The want for an Opel GT is growing

"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
11/08/2016 at 09:33 • Filed to: None

The design of the classic Opel GT was championed by a guy who worked on the C3 Corvette design with Bill Mitchell. That’s why it looks like a 4/5th scale Corvette with a tumour. A while ago myself and Stan, who runs !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , found a ragged one for $4k. The idea has been growing on me.

Stan snapped these shots of it when we checked it out. It has rust in bad places, gasoline POURS out of the pump when it’s running and it hasn’t been on the road in years. I still want it just to be able to park it next to the Corvette.

DISCUSSION (21)

66671 - 200 [METRIC] my dash > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/08/2016 at 09:35

I approve, those headlights tho.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/08/2016 at 09:54

I’ve always wondered how good these would be with a custom rear end and an engine swap.

shop-teacher > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/08/2016 at 09:57

I love the idea of an Opel GT parked next to the Cletus-Vette.

“It has rust in bad places”

But don’t do that to yourself. Four grand is mega-crack pipe for one of these in rusty on-running shape.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
11/08/2016 at 10:00

The problem is the weight distribution and the front suspension. They are already at 60/40 with a teeny-tiny 1.9L CIH engine. And the front suspension is a bizarre transverse leaf-spring arrangement like an old 289 Cobra or AC Ace. They’re pretty much cruisers at best. But they look cool so that’s good enough for me!

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > shop-teacher
11/08/2016 at 10:02

Rust around the firewall, windows, b-pillar. It’s bad. And I know $4k is pretty bad but it’s only the second one I’ve ever seen for sale (in my part of Canada) in two years! And the previous one was just as bad and he wanted $10k.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/08/2016 at 10:06

That’s part of why I said engine swap. With the total weight of the car being around 2000 lbs and an all-iron engine, something modern and aluminum would probably shave at least 100 lbs off of the front. Didn’t know they had a weird front suspension though. Wonder what can be done about them.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
11/08/2016 at 10:07

It probably would. Something like a Suzuki G13B would be my ideal. But I REALLY don’t want to put a modern engine in a classic. Something about it irks me.

Party-vi > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
11/08/2016 at 10:10

I’ve seen one with a 454 BBC. It was hysterical.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/08/2016 at 10:11

To me it depends on what it is. Does your car have something cool like a Fiat Twin Cam? Keep the original engine and make it better with lighter internals. Opel CIH? Throw it away and get something good.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Party-vi
11/08/2016 at 10:12

Understeer for years.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/08/2016 at 10:13

Kinja'd!!!

For some reason what comes to mind viz. Opel GT next to C3 is the “friend of the little man” scene from O Brother Where Art Thou.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/08/2016 at 10:13

Weird. They’re cheap in Florida.

Party-vi > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
11/08/2016 at 10:14

Don’t need to worry about that when you just have to go straight for 1/4 mile.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
11/08/2016 at 10:16

I’d love to buy a US car but man I’d just take a bath with the current exchange rate. Not fun.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/08/2016 at 10:20

Seems worth it with the prices you’re looking at.

https://fortmyers.craigslist.org/lee/cto/5862271406.html

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
11/08/2016 at 10:29

Ehhhh that’s a low-content GT Junior model. I mean when you factor in the price, shipping, import taxes and the exchange rate, that car will be $5k by the time I get my grubby mitts on it.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/08/2016 at 10:35

What are the import taxes like? Do they decide it based on how much maple syrup can be fit into the trunk?

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
11/08/2016 at 10:38

It honestly depends on how the beaver pelt market is doing.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/08/2016 at 10:43

For serious? I can totally see that being a thing, sort of like how you have a strategic maple syrup reserve.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
11/08/2016 at 11:12

The beaver pelt thing is false but this is an actual fact: Our $100 bills smell slightly like maple syrup.

The Compromiser > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
11/08/2016 at 20:18

Every time I see one, I hit the Kijiji, auto trader again.

Shit... see ya in a bit. back down the hole I go.....