The U.S. automotive trade magazine, Automotive Industries 30 March 1929 announced that General Motors
Corporation [“G.M.”] had purchased Adam Opel A.G. It was stated that on 20
March 1928, James David Mooney, President of the General Motors Export Company,
speaking before the Export Managers’ Club of New York referred in his speech to
that of “the building of an industrial and commercial empire”. The next year,
1929, General Motors Corporation acquired all of the shares in Vauxhall Motors
Limited that it did not already own.
On 18 March 1929 Alfred P. Sloan Jnr., President of
General Motors Corporation, at Wiesbaden, [near Rüsselsheim] Germany announced
that General Motors Corporation had formed an association with the Adam Opel
Company in Rüsselsheim, Germany, a substantial interest in that company being
taken at a cost of approximately U.S.$30 million. G.M. World Number 8 issue of 1951 confirms that the Adam Opel company
was experiencing a decline in its domestic market as it lacked funds for modern
machinery and equipment, and had no adequate export facilities either. G.M.
were apparently be wishing to expand into those export markets where
German-made cars sold, just as the decision was made to increase exports of
Vauxhalls from 1930 to the British Empire markets. G.M. had realised that so
far as exports were concerned, the larger North American car was losing out to
smaller, cheaper, more economical cars favoured by the European manufacturers.
G.M. therefore needed a Continental base for its North American and British
products, and of course G.M. had assembly plants all over Europe as well as
subsidiary sales companies. Thus, during the latter part of 1928, Geheimrat Wilhelm von Opel met and
talked to G.M. executives and the many advantages of taking over an existing
factory persuaded G.M. to buy-out Opel on a majority basis. From then on,
following just behind the tooling for the new Vauxhall Models launched August 1930,
and then [Bedford Trucks, April 1931], tooling for new Opel vehicles was
underway by July 1930, production starting of cars in February 1931, and later
in 1931, Opel’s answer to the Bedfords, the “Blitz” or “Lightning” trucks which
used an Opel-assembled version of the 1930 Model Marquette L-head six-cylinder
engine as all of the Marquette engine manufacturing equipment was transferred
from Buick in Flint, Michigan to Rüsselsheim. From then on, Vauxhall and Opel
would seem, certainly until 1939, to be running in tandem with each other. The cost
The exact price was put at $28 million. On the 24
January 1929, the Opel family holdings were placed into a new limited liability
company. Shares were issued totalling 60,000 with a par value of 1,000 marks
each, capitalising the company at over $12 million. This was a holding company
for the Opel works, and public offering of stock was made, but the Opel family
retained control. It was then surmised that G.M. paid $28 million for 76% of
the stock which represented the Opel family holdings, or more than twice the
par value of the company! 18 March it was stated that the new board of
directors would consist of five Americans and three Germans and that then head
of the firm, an American would displace Fritz Opel. However, Sloan went on to
say that Adam Opel A.G. would be run as an independent organization by the then
present management committee, with G.M. engineering, manufacturing, financing
and managerial co-operation. However, this time G.M. had acquired a majority
stake in a company five times that of Vauxhall Motors Limited!
Then,
just as the recession caused by the Wall Street Crash caused ripples throughout
the world, particularly in Germany, when the U.S. companies called in their
foreign investments, G.M. acquired the balance of the Opel family interest, so
G.M. then owned 100% of the Adam Opel A.G. company in October 1931. In 1932,
the recession in Germany was at its deepest, though Opel produced 20,982 units
of which 6,804 were exported, or 32.4%! By 1939 this had increased to total
production of 118,794 and exports of 36,805 a percentage of 31%. C.K.D.
assembly of Opels subsequently started in General Motors Continental, Antwerp,
Belgium, General Motors International in Københaven, and then in February 1936
G.M. Suisse S.A. in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland.
1.2 OVERSEAS MARKETS
General Motors had invested
in the U.K. because of the expanding and stable home market as well as the
threat to American cars in foreign export fields, especially in Australasia, which
favoured British goods. If the Corporation were handicapped in those fields
then its investment would suffer as a consequence. German manufacture was
equally advantageous for the Reich and also for many sections of Continental
Europe. The answer was to earn on the investment made by selling in each
market, and from each source, the kind of cars the people in those markets
wanted and could afford to buy. This required the promotion of Vauxhall and
Opel on an equal basis with U.S. manufactures. U.S.-made cars sales abroad
dropped from 52% in 1929 to 21% in 1932. However, in late 1932 English and
German domestic sales exceed the U.S.-sourced volume of General Motors’s total
overseas trade. This increased, and in 1933 Opel made its first operating
profit under General Motors control. Then in early 1933 the Export figures
started to swing the opposite way and overseas shipments of General Motors
U.S.-sourced cars were 45% greater in the first half of 1933 than in the same
period of 1932, and then in June sales were 133% higher than in June 1932, with
Vauxhall and Opel sales correspondingly higher.
1926 118,791 98,156,088
1927 193,830 171,991,251
1928 282,157 252,152,284
1929 256,721 243,046,031
1930 164,112 155,728,304
1931 125,606 110,525,817
1932 71,159 64,722,793
German 5.5* --- 94.5
TOTAL
OVERSEAS
^ This must include Cadillacs, and a small amount of
U.S. parts in British Chevrolets.
*These must include assembly by
General Motors G.m.b.H., Berlin, which assembled C.K.D. kits until 1932[1]
By 1929, General Motors Export
Division was split into three major Divisions, with General Motors
Limited/Vauxhall Motors Limited, and other operating companies, Adam Opel A.G.,
and the General Motors Export Company, which was responsible for assembling and
merchandising organisation for the distribution of all products in the world
markets outside the US, Canada, Germany and the British Isles.
