Make a matching trailer.

It was an Opel Rekord -58 who was the starting position for the trailer, an Opel that had been out in the woods with no windows or wheels since the 60’s. by Jan Silen

Click on the pictures for more GM

Old Opels rust very much, so the rust had taken most things that stood directly on the ground. Splitting the car at the windscreen and in the middle of the floor was quickly made. To cut the floor was like cutting butter with a hot knife. I like challenges.

I started by buying an EU-trailer at the Bauhaus.

One of those little without brakes.

The trunk of the Opel would be saved and used but most of it would hole of the back seat would be covered with something.

A Chevy 53: a roof that I bought from a friend was perfect.

When I went to get the roof in Bergsjö in early November  it had rained in the morning. When it was time to leave the rain had passed to wet snow and it was 3 inch of  white crap on the ground.

I took the big  trailer and left but just one mile ahead I stopped.  A PT Cruiser with bad tires and large trailer in wet snow is no good combination. Returned home to replace the trailer to the small EU carriage.  Fia out and thought it was a short trip but … ha ha .

She thought I would wait for better weather, but I have decided that I would  do it so it should be much more to change that  and the roof was needed in just one day.

The closer to Bergsjö  I got, the more snow there was, up to 8 inches and the snow poured down. The side windows and the front windscreen mess was again so much that I missed the crossroads, I would turn at. Continued a bit to find nowhere to turn as the road passes rapidly from being a two-lane to a small narrow single track lane.

Seeing a chack next to the road where it can go to turn around but I had to reverse and now I sat firmly across the road and came either forward or backward. Now it was close that I would be forced to call a tow truck.

Trying to call a friend and luckily he and helps me loose and tracks ahead to his home for me to follow.

The roof is loaded and my car is on a downhill slope, but when I’m going to take off I’m stuck again. My buddy pushes me away and now I can not stop until I’m home.

When I get out of the way  the oncoming side plowed so there will be left hand traffic. The roof as it was in such a hurry was now lying in several weeks, rust repair on the fenders took longer than expected.

The Opel rear was  turned upside down and got what was left of the floor cut away and then lowered the body about 10 inches onto the trailer with gates and lights expurgated. Sir Opel is  then welded into place.

Chevy roof turned backwards and welded. The difference in the sheet metal was ubeleavble. The Chevy roof also had been out there for years but the metal was healthy.

Was going use the original handle that worked well and looked nice but the key lock had to be removed.

The key lock was jammed, but the lid was open so the bar on the lock mechanism were welded in the position it was in and the lid was shut. Now, that  was foolish

For some reason now lock revived and deadlocked. It ended up that I had to cut up the trunk with a grinder and  now was a perfect  steel trunk lid destroyed..

Managed to get hold of a new pretty nice lid that could be used. Opel Rekord trunk lids are not everywhere

Also took the opportunity to buy a better car bumper that was sent to be chromed. The bumper that came with the car was turned upside down and welded in front.

The fenderskirts were made from the Opel roof. I have no English wheel, but  is fine to do fenderskirts from a car roof if you cut at the right spot and use the natural  curve of the roof.

The  custom grill for the Buick came now to use on the trailer. Before paint everything was sanded down to the metal.

Inside is black carpet and white tuck’n roll. Now in hindsight I regret not rebuilding the rear to go along with the rear of the car but rust welding took longer time tha expected and it had to be done in a winter.
-Building  the same back end as the Buick will be sometime in the future.

Now it was a good solution to bring the wheelchair when we’re at car shows.

Previously we have been picking apart the chair and had it in the back seat but then I had no more place for passengers

 

In the Buicks luggage compartment is pressurized tank, compressor and relays for the air suspension so no wheelchair there.

Is there anyone who needs a rear window from the Opel Rekord, I have a fine one with  chrome trim, so just let me  hear from you.

I’m not quite as sluggish moved as the  sellers described in the first part .