Quick History: Buick Imports. Remember The Buick Rekord? - Page 2

ral1960 · 07-29-2009, 03:18 PM

The Manta was the first car I remember with reclining seats. I wanted one pretty badly when I was about 13.

jry · 07-29-2009, 07:03 PM

Heck, we had a Buick Opel dealer here when i was a kid.
I can remember a family member driving an old 60 something Opel 4 cyl. pickup truck (or maybe he converted it to one). I was around 10....

amellowtreew · 07-29-2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fyreline

I remember when the Rekord was sold in Buick showrooms, but I never remember it being called a Buick or Buick-Opel Rekord - Just Opel Rekord. Pontiac sold the Vauxhall Victor from about 1957 to 1961. I don't believe Oldsmobile got a "captive import" during that time period - at least not in the USA. I think Olds dealers also got the Vauxhall in Canada.

Actually, in Canada the Pontiac/Buick dealers got a car called the Envoy, with models exactly matching to the Vauxhall cars.

MaxLegroom · 07-30-2009, 05:41 AM

I remember some of these cars. One of my neighbors had a pair of Vauxhall Victors that were no longer running by the mid '70s. My first car could have been a '74 Opel Manta nearly the color of the one in that picture in the article. It had been sitting at a off base car lot through the previous winter, and when I made an offer with 500 bucks literally burning a hole in my slacks, the dealer still insisted on 600, so no dice. Too bad, as that car could make city driving fun...

nota · 07-30-2009, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedVee8

Were they called Opel, or Buick-Opel?

I'm fairly sure the earlier ones (as pictured) were badged & branded as Opel, not Buick-Opel.

(btw the "1-millionth Opel" above-quote must be badly worded, and refer to entire Opel exports, not US-market alone)

RedVee8 · 07-30-2009, 09:14 PM

Ok cool. I thought they sold the 70's Gemini-style Kadett as a Buick-Opel in the same way as the original Gemini was badged Holden-Isuzu.

Anyway, funny how the world has turned with Buick and Opel. Hopefully these future plans don't get screwed by the sale of Opel.

philr · 09-19-2009, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedVee8

Ok cool. I thought they sold the 70's Gemini-style Kadett as a Buick-Opel in the same way as the original Gemini was badged Holden-Isuzu.

They did...

http://www.hemmings.com/hsx/stories/...feature25.html

m100 · 09-19-2009, 01:18 AM

You Tube

A High School friend of mine's dad had an Opel 1900 wagon (I think he was in the military in Germany). Thought it was very cool,part of the reason I picked up an Astra.

RedVee8 · 09-19-2009, 04:43 AM

Cheesy ad, but a nice looking car.

Aussies -I'm guessing that is the same 1900 as the Torana 1900 / Sunbird?

DanCBJMS1988 · 09-20-2009, 01:18 AM

Nice work, Perian! This is what should've happen to Buick when Olds got shut down - re-import the Opels as Buicks.

TriShield · 10-01-2009, 09:47 PM

I learned to drive a standard transmission in a Buick-Opel Manta Ralleye. This was in the mid 90s and it was a pretty old car by then. But surprisingly good to drive.

The Opel experiment at Buick failed in the 1970s, it failed at Cadillac with the rebadged Omega, it failed at Saturn with the Astra (and styling everything else after Opel), and now they want to try it at Buick again. I'm not sure how many times GM wants to repeat history.

nferr · 10-01-2009, 10:44 PM

I also learned to drive a manual in my parents Opel wagon. Was a pretty sporty wagon. My brother eventually totaled it after a night of drinking. Actually flipped it and no one was injured. The car was nice for a few years but eventually everything began breaking on it. I remember bringing it to the dealer for service and drooling over the Opel GT. I loved those cars.

mikegps2009 · 10-16-2009, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nota

I'm fairly sure the earlier ones (as pictured) were badged & branded as Opel, not Buick-Opel.

(btw the "1-millionth Opel" above-quote must be badly worded, and refer to entire Opel exports, not US-market alone)

LOL, my grandfather used to have one of these. He has pictures of it too

1957wildcat · 10-16-2009, 03:55 PM

That Opel Olympic Rekord, Model 28, even has a slight sweepspear, like a Buick LOL.

07-29-2009, 03:18 PM	#16 (permalink)
ral1960 3.0 Liter SIDI V6 Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: NC Drives: 2004 DeVille Posts: 742	Re: Quick History: Buick Imports. Remember The Buick Rekord? The Manta was the first car I remember with reclining seats. I wanted one pretty badly when I was about 13.

07-29-2009, 07:03 PM	#17 (permalink)
jry 6.0 Liter L76 V8 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: michigan, the incredible shrinking state Drives: '08 Vette LT2, '09 Escape Hybrid, '07 Expy EL, Posts: 2,164	Re: Quick History: Buick Imports. Remember The Buick Rekord? Heck, we had a Buick Opel dealer here when i was a kid. I can remember a family member driving an old 60 something Opel 4 cyl. pickup truck (or maybe he converted it to one). I was around 10.... __________________ '09 Escape Hybrid, '08 LT2 Vette, '07 Expy EL, Eddie Bauer, '96 Fleetwood 31' motorhome, '02 saturn L100 tow car. Good night and good luck.