From 1930, with the transfer of General Motors Limited and Vauxhall Motors Limited and Adam Opel A.G. out of the Export Division, the new OVERSEAS OPERATIONS GROUP which consisted of the Export Division [General Motors Export Company plus the various overseas subsidiaries] then Vauxhall and Opel. In other words, G.M.C. added another tier it seems on top of the Export Division! The Overseas Operations Group consisted of four territorial regions, each under the charge of a Regional Director, who was responsible in turn to the General Manager in New York, also Vice-President of the Export Company: Graeme K. Howard.
In February 1933, management of the Overseas Operations Group was decentralised, and four Regional Directors were appointed: for Europe; South America & South Africa; Far East and Australasia, with responsibility for all operations in their areas, with H.Q. in New York. The Regional Managers were also based in New York Home Office, but travelled extensively throughout their regions. These regions were:
EUROPE: Plants in France, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Spain and Alexandria, Egypt.
SOUTH AMERICA AND SOUTH AFRICA: Sâo Caetano, Brazil; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Port Elizabeth, S.A.
AUSTRALASIA:
Australia and Wellington, N.Z.
FAR EAST: Osaka,
Japan; Bombay, India and Batavia, Java, Netherlands East Indies.
Plus the GENERAL MOTORS EXPORT COMPANY in New York,
covering areas not touched by the above, such as Mexico, China, Central and
South America apart from Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay; Africa, the Caribbean
and Pacific Islands. This presumably included Hawaii.
On then other hand, General
Motors Limited, Vauxhall and Opel under their General Managers, or rather in
the case of General Motors Limited and Vauxhall Motors Limited, Chairmen of the
Board and Managing Director, and in the case of Opel, Geheimrat Willhelm von Opel, reported to James D. Mooney. However,
Mooney was also a Director of General Motors Limited as well as Adam Opel A.G.
General Motors Limited had become merely a “Real Estate” [property] company
from April 1932, leaving Vauxhall and Opel to stand alone.
In late 1933, the policy of decentralised management
introduced gave direct operating responsibility to the Regional Directors who
then took up residence abroad, instead of being based in New York.[2]
One man who played a very important role in Opel’s success was Edward Creaser
Riley. James D. Mooney brought Riley into General Motors Export Company on 1
January 1923. He was a member of a small team who travelled to Australia with
Mooney to agree with the Holden family to build Buick and Chevrolet bodies for
imported chassis. He was then appointed Managing Director of General Motors
Limited, London, in August 1924, but resigned as a Director in 1929, and after
having served as Managing Director of General Motors Continental in Antwerp
from 1926 [he must have remained as a Limited Director and resigned as Managing
Director], he was appointed Regional Director for Europe in July 1930, based in
Antwerp, for 5 years. Riley was then sent to Europe in 1935 to set up the Swiss
Plant. He was shortly afterwards appointed Assistant General Manager of the
General Motors Export Division, and then. Riley was appointed in late 1935
General Manager of the Export Division. Guy Nicholas Vansittart, who had been
General Manager of G.M. Continental since July 1930, replaced Riley as Central
European Regional Director, David F. Ladin as North European Regional Director,
and G.D. Riedel as Mediterranean Regional Director, in 1937. It appears that
Riley’s position was commuted into Assistant General Manager of General Motors
Overseas Operations Division [“G.M.O.O.”] September 30 1938[3]
The
Export Group/Division General Manager from June 1925 to September 1930 was L.M.
Rumely, and he shared the position with W.T. Whalen from 1926 to 1929. In 1930, both Vauxhall and Adam Opel A.G.,
acquired 1929-30, were transferred from under the General Motors Export Division
to the Export Division Vice-President’s control instead, who was in fact Graeme
K. Howard, who was promoted to General Manager to replace Rumely and held the
position from September 1930. In February 1938, in the General Manager’s
office, headed by Edward C. Riley as General Manager was Personnel Officer:
William Harvey, Junior, and Opel-Vauxhall Liaison, W.T. Whalen. The Vauxhall
Liaison man in New York had been E.C.H. Shillaker from 1934 to 1936. As General
Manager Howard would also have been a Vice-President of the Export
Division, then in 1932 the Overseas Operations Group. Howard must then have
been appointed General Manager of the Overseas Division on 30 September 1938,
with the merger of the Opel, Vauxhall and Export Divisions, with Riley as Assistant
General Manager. Mooney would then have been President of the Overseas
Division.
Who
were the General Managers at Adam Opel A.G. responsible for the increases in
production and export? R.K. Evans returned to New York in July 1936, to become
a Corporation Vice-president. E.R. Palmer who had been Assistant General
Manager in March 1933 replaced him. Palmer was in turn replaced by Cyrus R.
Osborn in June 1937, having been sent to Rüsselsheim on special assignment in
early 1936, and then promoted Assistant to the General Manager shortly
afterwards, and then in early 1937, Assistant General Manager.[4]
