The "What Do you drive?" thread....

[Alex KL-1]

Originally Posted by Gus1969

Sure, being Opel a subsidiary of GM in those years.

The engine is fully designed in Detroit (named CIH, cam in head engine).

The body is german design, with that Coke shape (" Hüftschwung ") , was consider very sexy for european eyes at that time. There was a straigth line body project, fortunally didn't saw the ligth.

There was two series, the simple models, named Rekord with 4 cyl engines and the elegant series named Commodore with 6 cyl engines. Motors from 1500 cc to 2600 cc. Two and four doors sedans, coupes, stwagons, very few convertibles.

I don’t want to bore translating hp to CV, liters, etc, since the soul of a car is not in the cold numbers.
Yes, there were lights cars with an outdated steering and suspension system, but soft to drive, very reliable and economical. In the mid 60s, american cars become too big and expensive here.

"An even more sporty model than the GS, the Commodore GS/E, debuted in March 1970. It had a 2.5 L engine equipped with Bosch D-jetronic fuel injection system developing 150 PS (110 kW), which gave the car a top speed of 197 km/h (122 mph)" (wiki).

After the end of production in Germany, it was made in Brazil, like the Chevrolet Opala ( Opel body - Impala 6 engines), there with others terminations, and more powerful but hungry engines.
In Brazil it was manufactured till early 90s, replacing most of chrome with black plastics.

Mine is an anemic 1700 cc 82 hp four cylinder, four gear manual. When you press the gas pedal, she says: what? Ha, you want go? hahaha. Ok, let's go to get more of your trash TVs and radios.

Yes, just googling "Caravan Chevrolet Brasil" shows the Brazilian cousin. Some equipped with 4100cc (4.1L) inline 6. Interesting the very close side design for both.
My grandfather had 17 of these Opala's (the sedan version), all with the 4.1L motor.

I drive daily a Chevrolet Omega (brother in England is the Chevrolet Carlton, for example); very robust car. From 1994 and surviving well! Excellent confortably for travels!
My wife have a '73 Beetle, and I also have a '82 Gol with the 1600cc Beetle motor (nicknamed "little kettle" in a direct translation).

[Gus1969]

Originally Posted by Alex KL-1

Yes, just googling "Caravan Chevrolet Brasil" shows the Brazilian cousin. Some equipped with 4100cc (4.1L) inline 6. Interesting the very close side design for both.
My grandfather had 17 of these Opala's (the sedan version), all with the 4.1L motor.

I drive daily a Chevrolet Omega (brother in England is the Chevrolet Carlton, for example); very robust car. From 1994 and surviving well! Excellent confortably for travels!
My wife have a '73 Beetle, and I also have a '82 Gol with the 1600cc Beetle motor (nicknamed "little kettle" in a direct translation).

What an amazing car is your first VW Gol, must be cool drive a car with the Beetle front engine, air cooled, and front wheel drive. Very noisy?
Here were sold all Gol generations, but starting with the water cooled engine.

Rekord and Opala actually were not cousins, We can say, they were father and sons, and I always thougth that loses some refinamentes crossing the Atlantic, like the tail ligths, rectangular headligths, cockpit, but gained with a stronger suspention system, a more versatile engine, due to lower compression, and thicker steel panels. Opels were horrible with rust.

And the Opel Omega is a "grand routier" an excellent rear wheel drive car, developed mainly for long relaxed trips and many brothers (sisters?) on the world. Sometimes I see an Omega Suprema, (station wagon) black with lowered suspention, and is really cool.
Obrigado.