CARS ournal ~. JoiiliUill providence journal. com Wednesday, November 16,2011

AUTO BIOGRAPHY Farias is still smitten with his 'Baby Corvette' His '69 used to be his daily driver, now it's for weekends and the Gary Farias occasional cruise night and his 1969 , i.. Opel GT, at left, By PETER C.T. ELSWORTIJ which was JOURNAL STAFF WRITER designed by famed GM SWANSEA, Mass. - It designer Clare was his red 1969 Opel GT MacKichan. that made Gary Farias a Right, Farias lifetime fan of General holding the May Motors' German subsidiary. 2007 issue of "It was a friend's wife's Opel Magazine, car and I used to work on which featured it," he said. "I was smitten." his car on the That was in 1974 and cover. three years later he got the chance to buy it. He drove it as a daily driver for four years and then put it away , for 17 years until his daughter graduated college. THE PROVIDENCE JOURNA.L I PETER C.T. ELSWORTH Then he spent five years restoring it, stripping it down, rebuilding the engine and putting it back together, He said he had always at the 1965 Paris Opel GT," said Farias. Both reckons to get an additional especially air-cooled everything except the paint been into cars. and Frankfurt auto shows were designed by famed GM 20 or so out of a Volkswagens, in the early to and upholstery. "I still have a picture of ' before going on sale inlate designer Clare MacKichan, ported cylinder head he is mid-1970s. That was the era "I took it down to the me and my first car, a 194~ 1968. Production lasted six with the being a , working on. of John Muir's 1969 tome, ' shell," he said. Ford sedan," he said, adding years. Known as the Baby distinguishing feature of the The car has only 64,000 "How to Keep Your Farias, 63, recently retired that at 13 all he did was Corvette, the Opel GT bears Opel GT. miles onit, '''I don't drive it a Volkswagen Alive: A Manual. as an engineer from Tyco drive it up and down the a strong resemblance to the 'The base model had a lot, on weekends and the of Step-by-Step Procedures Fire Suppression & Building street. He learned what third generation 1968 l.l-liter engine producing 67 occasional cruise night," he for the Compleat Idiot," with Products' Cranston office. made cars tick' by taking the Corvette. horsepower. However, said, adding it has won the hippy-inspired artwork He is married to Diana, and engine apart and putting it "It's always been a debate, Faria's car has the optional , about 3.5trophies. of Peter Aschwanden, aka daughter Lori has two back together. ' which came first, the '68 1.9-liter engine producing Farias said he started children. The Opel GT was a Stingray Corvette or the 102 horsepower. And he working on German cars, SEE 'IT'S ALWAYS', D3 Farias says he spent five years restoring his Opel GT, stripping it down and putting it back together; "everything except the paint and'the upholstery.t-Above, the Opel emblem that's set in the hood .

. THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL I PETER C.T. ELSWORTH , AUTO BIOGRAPHY, Continued from 01' 'It's'alwaysbeen a debate, which came first, the '68 Stingray Corvette or the Opel GT"' "Amanda B. rule." , automobiles in 1899. Cruz as part of a feature Anything you want to attention, but none like Reckondwith." At the same time, the acquired about her fashion line, know about these cars is his 1969 Opel GT. "You must do this. Opel GT inspired a love of a stake in 1929 and Mango Fashions. here." , "When I'm driving (the work with love or you and he' started bought it out in 1931. It In 1998, Farias started He, turned' over Opel G1), eight out of lO will fail," Muir wrote. focusing on the brand, ' has been a wholly owned opelgt.com to serve as a ownership of the site, people turn their heads, Farias said he set up a which he always GM"subsidiary since that free, forum-based which has about 14,500 especially car nuts," he VW shop full-time for a considered German rather time and Opels were sold website. members, to a company a' said. "It's it wow car. For , couple of years in the than American. in the U.S. through Buick' "When I was restoring few months ago. something that was , late 197Ds. "I did not consider the dealerships from 1958 to (the Opel G1), it was Farias currently owns designed in the 1960s, it's "I'd find them cheap, tie-in with GMt he said. 1975. , difficult to find parts," he about six Opels, including still in style today." rebuild them and sell Adam Opel founded Farias' Opel GT was said. "The Internet was a 1951 Opel Olympia, a For more information, go to: , them," he said, adding, "I " Opel as a sewing machine featured on the May 2007 getting bigger and I 1972 Opel Wagon 1900 www.opelgt.com . got it out of my system. 1 company in Russelsheim, cover of Opel Magazine, a started the site as a and a 1984 , could see air-cooled ' Germany, in 1862. He later Swedish magazine for forum for information for which he said is his daily (technology) was going added bicycles to its lineup "Opel drivers and people who wanted to driver. [email protected] the way of the slide and started making friends," with Penelope restore (Opels,GTs).' He said they all attract (401) 277-7403

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