1.3 FIRST BRITISH EXPORTS TO THE U.K.
The first Opel cars were imported into the U.K. in the Autumn of 1907,
and were consistently sold until war broke out in 1914. Opel Motors Limited,
Company Number 130548,was formed on 7 August 1913, by the Directors of The
British Electromobile Company Limited, at Halkin Street, London S.W.1., the
previous importers and distributors. Very little is known about this company,
but it is certain that it was not wound-up after war broke out and wound-up for
trading with the enemy. However, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders
placed a ban on all exhibitions and the importing German cars for some years
after the war, and it was to be 1928 before any Opels were officially imported
again. Opel Motors Limited must have been dormant during the period 1914 to
1927, but Fletcher’s Index of Motor Cars for
1931 shows that the company were located in a building at 74 Newman Street,
London W.1. The Alt-Opel Club records show
that exports were not recorded by Adam Opel A.G. until 1928, with exports
running at 10,143 units or 7% of the total production of 145,477, and in 1929
2,403 exports or 6.9% of 34,578 produced. Because there are no records extant
of Opel Motors Limited [having been destroyed], it is not known when General
Motors Limited acquired the dormant company, but it was definitely before May
1936.[5]
1.4 SECOND ATTEMPT
The decision was made by New York that General Motors
Limited would take initial imports of Opels from the Rüsselsheim Plant, to be
shipped via General Motors Continental in Antwerp to Southampton, though
General Motors Limited were not to be involved with the actual distribution
yet: they were not equipped to do so at this time. Presumably there was an
initial effort to export a model to the U.K. as a trial to see how well they
would be received, just as Adam Opel A.G. started a major export drive that saw
massive increases annually in the number of cars and C.K.D. kits exported. The
U.K. market was an obvious extra one for what would later be criticised as
“dumping”. What was not known at the time was this was part of the major effort
to earn foreign currency for the Reichsbank, and also to receive a return on
investment by G.M. Corporation, avoiding the currency restrictions.
The Distributor that General Motors Limited chose to
handle the marque was Oldsmobile Distributors Limited [“O.D.L.”], with the
depot as above at Terrell’s Wharf, Townmead Road, Wandsworth Bridge, London
S.W.6., and showrooms not in Sackville Street, but 5 Lower Marsh, London S.E.1
more in keeping with the “down-market” segment that the cars were aimed at. The
choice of company was logical since there was a dealer network newly set-up for
Oldsmobiles, and Rawlence himself had experience with selling OM cars from
[Fascist] Italy from 1926 on, and would do so for the supply of spare parts
until 1939. There was also a relationship with General Motors Limited over the
importation and distribution of Oldsmobile cars, whereby General Motors Limited
handled the importation and delivery to London, and O.D.L. handled the
preparation and distribution to dealers. However, LEP Transport &
Depository Limited [Lep Transport Limited from January 1936] actually handled
all of the actual shipping, customs clearances, and port handling as agents for
General Motors Limited. Incidentally, the Opels were shipped on German and
Belgian ships as well as British, though General Motors Limited attempted to use
as much British shipping as well in due course, achieving 96% solely British
shipping in 1938.
1.5 THE 1935 MODEL OPELS
The first model imported was clearly on a “low-key”
basis, as there were no official announcements in the motoring press until
early in 1936, though by then Opel commercial chassis were being imported. The
first model imported was the Opel 2 Litre Six Saloon, the Opel Model 20103, or
36 P.S. model. This was equipped with a 6-cylinder sidevalve engine of 67.5 x
90 mm, or 1,932 cc. With a Treasury/R.A.C. rating of 16.9 h.p. Power was 37
b.h.p. or 36 P.S. at 3200 r.p.m. Tax liability was £12 15s. The engine was “en bloc” with Bosch coil ignition, a
single dry-plate clutch, 4-speed plus reverse gearbox, driving through a bevel
gear differential and 5.50 x 16 in. wheels and tyres. The wheels were of the
steel disc type. Wheelbase was 104 in. The price was initially a competitive
£250 which clearly shows little or no “subsidy” at this early stage. However,
the car was well received and proved the way for major importation.
In addition to Opel cars, the decision was made to start the
importation of Opel commercial vehicles and chassis as well, for truck and
bus/coach work, and these did in fact sell very well. The abundance of power
and the competitive prices saw to this.
The first exhibition
of any Opel vehicles since 1923 was at the Commercial Motor Exhibition in
London in November 1935. The exhibits were:
1. Opel Chassis 183 in.
wheelbase [2.5 Ton/50 cwt. Blitz
Model 3.5-83, 1935 Rüsselsheim-assembled or 1936 Brandenburg-assembled]. Price
of chassis £283.
2. Opel Lorry 157 in.
Wheelbase [2.5 Ton/50 cwt. Blitz
Model 3.5-57, 1935 Rüsselsheim-assembled or 1936 Brandenburg-assembled]. Fitted
with cab and drop-side lorry body. Price, complete, £306. Chassis, £256.
3. Opel
Chassis with Cab 134 in. Wheelbase [2.5 Ton/50 cwt. Blitz Model 3.5-34, 1935 Rüsselsheim-assembled or 1936
Brandenburg-assembled].Fitted with cab. Price, complete, £279. Chassis, £249.
The name Blitz actually
meant “Lightning”; the term was meant to convey performance, and these Opels
did have sufficient which combined with a remarkable amount of new features and
a subsidised price, meant that they could compete with the industry leaders,
the Bedfords. However, as can be seen, the main differences between the Opel
and Bedford chassis was in the engines: Opel staying with sidevalve units
derived from the 1930 Model Marquette, whereas Bedfords followed Chevrolet
practice and stayed with overhead valves.
5,222 Opel Blitz trucks
were produced in 1935: the start of expansion: the 1936 Models were built at
the new Brandenburg Plant as against the Rüsselsheim facility used for the 1935
Models.[6]
Brandenburg Plant would allocate the “Br” code to identify the assembly plant,
found in the chassis number. Brandenburg Plant was built in a remarkable short
time next to the Havel Canal, and went into production about October 16th,
1935, though was only officially opened January 6th, 1936. From the
outset, right-hand drive truck and bus chassis were produced for export.
1.6. THE 1936 MODELS
The
Motor 21 February 1936 reported on the 1936 German Motor
Show, “opened with impressive ceremony by Herr Hitler”. The only British
exhibits were of Austins, but of relevance here was that of the Adam Opel A.G.
