pz@emacs.UUCP (Paul Czarnecki) (12/02/85)
<just eat it, just eat it>
I'm considering getting an Opel GT. All I know is that they look great
and there is one for sale in my neighborhood. Actually I also know (or
think) that Opel is a West German division of Buick and that the
headlights are manually raised/flipped.
Are these cars:
1) real sports cars? Do they have decent acceleration (8 sec
range for 0-60) and great handling?
2) reliable? Are parts easy to come by?
3) comforable for long trips
4) simple to work on?
5) fuel injected?
6) rust buckets?
7) death traps?
8) cheap?
Any other comments etc would be appreciated. PLEASE EMAIL ME AND I WILL
POST A SUMMARY.
pZ
--
-- My wife ran off with my best friend, and I miss him.
Paul Czarnecki
Uniworks, Inc. decvax!{cca,wanginst!infinet}!emacs!pz
20 William Street emacs!pz@cca-unix.ARPA
Wellesley, MA 02181 (617) 235-2600pz@emacs.UUCP (Paul Czarnecki) (12/24/85)
<eat it, just eat it>
Awhile back I asked about Opel GT's. Here are the responses that I got:
I've tried to sort the parapraphs by topic but I'm not so sure that that was a good idea.
pZ
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I had an Opel GT, that I bought used with about 60K miles on it. It was
a piece of junk. While it was fun to drive when it ran, and as I
remember handled very well, it rarely ran. Was in the shop 6 weeks
minimum for a new main bearing, still stalled out unpredictably after
that. (That is, if I could convince it to start, it would soon stall.)
The electrical system was messed up too. Once, at night, in a
rainstorm, as I turned a corner the car died and the entire electrical
system went with it. There I was in pitch black, with no lights to turn
on to warn oncoming motorists. Fortunately this lasted only a minute or
so before everything decided to work again.
My only experience with the GT is about 4 or 5 years ago when a friend
of mine bought one, '71 or '72 I think. We learned one thing real
quick, if you see one during the day with the headlights up, that
probably means the headlight mechanism isn't working too well, and the
user just finds it easier to leave them up. BTW, if they get sticky,
the driver's side headlight will rotate halfway and then kind of stop,
it has a more direct link to the handle than the passenger side one
does.
The battery is located in front of the radiator, down in front. I seem
to remember the panel it sits on (the battery) rusting out, not 100%
sure, though. The engine (1900 cc) has good power and torque, he
replaced the original carb with a Weber for ease of tuning and the
ability to put a free flow air filter on it. It comes with a 4 speed
and to get it into reverse you have to lift up on a ring on the lever, I
don't think he had any problems with that, except teaching his parents
how to use it on occasion. The seats themselves are not supportive, but
not to worry, the door is on one side and the transmission tunnel is on
the other.
We never had any major problems with the car, we were aware that the
engine is designed to be removed from beneath, however.
It was a fun car to drive, but you have to get used to not having a
trunk.
I doubt whether the Opel GT is a great sports car. In the early 70's
(which is when these cars were made in Germany and imported here by
Buick), I saw told by a Buick dealer that the GT was basically an Open
Manta with a sexy body (like the Karmann Ghia was a VW beetle with a
sexy body). I've driven the Manta from that era, and my old Datsun 510
was more of a sports car--better acceleration and handling. Not too bad
for a boxy sedan, but not a sports car.
I had an Opel GT for a while... Yes it's good looking, Yes it'll handel
well (with good tires), NO it shouldnt rust to pieces unless it was
crashed and repaired...
As for the engine.. Very simple design, a webber carb and a set of
headers will make it reasonably quick. (at least mine was!) The major
problems with the motor are the head gaskets and the valve rocker /
adjuster assembly. The head gasket WILL leak oil at the front of the
block above the water pump, and the valves dont stay adjusted too long
if you like to drive fast.
summary:
If you dont like to wrench on your own car, dont buy it.
OH NO, you want an Opel!! OH NO!! Just kidding...I have a 69 Opel GT
1900 which I am trying to rebuild. So far I have replaced the Solex
carb. (read junk carb.) with a Weber. The exhaust manifold has been
replace by a set of Quick Trip Header by Pace Setter. Rebuilt the rear
brakes and the front brakes.....the list goes on and on...
