If you are 50+, you can probably remember the streets used to be full of Opels, and especially many Kadetts. Half my family drove them, mainly C and D models, also in the sportier versions (or at least those that had sporty stickers). But none of them drove a B-Kadett 1.1 Rallye.

The model came on the market in ’65, production stopped in ’71. The engine got a faster camshaft and double carburetors, sporty rims, disc brakes at the front, a more extensive instrumentation and… very hip matt black surfaces on the bodywork, to prevent blinding by reflection of the sun. You could also opt for a car that was sprayed evenly, but hey, that was less cool and therefore less chosen. The Rallye was built on the basis of the first Kadett Coupé model, with the “gills” on the C-pillar, or “Kiemen” (in German).

This copy was delivered to Klaus-Dieter in January 1967. He lived in West Berlin. In the file with the car there is a statement in which he gives Manfred permission to use his car, which was then only half a year old. When the car was 2 years old, in January 1969, Manfred took over the car for the sum of DM 2400.

He lived in Sweden and the car came with him. Initially on the German plates, later on a Swedish registration. In the paperwork you can also find that it was carefully aligned, inspected in 1974 and also experienced something in 1976. After that it went quiet.

In 2020 the Kadett was re-registered, by someone in southern Sweden. Presumably shortly after the completion of the restoration. During this process the sills and other spots were repaired by welding and other panels by replacement, it was re-sprayed in the original colors and a lot of the original parts remained. The interior with the VDO meters, the emblems, specific details and also the double carburetors have all survived and are back in action.

It drives well, is not concours, but very nice nevertheless. You can dot the i’s yourself and import it to your country of origin, at the moment it is still Swedish. The price is based on the car as it is, including workshop manual and parts catalogue.