Car Show Outtakes: 1974 Opel Ascona A and 1977 Opel Kadett C – From Opel’s Heyday

img_3259

In the seventies not one automaker offered such a wide variety of car models in Europe as Opel did. Their lineup between 1970 and 1980: the GT, Kadett, Ascona, Manta, Rekord, Commodore, Admiral, Diplomat, Senator and Monza. Not all of these models were available throughout the whole decade, it’s merely to give you an impression.

A small hatchback with a 993 cc engine ? Opel had it. A big luxurious sedan with a Chevy 327 ? No problem. An inline-4 or 6 cylinder engine with fuel injection ? Check ! Any car body type, it could be found in an Opel showroom.

Last month I came upon two fine representatives of those days, a 1974 Opel Ascona and a 1977 Opel Kadett. The Ascona was Opel’s Mittelklasse-model, quite literally a middle-class car. The Kadett was one segment down the ladder.

img_3258

Here’s a splendid 1974 Opel Ascona A, the letter A refers to the 1970-1975 first generation. The Ascona’s main competitor was the contemporary Ford Taunus, also from Germany. In the US, it was called the Opel 1900.

img_3256

A clean 2-door sedan. The Ascona was also available as a 4-door sedan and as a wagon. The sporty coupe based on the Ascona was called the Manta, evidently Opel’s Ford Capri fighter.

img_3255

The Ascona 16 S at the show is equipped with an 80 hp 1,584 cc 4-cylinder engine. Other engine options were a 60 hp 1.2 liter and a 90 hp 1.9 liter. The 1.6 liter engine without the letter S was good for 68 hp.

img_3246

And there was this, a 1977 Opel Kadett C. That’s the 1973-1979 third generation, based on GM’s global T-platform. The Kadett, all generations, was our Opel. As if Opel had especially designed it for us. Our best selling car model for many, many years in a row.

Simple and spartan. Because hey, what’s not on the car can’t break down. And that’s a big plus. Furthermore a good overall quality, well built, good value for money. And with decent rust proofing, certainly compared with anything from Southern Europe. Or from Japan, for that matter.

img_3248

This is an Opel Kadett City 1.2 S. The City was the 3-door hatchback.  A sedan, wagon and coupe were also available. And there was a convertible with a targa top, called the Aero, built by coachbuilder Baur. I never saw that one in the metal though.

The 1.2 S has a 60 hp 1,196 cc 4-cylinder OHV engine. The most powerful engine in the Kadett C was a 115 hp 1,979 cc engine with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection, which was the power unit in the Kadett GT/E 2000 EH.

img_3249

Noteworthy is that this very bright blue Kadett has a 3-speed automatic transmission. Uncommon in this segment, only high-end automobiles were supposed to have an automatic back then. Like an Opel Admiral or Diplomat, for example.

In my childhood our streets were littered with Kadetts and Asconas. What a treat to see a pair of classic Opels in a showroom condition, after all these years !

The seventies, Malaise Era ? Certainly not for GM Europe.

 

Related: CC 1975 Opel 1900 – What The Vega Could Have Been  PN