posted at the Cohort by Martin Klitgaard
Given that my old truck spends a lot of time at the Sanitation Dept. Transfer Station, and that I often meet other old trucks there doing the same thing, this shot of a ’76 Opel Kadett doing the same thing spoke to me. Based on a Google translation of “Lukket” it means “Closed” in Norwegian, so we’ll assume that’s where this was shot. What; no Teslas at the dump?
Somewhat surprisingly, we’ve never done a proper write-up of the Kadett C on our pages, although it’s made its appearance on several other GM T-Car posts. As you probbaly know, the T-Car was GM’s first global platform, and spawned offshoots in Japan (Isuzu I-Mark, which was also sold under false pretenses as an Opel in the US), the beloved Chevrolet Chevette in the US and Brazil, the Vauxhall Chevette, Daewoo Gemini and Maepsy (Korea), and the Holden Gemini (built in Japan). Did I miss anyone? GM spread its T-Car genes very promiscuously.
But for Europeans, it’s the Kadett, and it was a pragmatic and fairly rugged little thing, beloved especially by folks who tended to be tight with their money and keep them running for a while. This guy may be the ultimate representative of the type.
As a multiple Opleowner I must say nice car, but judging by the plates the location is definitely neighbouring(lingaustically as well as geographically) Denmark.
This is Norway. The plates are Norwegian. And it is correct that “lukket” means “closed”. Actually “lukket” has the same etymology as English “locked”.
Def Denmark if you zoom at the Kia behind. Norwegian plates has other fonts, no space between the 2nd and 3rd numbers and not those lettercombinations. Could be 2 danes though holidaying in the san.sept.
This generation was sold in Ecuador as a Chevy Chevette but with bodywork pretty much identical to the Opel notchbacks, unlike the US and UK Chevette. In a partial CC effect, I saw a Volvo 740 or maybe a 940 wagon yesterday pulling a utility trailer made from a Ford Courier or early Mazda pickup bed. Not a T car, but a similarly CC-worthy European car, hard at work.
I pull a trailer made from a late-model Nissan 720 with my Ranger, and this would be one of the most useful jobs for that combination. I even have a tool box in the trailer as well as a smaller one in the bed of the Ranger (regular ones won’t work with camper shells) for carrying smaller items if the need arises. What I have done once already is haul off several fallen tree limbs from the trees around my church’s parking lot & it worked out pretty well. They weren’t excessively large or heavy so loading them wasn’t a problem, but not light enough to require being secured in the bed(s) either so they didn’t fly out into the road during transport.
Not an uncommon sight, a small vehicle from 70s/80s with a trailer. I have seen many similar combos at our local dump or metal scrapyard, but mostly old Ladas and rear-engined Škodas. Even cars like these can haul, we shouldn’t underestimate them!
I had to borrow a wagon version of this model for the first date with my present wife, in early 1975, as my Landcrab had leaking hydrolastic fluid. She stood me up though, so it wasn’t our first date after all.
I liked the Kadett though, even if rear-seat legroom was minimal. The coupe version was a real looker.
I’m liking the back to basics Kadett visuals here, I can relate, reminds me of my scrap yard-mad Dad and our searches for car parts and treasure. I had two tough T-car Opels and was very fond of them. South Africa skipped this Kadett generation, but I see one of these here occasionally, a bit down on it’s luck, and need to get some photographic evidence..
OK – you got me!
I give up!
Which one – the yellow four-wheeled vehicle – or the gray two-wheeled vehicle, is the garbage cart?
lol
I give up!
Which one – the yellow four-wheeled vehicle – or the gray two-wheeled vehicle, is the garbage cart?
Well, if you were to ask Bob Lutz….
If you ask me & also refer to MY case, probably both–see my earlier comment above. I like the humor though!
“the beloved Chevrolet Chevette”
Are you sure about that?
I think Paul wrote that tongue in cheek. Far to the South, however, in Brazil and Uruguay, the Chevrolet Chevette (it actually acquired the “Chevrolet” badge in 1982 – up to that time it was just called the Chevette, though it always carried the bow tie) was a really beloved car. It would rust in a few years, it was terribly cramped and underpowered, but it run one day and the next, seemingly forever. My Dad had a ’78 Rally (which had just a few stripes and nicer wheels and instruments and the like), my brother had an ’80, and my other brother had a very late ’92, which he owned for about 5 years and like 180 K kilometers and keeps on saying it’s the most reliable car he’s ever had.
Paul, you asked if you had forgotten one of the tribe. You did, it was the Opel K180, made in Argentina, powered by an engine obtained by loping off two cylinder from a 194cid Chevy (or so it’s said). It wasn’t particularly successful, as its engine was too heavy.
The Opel K180 engine was a derivation of GM’ s 153 four cylinder used by Chevy II and Nova from 1962 to 1970. However, it had different bore and stroke measures: 3.5625 inches (Arg) versus 3.875 (US) and 2.75 vs 3.25. The Argentinian version displaced 109.6 c.i. while the North American mill went to 153.3. Both powerplants followed the design of the 194 six of that time, so they could be produced on the same tooling line.
You see a fair number of these in udkants Denmark. They seem often to be modified in various ways, much like later Honda Civics seem unable to avoid alteration by the cap-on-backwards brigade. Similar cars from Ford are an altogether rarer sight, which is odd given how mechanically similar they are. And VW Beetles are as rare. Something about Opels from this period must make them relatively more attractive both as keeper and as objects of DIY modding. Any reasons?
Richard in Denmark
I have no idea if the Kadett was an inspiration for VW, but the Kadett/Chevette with the trunk, obviously reminds one of the 1979 Jetta.
It must be an old car thing, My Minx has its weekly outing going to the recycling depot when I’m working it gets a run on my day off.
The GM T car is the slut of the automotive world. Sold under so many badges. Only the Chrysler Avenger gets close.
Your comment is harsh.
True, but harsh.
ISUZU Impulse! A T-car variant, as it was based on the I-Mark.
Didn’t Lotus do a version of this car?
Lotus did suspension work on both generations of Impulse, improving its handling significantly. Isuzu went so far as to put “Handling by Lotus” badges on the cars.
Isuzu also supplied engines for the front-drive Elan.
As shown here:
The Holden Gemini was built in Australia, not Japan, although the engine was Japanese. I bought a used one in 1976, it was a great little car.