Influenced by the styling of the C3 Chevy Corvette that came out in 1968, German car builder Opel (owned by GM) introduced the Opel GT that same year. It was a small, GT-style sports car sold through Buick dealers in the U.S. through 1973. The seller has accumulated four of them and is offering them as a package deal. Two are said to be restorable, the other two are parts cars at best. Located in Bridgeton, New Jersey, this gaggle of GTs is available here on eBay for $8,500 (Buy It Now) or you can submit an offer. Thanks for the find, Larry D!
The underpinnings of the Opel GT were borrowed from the existing Kadett. 70% of all GT production was sent to the U.S, and those cars came with a 1897cc “high-cam” engine which produced 90 hp using a 4-speed manual transmission. The car provided spirited performance and handling for its type. Through five years, more than 103,000 of these little machines were built, but new U.S. Federal safety laws that mandated 5 mph front bumpers killed the GT going forward. The front ends weren’t designed for cowcatchers and the existing bodywork was somewhat fragile out front.
Restorable Cars
According to the seller, these are the red and white cars in the photos provided. No specific model years are mentioned, though both are said to have titles. They have rust aplenty, but the seller believes this is all fixable (from the parts cars?). They spent a lot of time inside a garage which may have helped them survive better than the other two. Both cars have engines and transmission, but only the red one’s still in the car.
Parts Cars
The other two GTs are said to be blue and orange and are in far worse condition. Both participated in some physical altercations, limiting the value of many of their body pieces. Unlike the other two, they have been spending time in the Great Outdoors for a long time. Their drivetrains are said to still be intact. Besides what you see, there is an extra engine, at least a couple of transmissions (manual and automatic), and other mechanical bits and pieces. Some extra sheet metal is also provided.
If you’ve been looking for one of these European sports cars to restore, there may be enough here to work with. Or not. Plan B would be to find an Opel GT that’s already in good condition because these cars don’t have crazy resale value, under $20,000 in excellent condition according to Hagerty.
Thanks, Russ, very entertaining, whether that was the intent or not. 1st 2 cars, okay, maybe, then the next 2, good grief, the blue one either was stuffed or stuffed something pretty hard, requiring the car to oversteer into Mr. Oak tree,( hmm, these have rear gas tanks, no KABOOM?) and the last one,,,makes me feel right at rusty Wisconsin home. The last one is pretty excessive, I don’t recall many like that, something else would deem the car undrivable first, like the front suspension stubs or rear spring mounts would rust long before the body got to this point. Using BF’s comments as an indicator, few want an Opel GT, much less restore one. Now, IF, and I’m sure there are several folks that collect these, a treasure trove of parts. Naturally, the seller has high hopes, maybe a grand for the whole kit and kaboodle.
To be clear, the 1.9 “high cam” Russ refers to ( never heard it called that) was actually called “cam-in-head”, kind of a half baked overhead cam, and came in several displacements, and in a 6 cylinder, none of which we saw, but I read, these motors were used in a variety of vehicles, and a proven stout motor, for years. Cool find, if you’re into “Dopels”.
Not much to make and offer on much less pay the asking price. Russ’s suggestion on finding a good car for 20K or less makes a lot more sense than spending a chunk of your life on this bunch.
LOL, every time I see one of these I think of a young girl I worked with back in the mid-70’s (when I was young too!) Her dad had one and she insisted that Chevrolet had ripped off Opel and used the design for the C3 Corvette. When I tried to explain it to her she got angry to the point of screaming and name calling! I feel sorry for any guy who may have married her!
Actually, the design of the Opel GT came before the C3 vette.
I had a similar thing happen with my 1974 Fiat X1/9, a woman screamed at me stating that Fiat ripped off the wedge body design from The Triumpg TR7. Umm I told her that my car was a 1974. That didn’t phase so I completed the sentence, the first TR7 came out in 75. That shut her up. Her dad worked at the Triumph dealership.
I believe Judo John is correct. The Opel design was first. I restored a 1970 GT although it took the Opel Gt Source from California and 2 parts cars to make it happen.
Out of all four cars you might be able to make 3/8ths of one good one.
I’m betting that last one has spent considerable time at the bottom of a lake.
Poor guy.
I’m still looking toward the day when someone has brought over from Germany a ’67 or ’68 larger Opel with the detuned ‘Vette V8. I saw them while stationed there, but never drove one nor went to our local dealership. Probably should have taken one on an Autobahn test drive. I do recall that they were quite expensive, executive class car.