Opel Commodore A Coupe 3.5V8 1969

terziakis · Post by **terziakis** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 10:47 am

Here is my little project. This is my first car, I owned it since 1991. It had 2.5l R6 with triplewebers. I registered it 1992, and after driving 1 year motor failed.
I started convert it to V8, bought 1978 SD1 3.5 engine with BW65.
But then life got in the way, army, school etc. I put project on hold.

Then about 2006 I started project again, I didn't hurry, there were months when I didn't even touched it. And winters here in Finland are cold and I don't have warm garage, so basically I worked from april to october on weekends.

In summer 2012 I got engine running and first time since 1993 I drove it. Last summer (2013) I painted it and put glasses in, there is some work to do before I can register it again, maybe next spring.

And here is couple of pictures:

First snow few weeks ago.

Dirty enginebay.

r2d2hp · Post by **r2d2hp** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:00 am

Thats a seriously cool car. Like it a lot

p.s. what headlamps are you using

terziakis · Post by **terziakis** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 11:09 am

Thanks.

Headlamps are Depo "tuninglights" for BMW E32/E34. Not direct bolt-on, I made new brackets for them.

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Tue Nov 05, 2013 1:42 pm

Hello
Very nice I really like that a lot.
Best regards
Mike

chodjinn · Post by **chodjinn** » Wed Nov 06, 2013 8:43 am

that is a mean looking car mate! Really like the lines on it

terziakis · Post by **terziakis** » Wed Nov 06, 2013 9:59 am

Thanks for kind words.

Engine specs:
1978 SD1 3.5
Crower Comp-U Pro 50230 Camshaft
Castings finished in heads, nothing special
ACT carbon fibre plenum + 70mm throttlebody
MegaSquirt MS1 2.2 + Edis8

mgbv8 · Post by **mgbv8** » Wed Nov 06, 2013 9:00 pm

That looks COOL!!!

I can see so many parts of the car that remind me of other cars. MK3 Cortina, MK1 Escort, Dodge Charger, GTO, Mercury Cougar to name but a few.

I just love that look !!!

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Thu Nov 07, 2013 7:14 pm

Looks fantastic

NorthernBloke · Post by **NorthernBloke** » Fri Nov 15, 2013 10:11 pm

Love it

terziakis · Post by **terziakis** » Sat Nov 16, 2013 10:27 am

Here is few pics from build

I turned car on a side and cleaned undercoating, there was some rust and I sandblasted it.

Then new paint and undercoating.

I was welding holes in firewall, but then..

I didn't like all those dents and all, so away it goes.

And new firewall.

Then "new" lock/radiatorshroud (don't know right word) from donorcar, it needed some new metal.

And making new innerfenders.

Fitting radiator in place.

Painted enginebay.

We hoisted engine and transmission in place, no scratches to new paint, but few dented fingers

Wiring engine and fitting carbon plenum.

I bought that plenum cause original was hitting on bonnet, but new plenum was too high too..

..So I cut a hole to bonnet and

fibreclassed scoop to it.

I had removed all wiring from car in a past, so it was time to new wiring.
First it looked mission impossible, but with time (and beer and smoke), I figured it.

After painting and fitting glasses in. We are remodelling our garage, so car was dust.

kiwicar · Post by **kiwicar** » Sat Nov 16, 2013 5:48 pm

Hi
I really like the way you have rebuilt this car, especially the engine bay, it is a really high quality job, however that is also apparent in the rest of the build, you should be very proud of what you have built here it is excellent.
Best regards
Mike

gelmonkey · Post by **gelmonkey** » Sat Nov 16, 2013 7:21 pm

I know what I like when I see it and that's it right there.
It just shows that to make something look simple and straight you have to do a lot to make it look less.

Fantastic and well done.

P

ChrisJC · Post by **ChrisJC** » Sun Nov 17, 2013 7:37 pm

Nice work. Very nice welding and fabrication!

Chris.

brettp · Post by **brettp** » Sun Mar 09, 2014 7:36 pm

That is gorgeous

terziakis · Post by **terziakis** » Wed Aug 13, 2014 12:42 pm

Maybe it is time to update.
But first: Thanks to all for liking it.

I had for frontbrakes widened Volvo 4-pot calipers, but there was some problems with them, so I ordered Wilwood calipers, made new brackets for them, and now they are awesome!
Front brakes Wilwood 4-pot calipers with 330X30mm discs (from Peugeot 406)
Rear brakes Ford Sierra Cosworth calipers with 300x10mm discs (from BMW E34)

Front brakes

Then to interior, I made new carpet, and my sister made new cover for rear seat. I made console from scratch, but I'm not very happy for result, I will make new console later.

It was time to get car registered, but I was redflagged, engine is 48cc too big. So I had to make application for special permission, but it takes about one year at Finnish Transport Sagety Agency (Trafi) to handle my application. So now car is useless until I get that permission, or if I get it.

And if/when I get car registered, I want to convert from BW65 autobox to 5speed manual, if someone have parts I need for convert ( flywheel, clutch, bellhousing and trans R380 or LT77) I'm interest for buying them.