Stand, which had the latest Opel Olympia model, a first with unitary
construction. This was the first reference to the new models that had been
named for the 1936 Berlin Olympics: a model that would play a major part in the
preliminary history of the Southampton Plant.
The
Motor 10 July 1936 published an introductory article entitled
“THE OPEL IN ENGLAND”: “Popular German Car Now Introduced Into This Country:
Independent Front Suspension”. Photographs were published of two 1936 Model
Opels: an Olympia Cabriolet, and a rare Opel P4 model, again with cabriolet
roof open. The P4 was only sold here in very limited numbers, in ’36 and ’37
and arguably was just too “minimalist” for the British buyer. The article
mentioned that the Opel was “extremely well known on the Continent, and
particularly in Germany where many thousands were to be seen on the roads. The
Opel was a popular car, and “even in England the price is not high”. At a
moderate price, it was possible to buy a type of convertible body, or
cabriolet, which was popular on the Continent. The other model that was
announced was the Olympia which had a larger engine of 1,279 c.c. [Rated at
11.3 h.p. again]. However, the Olympia had the “knee-action” type with a coil
spring mounted inside a double-acting shock absorber, i.e. independent front
suspension. The Olympia was priced at £179 as a cabriolet or £175 as a saloon.
There was also a third model, the 2Litre which would “shortly be available in
the country”, prices of which were: cabriolet £230, 2-Door saloon £235 and
6-seater 4-door saloon £285 which was in fact a 7-seater, all being existing
models but these were 1936 Models which were just being imported. The 1936
season marked the first serious efforts at subsidising exports when the
Reichsmark had an “official” value of 12.18 to the Pound in 1935, and 12.33 in
1936 averaged. The U.S. Dollar was 4.903 in 1935 and 4.971 averaged in 1935 and
1936 respectively.
The 1936 Model Opel commercial car line was continued over from 1935
unchanged. The range consisted of four chassis:
2½ Ton/50cwt 6-cylinder
sidevalve engine. However, the chassis varied in the wheelbase lengths:
134 inch wheelbase: Chassis
overall length 16 ft. 2 in., Chassis weight 31 ½ cwt., 11 ft. 2 in. wheelbase
[Model 3,5-34].
157 inch wheelbase: Chassis
overall length18 ft. 9 in., Chassis weight 32 ½ cwt., 13 ft. 1 inch wheelbase
[Model 3,5-57].
183 inch wheelbase:
Chassis overall length 22 ft., Chassis weight 34 ½ cwt., 15 ft. 3 in. wheelbase
[Model 3,5-83 Bus chassis].
Distributors were still Oldsmobile
Distributors Limited, as per the Opel car line. This line-up would continue
without change until the end of January 1937, though in the meantime there must
have been negotiations between Mr. L.C. Rawlence and General Motors Limited
which would result in changes in the distribution arrangements as explained
next. However, there is no evidence of any subsidy being applied to the export
price of the Opel trucks from 1935 to 1939: in comparison with other
non-Canadian sourced vehicles, the prices demanded all compared reasonably
well. This does not mean that there was no subsidy, as because of the limited
volume of Opel commercial vehicles compared with the cars, any subsidy there
was may have been “absorbed” as profit by General Motors Limited, or was siphoned-off
and eventually passed on to New York.
Opel cars were not exhibited at the London Show in 1936,
but The Light Car of 9 October 1936
published details of the current Models nevertheless.
Concessionaires were listed as PRIDE AND CLARKE LIMITED
of 237 Brixton Hill, London S.W.2.
Models listed were:
P.4 de luxe Model [Model
1190]. Prices:
2-door saloon £155
Cabriolet-coach £150
Olympia Model [Model 13237].
Prices:
2-door saloon £175
Cabriolet-coach £179
1.7. THE 1937 MODELS
The Motor
26 February 1937 commented on the 1937 German Show, and referred to the new
Opels on display. Considerable interest was apparently expressed that Opel had
entered the above-2-Litre class with a 2½ -Litre model known as the Super Six,
and with a new 3.6 Litre model, the Admiral. As a 4-Door six-light saloon, the
former car sold at 3,850 Marks and as a 2-Door four-light cabriolet, 4,200
Marks, which were very low for this type of car in Germany. This equated with
approximately £313 and £342 respectively. When offered on the market in due
course, the prices had transmuted to £225 and £285 respectively, inclusive of
shipping, and port charges, and also 33 1/3% import duty. There were
4-Door four-light saloon and cabriolet versions of the new Admiral available,
as with the Super Six. However, the Admiral models were not imported until 1938
Model Year, presumably as Brandenburg Plant was preoccupied with l.h.d.
versions and also truck production.
The Light Car of
5 March 1937 announced the new Opel Models, as did their rivals The Motor 5 March and also The Motor 9 March. However, what is
significant here is that the announcement of the new Opel Cadet/Kadett and
Olympia models, which used an all-steel electrically welded body structure in
lieu of an orthodox chassis, was not by Oldsmobile Distributors Limited, but by
General Motors Limited of 3 St James’s Square, London S.W.1. This indicates
that with the establishment of the new London Headquarters, reporting to
Antwerp, General Motors Limited took over the importation and distribution of
Opels, not only cars but also commercial vehicles as well in due course.
However, Pride & Clarke Limited still remained as Distributors for London
and surrounding area.
The Motor 9 March 1937 announced that General Motors were to enter the small car
field with a new range of Opel models to be actively marketed in England {sic}.
