I used to own & race an Opel, at the local circle track 4 cyl. class. it was a remarkably well handling car! This was 2005, before I knew about Lemons. I'm currently building a new Lemons car....
I raced this car in the early years. It was fun, even at elevation in Reno-Fernley. I hope that one day I get the opportunity to drive it again now that all the kinks are worked out.
Very nice video/story. I hope to revamp my stock 1.9 GT for street/strip next year. Not a lot of options towards drag racing a 1.9 motor; but anything is possible.
Last summer I saw a local FB listing for a whole fleet of Opel GTs. The guy had like 7 or 8 of them. None running, wanted around $5k for the whole lot. Within a month I saw several different Opels for $500 to $800 all in varying levels of grot. The rising tide of car prices does NOT float all boats. Haha
Dad of a friend had one. It got still mostly Opel parts, but not much stayed original. The engine was pulled out of a totalled Vectra which was also used in the Calibra. Four cylinder turbo with close to twohundred fifty horses at the weels after some modifications. Suspension was mostly from an Calibra. From the exterior that monstrosity looked stock. But it had the perfomance it should have by the looks of it. Was an amazing car.
I have an Opel GT. Not Lemons worthy unless, when done, I race Lemons and get a brazillian penalty laps. Odd, but it is the same GT I owned 30 years ago. Super odd finding something you owned in a car you have not seen in 30 years. Kinda like seeing a ghost.
I actually think that car looks pretty freaking good for a rattlecan paintjob and budget parts. I like the dirty yet functional style of older diy race cars with only the bare essentials, like rollcages, gutted interior, and a livery. Although I think that car would look 10 times better if they got rid of that damn ebay wing and got one that looked more like a knockoff apr gtc200 or something.
There is no rule that says things get up classed with a win. That has been a recent misconception. Some C cars are just C cars. A stock Allante that is lucky enough to win c, finishes 35th overall, on the same lap as another c class car, when the other C class cars weiner-stepped all weekend and then gets no improvements is still a C class car. If you put improvements in you can get up classed, if you blew away the field you can get up classed, if you were mis-classed to begin with, you can get up classed, if you win a class multiple times you will probably get bumped up. You can get the same class with a few laps penalty. You can slide back down if you suck for a while in the new class or if there is just a different judge from the last race. The rule has always been there is no rule and that they "pull classes out of our asses,' as the way it should be.
03:51 " the main features attraction to this car aside from being *A CRAPPY OLD OPEL..."* I own 75 Opel Assona (1900) that blows BMW 2002's away in the S curves & many modern cars.
I used to own & race an Opel, at the local circle track 4 cyl. class. it was a remarkably well handling car! This was 2005, before I knew about Lemons. I'm currently building a new Lemons car....
Can you give us a hint about the new lemons car you're gonna "dominate" with?
I need a team to join!
Was tyour Opel a dark blue or black Manta?
I remember 20-30 years ago a Manta on the circle track was slow but steady... winning many races.
@@jeffrandolf5673 I don’t recall, but I only ran one race in it. And not a lemons race.
@@izzyplusplusplus1004 are you on the west coast?
I raced this car in the early years. It was fun, even at elevation in Reno-Fernley. I hope that one day I get the opportunity to drive it again now that all the kinks are worked out.
The Puffalumps both used the same font as that Compuware logo...and they wholeheartedly approve of the Tinyvette.
Our first race was Thunderhill in 2010.
That book is $26 on Amazon in paperback! Nopers...
Though I admit, "Horrible Idea" is a catchy title...
Very nice video/story. I hope to revamp my stock 1.9 GT for street/strip next year. Not a lot of options towards drag racing a 1.9 motor; but anything is possible.
What a lovely ride! Kudos!
Last summer I saw a local FB listing for a whole fleet of Opel GTs. The guy had like 7 or 8 of them. None running, wanted around $5k for the whole lot. Within a month I saw several different Opels for $500 to $800 all in varying levels of grot. The rising tide of car prices does NOT float all boats. Haha
NEMEEEEESIS!!!
Dad of a friend had one. It got still mostly Opel parts, but not much stayed original. The engine was pulled out of a totalled Vectra which was also used in the Calibra. Four cylinder turbo with close to twohundred fifty horses at the weels after some modifications. Suspension was mostly from an Calibra. From the exterior that monstrosity looked stock. But it had the perfomance it should have by the looks of it. Was an amazing car.
Those guys are heros!
Trying to get my uncle's Opel GT & rebuild it. Would be a wicked little thing!
Rumple Opelskin as we used ta call them.
I have an Opel GT. Not Lemons worthy unless, when done, I race Lemons and get a brazillian penalty laps. Odd, but it is the same GT I owned 30 years ago. Super odd finding something you owned in a car you have not seen in 30 years. Kinda like seeing a ghost.
Sweet 🤠 You'all have any Opel Manta's ?
The smolvette
I love GTs and this is the most info I have heard of on Tinyvette, they just need to lower the car
I actually think that car looks pretty freaking good for a rattlecan paintjob and budget parts. I like the dirty yet functional style of older diy race cars with only the bare essentials, like rollcages, gutted interior, and a livery. Although I think that car would look 10 times better if they got rid of that damn ebay wing and got one that looked more like a knockoff apr gtc200 or something.
Ricer wings are laughable.
You mean a Corvette looks like a bigger Opel GT.
I'm pretty sure a nice GT in Germany is worth more.
Recently a nicely restored GT sold on Bring a Trailer for just over $30k.
wAIT...how did it win Class C multiple times... are they not supposed to be classed up after every win? C->B->A
We won it twice in one year, back in 2011-ish, before up-classing became the norm. They did put us in A for a race and we've been in B ever since.
There is no rule that says things get up classed with a win. That has been a recent misconception. Some C cars are just C cars. A stock Allante that is lucky enough to win c, finishes 35th overall, on the same lap as another c class car, when the other C class cars weiner-stepped all weekend and then gets no improvements is still a C class car. If you put improvements in you can get up classed, if you blew away the field you can get up classed, if you were mis-classed to begin with, you can get up classed, if you win a class multiple times you will probably get bumped up. You can get the same class with a few laps penalty. You can slide back down if you suck for a while in the new class or if there is just a different judge from the last race. The rule has always been there is no rule and that they "pull classes out of our asses,' as the way it should be.
opel gt's are NOT cheap over here in europe
It really is a beautiful car. It's like scoring a date with an HIV+ swimsuit model.
When we dragged it home we called it a hanta-virus infested heap.
Opal Get
03:51 " the main features attraction to this car aside from being *A CRAPPY OLD OPEL..."*
I own 75 Opel Assona (1900) that blows BMW 2002's away in the S curves & many modern cars.
In German, its pronounced "Old-Pile".
Geez, I just looked up Opel GT prices and a clean running example is 20-35k
->Why you ruin classic
I don;t know where you are looking... You can get a decent running one for under $10k no problem. I just sold a very nice GT last year for $11k.