The Opel Association of North America The Official Newsletter of the OANA Vol.8 No. 3 – May-August 2000 The Much Belated Carlisle Issue & V-6 GT - Part 3 by Mike P. OANA CLUB INFORMATION The Opel Association of North America has been in existence as a local club since 1985. From 1994 to 1996 the club saw many transformations, and the O.A.N.A. settled into its current form in 1996. Our purpose now is to provide a source for locating parts, service, tech-help and various forums to exchange information between owners of all Opel models from the 1957 Olympia to any gray market imports that are in North America. We do, however, place a special emphasis on the Opel GT, Manta and Kadett models. Our ultimate goal is to keep the Opel marquee a presence in North America, improve the collectibility of all Opels in North America, and most of all, to have fun doing it. The North American Bitter Registry was formed for essentially the same reasons as The Opel Association. A very small number of Bitters (our sister make) SC coupes were imported into the U.S. With the non-existence of any club to help the owners of these rare and exotic cars, it was determined that our club would be the right place to give assistance and help these owners have a place to get connected. · Club membership dues: Club Membership (Members do not get a mailed newsletter; they download it from the net) is $20 for 2 years. Full Business membership is $100 a year (includes business card in newsletter and banner on front page of website) Business Card Membership is $60 a year and includes business card in newsletter and newsletter. $50 per full page ad per issue, $30 for a half ad, $15 for a one-time business card. · Mail all membership dues, merchandise orders and advertising to: The Opel Association of North America - 394 Mystic Lane - Wirtz, VA 24184 Our web site and links to our chapter’s web sites: http://www.opel-na.com Site Login: oana PW: 76y2k Join the Opel mailing list : Go to http://www.egroups.com/group/classicopels/info.html to join the North American Classic Opel mailing list OANA CHAPTER INFORMATION Mid-Atlantic Opel Association New England Opel Club Rocky Mountain Opels Texas Opel Club (VA,DE,MD,NC,WV,PA,OH,KY,DC) (MA,CT,NH,RI,VT,ME,NY,NJ) (AZ, CO, MT, NM, UT, WY) (TX, AR, LA) President – Charles Goin President - Gary Farias President – Branston DiBrell President – Rodney Killingsworth Address: Address: Address: Address: 630 Watch Hill Rd 24 Columbia Rd. 5245 Wainwright Dr. 845 W. 3rd St. Midlothian, VA 23113 Swansea, MA 02777 Security, CO 80911 Eddy, TX 76524 Phone - 1-(804)-379-9737 Phone - 1-(508)-679-2740 Phone - 1-(719)-391-9421 Phone – 1-(972)-672-8820 Email - [email protected] Email - [email protected] Email - [email protected] Email – [email protected] Southern Great Lakes / Mid-West Pacific Northwest Central OK Opel Club (AL, FL, GA, MS, SC, TN) (IL, IN, MI, OH, WS, (ID, OR, WA and AK) (OK, MO, KS) President - Ken Litke IA, ND, SD, NB) President - Ed Thomas President – Robert Lee Phone - 1-803-279-5796 President – Bill Hoffman Address: Phone – 1-(405)-288-6288. Email - [email protected] Address: 1233 Firpack Dr. SE Email – [email protected] 30725 114th St. Lacey, WA 98503 Wilmot, WI 53192-0457 Phone - 1-(360)-491-0865 Email - [email protected] Email – [email protected] Bitter SC Registry - President – Richard Anderson - Phone - 1-(815)-639-9790 Email – [email protected] UPCOMING EVENTS · August 11th-13th – OMC’s 20th Anniversary – Huntington Beach, CA · OPELS ACROSS AMERICA WEEKEND (Other clubs and chapters email: [email protected] so the event calander can be updated) · October 14, 2000 - October 15, 2000 - 4th Annual Texas Gathering of Opels - Location: Waco, TX · October 14, 2000 - 16th Annual M.O.A. Picnic - Location: Palmyra Va (See article with directions) Opel GT Source New, Reproduction, Used & VinTeq, Ltd. Performance Parts for the Opel GT, Manta/1900 A Parts for Gray Market Opels and Bitters in The US and Kadett B Order Desk: 1-800-OpelGTS Open Mon-Fri 611 November Lane / Autumn Woods Info: 1-209-928-1110 8am - 5pm PST Willow Springs, NC 27592-7738 Fax: 1-209-928-3298 12am - 8pm EST USA Shop us on the Web: http://www.opelgtsource.com/opel/ Tel.: 1-877-639-9424 - Toll free Email: [email protected] Fax: 1-919-639-7523 Mailing address : P.O. Box 4004, Sonora, CA 95370 UPS Shipping : 18211 Zeni Ln., Tuolumne, CA 95379 e-mail: We accept: VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover