My original intention was to bring the black 1983 Kadett D Turbo to Carlisle this year (2020), but I could put up a list with a thousand reasons why I won't be able to do so. Since I don't plan on just walking around up there, I need a replacement vehicle, so I'm going to build one. No problem, right now there is still 9 weeks of time left ...
I will bring up the 1986 Rekord E instead, but I promise you that you will not remember it anymore when you see it, although I had it in Carlisle just last year. It will get a complete overhaul. It will have a pretty potent 2.0-16V engine (C20XE) which was formerly installed in my Jägermeister. Back then, I had a dyno report showing 180 HP at the wheels, but now I expect a few more due to the Lexmaul Dual RAM induction that wasn't used on the Jägermeister engine. It will be paired to a Getrag 240 5-speed from a Manta B OHC which I got from Germany last year.
Besides that, I am still looking for the correct wheels, I had found a set of Motegi wheels which ended up to not be available anymore. If anybody knows about any 18x9 4/100 with at least 40mm offset (ET40), or 18x9.5 4/100 with at least ET35, let me know.
I also bought the paint to freshen up the outside, and a few other details which will be needed to make this a success. Yes, of course, this will be another "themed" car, you will see soon in the progress what it might be. Until then, you can always guess what the plans are...
Life goes on. I received two packages from Germany, with a total of two parts included. Yes I know, from the size of them it looks like more than that. The wooden box contains a new windshield for the Rekord, and the cardboard box a new radiator for the Kadett Convertible. Having the box made, and shipping, was about 4 times as much as buying the parts.
sometimes it is cheaper to load a car full with parts and ship it across the Atlantic. I did this with an Omega A 3.0 Station wagon already. Loaded two engines, dashes, rims,..Racing parts etc ...into the trunk.
...and no extra Custom Fees. ;-)
sometimes it is cheaper to load a car full with parts and ship it across the Atlantic. I did this with an Omega A 3.0 Station wagon already. Loaded two engines, dashes, rims,..Racing parts etc ...into the trunk.
...and no extra Custom Fees. ;-)
From Rotterdam/NL to PHX/AZ via Long Beach/CA (container shipping, not RoRo).
For Cars complete full with parts only container shipping is allowed.
Costs were 1200USD (port to port incl all harbor, loading and handling fees, paperwork, Vessel tracking.
(Custom clearance in NV due to lower state taxes vs.CA)
“Marlog car handling“ in the Netherlands did the complete job..
And yet I was delayed by something else ... On Thursday morning on the way to work, the Low Oil Pressure light came on on my Calibra. I literally coasted into the parking lot of a small neighborhood grocery, and the Opel Gods made it that they had engine oil. I filled up to the brim and wend back home. Found out yesterday on my day off that one of the hoses to or back from the oil cooler had a pin hole and just squirted the oil out. I fixed it today.
Even with all that, I really wanted to continue on the Rekord, since I am really close to getting the engine started. Flashback, this was the engine from my Jägermeister that blew about 12 years ago, and it was finally fixed up by a trusted member and engine specialist from this great forum. I checked the gas lines and wanted to run some gas through the system (to get the old gunk out), found a couple leaks (old original lines) and fixed them.
I still have to wire the gas pump, but can turn it on temporarily by putting a 12V line to the connection.
Last wire, to connect the ECU to 12V - done.
...
Drumroll
...
Turn the key, 2 seconds later ... vroom, the engine is running!
Just like Ron....Congrats, what a great accomplishment!! And then...
OH NO. That sucks, a lot. Hopefully it’s an easy fix and you just need to tighten a hold or two.
I didn’t realize you had such a strong accent....doesn’t sound like those other Georgia boys that I’ve spoken with though Now I get to read your posts with your voice in my head, which is great!
I didn’t realize you had such a strong accent....doesn’t sound like those other Georgia boys that I’ve spoken with though Now I get to read your posts with your voice in my head, which is great!
23 days until the Rekord needs to be loaded on my truck. tic-toc.
