Front engine. Rear wheel drive. Diminutive and supremely pretty bodywork. Taut and capable chassis. The ingredients for the classic European sportscar. Wonderfully rewarding. Fantastic handling. And quick and responsive. That was the result.
The Opel GT ticked all the boxes with an inline ‘4’ powering the rear wheels in a uni-body construction for a great turn of speed in a fine handling package. And with pop-up headlights. Awesome.
The 1969 Open GT on offer here was discovered in a rust-free, but essentially sad state, by a Texas-based custom shop. The car was stripped of its paint and body straightened and repaired. A ½ and ½ black and white paintjob was applied with a unique honeycomb stripe across the car. A set of 17” XXR Chrome Black wheels and low profile Yokohama tires accentuate the racing lines. A pair of black and white racing seats freshen up the interior.
Then attention turned to powerplant. A 2008 Mazda Miata 2-liter 4-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox was deemed to be the appropriate size and the bump in power would be a welcome upgrade. A new Goal Performance MK1 NC Aluminum intake manifold was installed, and the car is cooled through a new radiator, fan, hoses, and exhaust gases leave through a large diameter exhaust.
Other mechanical work included new ball joints, tie rods and control arm bushings, new front and rear brakes, new steering wheel. New shocks adorn each corner.
Since installation the engine management system is now refusing to chat to the car. A technician deduced that the computer needs to be reset.
In need of quite a lot of fettling and finishing off, but with the heavy lifting completed, this unique little custom will always be the only one at the next cars & coffee event.
Location: Temecula, California
