For General Discussion regarding my GT

[greenopelgt]

As some of you know, I am into my Opel GT (Ms. Opel aka Mighty Mouse) and I try to do different things with her besides just going to car shows and/or driving her into the ground.

Some examples are: participated in the Concours d'Elegence in Ault Park, got an article published in a major car magazine(Hemmings Sports and Exotic Cars #7 edition March 2006), participated in the first annual Standards of Excellence judging at Carlisle, dyno tested the car on the dyno truck at Carlisle in front of several of you (49 hp on the rear wheels at 5500 rpm), tried to qualify the car to pace a truck race at the local Motor Speedway but got rained out, recruited a sponsor for my car to participate in various car shows and most recently currently displaying my car in the local Saturn Dealership as part of a promotion to market the Saturn Sky. While I have done these things with my car I feel like I have also done these things under the name of Opel which I hope may benefit others to dream about their car and not let anyone steal your dream.

I have been a fairly quiet member of this Opel Community since March 2002 and I have learned a lot about 1969 Opel GT's with 1.1 liter engines. Like:
only 342 were imported into the USA and sold by Buick dealerships and that today in the USA there may be 80 to 90 still on the road. I have had my GT looked over (inspected in detail) by several of you who really know your stuff. I sincerely have appreciated all comments and suggestions.

Now I want to do something that I tried out in Charlotte on Sunday as we prepared to compete against the other car clubs for the overall "Best of Show" -----BUT--- I do NOT want to tick anyone off or create a dishonest representation of my car or our OPELS (yours and mine).

I want to advertise / market my car with signage that says in green and white lettering:
America's only
German
Lean Green Mean Machine
1969
1.1 Liter Opel GT
98% factory original

with American Flags inserted left and right of the 1969

I would use this signage along with the full Hemmings article on a display board professionally prepared by a company known as In The News.

Yes, I am declaring my car as unique but I hope I have enough qualifiers in the wording to qualify the uniqueness.

What do you all think?

I'm serious, I would appreciate your honest feedback and open discussion.

I promise not be offended by your comments because Ms. Opel is just what she is, a car.

Thanking you in advance.

[Killer Texas GT]

Go for it why should it upset any one? If any thing it makes people take notice, and to go into competition against other brands of, aah ... well, cars, you will honor the true car by your OPEL.
There are a lot of us who show our cars else where besides Opel Events, and by doing so it makes people realize just how rare the Opel truely is.
With the Sky and Opel GT coming out in production I can only hope that it will put more of the original Opels back on the road, at least these gas prices may force us to any way.
MORE POWER TO YOU Tom and good luck.

adder: put a german flag and an American flag

[baronbors]

Sounds Good to me- I had my GT at my local car club show this last weekend and I bet I had more people stop an admire my car than any of the 32 coups, stangs or vettes. One guy told me it takes guts to go down a different road when it comes to the classics we drive. He was right

[Ooooner]

Tom, I saw the sign you are talking about when you were at the Charlotte AutoFair a few weeks ago. I was standing off to the side and was just watching different people come by and one of the first things they noticed was the sign. I suspect it caught their attention and brought them closer to the car to check it out. There was a steady stream of people reading the sign and then go look at the car in more detail. So I think what you are doing is a great idea! It will only help the Opel community....

[asdasc]

If I am reading it right, the only people that COULD challenge it would be the owners of 1.1L 1969 GT's. And the only challenge would be if theirs is about as original as yours is, right?

I figure if you haven't run into that guy yet, you probably won't. If you do, and his turns out more original than yours (fat chance), volunteer to give him the sign. He has earned it!

Other than that small risk, go for it! Make us all proud!

[maglinjosvinn]

*grins* i got a 1.1L 69 in teh drive way. its even drivable.
sorta.

hoods falling apart, usual cancer behind the doors, floor pans rapidly disappearing in Michigan road conditions...

but it fills the bill! lol... technically its my dad, but i'm the representitive of the family here, so ... mine. yar.

[hrcollinsjr]

1969 Opel GT's with 1.1 liter engines. Like:
only 342 were imported into the USA and sold by Buick dealerships and that today in the USA there may be 80 to 90 still on the road.

I want to advertise / market my car

What do you all think?

You asked. I read your sign at Charlotte and except for the one item that I mentioned to you, I believe your car to be original. There were unique things that I saw that I've never noticed on other GT's that I've come across. I know of another 1.1 that is in good shape. I will have to look at it more closely next time I get a chance. I'm not sure of the interior color though which is where I noticed the most variations from what I'm use to seeing in other GT's.

Your info/advertisement board looked good. I seriously doubt you will have any challengers as to who has the most unique GT in the states.

Thank you for letting me look at it and not slapping my hands when I touched almost everything on the car.

I'll PM you with a question. Next time in Nashville holler at me.

Harold

[opelgtboy70]

I guess this is as good of time as any to ask this question. Was your car hit from behind at some point? When I saw it at Carlisle last year I noticed that the back end was repainted. Was always curious about it.


