The styling of Opel’s GT, like the C3 Corvette, was inspired by the Mako Shark and its 1965 sibling, the Mako Shark II. The Sharks were designed in-house at GM, under Bill Mitchell’s watchful eye. By 1968, both the Corvette and the German-made Opel were entering showrooms – the Corvette over at Chevrolet and the Opel at Buick. While the Corvette outsold the Opel by tens of thousands of units over a comparable 1968-1973 production period, the little GT put in a good showing with over 103,000 finding new homes. Here on craigslist is a 1969 Opel GT for sale at $4500; retrieve the car from Bellingham, Washington. Thanks, Curvette, for the great tip!
The first Opel GTs arrived with a tiny 1.1-liter, OHV four-cylinder tucked way back in the chassis to balance weight distribution; this engine was good for only 67 hp. But also on offer was a 1.9-liter OHC four, this one generating 102 hp. Most Opel GTs were built with the “big block”, as that option proved quite popular – for good reason. Today’s example is wearing a Weber carb with a Redline Snorkel kit; the seller reports that the car runs rough (big surprise – I’d trace it to that Weber, but you all know I am not a fan if the car wasn’t produced with a Weber to begin with) and the brakes (discs up front, drums behind) need work. A four-speed manual brings power to the rear wheels. The tires are new, and the wheels are powder coated.
The seats have been re-upholstered in two-tone vinyl; from the factory, these would have been a single color. The red is carried through to the handbrake boot and the console. The car has been repainted as well; I see red overspray on the door seal and on parts in the engine bay. The factory steering wheel is cracked – but at least it’s original. The seller reports that the rotating headlamps do work properly. The car comes with a few boxes of parts.
While GM wanted a lightweight, sporty alternative to the Corvette in its lineup, the Opel was actually designed as a secret styling exercise, influenced by Mitchell’s Mako Shark but drawn in Germany by Erhard Schnell working under American Clare MacKichan. Once GM brass saw the little GT, it gave the green light, and construction was outsourced to French firm Brissonneau & Lotz. The chassis is from the Opel Kadett B, and the tie-up with Buick was a natural, since that division had been selling Opels of various sorts since the mid-1950s. Prices for excellent examples can reach $25k, sometimes even higher. But it’s still possible to buy a driver-quality Opel GT for high five figures. Have you ever owned an Opel GT? Let us know what you thought of it in the comments below.
I wonder what Bondo the new paint covers. I’ve always liked these little cars, just the fact that they rust as bad as ’70’s Japanese cars is their downfall.