The magazine commented that “An interesting range of Opel models at very
attractive prices is announced for sale in England during the coming season by
General Motors Limited of 3 St. James’s Square, London, S.W.1.” These could be examined at the showrooms of
British and Colonial Motors Limited, Long Acre, who were the main wholesale
agents for Greater London; the distributors for London and South East England
being Pride and Clarke Limited of 237 Richmond Hill. The article went on to say
that from the point of view of its low price and popular appeal, the most
interesting model was the “Cadet”, which was taxed at £9 and had a 4-cylinder
engine of 1,066 c.c. capacity. This was in fact the “Kadett”, the name
anglicised as per a Vauxhall model of the same name. The standard saloon
version listed at £125 and provided 4-seater accommodation with an overall
length of only 12 ft 6in. The two-door coachwork was welded from pressed steel
components and was so strong structurally that the designers dispensed with a
separate chassis frame. When sitting in the car the wide range of vision made
possible by extremely narrow pillars was noticeable. The wide doors contained
hinged ventilating panes (“No draught” system) and gave reasonably easy access
to the rear compartment. The luggage compartment in the tail was reached by
hinging the rear-seat squab. Safety glass was standard on all models. Another
Cadet model was the drophead [convertible] saloon listed at £128 with a neat
and practical form of folding roof, so arranged that the car could be
completely open from the windscreen to the rear seat squab. The Super Six was
the largest model available, both in de luxe saloon form at £225, or as a
convertible Cabriolet at £285.
General Motors Limited as Concessionaires for Adam Opel
A.G. added a third G.M. commercial vehicle line in 1937 with the importation of
r.h.d. Opel light commercial, truck and coach chassis, after the successful launch
of the car lines. However, the evidence is that the involvement between St
James’s Square and Rüsselsheim was
considerably more than might at first appear. Although never imported,
Opel designed a “forward control” van of modern design that in many ways was
years ahead of its time, for the English market. Further details of this unique
and mysterious vehicle appear below in the “1938 Model Commercial Vehicles”.
As
part of the expansion by Adam Opel A.G., a brand new Truck Plant was built at
Brandenburg-am-Havel, near Berlin, which opened in 1936. The Plant produced
trucks that mirrored and competed in certain markets with Vauxhall Motors’
Bedford trucks. The name used for the trucks was “Blitz” as before. The word
actually means “Lightning”, and was meant to reflect the performance of the
powerful engines fitted. Brandenburg-built chassis were prefixed “Br.”;
Rüsselsheim continued to not allocate any separate indication. The truck and
Coach chassis proved immensely popular with bus and coach companies, being not
only very competitively priced, as might be expected, but also affording ample
performance for hill-climbing in areas such as South Wales. In other words, the
same markets that General Motors Limited’s G.M.C. chassis were popular in from
1928 after Buick engines were installed in most chassis. Details of all Opel commercial vehicles and cars
were included in a special propaganda style brochure that was printed by
Rüsselsheim for British Opel dealers, and was sent out to coincide with the
launch of commercial vehicles on the market. This also included interestingly,
data for past models back to 1932.
The
rest of the Commercial Car Range as it was called changed in 1937 and requires
explanation. The 1936 Models generally carried-on in production to the end of
January 1937. The light delivery van based on the car Model P-4 was imported,
namely the P-4 Lieferwagen delivery
van, 1937 model #1396 11.3 h.p. 1.3litre 4-cylinder 96”wheelbase and also the
P-4 Lieferwagen 8-10cwt. Delivery van
converted to brake with side-windows, 1937 model #1396. This predated the 1939
Bedford “Utilabrake” conversions by Martin Walter of Basingstoke, who converted
a light van to a combined Utility and brake [another name for station wagon]
vehicle. These were all assembled in the Rüsselsheim Plant. However, the 1937
Model brochure destined for the U.K. dealers states that the van was also
available as a chassis only. The engine was the 1.3 Litre 4-cylinder unit, the
wheelbase measuring 96 in., or 2460 m.m., rating being ¾ Ton or 15 cwt. These
directly competed with Bedford’s light vans and chassis. The next model in the
1937 line-up was the 1-Ton model, with a 2.0 Litre 6-cylinder engine out of the
2,0 Liter Model 20103, the commercial chassis being Model 2,0-12, prefixed 2V,
assembled in Brandenburg Plant from 1936 onwards, 1934-35 Models having been
assembled in Rüsselsheim. The 1937 Brochure quotes a wheelbase of 112 in., or
2,851 m.m. The model was available as a Chassis, Chassis with Cab, Chassis with
Cab and Dropside Body with/without tarpaulin, and a Panel Van. The 1-Ton Line
it said was to be continued without change for ’37 and replaced in production
in the middle of 1937 by an entirely new 1 Ton and 1 ½ Ton Truck design.
However, the official Opel serials/engine number details show that this model
continued into 1938 Model Year. The replacement models will be referred to
below. In the meantime, there has been little evidence that either the 1936 or
1937 1-Ton chassis were in fact imported. The picture in the 1937 Brochure is
of a l.h.d. chassis, and it is therefore not proven that any were imported.
The 1937 Model Brandenburg-assembled Trucks and Coach chassis continued into 1937 Calendar Year, ostensibly being produced until the end of January 1938. The models available were:
23.5
h.p. 3,485 c.c. Side-valve 6-cylinder 2.5 tons/50cwt:.
134” wheelbase chassis model 3,5-34
134” wheelbase chassis with cab
model 3,5-34
157” wheelbase chassis model 3,5-57
157” wheelbase chassis with cab and
drop-side body model 3,5-57
183” wheelbase chassis model 3,5-83
[coach chassis]
Archer’s
Commercial Motor Index for 1939 suggests that the 134 inch, the 157
inch and 183 inch wheelbase chassis were called the “134 IN”, “157 IN” and “183
IN” respectively, and there was also an additional model:
23.5 h.p. 3485 c.c. 6-cylinder 3 tons/60cwt. “3-Tonner”, Model 3,5-36.
