Is the Rarest Manta a 1973 Silver with Grey Interior Luxus ?

[GoinManta]

All the talk of the 1970 and Blue Max Mantas, would make one think they were rarest of them all.. (as far as US Imported Mantas go..)

I think there is one rarer.. FAR rarer..

Saw it for the first time at the Tacoma show and didn't believe it. I realized then that I had seen one other one a Carlisle a few years back.... but thought it was a custom modified Manta.

The 1973 sales brochure doesn't mention it and now that I can't find my 1973 Dealer Sales Book I can't check it out there.

This would be a Silver with GRAY Interior Luxus. Like the Blue Max its center console, Luxus arm rests, headliner, sun visors, grab handles, etc... were gray. I didn't have my camera during the show so I didn't take pictures. But it was really cool looking.

Does anyone know how many were made or imported? I know since I am not old enough to have driven in the 70s' when more of the skinny bumper Mantas were around, I maybe off base and they were popular but not noticed at the time.

Talking with Todd Martin (Opels Unlimited) he can only recall coming across 2-3 of them in all his years of parting Opels and I have only seen the two I mentioned.. so it would seem they have to be really rare...

BTW if anyone has a 1973 Gray interior.. I would love to get it

[BQS4]

Charles;
They were "rare" I have only seen one, it was here in GA, but, a long time ago. It was a kinda "one-off" like the Blue Max, those that ordered/bought one really didn't know what they had. With the Manta being as popular as a GT, not a lot of people paid attention to the various Manta models as they came down the road.

[Steinmetz Manta]

Hello Charles,

here is an Pic from one,but only he have no Vinylroof.
In Europe is it an Berlinetta,this Series was only in 4 Colours to buy,
Taragonared,silver,brownmetallic,and blue and later monzablue like the Blue MAx.
This Series has all Interiorparts in Colour and a coloured Vinylroof.

Here is an Pic from an silver Berlinetta,an the first Owner buyed it without Vinyl.

http://www.opelgt.com/forums/opel-ev...g-germany.html

Greetings Michael

[Aardvaark]

I don't recall them being all that rare in '73. I passed on at least one when
I picked my Maroon/maroon Luxus off of the dealers lot in Cedar Falls, Ia.
The silver body/body cord interior was one year only, iirc.
Btw. The dealer showroom brochures are not a great source of info on what was actually shipped to dealers. They were printed months before cars were actually built usually.

[opelspyder]

Charles the rarest Mantas are the ones you have or have owned, after all the talk about Mantas-I want you to know you have them, so no worries. Nobody can come close
You are now the "Manta Master"

[Aardvaark]

The 1973 sales brochure doesn't mention it and now that I can't find my 1973 Dealer Sales Book I can't check it out there.

Huh? I went and checked my '73 sales brochure after the last post, and there is a Silver with grey cord/ dark grey vinyl roof Luxus, ON THE COVER!
And I don't see that it mentions the other two color combos either. Only
pictures of all three.
I'll be happy to scan the front cover and post it if you want.

[GoinManta]

I guess what I meant was the brochure where it mentions the Luxus, and shows pictures of interiors shows burgundy and blue. Never actually mentions the gray. I will relook at my brochure.. Didn't look at the one on the cover. But even then, you're looking through a windshield.

The reason I think its rare.. is we know the Blue Max is fairly rare.. and I have seen a number of them. Gray interior 73' Mantas few have seen.. but again maybe I was just not noticing them. Now that I am looking for them I will find them all over.

Like buying a new car and then seeing it all over the place even though before you didn't see any in the area.

[Aardvaark]

I can't say how many silver/grey int. 1973 were sold but I speculate fewer
have survived because the older used ones I've seen tend to have much more soiled looking interiors and generally look shabbier then their darker color, corded counterparts with the same amount of usage. Just a hunch.

Also, the silver Luxus on the cover of the 1973 brochure clearly shows it's
silver-grey corded interior.

[Aardvaark]

Also, Iirc the BlueMax was more or less sales promoter like the Maverick
Grabber or Pinto Pony and MPG, also of the same time period. An attention getter to liven up sales during the oil embargo of the early '70's.
Other makes followed suit to liven up sales. Dodge dealers did the "White Hat Special" models.... and there were more.

[Jonzo]

Charles,

I've located one of those '73 Silver Manta Luxi that you've been raving about. It's for sale on eBay. It needs a little work though.

OPEL MANTA LUXUS 1973:eBay Motors (item 200347696667 end time Aug-28-09 09:20:38 PDT)
Jonzo

[GoinManta]

Have to check it out.. but already have four and no room. Right now eBay is blocked on work computer. So I can't right now. I am really curious what the numbers built are on it and the other color combinations.

[OpelGT-de]

I saw a couple of Manta with grey fabric interior in my live, but never before a sep 70 made one with all the US features, i.e. side markers, etc...

[blitz74]

My 73 Manta Luxus was originally this color combo.. silver ext with all gray interior. Not anymore!! Now it's kind of a Rallye clone, yellow/black. The only thing that wasn't gray was the console. (4 speed car with early style console)

[manta73wi]

Here's a California silver 1973 Luxus that sold on eBay for $1800 recently. The first time through it was bid to around $1100 and didn't meet reserve. Looks like it has been repainted, the gray cloth replaced with gray vinyl, and something done with the vinyl top. Still looks like a fairly nice car.

Opel:eBay Motors (item 260437892289 end time Jun-30-09 14:31:24 PDT)

Here are a few pics from the listing.
-Jeff W.

