[jpiper]

I found this site a few weeks ago and I am amazed at the mechanical knowledge of the contributers. There is a lot of excellent information for amateurs like myself. I have had my '71 OpelGT since 1983 (first car) and after getting married in '89 resorted to putting it aside in my garage because of no time to work on it. The motor is still strong but now the seals and gaskets need replacing, and the paint has faded quite a bit. After finding this site and realizing the options that are available for my car, I told myself that I am going to set time aside and try to rebuild one of the spare engines I have. I will undoubtedly be visiting this site more often requesting professional advice and searching through all the archives for needed information.
The first question I would like to ask is, are there any other Canadian OpelGT owners in the audience? Since owning my OpelGT, I have not seen very many of these fun cars around. I am beginning to feel like an "only child".
Great to have found you.

Jpiper

 

[kwilford]

Canuck Opeler's

Hi!

Yep, there are a bunch of us. I am in Calgary, where I have met or talked to at least three other Opel owners. I have had mine since 1977, and it is in it's second (extended) restoration. The Queen of Canadian Opels, Katheryn McCoy, lives in Leduc (near Edmonton) where she has four Opels; a GT, a Kadett, a Manta and an Ascona (1900) Sportwagon. She in turn knows of at least four of five other Alberta and Saskatchewan Opels.

In your neck of the woods, the most prolific Opel'er I know of is Rob Cassidy (in Scarborough I believe, [email protected]), who has a bunch of Manta's. But there are several others, including a new fellow, Bruce Glover in Kincardine, a couple hours west of TO ([email protected]) who was just last week looking for other Ontario Opel owners. And you are definitely not alone, as one estimate I read recently suggested that there are upwards of 14,000 GT's still in some kind of road-going condition in North America. Many fewer Mantas, Kadetts and Asconas. But most are, of course, in the U.S. and many of the nicer (less rusted) ones are in California, Colorado, and Washington State.

With the Internet (especially this board and even more the http://groups.yahoo.com/group/classicopels site), and web based suppliers such as Opel GT Source (http://www.opelgtsource.com/) I find that keeping my Opel running is MUCH easier than it was back in the '70's, even when you could (supposedly) buy parts from the local Buick dealer

Good luck with your GT, and keep in touch

 

[jpiper]

Canuck Opeler

At last there are other known canucks with some Opels. I will keep the names on file and contact the persons when I get a chance. Thanks for the reply.