3 Ton/60 cwt. with the same engine, Overall chassis
length 17 ft. 8 in., Chassis weight 34 cwt., 11 ft. 10 in. wheelbase. The explanation was that the
2½-Ton chassis were discontinued, and replaced by a new 3-Ton Truck line, the 3
Tonner, with the same engine. In addition, the Bus chassis, was replaced for
1937 by an interim 3-Tonner Model 3,5-47 or Model 9V, with the same engine as
the truck chassis, but with a 183 inch wheelbase chassis with a new engine.
The
new additions to the line-up for 1937 were as follows:
The
new 1-Ton chassis was equipped with a 1.5 Litre, 4-cylinder model with a 96
inch wheelbase, 2,400 m.m., available as a Chassis, Chassis with Cab, or Panel
Van. There was also a 2.5 litre version, with a 6-cylinder engine, available as
a Chassis, Chassis with Cab, or Chassis with Cab and dropside lorry body with
or without tarpaulin. However, this design,
which was apparently intended for the U.K. market, was never in fact executed
and the 1 Ton chassis continued as before into 1938 Model Year, i.e. the Model
2,0-12 with 2-Litre engine. These details above refer to an Opel van of a
design which seems at first glance to anticipate by several years vans with
engines mounted between the front seats to allow a forward-control arrangement.
However, the vans never went into production so far as is known, and they were
only intended for the British market! There are no details of the proposed vans
other than those contained in the brochure which was printed in Russelsheim and
distributed to Opel dealers in the U.K. for 1938 Model Year, so was probably
sent out at least by February 1938. Note that the engines used were the 1938
Olympia 4-cylinder unit and the 2.5 litre Super Six 6-cylinder unit. It appears
that General Motors Limited were involved with Russelsheim to have designed and
produced especially a van which can only have had a limited market if imported
solely into the U.K. However, it makes much more sense if the design was
intended for assembly in the Southampton Plant, and then exported. However,
none were ever produced, and the whole project seems to have been cancelled and
forgotten until now!
Before the 1937 Commercial Motor Exhibition in November
1937, the Opel engines were changed in the 3-Tonner range, and the models were
improved and launched with a new 3.6 Litre overhead valve engine in three
wheelbase lengths, the new models being the 3,6-36; 3,6-42 and 3,6-47, with
chassis prefixed 6W-; 7W- or 8W- respectively. The engines were based on the
1937 Chevrolet engine, but with metric measurements and thus slightly different
bore and stroke from the North American engines. The 1937 3-Tonners were
available as a Chassis, Chassis with Cab, and Chassis with Cab and Dropside
Body with or without tarpaulin, as before, in either 136 inch or 142 inch
wheelbases. The Coach chassis, Model 3,6-47 had a 183 inch wheelbase chassis
with a double drop frame, though.
At the 1937 London Motor Show, General Motors Limited exhibited various Opel cars as concessionaires for Adam Opel A.G. By then, the Parts and Service Department were advertised as being at Corney Road, Chiswick, London W.4, next to Lep’s transport depot. The cars exhibited were:
1. 11.3 h.p. 4-cylinder “Cadet” Standard Saloon [1938 1,1 Liter Kadett normal Model KJ38], £135.
2. 11.3 h.p. “Cadet” Drophead Saloon, £143.
3. 11.3 h.p. 4-cylinder “Olympia” Saloon de Luxe [1937 1,3 Liter Olympia Model 13237], £168.
4. 2½ Litre 6-cylinder “Super Six” Foursome Drophead Coupé [1937 or 1938 2,5 Liter Super Six Model 25104], £265.
1937 and 1938 Models were prefixed serial number 104-, but there were
also 1938 Models prefixed 104A- up till the end of production at the end of
April 1938.
5. 3.6 Litre 6-cylinder
“Admiral” Cabriolet [1938 3,6 Liter Admiral Model Ad38], £485.
6. Opel Special “Olympia” made of Plexi-Glass. This enabled a view of the inside construction of the car through specially constructed glass body. This might have been 1937 Model 1.3 Litre Olympia Sedan Motor Number S-29, Chassis number S-1. This car was destroyed in the Wien [Vienna] Opel dealership during the War.
Note that the Admiral, which was comparable with a Chevrolet or large
Vauxhall, was offered on the market in the U.K. for the first time, though
incomparably better engineered than either the Canadian or British offerings.
At the 1937 Commercial Motor
Exhibition, General Motors Limited exhibited imported G.M.C. trucks and through
Oldsmobile Distributors Limited, Oldsmobile trucks, all sourced from Pontiac,
Michigan, Plant. These competed in various ways with Opel trucks. The Opel
exhibits were as follows:
1.
8-10
cwt. Van [1938 1,1 Liter Lieferwagen
model 1196]; Treasury rating 11.3 h.p; price, complete, £150.
2.
2.3
ton chassis 3,6 Liter 3 Tonner 3,6-36 S-Type [Short Chassis] and 3,6-42 N-Type
[Long Chassis]; prices of short chassis were £250 and long chassis £265.
3.
3
ton Truck, chassis details as above, but fitted with drop-side body.; Price,
complete: Short chassis £310; Long chassis £330.
4.
3
ton Luton Van; chassis, details as above, but fitted with Luton body; price:
chassis only £265.
5.
