Class: Cars, Coupé — Model origin:
Minor action vehicle or used in only a short scene
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◊ 2009-07-11 18:48 |
![]() ![]() ![]() -- Last edit: 2012-10-18 21:52:53 |
◊ 2009-07-14 22:19 |
Oh, a British plate. Was the Kadett C Coupé sold in GB under that name? There was no Vauxhall-derivate of it. The colours of this car, yellow/white, are the official Opel-colours. |
◊ 2009-07-14 22:21 |
It is owned by the D.O.T. - Dealer Opel Team. |
◊ 2009-07-15 11:48 |
All Opels at the time were imported and distributed by General Motors Limited, I worked for them at the time. They were a completely separate company part of GM-Europe with different management to Vauxhall Motors Limited. Yes the model names were all as the original German models and only a few were not imported like the base models two-door Rekords and vans. edit: The Kadett GT/E was apparently imported as a LHD model only and some were converted in the UK to RHD (as seen here by the LHD wipers). -- Last edit: 2009-07-15 13:10:59 |
◊ 2009-07-15 12:12 |
Did Opel have a separate dealer network? I can just about remember Opels being sold in the UK - I think the Manta was the last - but by then at least they were handled by the same dealers as Vauxhall. |
◊ 2009-07-15 13:13 |
The UK dealer network was quite separate from Vauxhall's dealerships initially. In most cases they were fairly small independent garage operations. Later, when plans for Opels in the UK was re-thought, the dealers were combined with Vauxhall and they became Vauxhall-Opel dealers. Although some existing Vauxhall garages (the smaller operations) remained as purely Vauxhall, it resulted in the smaller Opel dealerships being closed down. "GHD 502S" was nicknamed "Little Magic" built by Tong Park automotive for the Dealer Opel Team to group 1 specification. This succesful car was driven by Brian Culcheth in 1978 and winning the Group 1 category of the RAC Sedan Products Open International series. It still exists, more about it here... http://www.motorbase.com/auctionlot/by-id/359279442/ |
◊ 2009-07-15 14:48 |
An example of this was the (pre-BL) Rover dealer in the town where I used to live; wishing to diversify into more bread-and-butter cars they took on the Opel dealership. I don't think they sold many, though. |
◊ 2015-01-24 02:17 |
Little Magic is now owned by John Gill, a former Opel Kadett privateer rally driver and Bedale, Yorkshire based garage owner.(correct at Jan 2015). The car was built and maintained by DOT staff Peter Kaye ( father of Touring car racer James), David Whitehead (Motor Sorts Developments MD in later years) and Tim Ashton (BTR Preparations MD latterly). It won every round of the 1977 British Rally Championship with Brian Cultcheth driving. |
◊ 2015-01-24 02:49 |
Some interesting old rally cars lurk in the most unlikely places there. One of Waldegaard's Safari-winning Celicas is being totally rebuilt in a tiny garage in the Dales near Skipton - I think it's his 1984 car, not the 86 car nor 85 when he finished 2nd. |