My worst car was a '72 Opel Kadett hatchback that I inherited from my mom.
When she bought the thing new, it came with little touches like the wipers
starting up when you'd turn on the lights, etc. By the time I got it the
front quarter panels had rusted in a line almost all the way up the door.
After about a year of living in NYC the carbs started giving me problems
and I will never own another car with a Solex carb because of it. Three
part body made of aluminum and four corner bolts made of steel to hold it
together. Steel and aluminum don't mix well at parties and without knowing
it I'd stripped the threads out of the body. All of a sudden I'm trying to
get up a hill on Long Island and barely made it to the top. I got out to
look and the top of the carb was flopping around like a fish with gas
dribbled everywhere. On the same trip the quarter panels rusted all the way
up so I'm driving along with the front fenders flapping like wings while
picking up speed going downhill. I happened to have a bow and a rack of
arrows in the car. When I got to Montauk Point I got out and put two arrows
through the fender and left them there until they fell out on their own.
The Kadett had a humorous point, though. The column shifter would pop out
in your hand if you weren't careful. I pulled up to a light next to another
guy in a Kadett and pulled the shifter out of it's socket and held it up.
He did the same thing.
At least I had the security of being able to park it on the street without
anyone wanting to steal it. Best kind of car to have in Manhattan.
Glenn
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Glenn Schnittke
Vice-President
Tennessee Spokes Sports Car Club
schnittke@mindspring.com
Home: 615-837-5883
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