Daydreaming about projects - Opel and SAAB content

Since becomming more active on this board I find myself daydreaming, nay, obssessing over a project car (thanks to Tuna55 and others). I'm not sure how serious I am so this may be bench building, if you will. I don't have a garage or local access to one, so that plays a role here. WWGRM do? Help me get over this car ADD. Thanks for your time.

Candidate 1: Opel Gt. I have a long history of these cars. My dad has owned one since I was 5 but has never completed one. He sold his first when we moved from CO to VA in 1981, where he bought his 2nd. We moved to NC in 1987 and he bought a "parts collection" in 1992. He currently has 2 Opels. We have both fiddled with them over the years but never with the gusto to get it finished. One has been in the garage since 1981 and is perfect for a restoration. One has been outside since 1992, under a cover, and was stripped by the PO, ironically, to be an ITB car. My play would be for the stripped car. It is a non-running roller with a short block, transmission, and suspension. No interior, no wiring, etc. Its rusty, crusty, and could probably be had for free. My plan would be to make it a street legal time trial car (autox and hillclimb mostly). Lots of work but I think dad has most of the parts that were originally stripped off of it. This would be a ground-up, GRM budget, build. This project is 4 hours away, but at my parent's house.

Candidate 2: SAAB Sonett III. I also have a history with this car. My uncle bought it maybe new (if not, then 2nd owner). I remember him taking my dad and I for a ride (I think when I was 5 or 6) and I rode in the back - under the hatch. I think its been an AZ car for most of its life. It was his DD for a while, then was a weekend car, and has pretty much been sitting in his garage since the mid 90s. I know he and my grandfather did some engine work at that time and several years ago he offered it to me. I assume its all complete, I recall something about needing a valve adjustment, but it hasn't been driven in probably 20 years. He's gained a little weight and can't get in it. Its mine for the taking but I need to get it from AZ to NC (I don't think a fly and drive is feasible). My plan for this car would be to refresh it and keep as a weekend/autox toy. This car is what limits my search for local projects to $1000 or less.

To add to the conundrum, I will likely end up with all 3 of the cars discussed at some point in the future. What say you, GRM?

I'm honored.

What I did was stupid. Don't do that. I love the Opel GT look. I would go there, but I would probably make way too much of a project out of it. Have any pictures? This is largely condition dependent.

Not stupid per say, my dad did basically the same thing 30 years ago. You are moving forward, his isn't moving at all. I don't have any pictures of the Sonett, I haven't laid eyes on it since the late 80s (can't remember what color it is, but I think red, or orange, maybe yellow). I see the SAAB as the "easy button" but don't know how it will stand up to being under a cover in WNC rather than a garage in AZ. The Opel will be a significant project. I'll try to put up some pictures over the weekend. The Opel has the benefit of having a twin located within 20 feet of it and parts in the attic. I can likely work on it at their house when I go to visit, but that kind of defeats the purpose of the visit.

One other thing I've considered is that my dad is going to attempt to finish his Appalachain Trail through hike this spring/summer and it'd be cool to suprise him with some progress. I thought about doing this last year but I was his shuttle and didn't have as many free weekends due to the wife's schedule.

I bought five Opel Gt s at a auto shop closing here in crystal river some 20 years ago . Wife Marie said I was Krazy for $660 dollars . i sold them to a guy in St pete for $3500 . I had them at my house before I bought the Junk Yard . I had 13 cars on there . Damn the good old daze . Saab sonnet 3 for sale naked chics on trampolines

Go with the Sonett.

The Saab sounds like the easier project overall. Parts might be easier with the Opel I guess.

As an owner of a restored Opel GT I can relate with that one. As mentioned, parts isn't as hard to get as you would think. But that car sitting outside under a cover, be prepared for lots of structure rust repair.

The Saab seems like an easier project but transporting is the hard part. Cross-country trailering. Although they also have their issues. Fiberglass body, parts availability.

So Chrispy...do you know what you want to do here? Not that many of us ever did this in the beggining, but here are some good questions to ask yourself before you dive in..

Do you want to drive a cool car? If you do, get a loan or whatever it takes and buy the best finished car that you can find.

Do you just want to own a project? There is no sin in getting a car and not ever doing anything with it except stash it in the garage or outback. Your Dad seems to favour this approach, and while not widely uinderstood, its a segment of the auto-hobby.

Do you want a learning experience? If so, decide between rust and mechanical. Rust is a masochist's game and lord knows I speak from experience. I don't recomend mixing the two in the same project.

Is this an engineering design effort? Do you want to learn how to fabricate? Weld structural components, machine stuff, determine geometry and all that good stuff?

Other than option #1 you really need a workspace. Smart people take option #1, the rest of us fall somewhere in the rest of the mix.

There are only a few spots on an Opel GT where rust wouldn't automatically cause me to pass on the car entirely.

Neither comes with an engine that is easy or inexpensive to overhaul, and neither is easy for swaps. If it were something you wanted to put a lot of miles on after it was done I would give a bit of an edge to a well sorted Opel CIH for reliability over the Ford V4, but the SAAB transmission is probably a better unit than the Opel one. Both are going to need rubber to be drivers, and I think the soft parts for the Opel are more readily available than for the SAAB.

Karl La Follette wrote: I bought five Opel Gt s at a auto shop closing here in crystal river some 20 years ago . Wife Marie said I was Krazy for $660 dollars . i sold them to a guy in St pete for $3500 . I had them at my house before I bought the Junk Yard . I had 13 cars on there . Damn the good old daze . Saab sonnet 3 for sale naked chics on trampolines

So are you saying all the cars in those pictures are currently for sale or USED TO BE for sale? Because I spy a VW 412 and after two Type 3s I'm looking to up my VW weirdness meter another notch or two.

Had an Opel GT

I always wanted to do a sonnet. thought it would be best to start with a decent unmolested body and fabricate a locost style frame for it to bolt to

For Sale every thing some have sold cheap

Junkyard_Dog wrote:

Karl La Follette wrote: I bought five Opel Gt s at a auto shop closing here in crystal river some 20 years ago . Wife Marie said I was Krazy for $660 dollars . i sold them to a guy in St pete for $3500 . I had them at my house before I bought the Junk Yard . I had 13 cars on there . Damn the good old daze . Saab sonnet 3 for sale naked chics on trampolines

So are you saying all the cars in those pictures are currently for sale or USED TO BE for sale? Because I spy a VW 412 and after two Type 3s I'm looking to up my VW weirdness meter another notch or two.

Friday daydream over, back to Monday reality. Thanks NOHOME for the reality check, it was helpful. I looked closely at the Opel pictures over the weekend, looked at the costs involved, and my original assesment that its, at best, a parts car/donor stands true. Lots of rust on the lower body and the front apron is gone - way too rusty to be fun. The SAAB isn't going anywhere and its probably better where it is until I have a proper place to put it. I really want a fun autocross/weekend crusier/TT car on a very tight budget and don't think either of those candidates fit the bill, as they sit.