Joachim Vinson ([email protected]) Direct Importer - Same Day Shipping LETTER FROM THE PREZ Well, hello again. This late newsletter is NOT the fault of guest editor we were supposed to have the newsletter done by someone else. But he apparently lost interest in doing the newsletter. It is quite simple people, this newsletter and the final one Oct-Dec (Going quarterly for the end of the year to catch up) are the LAST newsletters I am doing. Gary Farias has taken over website duties, we have still to decide how the net members will get updated on passwords. So anyone with the ability to use Word feel free to contact me if you wish to do the newsletter. I have done it now for going on 8 years and I am done. Hope to see everyone in CA for the OMC show (more than likely already over with once you get this newsletter.) Charles Goin – OANA Editor M.O.A. PICNIC - OCTOBER 14TH 2000 From Our Hosts the Vienots - Hi Everyone I hope this finds you doing well!! We are really looking forward to hosting the Opel show in our back yard it is going to be alot of fun for everyone. Our road will be clearly marked with black and yellow balloons, as will our drive way. Our home is located just a few miles south of interstate 64 making it extremely easy to find. I'm only including directions from Richmond but I would like everyone that wants to come to feel free to call us at home for directions from other areas, our number is 804-589-7610 all I ask is that you call before 9pm during the week. Directions from Richmond ; Take Interstate 64 west to the Route 15 / Zion's Cross roads exit , Take route 15 South approx. 10 miles to Palmyra Va. You will cross a metal bridge ,approx. 1/2 mile past the bridge you will make a right on Rt. 640 it will be clearly marked we are 4 miles down this road on the right look for the signs!!! You can't miss us !!! I hope these directions will be OK, as you can see if your coming from the north you just jump on 95 south to interstate 64 west and follow the directions. See the map of our little town don't blink as your passing through or you might miss it. We can't wait to welcome everyone to our place for a great day of Opels in the country !!! As far as the picnic is concerned, I will be cooking up a storm the main course will be a little different as soon as I've worked out all the details I will let you know!! Talk to you soon!!!! - The Vienot's 3.1L GM V6, Borg Warner T-5, Mustang-Eating Opel GT (part III) by Mike Pilkenton Well fellow Opel nuts, again I apologize for being so long on this article but this “work” concept keeps getting in the way of my hobbies. Just 6 more years to go in the Air Force! The first part of this series covered my basic decision process on which engine to choose and an overview of how to ultimately transplant the GM 3.1L 60 degree V6 into the Opel GT. Part two covered the basics behind the electronic fuel injection (EFI) and the Electronic Control Module (ECM) and how they are integrated into the GT electrical system. The last part of the series will cover what most folks have been emailing me about, and that is the specifics to fitting the drivetrain into the GT. The main areas of concern are the body modifications, engine mount, cooling system, exhaust system, tranny mount, and finally the driveshaft modification. I must admit that the whole project was really easier than I had anticipated considering all the research I had done and the fellow Opel nuts I talked to about other engine transplants. Given the basic skills of body work techniques, welding, and basic metal fabrication, this conversion is definitely worth considering. I began by using a parts car to trial fit the engine and transmission into the engine bay and determining how much sheet metal to cut off of the upper footwell on the driver’s side. As the picture illustrates, about 4 inches had to be cut off which included the accelerator pedal linkage. I essentially cut the well inward almost flush with the steering shaft, pop riveted in some sheet metal, and finished it off with standard bodywork. The accelerator pedal had to be replaced with a custom made bracket, pedal, and cable lead-off which of course runs through the firewall to the throttle body. This was the ONLY body modifications required as the engine, bellhousing, and transmission all fit in the other areas. The next big hurdle was determining how to support the engine.