The sign of the parrot

Opel Classics (CP 1/2009)

Automotive rarities

Automotive history was on display at the BASF Coatings Open House, held in September at the Münster site. In a joint project, Opel Classics, BASF SE, and BASF Coatings restored a 1908 Opel Doppelphaeton 10/18 and a 1958 Opel Kapitän P 2.5 back to their original state.

These rare classics were part of the festivities celebrated by Glasurit^® this year, providing an opportunity to demonstrate the unit’s expertise in coatings and paints. In celebration of their own big anniversaries – 100 and 50 years respectively since first rolling off the line – the two classic models were restored at the refinishing facilities of a Glasurit customer.

They were entirely disassembled into parts and carefully refinished piece by piece by professional staff. It took weeks of work for each part to be restored to its original color. The Opel Doppelphaeton took 300 hours and required 40 kilos of the Opel standard crème white. Its decorative lines were added by hand in red-brown.

For the Kapitän, Opel went with Glasurit’s Classic Car Colors concept, service included. Using the tank lid and other elements, the BASF Coatings lab determined the color tones of the body, which are now called Monaco Blue and Alabaster Gray. The new shine on these antique cars recalls the old days, when the Opel Doppelphaeton was a racing contender, winning the 1025 kilometers international Vienna–Trieste–Klagenfurt test circuit in 1909.

Opel produced different versions of the successful Kapitän model between 1938 and 1970, which together with the Admiral and Diplomat defined Opel’s premium class.

Restored with Glasurit coatings: a 1958 Opel Kapitän and a 1908 Opel Doppelphaeton.

www.opelclassics.de