Coach Chassis [3,6 Liter 3-Tonner model
3,6-47 Bus Chassis]; price of chassis, £295
1. 8. THE 1938 MODELS
The 1938 Opel cars were
actually announced in February 1938 to coincide with the Berlin Show. For 1938,
the model range was completely revised, although the 2½ litre Super 6 was only
produced until the end of April 1938. The 3.6 litre Admiral had in fact been
introduced to the U.K. market at the London Motor Show and was carried forward.
As to the Cadet (Kadett) and Olympia models, new editions were launched and
were marketed at “unusually low prices”, i.e. at a subsidised price.
The Opel line up started as
before with the Cadet. The bottom of the range was the Cadet Standard Saloon
with a 4 cylinder 1.1 litre side valve engine Rated at 11.3 h.p.: his was in
fact the model Kadett Normal. Supplementing the base model, were 3 Master
Kadett types (Kadett Spezial) all of which had independent front suspension of
the Dubonnet type. The engines and wheelbases of these cars were similar to the
standard and the chassis was of the composite type introduced by Opel two years
previously. However, the latest models were distinguishable from the previous
models by the entirely new front end, which combined streamlined mounting of
the headlamps with a modern treatment of the radiator cowl. There were three
main body types on this chassis: Saloon, Drophead, 2 door and Saloon 4 door,
obtainable in de Luxe form with leather upholstery. All had safety glass, built
in luggage trunks and trafficators. The Olympia models were next and
incorporated a completely redesigned chassis. The engine of the car was
entirely new and had been increased from 1.3 litres to 1.5 litres and had
overhead valves as against side valves. The new bodywork reflected the Kadett
design with an entirely new front end combining the streamlined mounting of the
headlamps with modern treatment of the radiator cowl. There were three main
body types on the chassis:- Saloon, Drophead 2 door and a Saloon 4 door. These
could also be obtained in de luxe form with leather upholstery, though all
models had safety glass, built in luggage trunks and trafficators. Prices:
Kadett 1.1 litre, Kadett Standard Saloon £135. Kadett Master 2 door Saloon:
£149.10.00, Kadett Master 2 door Drophead Saloon £159.10.00, Kadett Master 4
door Saloon £159.10.00, Master de Luxe models £15 extra. Olympia 1.5 litre 2
door Saloon £180. 2 door Drophead Saloon £190, 4 door Saloon £195, de Luxe
model £16 extra. 2.5 litre Super Six 2 door Saloon £215. 4 door de Luxe Saloon
£235. Foursome Drophead Coupé £265. 3.6 litre Admiral de Luxe Saloon £440, de
Luxe Cabriolet £485.
General
Motors Limited imported and distributed the 1938 Model Opel commercial car
range, which was varied as a consequence of the new models introduced, starting
from February 1937 onwards. No 1,5 Liter/ 2,5 Liter forward control
vans/chassis were imported, and as mentioned before the 1937 Models intended to
be replaced carried on into 1938 Calendar Year. The line-up for 1938 was as
follows:
1.
8/10
cwt. 1,1 Liter Lieferwagen model 1196 or 11.3 h.p. 1.1 litre van, with a
4-cylinder sidevalve engine based on the Kadett Normal/ Cadet Standard. Price
£150.
2.
1-Tonner
Model 2,0-12 with the 2-Litre 6-cylinder engine as before, prefixed 2V-,
production ended early 1938. The old Tonner was available as a Chassis,
Chassis/Cab, Chassis with Cab and dropside lorry body with or without
tarpaulin, or Panel Van, built in Brandenburg.
3.
1-Tonner
Model 1,5-29 or 15.9 h.p. 1-Ton/20 cwt. truck chassis with a 4-cylinder
overhead valve engine of 80 x 74 m.m. based on the Olympia Chassis prefixed
2W-. The 1-Tonner was available as a Chassis, Chassis with Cab or Panel van,
built in Brandenburg.
4.
1½-Tonner
Model 2,5-32 or 23.8 h.p. 1 ½-Ton/30 cwt. truck chassis with a 6-cylinder
overhead valve engine of 2.5 Litres. Price of chassis £185. Chassis prefixed
3V-. The 1 ½-Tonner was available as a Chassis, Cab/Chassis, or Panel van,
built in Brandenburg.
5.
3-Tonner
Model 3,6-32 or 30.1 h.p. 3-Ton/60 cwt. truck chassis with a 6-cylinder
overhead valve engine of 90 x 95 m.m. Rated at 30.1 h.p. based on the Admiral
engine; price of chassis £250. Chassis prefixed 6W-.
6.
3-Tonner
Model 3,6-42 as before but Chassis overall length 20 ft. 11½ in.; price of
chassis £265. Chassis prefixed 7W-.
7.
3-Tonner
Model 3,6-47 as before, but 26/30 Seater bus chassis as before but overall
length 24 ft. 1 ½ in. Chassis price £295. Chassis prefixed 8W-. However, the
bus chassis were apparently still being bodied and registered into 1939!
The
3-Tonner range was available as a Chassis only, 3-man Cab/Chassis, Luton van or
Dropside Lorry in each case.
It
can thus be seen that the commercial car lines used the car line petrol
engines, and thus it was possible to cater for common spare parts and
consumables for both lines.
Opel cars were exhibited for
the last time before the war at the October 1938 London Motor Show. The Motor 12 October 1938 commented that
the Rüsselsheim factory was placing three cars on the British market for 1939,
two with engines of 1 litre capacity and one with a 1,488cc engine. In each case bodies were available as saloon
of Cabriolet types, two door bodies being used on the cheaper chassis and four
door on the most expensive. Cabriolet
bodies were of the type in which the sides of the steel body remained in
position and the fabric top rolled down to the rear end of the car. These cars were notable for the striking
treatment of the front end, in which the headlamps were built into the wing and
radiator assembly with composite construction.
