The Opel Rekord A Story (1963 - 1965) - The Car That Changed It All

[@wacholder5690]

Both 4 cylinder engines were the old OHV, where the 1.7 liter has already been used in the Rekord P2 Coupé at least. It got souped up to 67 hp in the final round as 17S. The 6 cylinder was a similarly old design taken from the Opel Kapitän at 2.6 liters and 100 hp in that final stage. This heavy cast-iron lump made the Rekord awfully top-heavy and - due to the lack of power steering - it was almost impossible to manouver at stand-still. Opel didn't get the CIH engines ready in time for the A, so they put them in the slightly face-lifted Rekord B, which was almost identical (other lamps and rear lights, wider rear axle) but that was a short-lived model only available during 1966 and early in 1967 until it was substituted by the "coke bottle" Rekord C. The old line-6 was taken over into the Rekord B, but the new CIH 6 cylinders came available with the C (Rekord 6 2.2 liter / 95 hp) and finally lead to the developement of the Opel Commodore A (2.5 and 2.8 liters). I drove the most of them already during my automobile life (so did I Rekord P1 and P2) ... 😀

[@RalphTSMobiles]

That’s for your story!! I will talk about the Rekord B next! Don’t forget to like and subscribe for more! - Ralph

[@wacholder5690]

@@RalphTSMobiles I once bought a severely accident-damaged blue Rekord B 2-door limousine with the 1700 cc / 75 hp CIH in 1982. It was quite a nice car after all, quite big inside, giantic luggage compartment - due to tank on one side and spare tire on the other. I'd cobbled it together in most parts, but did not want to do a full restoration. I sold it off after a few weeks. Those were the times when you could buy Rekord P2, A and B along with Opel GTs "by the scrap value". The most expensive Opel GT I once bought was a white 1900 Automatic for 2.000 Deutschmark. My first car - in 1977 - was an Opel Kadett B 1100 cc with 45 hp. I had it for almost a year until I got a driving license in 1978 (being 64 by now). I spend a lot time with Opels.😄 Owning Kadetts, Rekords, Commodore, Manta A, Ascona A (one "Voyage"), GTs and my silver Opel Senator A 2.5E Automatic "mid-model" (souped up A1 in between before the A2 facelift), which I had for only two years. It had 150.000 on the counter already and I put another 200.000 on it during that time ... I sold it in 1990 after the german reunion and it went to Rostock. Saw it back in 1995 in Hamburg again and spoke with the owner. It had collected 620.000 km until then. 😳

[@fredfrickler2120]

Ich kenne die Geschichte so, daß die CIH-Motoren eher fertig waren als der Rekord C. Also baute Opel die frisch entwickelten CIHs in eine sich nur leicht gegenüber dem Rekord A unterschiedliche Karosserie ein und nannte das Ganze dann Rekord B.

[@wacholder5690]

@@fredfrickler2120 Die CIH wurden meines Wissens zuerst als 6-Zylinder für die K-A-D entwickelt, um den steinalten und in der Klasse wirklich nicht mehr zeitgemäßen OHV abzulösen. Der stand nach den Werksferien im August 1965 zur Verfügung. Aus Marketinggründen sollte der neue Motor nicht mehr im alten Rekord A verbaut werden, also kam der B mit 12V, breiterer Hinterachse, Scheibenbremsen und den 4-Zylinder CIH Motoren. Da lief parallel aber schon die Planung für den späteren Rekord C. Der kam nach den Werksferien 1966. Und auf dem C mit 1700er / 60 PS Normalbenzin-Motor habe ich mit 13 Autofahren gelernt ... :-)

[@wacholder5690]

@@fredfrickler2120 kzbin.info/www/bejne/qmTTq4BjqK6tlas&ab_channel=7Freitage

[@davidrowley9513]

I liked the Opel cars. They still look good today in fact better looking than modern cars.

[@RalphTSMobiles]

They really do! I will be posting more classic Opels soon! Don’t forget to like and subscribe for more! - Ralph

[@cschiud5571]

Great Videos, more please :)

[@RalphTSMobiles]

@@cschiud5571 I upload this type of videos weekly! I’ve posted one yesterday! - Ralph

[@mvdnbos]

More from the old days please ! 😁

[@RalphTSMobiles]

@@mvdnbos I totally agree! - Ralph

[@hussamal-takriti8792]

سياره جميله عملية جدي رحمه الله كان يملكها 😊 شكرا لك

[@RalphTSMobiles]

🙌🙌

[@pawoody]

I can see you liked the video! :) it is a lovely car yes... I am still restoring and painting.

