C. D. E.
11/04/2022
Don't look for meaning in the abbreviation in the title - it's not one. If you do, you're probably a Unix programmer. But I'm wrong, at least before.
The last Sunday in October was not only the longest of the year (time change), it was also the sunniest for the next few months. What do you do on a day like that? You go out - and visit a classic car rally, for example. If you happen to live in Berlin, the "scene" meets every last Sunday of the month from April to October at the Olympiastadion; informal, without much organization and commercial-free - apart from the currywurst stall. There may have been between 150 and 200 classic and vintage cars there, but I was impressed. Not only by the predominantly excellent condition of the vehicles on display, but also by the mix of vehicles. I still saw a large number of them on the street, admired many of them as new cars and visited the car dealerships in my area on the days of the show. I'm getting old...
What really got into my heart, however, were not so much the US cars, which are typically very widely represented at meetings in Berlin and the surrounding area, the various Mercedes-Benzes in new car condition or the Porsche armada.
There were three Opel Kadett - which explains the title. A Kadett C, a Kadett D and a Kadett E. I had once owned all three models myself, albeit as simply equipped second-hand cars - in the case of the C, a consumer car. My memory, however, almost mystifies the cardinal red 12N with its 52 hp: it was my first car. Completely free of optional extras, except for the swing seats (seat rails rusted through), uncertain mileage, the Bakelite steering wheel cracked in two places, windshield washer system not working. I have no idea how the vehicle got a fresh MOT - but I have a theory...
Back then in the village, having your first car was nothing less than freedom. Including the freedom to burn the hard-earned cash from my vacation job on the way to school. No matter! It was 6000 accident-free and fun-filled kilometers. 160 he went downhill. I wonder what it would have been like on the highway...
I'll skip the three weeks with the Escort, especially because its end wasn't very glorious for me. Then came the Kadett D. With it, I proved that the 13N engine with 60 hp could handle speeds of over 7,000 rpm without complaint, and that the car would brake to a standstill even if none of the four wheels were in contact with the ground. The coefficient of friction between the roof and the road is sufficiently high. The E was then my business vehicle for a good 150,000 km. Field service job with mileage allowance - with the C16NZ engine (75 hp) that was practically a second income. Six liters was almost always enough.
But even the most glorified memories can't hide the fact that the cadets on show at the Olympic Stadium were of a completely different caliber. The three that particularly caught my eye were built with the greatest attention to detail.
The C-Coupé in its early GT/E version - with a cage and quick-release fasteners on the hoods - was prepared like a rally car for fast asphalt tests. Perhaps a little lower than usual at the time, the original appearance is clearly in the foreground, underlined by the Fuchs rims with standard tires. A coherent, very clean body - and my personal favorite of the day.
The red Kadett D is a completely different story. Upgraded inside with a cage, bucket seats, Schroth seat belts - all harmonious, but also red. The red exterior suits me better, with BBS wheels, Ascona mirrors, single-arm wipers, Irmscher grille with twin headlights, air intake for oil cooler - all contemporary and, like the whole car, extremely clean. The surprise behind the grille: a 16V with twin carburetors. This was only available ex works with fuel injection and only in the Kadett E. A stark contrast to the C-Coupé, one quite original, the other quite extreme.
It may be due to my somewhat less emotional attachment to the E generation, keyword breadwinning. The Kadett E in black, which was very well tuned (especially visually), had a hard time holding its own.
In the end, no matter. All the cars deserved to be presented and noticed. If you have already started your personal list of good intentions for the new year, add the following point: visit classic car meetings! You will meet relaxed people, interesting cars - and, in the best case, the emotions from your own automotive past.
