Some show cars and styling exercises that are produced by car manufacturers are destined to remain little more than concepts, while some eventually see the light of day as production cars. The Opel GT fits into the latter category. After appearing before the public for the first time in 1965, the little German classic started rolling down the production line in 1968. This 1973 model is from the final year of GT production, and it is a solid classic that is in need of a refresh. It comes with a nice collection of spares and parts to assist the next owner on this journey, and once restored, it could be a striking little car. Located in Hamilton, Virginia, you will find the Opel listed for sale here on Craigslist. If you would like to park this classic in your workshop, then all you need to do is be willing to part with $5,200 and it could be yours. I do have to say thank you to Barn Finder Rocco B for spotting this cool classic for us.

The owner describes the Strato Blue paint that the Opel wears as being a “10 footer.” The car underwent restoration some years ago, but the owner feels that it could do with a bit of a refresh. The panels are essentially straight, with no significant dings and dents. The pop-up headlights open and close as they should, but the headlights themselves don’t operate. As far as rust issues are concerned, this doesn’t appear to be a problem. The panels themselves appear to be good, while the underside of the vehicle looks nice and solid. I do agree with the owner’s assertion that it would be a good idea to give the underside a serious clean and rust preventative treatment because there is some surface corrosion present. The trim and chrome appear to be good, while the same is true of the glass. A nice bonus is the inclusion of a number of additional body components, including some spare doors and some glass.

The presentation of the GT’s interior looks to be pretty good, and this is one area of the car that has survived well since the restoration was performed. It appears to be very original, and it’s nice to see that the radio hasn’t been removed to fit an aftermarket stereo. This was a fairly common occurrence, and replacement radios are an item that has become hard to find. The dash is free of cracks, the carpet presents well, while all of the upholstered surfaces would seem to be free of rips and splits. About the only area where the Opel is exhibiting any age is on the faces of the rocker switches. These are showing the sort of wear that is just part-and-parcel of longterm usage. The good news is that there are companies that can restore these to their original condition, although if the next owner is feeling adventurous, this is a task that they could tackle for themselves.

The Opel GT was available with two engine choices, and while the “baby” engine is the rarer of the two, the larger 1,897cc 4-cylinder engine was chosen by the majority of buyers in all markets. In Europe, this was an engine that punched out 102hp, but for the American market, the figure was reduced to 90hp. This power finds its way to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission, while stopping is accomplished by power front disc brakes. Tipping the scales at 2,121lbs, the GT is no heavyweight, and while performance figures aren’t startling, they are still pretty acceptable. The engine that is fitted to this car isn’t original, with the car receiving a transplant at some point in the past. This new engine started life in a 1972 GT, but there would be no difference in the specifications between the two powerplants. It is said to run and drive well, and the fitting of a Weber carburetor in place of the original might have unleashed a few extra ponies. The owner does admit that the transmission jumps out of third gear, but a replacement transmission is included in the sale. Apart from that and the previously-mentioned body components, the new owner will also receive 10 containers full of parts. Some of these parts are said to be new, while some are used. Regardless, they do represent a nice bonus.

Conventional wisdom states that during its production life, 70,564 GTs found their way to the USA. Today, a good example will fetch around $20,000, but a pristine car can sell for figures closer to $30,000. It is extremely rare to see one push beyond that, but if you look at the sale price of this car, then factor in the work that would be required to return it to a high standard of finish, then it is a project car that could make pretty sound economic sense.