The show exhibits
were:
1. 11.3 h.p. 4-Cylinder “Cadet” Master Saloon [Kadett spezial 1,1 Liter Model K 38]; price, complete as shown, £159 10s.
2.
11.3 h.p. 4-Cylinder “Cadet” Standard Saloon, [Kadett
normal 1,1 Liter Model KJ 38]; price, complete as shown, £135 ex-depot.
3.
15.9 h.p. 4-Cylinder OPEL “Olympia” Drophead, [Olympia Model 1,5 Liter
Olympia Ol 38]; price complete £182 10s.
The Autocar added further data on all of
the available models in their 14 October 1938 issue:
11.3 h.p. Cadet Standard, Tax £9: price £135.
11.3 h.p. Cadet Standard, Tax £9: prices £149 10s to
£174 10s.
15.9 h.p. Olympia, Tax £12: prices £180 to £211.
30.1 h.p. Admiral [Model 3,6 Liter Admiral Ad 38], Tax
£22 10s; prices £440 to £485.
1. 9 WERE THEIR ANY 1939
MODELS IMPORTED?
Opel 8W coach chassis proved extremely popular with bus and coach
companies, and were bodied by various Coachbuilders. However, the vast majority
it seems were registered in 1938, with a few in early 1939. There is no
evidence yet that any 1939 Model Opel commercial vehicles were imported in any
numbers. The registration evidence suggests that all 1939-registered cars were
1938 Models as well.
The
Port of Southampton had been used as the port of disembarkation for Opel cars
and commercial vehicles for some time. With the completion of the assembly
plant, the operations changed emphasis. Commercial Motor 4 November 1938 under “General Motors New
Factory”, stated that General Motors Limited had completed on 31 October, its
arrangements for concentrating wholesale activities in its newly constructed
factory in Southampton. The new premises covered an area of 237,000 square ft.
The company planned, its said, to assemble Chevrolet goods chassis and
commercial bodies, whilst the plant would also be the distribution centre for
Opel commercial vehicles. The Motor 4
November mentioned that the then newly-constructed factory built for General
Motors Limited at Southampton now housed the administrative side of the
business, and it was intended to assemble Chevrolet trucks and commercial
vehicles under the same roof. It would also be the distribution centre for the
Chevrolet, Oldsmobile, Pontiac and Opel cars. The new plant had excellent
quayside connections and a railway service. Commercial
Motor 23 December 1938 mentioned that then-new Southampton factory was the
20th big-scale assembly plant built for G.M. since the inauguration
of an assembly plant in Copenhagen 15 years previously [General Motors
International]. A new standard type of commercial vehicle would, it was stated
[by General Motors Limited] be produced at a later date. This last comment is
open to interpretation, but may have meant to refer to Opel chassis?
The
Motor published their “1939 New Car Review” in a series of
issues starting from 24 January 1939 and running over many weeks. In the issue
covering models up to £150, the cars featured were Austin 7, FIAT 500, Ford 8
h.p. and Prefect, Morris Eight Series E, Opel Cadet Standard, Renault 8 h.p.,
Singer Bantam and Standard Flying Eight. Of these, the Opel, Renault “copy” and
the Morris used all-steel chassisless construction, and the FIAT was the
smallest car on the U.K. market and apparently subsidised in the export market
as was the Opel. [Note that the Morris and Opel were designed with unitary
construction with the benefit of the Budd patents, whereas the Renault of
course was not!]. The Opel Cadet was the biggest car for the money available in
the price range reviewed, “a 12 h.p. model with an 8/9 h.p. capacity”. This was
because the Cadet engine was rated at 11.3 h.p. but the engine was only of
1,100 c.c., annual tax being £9. The price for ’39 was £135 whereas the Master
model with independent front suspension as against the semi-elliptic springs
fitted to the Standard was £149 10s. All-steel chassisless construction was
used for rigidity, and the car stood up to rough usage without developing
rattles.
The Standard was a 2-Door
saloon type with an enclosed luggage space behind a hinged squab. Equipment was
basic, namely a single windscreen wiper, front bumper and small hubs as against
the Master’s large disc-type hubs. Both cars were 4-seaters though. The Master
version was a de luxe saloon with independent front suspension, a better
steering lock and better equipment which included dual electric windscreen
wipers, a better steering lock and no-draught ventilation, and front and rear
bumpers on the 4-Door saloon version. Both cars used hydraulic brakes.
The 3-speed gearbox in both
cases lacked synchromesh, but the gear change was nevertheless easy. The top
gear ratio was 5.41: 1, and second 8.89:1. There was a good power-to-weight
ratio that gave liberal flexibility, second being low enough for most hills.
First was 18.09:1, incidentally.
In addition to the 2-Door
saloon there was also a cabriolet which had a fabric roof and permanent body
sides and cantrails.
1.1Litre Cadet [Kadett] with
4-cylinder sidevalve engine of 67.5 x 75 m.m., 1,074 c.c., rated @ 11.3 h.p.
producing 24 b.h.p. @ 3,400 r.p.m. Tax £9.
Engine: sidevalve type with a
3-bearing crankshaft; pump and fan cooling; Bosch coil ignition [6-volt 70 a.h.
battery]; Bosch plugs; Opel downdraught carburettor; 5 ¾ gallon rear petrol
tank with mechanical pump feed. Firestone tyres of 4.75 x 16 in. on disc
wheels.
Prices:
Standard Saloon £135
Master
2-Door Saloon £149
10s
Master 2-Door Drophead Saloon £159 10s