Carrozzeria Vignale · Opel Kadett Coupé
Vignale Opel Kadett Coupé
Picture from AutoVisie, No. 46, 1965
History of this Vignale
- 24 June 1964
Imported to Italy as an Opel Kadett A.
- March 1965
Rebuilt by Vignale and shown as Opel Kadett Spider at the Geneva Motor Show [colour: red/sand].
- November 1965
Second rebuild by Vignale as an Opel Kadett Coupé, presented at the Turin Motor Show.
- November 1965
Also shown at the Turin Motor Show as an Opel Kadett [colour: light yellow / fir green].
- Export
Then exported to the US: stickers on the rear of the car show the name of Colonial in Miami. The wiring of the flashers was done by Vignale in the American way. The car still has Chevrolet floor mats.
- 24 March 1971
Imported to Monaco before or in 1971: it got a parking ticket in Nice, France, with Monaco registration.
- 14 May 1972
For sale during the Monaco Grand Prix at the ‘Hotel de Paris’.
- 1979
The car still runs after 1979.
- 1997
Rainer Wieler buys it from the Prince Rainier Museum in Monaco.
The 1998 ‘Oldtimer Markt’ ad
Ad from Rainer in the German ‘Oldtimer Markt’ from January 1998. He was looking for information on the headlights of his car. With over 60 reactions he found out that the headlights are identical to those of a Maserati Quattroporte Serie A and those of a Citroën Ami 6. The chromework around the headlights are modified versions of the Maserati’s. According to two people who reacted to this ad, about 15 Vignale Opel Kadett Coupés were built. Because of how the coachwork was done since the second rebuild by Vignale, Rainer is almost sure that his Vignale was a ‘one-off’.
The Pontiac and Jeep dealer ‘Colonial’ in Miami is sure that the sticker is from them. Who knows anything about the American or Monaco history of this car? The known registration numbers in Monaco are ‘3025 MC’ in 1971 and later ‘MC PM 24’. How is it possible to research old American and Monaco registrations?
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More pictures
Pictures from the current owner
Drawing
