The Opel WP is a sport scar cut two places presented by Opel in 1968. Its line points out incontestably the Chevrolet Corvette same year. Its design implied famous designers of GM like Clare McKichan (known for its Chevy of the Années 1950) and Chuck Jordan (known for much of vehicles, in particular Camaro of the Années 1960, Corvair Monza and the StingRay Corvette).

General information

The Opel WP at the beginning was equipped with a Moteur 4 cylinders in line of 1100  cm ³ of cubic capacity Valves at the head, developing 67 ch (SAE) with 6000 tr/min. However, the majority of the purchasers chose the optional engine of 1900  cm ³ with Camshaft at the head, which developed 102 ch (SAE) between 5200 and 5400 tr/min. In 1971, following regularizations concerning the emissions, Opel reduced the compression ratio of the engine 1900 US, which made fall down the power of this engine with 83 ch (SAE). There was also a model GT/J (Junior), which was a European version of the 1900 WP cheaper. This car was equipped with a manual transmission with 4 reports/ratios. A version with automatic transmission (3 speeds) was however available with the engine 1900  cm ³. The production of Opel WP extended between 1968 and 1973.

Opel WP was been driven with a metal frame monoshell and a front-to-back engine to front, with transmission with the aft wheels. The engine with Camshaft at the head was assembled very behind of the frame to improve the distribution of weight. Opel WP was equipped with discs of brakes with before and of drums to the back, and an assisted brake. The direction as for it was not assisted.

A remarkable characteristic of Opel WP was its mechanism of the retractable headlights. This mechanism was actuated manually thanks to a lever laid out on the central console between the two seats. Contrary to the mechanisms of usual retractable headlights, those of Opel WP turned (a half-turn) on their longitudinal axis. The manual mechanism to actuate these headlights (with the lever on the console) was so difficult to actuate that a joke circulates on this subject: one could admit the owner of Opel WP to their right-hand man muscular, necessary to light the headlights.

Opel WP did not have any trunk or external forage ladder absolutely. There was a filing space only accessible by the interior (but very badly placed, behind the seats) and separated from the cockpit by a tended fabric. It is also by there that one had access to the spare wheel and some tools of help.

The cockpit of Opel WP was particularly large for a car of this size, of share its design original (a metal hull carved on the interior model). Space for the legs and the guard with the roof was sufficient for a driver of a size of 1,83 meter.

A total of 103.463 cars were sold between 1968 and 1973. GTs most interesting for collections are undoubtedly the few first hundreds of models of 1968, as well as the models 1100cc of 1968 - 1969 (3573 cars). There be also 10.760 units of “economic” model GT/J, where the majority of the chromium accessories were absent.

External bonds

http://www.opelgt.fr

References

• Opel WP Projekt1484 (German Edition)

Category: Half-compartment