P.s...I got a CD player for my car today and put it in it's all coming together! Slowly