The big thing about vintage racing is that you don’t have to be super aggressive if you don’t want to. You have an opportunity to race against great competitionIt is have a lot of funbut you can err in the sense of preserving the car, or even blame your lack of rhythm on some period-correct piece or other. “Oh, I could stay with you guys up front, I just don’t want to blow up the transmission, these things are practically made of glass.” Who cares? You don’t get anything more than a ribbon or a plastic trophy. This is why you should buy this Opel GT if you want to start getting on the right track.
This “fully prepped” production Opel GT F looks the business. Like the mini-Corvette of its era, German-built marvels have always intrigued me. They just look so cute, you know? This little car would have weighed just over 2,000 pounds when it rolled off the assembly line, but with one-piece fiberglass front and rear clip-ons, a stripped-down interior, and lightweight everything else, it’s probably a bit under that as it stands. The 1.9-liter four-cylinder under the hood made an honest 102 horsepower, which was sprightly if not robust.
This car’s listing shows some motorsport-specific components. There’s a lot to research, but I’ll leave the description of the Craigslist ad here:
SCCA F production Opel GT, fully prepped, professionally built and assembled engines (2), ceramic lifters (lightweight and cams won’t wear out), custom Harland Sharp rockers, oil accumulator, 2 Weber 45 side-draft, coil-over suspension (front and rear), 3-link rear suspension (open driveshaft), big brake package (front vented, Wilwood calipers and rear solid rotor with Wilwood calipers), custom dog-tail gearbox (4-speed with box gear), 5.5″ Quarter Master clutch, fiberglass nose clip and rear panel (provides easy access – secured with Dzus fasteners). Three sets of wheels (one set custom/tuned), plus a set of rarely used rain tires. Lots of aftermarket parts including original suspension racing parts for vintage racing. Ready to race!
If you’re looking for an excuse to get out on the track, this might be the way to do it. You don’t want to just jump into a high-powered machine right away. First, you wouldn’t have the skills to get the most out of it, and more power would only mask your mistakes. Second, the faster you go, the more it will cost you in consumables like brakes and tires. Start small. Heck, no one is pushing you to go faster but yourself.
Have fun with it. What are fifteen thousand among friends?
