Time had come to deal with my long-suffering ’68 VW Beetle, and provide it with a much delayed tune up. The pandemic hadn’t been kind to the human body or psyche, and inert machines hadn’t fared well either (not the most common plight in mainstream media, I admit). While my Beetle sputtered and faltered at idle after a year without use, a few of my friends classics had done far worse; one rare AMC sat in a flooded garage for days, with its owner oblivious to its condition during those days of restricted mobility. Comparatively speaking, I had little to complain about.
On my way to the garage, I was dealing with my somewhat-reluctant Beetle at a traffic light, holding the gas open to keep it from dying when in the distance… what do I see? An old Opel? Well, it’s going to be hell to capture that one! In this heavy holiday-shopping traffic? Better use video.
Yes, it was a dowdy Kadett A (on the left, in the above video capture). Probably refurbished to some degree, with its bright aqua lacquer looking very clean and shiny. It appeared pretty straight from the distance, with grille in place, and no major signs of corrosion. Should I pursue it with my sputtering Beetle?
Why not? Traffic was heavy and slow though. Would I even get close before inevitably losing it amidst the many holiday-shoppers swarming around?
After a few blocks of slow going, the couple of vehicles separating us took side streets. And there, for a brief moment, with my light blue Beetle behind it; a parade of two color-coordinated ’60s German cars materialized in San Salvador’s traffic. Sorry, lacking a 30 feet selfie-stick, you’ll just have to imagine the scene.
The Opel looked to be in serviceable order. No extraneous noises, no rough idle that I could tell; moving leisurely with all windows open. The 60 year old car appearing oddly formal and frail against a sea of aggressive looking -yet very tame- Asian cars. Odd to think that our 2-car parade consisted of two former rivals. Odder to think on the fate of both companies in hindsight. Back in ’62, few would have predicted the current outcome.
The encounter didn’t last, and after losing sight of the little Kadett, I sputtered away to deal with my own idiosyncratic German. The Kadett A is still missing a proper CC entry (a Vauxhall Viva, its corporate sibling, is the closest on the archives), but for a brief moment this past holiday season, a window into the late ’60s seemed to materialize, in moving manner no less.
It’s worth watching an old Top Gear special, driving across Botswana , when Richard Hammond drove a ’60s Kadett… the backup “shame” car was a Beetle as I recall. He liked it so much he imported it back to England I also recall
Well, you’ve done it: The first CC sighting of a Kadett A! I’ve long given up, but who knows, maybe there’s one sitting under a mound of blackberries in some back yard nearby.
As many of you will remember, my father bought one in 1965 in Baltimore for his new daily commute to Johns Hopkins Hospital. I have lots of very vivid memories of it, including going out with my older brother in it and baiting VW’s into red light drag races. The Kadett was a featherweight, weighing some 200lbs less than a VW, and had 46 hp compared to 40 in VW 1200s. It was no contest. Even the new ’66 VW 1300 with 50 hp couldn’t beat the Kadett.
So although you were able to catch up to it, it’s probably a good thing you didn’t bait him into a race. 🙂
At least from the distance, the only obvious mismatch are the real lanterns, which are taken from a modern car. (modern meaning, 70’s). There were lots of those here in Uruguay in their day, their day extending to the 90s….
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My uncle Otto had one. I was fascinated by the speedometer with the band advancing forward with speed and changing colors too!
A “Kaefer”, a “Kadett” and the guy on the motorcycle delivered “Kuchen” ? That must be paradise!
Neat .
When I lived in Guatemala, C.A. in the mid 1970’s my brother in law had a battered red one of these, his uncle whom I never met, had bought it new then wrecked it into the middle of next month, has the local bondo emporium pull i sort of straight, re sprayed it then dumped it onto my mechanically inept and clueless brother in law, the right side front tire trailed the left by about 1/4″ so the thin ate tires every month or two .
Only one headlight worked, no brake nor turn signals so I dove in and fixed all that, I remember it was still a 6 volt car and it was claimed to be a 1968 year model .
The taillights had festoon typ bulbs .
Bother in law was a broke but guy and one of those uppity types who never once said thank you for keeping him from riding the bus .
-Nate