Both rear wheel wells have new welded-in sheet metal and have been bondo-ed to 90% done. To get to 100% would take me too long, I hope that the painter can finish these (also see my last topic).
I have functioning brakes now. The rear brakes are still the original drums, they will have to do for the Carlisle show. My disk conversion will be done afterwards.
The engine is running good, besides not idling well when cold. The problem is my electronically controlled idle air valve, it needs to be replaced. It runs perfect when hot.
The engine oil on the floor was not an engine problem. It was a Dieter problem. I re-located the dizzy from the rear of the engine to the front, the relocation kit came with a cover plate for the original location, including seal, to seal it off where it normally connects to the crank shaft. I did not attach it fully, and it fell out, resulting in camshaft oil pressure to just spray out. Since I didn't see that, I took the gearbox, clutch, flywheel out again, since the oil seemed to come from between the engine and gearbox. After everything was out and the engine was wiggling on its mounts, the lid fell down and halfway broke my nose when laying underneath the car. It took me 5 minutes to install it right, but two days were wasted in taking the gearbox out and back in.
Oh, and yes, I still do not have a painter that accepted me to paint the car. I have a backup solution, to rent a spray booth near my workplace, and paint the car myself. This is only "Plan C" and still needs an upgrade to at least a "Plan B".
Does anybody know somebody in the Georgia area that is good with bondo and is willing to work in Newnan for a day?
Also, any good painters available that can help me out for actually painting the car? That would be to upgrade my "Plan C" to a "Plan B" as mentioned above. I have access to a professional paint booth with all tools and material.
The bubbleboob arrived yesterday, a day ahead of the USPS tracking suggestion. See my pics from around midnight yesterday, we Jawja boys ain't fooling around ...
Hooray! Glad it worked for you. Looks gnarly just the way it is. You can tell folks that the car is one month pregnant. Glad you're having fun with it. It came to me out of the blue from James Gruel(lowkey) about a year before he passed away.
I visited my Rekord today in the paint shop. Gosh, I miss him so much that I go there over lunch break to pet him and get my hands and pants dirty from the sanding dust. It was in the final stages of sanding, almost ready for primer. I was drooling so much I entirely forgot to take pictures. Well, I will carry the memory around in my heart ... 💕💓💖
"Hey, Dieter, wake up, stop daydreaming!"
The voice of rationality calling me.
It will be painted tomorrow. I'll go there again then!
Dieter, I found this while recently finishing up my old barn clean out. I got it in 1984 or 1985 I believe...part of the Rekord E advertising campaign back in the day. My uncle drove one when he was stationed in Lahr.
Any interest?
Probably not too many factory Opel Rekord E frisbees in the US.
Replaced both front door seals with new ones from Germany. Contrary to our "old" Opels, door seals for my "almost new" 1986 Rekord are no longer available, but there are replacements from a different model out there that can be modified pretty easily and they went in without much effort.
The runoff line for the A/C evaporator water installed.
The passenger footwell still had my engine ECU loosely laying around, and the air duct to the passenger side A/C air outlet was hanging down. I put everything neatly away and covered it up with the original Rekord cardboard cover (slightly modified to fit the A/C evaporator) plus another home-made board covered with insulation foam.
A/C system charged with R134a. Blows awesome cold air yeahhh!
Did some upgrade to the onboard music. A couple of 800 Watt Subwoofers (8") in a box with a 1200 Watt amplifier and a large capacitor so my headlights don't dim when I massage my ears. I find these products from SKAR really good, and they didn't cost an arm and a leg like others. If I don't need the speakers anymore I can use them as hair dryers - they pump a lot of air!
The black "paint" is Gator Guard bedliner
The wires are 8 ga.
Since the box was a bid on the heavy side (I literally had trouble lifting it in the trunk by myself), I measured the height of the rear wheel wells above ground. The box lowered my rear ride height by 11 mm
I don't think they are big enough Dieter. I guess we'll have to learn sign language now to communicate with you.
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