spotted this small pickup truck , with a wonderful exhaust sound,not a V8.

pulled into local neighbors drive.

went and took some pix, talked with owner!

1948 Ford pickup, with a late model Jag 4.2L with auto trans!

 

Sounds like someone had an extra engine and trans lying around and is either real gutsy, or has a bucket full of screws loose? Kinda Cool Though!
89 Jacobra

 

Not silly at all.

 

Well, to each their own. It is a heavy lump though...

There's an Opel Diplomat Coupé driving around here with a Jaguar V12 under the bonnet...

 

Well as you all are from "across the Pond" as we say(No disrespect). I can see a Jag engine in unusual vehicles over there, not that strange. But since Ronbros has listed Austin Tx. and Daytona Fl. as home base. It's a touch more unusual here. I guess the man just wanted to be different. A lot of us Americans strive to be a little different, It's what makes us interesting! LOL!
89 Jacobra

 

By the way the Opel Diplomat has a fairly strong resemblance to a cross between a 67 Chevy Nova and a 67 Chevy Chevelle. What year is it, and I know Gm owns a piece of Opel is there a reason for the resemblance???

89Jacobra

 

Get rid of the silly spike details, and I'd love to have that truck.

 

Opel currently belongs to GM, since around 1925! But this year is supposed to be passed on to PSA.

The Admiral/Kapitän/Diplomat was purposely styled American. It used the then normal Corvette V8 and IIRC the TH350 but not totally sure about that one. It was a successful car but Opel's quality plumited in the 70ies a d that was the end of their luxury cars (Opel had a better name than Mercedes and put out more cars than Ford Europe back then).

 

Me too. I like that old Ford flat bed. I'd prefer a "pickup bed", but I could live with it just fine.


Circa 1954, I was assigned be the Brigade Liasion at the firing range on Germany's North Coast. Todendorf!!! Wowee, a mere first louey, but I got a staff car!!!! An Opel Kapitan. The durn thing out ranked me. And, I was not to drive the thing, but to be driven!!


One part of my job was to coordinate with a neighboring Brit range. A pleasure. The CO was a classic Brit Major. Swagger stick and all. Very interesting fellow. A bit of a car nut as well. Fixing up an elderly MBZ. The German mechanics in his shop cast brass blanks from shell casings and machined them as bushings for the well worn suspension!!! He and his missus had us up for tea and cakes.


A bit later, my tour was done. I turned in my 50 Chevrolet to be sent to NY. I was a foot, back to HQ, no more staff car. So, wifey and I went shopping for a temp. We found a 32 Opel. A mini version of a 29 Chevrolet. It did the commute job just fine. German gas, German insurance, etc. Wifey and I left it to her papa. he decided to sell it.


Decades later. Daughter's gal's elderly Camry wagon bit the dust. Blown head gasket. Goes shopping and comes up with a Cadillac Catera. Much nicer than the thrashed Camry. It's real identity. 94 Opel, merely a GM rebadge.


No longer sure of when. But wifey and I visited a flea market near by. A circa early 50's Ford van like critter. REA used them. Railway Express Agency. Sorta like UPS of today.


A local independent Jaguar shop used one as a shop truck. Repowered with a 4.2 and emblazoned with their shop add. Very nicely done.


Today's whereabouts unknown....


Carl

 

here is my Opel designed, Isuzu built, sold by GM around the world as a ? , I-Mark.

it has a 1.8L turbo diesel,5speed!

 

Opel Kadett Coupé

 

..

close enough, Kadett coupe, and a number of other names ,all the same body plan.