My cleanish garage

OK, not much to see really - and a small garage by most standards (though in Toronto a double garage is rare) Switched the cars around today which meant a bit of cleaning out - so, show and tell mostly.

Are those the same wheels on both cars?

AngliaGT said:

Are those the same wheels on both cars?

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well spotted

Yes and no, yes, both Rostyles, Vauxhall Rostyles have 7/16" stud holes and MG are 3/8" so not interchangeable. And the Vauxhall ones have been professionally refinished and have better tires.

I want to see more pictures of what must be the GT

Is it from the Opel family? Very sharp

hcallaway said:

I want to see more pictures of what must be the GT

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Indeed it is. Vauxhall is (was) General Motors in the UK and Opel is General Motors in Germany. Hence similar designs. (Peugeot just bought Vauxhall)

The GT started out life as a Vauxhall HB - and then to compete with the first generation Escorts, they came out with the GT. The GT followed the typical muscle car formula - bigger engine into smaller car, so, instead of the 1200cc 50hp engine it got a 110 hp 2000cc Vauxhall Victor slant four. (The slant four BTW was to be half a v8 and even have a diesel option - never developed though it is very close to a Lotus 907 engine)

4606 GTs were made. They only came to Canada for one year (1970) where most (maybe all) were actually marketed as Envoy Epic GTs (which mine actually is) - they have a unique VIN - all UK Gts start 93711 while North American (at least) are 93731.

According to the register there are about 65 left in the world. In Canada there are three that I know of - mine, one a few hours away that I have used as a parts car and one in Calgary that I have seen a picture of. One other was recently found and it has gone to New Zealand.

I bought mine as an abandoned project (I am 5 years or so into a 2 year project) - so, like a puzzle without a box. I am slowly getting it back together. I had hoped for this year as it is the 50th anniversary but I doubt it will happen.

I rely heavily on the UK Vauxhall Viva club - but, there are Canadian differences (other than LHD) that make it perplexing.

Some pics: (the day I got it)








engine rebuilt:



and finally, earlier this summer, the Vauxhall show in England. they managed to get 24 cars over the weekend for the 50th anniversary.

the dot in the sky is the Spitfire flying over.

Thanks it really is sharp.

hcallaway said:

Thanks it really is sharp.

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thanks, one day it hope it truly will be.

Looks Good !

That's such a cool car!I like unusual cars like that.
(Notice that I didn't say "Weird"?)

AngliaGT said:

That's such a cool car!I like unusual cars like that.
(Notice that I didn't say "Weird"?)

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thanks - and weird totally works too! (but then you already know that about me)

Looks like it would compete quite well with the Escort.

Kurt

nomad said:

Looks like it would compete quite well with the Escort.

Kurt

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which is exactly why the GT was designed - though it has always been the red haired stepchild - the colour and the car in general a little too boy racerish - though they actually raced with some success (there was a lot of room to develop the engine) but, values have lagged way behind the escorts.

Personally I was always a fan of the Escort. Of course we didn't get either and look what we are forced to drive today. Pretty poor selection IMO, if you like small nimble car's. Once a manufacturer thinks his car needs to have power steering I begin to think it is too heavy. Now they are being steered by wire!

Kurt