07-30-2009, 05:41 AM	#19 (permalink)
MaxLegroom 5.3 Liter Vortec V8 Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Newport News, VA Drives: 2002 VW Passat 1996 Chrysler Sebring LX Posts: 1,467	Re: Quick History: Buick Imports. Remember The Buick Rekord? I remember some of these cars. One of my neighbors had a pair of Vauxhall Victors that were no longer running by the mid '70s. My first car could have been a '74 Opel Manta nearly the color of the one in that picture in the article. It had been sitting at a off base car lot through the previous winter, and when I made an offer with 500 bucks literally burning a hole in my slacks, the dealer still insisted on 600, so no dice. Too bad, as that car could make city driving fun... __________________ Donne e motori, gioie e dolori

07-30-2009, 09:14 PM	#21 (permalink)
RedVee8 4.4 Liter Supercharged Northstar Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Rosemeadow, NSW Australia Drives: 2009 CG Captiva; 2006 AH Astra; 1984 VH Commodore Posts: 2,547	Re: Quick History: Buick Imports. Remember The Buick Rekord? Ok cool. I thought they sold the 70's Gemini-style Kadett as a Buick-Opel in the same way as the original Gemini was badged Holden-Isuzu. Anyway, funny how the world has turned with Buick and Opel. Hopefully these future plans don't get screwed by the sale of Opel. __________________ Current Holdens. VH Commodore Vacationer 253 V8; AH Astra CDX 1.8; CG09 Captiva LX 3.2V6 (work). Previous Holdens. 69 HT Kingswood 186; 75 HJ Premier 202; 77 TC Gemini; 85 JD Camira SL/E 1.8i; CG06 Captiva LX 3.2V6 Keep Holden On. Buick - Sporty Elegance

09-19-2009, 04:43 AM	#24 (permalink)
RedVee8 4.4 Liter Supercharged Northstar Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Rosemeadow, NSW Australia Drives: 2009 CG Captiva; 2006 AH Astra; 1984 VH Commodore Posts: 2,547	Re: Quick History: Buick Imports. Remember The Buick Rekord? Cheesy ad, but a nice looking car. Aussies -I'm guessing that is the same 1900 as the Torana 1900 / Sunbird? __________________ Current Holdens. VH Commodore Vacationer 253 V8; AH Astra CDX 1.8; CG09 Captiva LX 3.2V6 (work). Previous Holdens. 69 HT Kingswood 186; 75 HJ Premier 202; 77 TC Gemini; 85 JD Camira SL/E 1.8i; CG06 Captiva LX 3.2V6 Keep Holden On. Buick - Sporty Elegance

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09-20-2009, 01:18 AM	#25 (permalink)
DanCBJMS1988 6.2 Liter LS3 V8 Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Pawtucket, RI, USA and Ottawa, ON, Canada Drives: none Posts: 3,765	Re: Quick History: Buick Imports. Remember The Buick Rekord? Nice work, Perian! This is what should've happen to Buick when Olds got shut down - re-import the Opels as Buicks. __________________ Θέλει αρετή και τόλμη η ελευθερία. (Ανδρέας Κάλβος)

10-01-2009, 09:47 PM	#26 (permalink)
TriShield 4.4 Liter Supercharged Northstar Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Phoenix, AZ, USA Drives: 07 Escalade ESV, 09 G8 GXP Posts: 2,935	Re: Quick History: Buick Imports. Remember The Buick Rekord? I learned to drive a standard transmission in a Buick-Opel Manta Ralleye. This was in the mid 90s and it was a pretty old car by then. But surprisingly good to drive. The Opel experiment at Buick failed in the 1970s, it failed at Cadillac with the rebadged Omega, it failed at Saturn with the Astra (and styling everything else after Opel), and now they want to try it at Buick again. I'm not sure how many times GM wants to repeat history.

10-01-2009, 10:44 PM	#27 (permalink)
nferr 3.0 Liter SIDI V6 Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Connecticut Drives: 07 CTS,06 Malibu,84 Corvette Posts: 504	Re: Quick History: Buick Imports. Remember The Buick Rekord? I also learned to drive a manual in my parents Opel wagon. Was a pretty sporty wagon. My brother eventually totaled it after a night of drinking. Actually flipped it and no one was injured. The car was nice for a few years but eventually everything began breaking on it. I remember bringing it to the dealer for service and drooling over the Opel GT. I loved those cars.

10-16-2009, 03:55 PM	#29 (permalink)
1957wildcat 2.4 Liter SIDI ECOTEC Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 344	Re: Quick History: Buick Imports. Remember The Buick Rekord? That Opel Olympic Rekord, Model 28, even has a slight sweepspear, like a Buick LOL. __________________ B U I C K The new class of world class

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