[@RalphTSMobiles]

@@pawoody thank you so much Pablo!! Your video helped me out a lot! Much appreciated! Don’t forget to watch my other Opel videos as well! - Ralph

[@VADELMAHYYTELÖ1389]

NICE

[@RalphTSMobiles]

@@VADELMAHYYTELÖ1389 thank you! Don’t forget to like and subscribe for more! - Ralph

[@harrygatto]

Was the 6 cylinder engine used in the Rekord A the same as that used in the Vauxhall Velox and Cresta models in the UK? With which model/year did the Rekord change its electrics from 6 volt to 12 volt? I used to have an old Rekord which had 6 volt electrics but it was in the 1960s and I can't remember the year. I remember the electric clock in the centre of the dashboard. In the 1960s I trained as a car mechanic working near a big British Army camp and soldiers returning from Germany brought back all sorts of interesting cars with them. They would often sell them very cheaply when something went wrong so I owned several unusual cars, Borgward, DKW etc. Thanks.

[@wacholder5690]

Opel and Vauxhall had totally different engines up into the late 1970s. AFAIK the Opel Kadett D / Vauxhall Astra A with the belt-driven OHC-engines was the first "unified" model, that ran as Opel and Vauxhall. Even on the "T-platform" (Opel Kadett C / Vauxhall Chevette) different engines were used. The Rekord A has 6 Volt, the Rekord B from mid-1965 was changed to 12 Volt. The Opel Rekord P2 (1960 - 1963) had a separate round clock in the middle of the dahboard. The Rekord A and B had a square one right from the radio. From the C onwards the clock was either integral part of the instruments cluster *or* in a separate console over the gearbox tunnel.

[@RalphTSMobiles]

I think they switched to 12 volts in the late 60s / early 70s, but I’m not sure! I also think the engines were different too! - Ralph

[@RalphTSMobiles]

Thank you for your help! - Ralph

[@harrygatto]

@@wacholder5690 Thank you very much for your prompt and comprehensive reply.

[@pawoody]

@@RalphTSMobiles I haved owned 2 Opel Rekord A in the last 10 years. The first one,from 1964 bought in Portugal,was 4 cylinder and 6V. I have videos and photos of it. The one one you can see on the video is the one I have now,from 1965,6 cylinder and 12v.This one bought in Spain. Both were built in Russelsheim. I don't think there are many left in the world like this one. I am now working on restoration and painting,so in a few months we can share a new video. Regards

[@stephaneckes7438]

Looked like a Mini-Chevrolei Impala. Ztucky.

[@RalphTSMobiles]

@@stephaneckes7438 I totally understand what your saying! It’s also based on a Chevrolet’s design! - Ralph

[@schorsex3562]

Intren auch R3 genannt (weil nach P1 und P2 dann Rekord 3). Erst der Nachfolger wurde auch intern Rekord B genannt.

[@RalphTSMobiles]

Genau! Danke! - Ralph

[@schorsex3562]

@@RalphTSMobiles die beiden Vorgängermodelle wurden mit P bezeichnet, weil sie eine Panorama Frontscheibe hatten (an den Seiten gebogene Scheibe).

[@HJPorschen]

In 1965 I made my driving test on one pf these cars - 1700cc 3-speed gearbox, column gearchange. I liked this car, apart from the coumn gearchange. (Question: why are you saying 'Coup' instead of 'Coupe'?)

[@RalphTSMobiles]

Thanks for sharing your story! I pronounced it the American way, sometimes I accidentally swap British english with American English and visa versa. - Ralph

[@jandostal7343]

Why is the steering wheel upside down? Chrome ring obstructs the instrumentation how it is.😮

[@RalphTSMobiles]

@@jandostal7343 didn’t notice that! That is quite strange! - Ralph

[@山口勝矢-f8s]

4：28 I think somebody assembled steering wheel incorrectly,supposed to be horn ring position bottom,when tire straight.

[@RalphTSMobiles]

Oh wow! Didn’t know that! Thanks for noticing! - Ralph

[@giuliopedrali4794]

I don't know much on Opel Rekord, but the Rekord A was in production only 4 years 1961 1965, the B only till 1967, C to 1972 D to 1977 i think, etc etc, there was a great turnover, not like today.

[@RalphTSMobiles]

@@giuliopedrali4794 no it was only in production between 1963 and 1965! The Rekord P2 was in production from 1960 - 1963! - Ralph

[@giuliopedrali4794]

@@RalphTSMobiles Yes 1963 1965 , this is not a american concept of model year but is close.

[@RickLane-x4j]

Ik hoor een Hollands accent 🙂

[@RalphTSMobiles]

@@RickLane-x4j dat klopt! 🙂 - Ralph

[@RickLane-x4j]

@@RalphTSMobiles Haha dat dacht ik al 🙂

[@riannevanrossum2912]

Coupé is pronounced incorrectly

[@RalphTSMobiles]

Depends on if it’s written as coupe or coupé.

[@riannevanrossum2912]

@@RalphTSMobiles coupe doesn't mean anything

[@dereckhasken9055]

The pronunciation of “coupé” here is American “English”, whereas Europeans pronounce it the French way - furthermore the English pronunciation sounds suspiciously like the former Dutch prime-minister, now Secretary-General of NATO, Mark Rutte!

[@riannevanrossum2912]

@@dereckhasken9055 so if the Americans pronounce it wrong it must be accepted

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

@@riannevanrossum2912 They can’t say aluminium either 🤷🏼‍♂️