[Aardvaark]

I still think about equal numbers of 1973 Luxus in the various
colors were sold based on my recollection.
I've seen plenty of the Silver ones over the years.

[GoinManta]

I'm thinking these are like the Blue Max.. Rare until you actually look for one.

So far in the level of rarity I HAVE looked for:

1968 GT (seen 2 POSSIBLE candidates) Data varies.. anywhere from about 50 to 1200 made..

1971 Four Door Opel Kadett (I own one, know of one other that runs, and one that is desitined for the junkyard soon.. and seen one at OU 10 years ago).. I do have data on them.. only 630 or so imported.. That said.. barring me and a few others no one cares about them but they are REALLY Rare.



1970 Manta ( Know of 2 documented 9/70 or earlier Mantas)

1973 Blue Max ( Seen or know about a dozen.. as per Rainer there were 1500 made)

The 1973 Silver/Gray Luxus (Seen 2.. now know of 4 more.. maybe not as rare as first thought.. but no known production numbers yet.. but obviously rare to some extent - Rainer ??)

4 Door Ascona (I THINK They were available 71-74... but haven't actually checked.. just know they are not common.. Seen about a dozen.. and swear one was a 74 model)

1964 Kadett A (seen 4 or 5 and have a few members here with them.. may not have been rare in 1964.. but I have seen more 57-59 Rekords than Kadett A)

The 57-59 Olympia/Rekord.. see a few of them over the years.. only 2 or 3 that ran.. again not rare in the 50s.. but today they are very uncommon.

Then there are the Commodores and other Gray Marketed cars..

They don't count.. as they were never imported.. but my best guess.

Rekord/Commodore A (A dozen.. at least in the US)

Rekord/Commodore B (3 I know of.. only 1 Commodore B...)

Diplomat (Seen 1, heard of another)

Monzas/Senators ( Know of 3-4)

Manta B (Know of 2 maybe 3)

Kaddet E (Seen 1 about 20 years ago... maybe others)

Calibra ( Heard of 2 in the Norfolk area and if ANYONE knows where one is let me know before Rob gets his greedy paws on it

Other Newer Opels (they pop up from time to time.. even heard a Tigra was in the US.. never able to track it down)

[GoinManta]

I still think about equal numbers of 1973 Luxus in the various
colors were sold based on my recollection.
I've seen plenty of the Silver ones over the years.

True I have seen a lot of Silver Mantas Luxus' as well.. most with Red Interiors..

That said... how many have we all seen since say.. 1990.. ?

[RallyBob]

The 1973 Silver/Gray Luxus (Seen 2.. now know of 4 more.. maybe not as rare as first thought.. but no known production numbers yet.. but obviously rare to some extent - Rainer ??)

I have never seen one of these cars. When I worked for C & R as a teenager I stripped 2-4 Mantas per week. Probably 20-25% of them were Luxus', and of those about 75% were blue on blue. Keep in mind this was in New England and I'm sure the predominant color and model choices varied region to region. I've only seen a handful of silver Luxus' up here, and all those had the burgundy interiors.

4 Door Ascona (I THINK They were available 71-74... but haven't actually checked.. just know they are not common.. Seen about a dozen.. and swear one was a 74 model)

I have two of these in my possession at this time. Had a third one, Duane has that car now and races it. None were imported after 1973...they would have had to federalize the car w/big bumpers, which costs money. So they were imported from 1971-1973 in the US, but I think they still had the 4-doors until 1975 in Europe. A lot of these have popped up in the last 10 years or so for some reason, probably because the cars tended to appeal to older drivers and haven't been abused as badly.

Bob

[GoinManta]

I have never seen one of these cars. When I worked for C & R as a teenager I stripped 2-4 Mantas per week. Probably 20-25% of them were Luxus', and of those about 75% were blue on blue. Keep in mind this was in New England and I'm sure the predominant color and model choices varied region to region. I've only seen a handful of silver Luxus' up here, and all those had the burgundy interiors.

OK.. I finally found my 1973 Buick Dealer sales book.. (Will scan shortly).

What I found was EVEN wierder... They DO mention the Luxus combinations..

and it doesn't fit what I know..

They list optional Vinyl roofs for the 73' Luxus models.. heres the "odd" thing..

Supposedly the Luxus came with optional color-coordinated vinyl tops.

Dark Blue on the Regency Blue exterior
Burgundy Top on Deep Burgundy exterior
Black on Grecian Silver

I have NEVER seen this ! ALL that had vinyl tops were black.. except the Blue Max which had the Dark Blue. That said the Dark Blue top is hard to notice as Dark Blue when they get old and dirty. That said... I can't ever remember seeing a Burgundy Vinyl roof..

Other "off" information.. According to the information in the Dealer Book

ALL 1973 Luxus models were

Regency Blue exterior w/ Blue Interior
Deep Burgundy exterior w/ Burgundy Interior
Grecian Silver exterior w/ Silver Gray Interior

This is different in the fact that:

One as Bob noted.. Most 73' Silver Luxus Mantas I saw had Burgundy Interior.

I have seen Strato Blue 73' Luxus Mantas without the sunroof and with Manual transmissions.. So... were these cars ordered as Blue Max models but without some of the extras? Factory change? Dealers ordering Strato Blue instead of the Regency Blue and the Factory going with it?

It's really interesting..

[BQS4]

Charles;
I don't know if this adds or detracts, but, as for the two blue Luxus, and the maroon Luxus, all I have seen are the way it's described in your brochure, but, for the silver/gray cars, most I have seen were without the vinyl top, but, most all had maroon interior. I have seen maybe one or two with triple silver/gray.