Classic & Sports Car - December 2015 UK

OPELREKORD1700/SPRINT

Sold/numberbuilt1966-’71/1,280,000

(all typesof Rekord)

Constructionsteelmonocoque

Engineall-iron,cam-in-head1698cc/

1897cc‘four’, single/twinSolex carbs

Maxpower81bhp@5200rpm/

106bhp@5600rpm

Maxtorque93lb ft@1900rpm/

115Ibft@3500rpm

Transmissionfour-speedmanualor three-

speedautomatic,drivingrear wheels

Suspension:frontindependentby double

wishbones,anti-rollbarrearlive axle,twin

radius arms,transverse link (Sprinta-r

bar); coil springs,telescopicdampersf/r

Steeringrecirculatingball

Brakesdiscsfront,drumsrear, with servo

Length14ft 1in (4293mm)

Width5ft 9in (1753mm)

Height4ft 8^1 / 2 in (1435mm)

Weight2360/2502lb(1070/1135kg)

0-60mph17/10.9 secs

Maxspeed90/106mphMpg28/23

Pricenew£1564Pricenow£10-12,000

(Sprint)/£18,000(cabriolet)

COMMODORE6 COUPÉ

(wheredifferent)

Sold/numberbuilt1967-’71/156,330

(all Commodores)Engine2490cc‘six’

Maxpower115bhp@5200rpm

Maxtorque128Ibft@3600rpm

Weight2579lb(1170kg)

0-60mph11.4 secs

Top speed104mph(auto)Mpg 20

Pricenew£1593Pricenow£10-12,000

Onceeverydayfodder, thesecarsarenowrare
and coll ectable in Germany. JensCooperof the
OpelMuseumdiscoveredthisall-original
RekordSprintCoupéin theSouthofFrance,
wherethedrierclimatehadallowedit to survive.
Hesaysthatmostof theRekordandCommo-
dorecoupésin theirhomecountrywerelostto
rustin the1980s,butluckilyOpelwasableto
acquirethefeaturedgold-beigeCommodore 6
in similarlynear-perfectcondition 15 yearsago,
withonly12,000kilometresontheclock.
BoththeSprintandtheCommodore6 cut
handsomepillarlessprofiles,withsweepingfast-
backsthatflownicelyintotherearwings.They
shareidenticalsheetmetalallroundona fully

December 2015 Classic&SportsCar 163

stress-engineered,load-bearingstructure,and

rideona longerwheelbasethantheprevious

RekordB. Theylookslightlyeffeteontheirlittle

14in wheels , butErhardSchnell’ s Euro-ponycar

shapehasagedwelloverall. Spotlamps, matt-

blackstripes(andrearpanel)plusfive-bolt

‘sports’steelsvisuallydistinguishthefour-cylin-

der, 106bhpSprintfromthe2.5-litre115bhp

Commodore‘six’withits vinylroofandhubcaps.

Beyondthelongframelessdoors,theyseat

foureasily– fiveat a pinch– so theywereclearly

moreof anAmericanconceptof whata coupé

should be, comple te withmassive 13cuft-plu s

luggagecapacity. Theenginebaysoffera work-

manlikepresentationwithanagriculturalpainted

Sprinthandlestidilyon

well-locatedlive rearaxle;

twin-carbcam-in-head

‘four’feelslivelierthan

‘six’;matt-blackpanelplus

extra gaugeson Sprint