Karl
70 GT

[greenopelgt]

To the best of my knowledge the car has never been hit from behind and repaired or repainted in the rear. The only body repair that I am aware of is due to a box of Christmas decorations falling on the hood bubble it was pinged out in 1982 and the hood was repainted - this according to the words and the repair documentation supplied by the previous owner who passed away 2 years ago.
Question to others who have inspected the car.

Has anyone noticed any damage repair to the rear end area of Ms. Opel?

[BQS4]

Tom;
I think what some are referring to is there's a slight color change from the rear of the car towards the front of the car. Some say this is indicative of damage and trying to match the paint back up. But, this is something to consider too, and only you would know this, is where was the car parked most of it's life before you bought it? Even if it was in a garage, did that garage have windows, if so, even sitting in a garage, just having the sun coming through a window onto a car's paint can have the same effect as having the tail end sticking out from under a tarp or a shed, etc.
This is just my opinion.
Gene

[hrcollinsjr]

Question to others who have inspected the car.

Has anyone noticed any damage repair to the rear end area of Ms. Opel?

I didn't notice any color variation other than the hood. Raise the spare tire cover and look as best you can back there. If it is really important get someone with one of the little magnets that helps you determine thickness of paint or locate bondo. A low tech way would be to remove the taillights and feel for bondo where a slide hammer might have been used and and the bondo would have oozed through. Sanding dust and overspray inside the rear where the taillights would have been off while the repair was being done. Body filler that may have made it into any of the seams. I seriously doubt you will find any indication of previous bodywork.

Harold

[greenopelgt]

Gene, I agree with you.
In fact the previous owner claimed he never drove the car in the snow or rain and that he kept a GT cover over the car in his garage. People have told me that moisture build up under the cover heated by sunlight can also discolor paint, particularly lacquer paint.
Also when I first got the car, I had the paint buffed professionally and they stopped the job after seeing that the buffer was burning through the paint in a couple of places.
In my opinion, overall the paint seems to have held up pretty good.

Thanks for your comment.

[BQS4]

Tom;
The only other thing to do, is to pull out the tail lights (including the reflectors) as well as pull out the spare tire shelf and inspect the back end, on the INSIDE for any possible repairs, if none are found, then there's no arguement that it has never been wrecked and repaired, again, this is just my opinion.
Gene

[hrcollinsjr]

Tom;
pull out the spare tire shelf and inspect the back end, on the INSIDE for any possible repairs, if none are found, then there's no arguement that it has never been wrecked and repaired, again, this is just my opinion.
Gene

I agree except it's too easy to catch vinyl with the tire shelf and tear it when removing it. I wouldn't do it if it were mine. Paranoid, yes sir!

Harold

[opelgtboy70]

Heres what I inspected at Carlisle. I love your car so this is not a negative but something to look at. The rear pillars you can see where the paint was blended. Also, if you look real close around the windows you can see where there is bondo or some kind of filler. I also around the windows you can see slight overspray. I found some things on my car that I didnt know was there and was so suprised. Its just good to know what is in the car.

Karl
70 GT

[crliwa]

Tom, The sign etc sound ok to me ... It's easier than telling everyone that comes by (one by one) what makes your GT so uniique. I wouldn't go tearing everything apaart but if I were you I'd like to know if there was any repaired damage to the car. Looking forward tro seeing you at Carlisle...Craig

[asdasc]

Quite frankly, who cares if the backend was repainted? It could have been done at the dealer for some reason. It is still all original. Just bump it down to 96% and call it a day!

From all I have heard about it, it is beautiful, unrestored. You have to do maintainance on it. And if 30 years ago someone wanted to fix some scratches or whatever, so be it.

I can't wait to see, regardless!

[PROPEL]

I think the informational sign is a great idea. Your car is surely unique in its originality. My BRG 1.1L is a long way from that standard.

I believe the 342 import figure for GT1100's is incorrect, though. There were more than 3,000 1.1L-equipped GTs produced in 1969, and surely more of these little beasts made it to the U.S.A. Perhaps I am misunderstanding your statistic?

[greenopelgt]

Karl,
You are absolutely correct there is paint discoloration that looks like overspray on the rear pillars on both sides and this is where the professional detailer said he had to stop due to paint burn so I took him at his word. There also is the same type of paint discoloration on the drivers side door. I used a magnet today on the areas around both rear pillars and I did not find any non-metal surfaces but I'm not a pro. I also looked in the rear with a flash light and noticed nothing but agin I'm not sure what exactly yo look for. I choose not to removed any of the lights because the gaskets probably would fall apart. If you come to Carlisle this year, I would sincerely appreciate the opportunity to continue this discussion and inspection on-site. Thanks for rising this concern because I have asked if I should paint the whole car and the vast majority have said not to repaint. Oh well, it is what it is and that is all that it is.

Tom

[jordan]

If I were you I would not repaint it at all, it is amazing that the paint looks so great for it's age on such a rare combination of a car, it makes for something very unique. If you respray it, it is just that....a resprayed car.