If you want an Opel GT, you MUST like to work on cars and spend lots of
time looking for parts (like in crawing around junk yards). I love my
Opel and will not part with it. Ok, enough of my noise about the Opel,
lets get to your questions.
Yes, they are real sports cars back in the 70s. If you get the 1900
ver. of the car and put a Weber in it, yes, you will get about 8 sec.
0-60. If you put some good shocks like Blistein, or Konies (sp?) on the
back, they will handle great. The car is very, very, forgiving if you
screw up turning (unlike the 'vettes of that era).
Yes, they are reliable if you take care of it. The car needs to be
pampered. Parts...(ha, ha, ha) there is only one big dealer of parts.
They are located in Conn. and the prices are medium for the large parts.
Get some old jeans, t-shirts, and an old cap and hit the junk yards. Or
if you have a place like World Auto Import parts, you can spend big
bucks for the small parts.
Yes, at least for me, they are comforable for trips, but you can't carry
much. I once did 300 miles in one day with my Opel. And it was not too
bad.
The best thing about the Opels are that they are very simple in design.
And working on any of the parts is easy. You have just the engine,
trans, brakes, steering system, and body to worry about.
Fuel injected...wish on...seriously, there exist an injection system for
it but you are looking at big bucks. Better off replacing the Solex
with a Weber.
Death traps? I don't think so. I have hitted over 110mph and the car
still zips in and out of traffic very smoothly. Oh, the exhaust
manifold, keep an eye on it. If the car is old, watch for exhaust
leaks. I decided to replace my car's manifold with headers for that
reason.
Cheap, depends on what you are looking at. I got mine free from a
friend. He got hit by a drunk and the insurance paid for the car plus.
So he gave it to me as a junker. If the car is in good shape (check the
engine for major oil leaks), see if the electrical system works (forget
the clock) and if the car is a 73 then $2500 is the most I will pay for
it. If it's before 73 then I will not pay more than $1500.
List of advice: replace carb. with Weber, replace exhaust manifold with
headers, rebuilt brakes, refit engine with new gaskets, check electrical
systems, strengten headlight flipper assembly, check recharge system,
replace old ignition with electronics, and get a good stereo, like JVC
or Sony.
Scare you did I? I hope this don't discourage you from tackling this
car. If it's a 68 it will go classic soon. An orignal Opel GT 1900 '68
or '69 in mint condition will go for about $10000 today.
Rust buckets, yes, they are if you live in the north like Cleveland. Be
very care about winter proofing the car.
Back to rust, again, if I remember correctly, there was some rust on the
lower edges of the doors.
Oh yeah, Opel is a European part of GM, not just Buick. They just sold
them through the Buick dealerships here in the US. Hopefully GM will
get see the light and start bringing over some of the new Opels from
Germany like the Senator and Kadett models. Back to the GT.
First, Adams Opel is not a division of Buick, after 76 it could have
been but I am not sure. From what I understand, GM imported the GT for
sale in the US after a few modification to the interior. And yes, the
lights are manually flipped. This is one of the draw backs. Most flip
mechanism rust off the mount and needs to be welded back into place.
Let me know of your decision, there are few Opel owners out there in
net.land. See ya...
Good luck if you buy one. Maybe mine was the rare lemon?? At least
they are easy to sell, I got rid of mine quickly. People like the looks
of them, and buy them for that reason, I think.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Thanks to all who responded! I don't think I'll be buying one right
now. Althought they sound like fun cars, and they sound like they'd be
easy work on (plus plenty of opportunity!), they really aren't what I
need right now. Maybe as a 2nd fun/summer only car tho...
pZ
(in alphabetical order)
bonnie!wjh (William Hery), ccice2!dmg (David M. Glogowski),
dec-cheers!burden (Dave Burden), ncoast!stonehen (Sammie Chung Yu Chan),
rti-sel!lal (Linda Lauterbach)
--
-- My wife ran off with my best friend, and I miss him.
Paul Czarnecki
Uniworks, Inc. decvax!{cca,wanginst!infinet}!emacs!pz
20 William Street emacs!pz@cca-unix.ARPA
Wellesley, MA 02181 (617) 235-2600