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Armin Rauschenberger in front of some models from his classic car collection.
Armin Rauschenberger’s great-grandfather next to his captain (besides the father of Armin Rauschenberger as a child).
Armin Rauschenberger owns about 15 Opel classic cars; predominantly models with six-cylinder engines. His fondness is no coincidence: when – a few days after his birth – his father and his mother fetched him from the hospital, he did so in a Commodore B, built in 1975. The father had borrowed it from his grandfather for this very moment. The engine purr of the Commodore has Armin Rauschenberger still in the ear today.
Captain and Olympia
The grandfather in turn had his Opel love from his father – so Armin Rauschenberger’s great-grandfather – noticed: The Volksschuldirektor in Bad Radkersburg in Styria had bought immediately after the Second World War, first a Skoda Octavia. For bridging, so to speak. Because his big dream was an Opel captain. He saved on that. Until he was able to afford it in 1956.
His son, born in 1933, invested his first earning in the driving license costs at the age of twenty after completing his apprenticeship, and then saved his money for the first car. 1955 it was time: Armin Rauschenberger’s grandfather acquired an Olympia built in 1938. Not least because this car was relatively cheap. Of course, it had to be made roadworthy only with extensive restoration work. And the 38-optics changed – especially in front – on the look of the 50s.
Driving a car was a man’s business
The great-grandfather died early. His son took over the captain. The great-grandmother did not have a driver’s license.
Even Armin Rauschenberger’s grandmother refused to drive: Her husband brought her while to get a driver’s license. However, on her first independent exit, she encountered a combine harvester on a country lane. This frightened her so much that she stopped driving.
Record and Commodore
The next car the grandfather bought was a record P2. And then came a record C. “He has already bought new,” remembers Armin Rauschenberger. “The record C had 90 hp and auxiliary lights.”
Finally, a Commodore B, built in 1975, followed in the grandfather’s car series. And then a Commodore C, built in 1981. The shops seemed to be doing well – the grandparents had become self-employed with a watch and jewelry store in Bad Radkersburg.
The grandparents of Armin Rauschenberger at a young age with her Olympia.
Captain, built in 1956, in the snow.
Opel, the reliable one
While the grandfather last Opel apologized for his personal cars, he continued with his son (Armin Rauschenberger’s father) – who had meanwhile entered the paternal business – in the company cars, the tradition of the family. The Cadet C City made good use of 50 hp. “He had a large tailgate, because the TV sets – which had to be delivered – were inviting,” reports Armin Rauschenberger. The electrical trade from the grandmother’s family had been added to the watch and jewelery business.
The automatic, the grandfather had recruited for the grandmother in the car, was futile Liebesmüh: she refused to drive yes.
Other company cars were then: a cadet E (from 1986 to 1993, an Astra F (1993 to 1996 – he was injured in an accident) and – 1996 – again an Astra F. With that allowed Armin Rauschenberger drive during his studies.
Even in the family of the grandmother, whose father founded the electrical trade, Opel had a long tradition as a company car: first with an Olympic record P1 Caravan.
Wishful Commodore
Armin Rauschenberger’s “Car Career” was initially marked by a disappointment: The grandfather had promised him to give him his Commodore C, built in 1981, as soon as he had a driver’s license. But there was a trade-in action from Opel. “Opa was weak,” says the six-cylinder fan. “He exchanged the Commodore for a Corsa B. In purple. “
In addition to the record P2: Armin Rauschenberger’s grandmother and his father, when this was a child.
Record P2 – in the background Straden in southern Styria.
Autoweihe in Bad Radkersburg in the 60’s.
“I swore to myself: As soon as I have my first own money, I buy myself a Commodore C,” said Armin Rauschenberger. 2004 was the time. What followed a further low blow: “The cylinder head gasket broke down right at the first drive. I completely disassembled the car with friends. After that, there was nothing to do with the rebuild. “Admiral B followed, followed by a Monza A GSE. “From the third car I knew what to look for. The cars should be mobile. “
From time to time Armin Rauschenberger drives his old Opel vehicles to work. Regretfully he says: “I have a company car from another brand.” But he speaks of another Opel hope he cherishes: his father bought in 2015 an Ampera, which he drives since then daily. Should it be scrapped, Armin Rauschenberger is in waiting position as a takeover candidate.
Of course, the Olympic record P1 Caravan was consecrated – Armin Rauschenberger’s great-grandfather (in the back on the right) is present with devotion.
Whitsun tour in 1979 with the Commodore B (in the picture Granny and Grandpa by Armin Rauschenberger).
Opel model history
Compact Class: 1935 – 1940 & 1947 – 1953: Olympia 1962 – 1965: Cadet A1965 – 1973: Cadet B1967 – 1970: Olympia A1973 – 1979: Cadet C1979 – 1984: Cadet D1980 – 1982: Chevette1984 – 1993: Cadet E1991 – 2000: Astra F1998 – 2005: Astra G (Poland: 2003 – 2009) 2004 – 2010: Astra H (in Eastern Europe until 2014) 2009 – 2018: Astra J2012 – 2016: Amperaab 2013: Cascadaab 2015: Astra Kab 2016: Ampera-e
Pickup truck: 1935 – 1975: Blitz1969 – 1988: Bedford Blitz1997 – 2000: Arena1998 – 2010: Movano A2001 – 2014: Vivaro Aseit 2010: Movano B2014 – 2019: Vivaro Bab 2019: Vivaro Cab 2019: Zafira Life
High class: 1938 – 1940/1946 – 1948: Captain Year 19391948: Captain Year 19481950 – 1951: Captain Year 19501951 – 1953: Captain Year 19511953 – 1955: Captain Year 19541955 – 1958: Captain Year 1956/571958 – 1959: Captain P11959 – 1963 Captain P21964 – 1968: Captain A / Admiral A / Diplomat A1969 – 1970: Captain B / Admiral B / Diplomat B
Middle class: 1953 – 1957: Olympia Rekord1957 – 1962: Olympic record 1200/17001970 – 1973: Ascona A1970 – 1975: Manta A1975 – 1981: Ascona B1975 – 1988: Manta B1981 – 1988: Ascona C1988 – 1995: Vectra A1989 – 1997: Calibra1995 – 2002: Vectra B2002 – 2008: Vectra C2003 – 2008: Signum2008 – 2017: Insignia Aab 2017: Insignia B
Upper middle class & coupe: 1957 – 1962: Record P1 / Olympic record P1960 – 1963: Record P21963 – 1965: Record A1965 – 1966: Record B1966 – 1972: Record C1967 – 1971: Commodore A1971 – 1977: Record D1972 – 1977: Commodore B1977 – 1986: Record E1978 – 1982: Commodore C / Senator A1978 – 1986: Monza (Coupe) 1986 – 1993: Omega A1987 – 1993: Senator B1994 – 2003: Omega B
Sports Cars: 1968 – 1973: GT2001 – 2005: Speedster2007 – 2009: GT
Small Car: 1982 – 1993: Corsa A1993 – 2000: Corsa B1994 – 2001: Tigra A2000 – 2006: Corsa C2004 – 2009: Tigra B2006 – 2014: Corsa Dab 2014: Corsa E
Van: 1986 – 1993: Cadet Combo 1993 – 2001: Combo B 2001 – 2011: Combo C2011 – 2018: Combo Dseit 2018: Combo E
SUV / off-road vehicles: 1991 – 1998: Frontera A1991 – 1997: Campo1992 – 1999: Monterey1998 – 2004: Frontera B2006 – 1017: Antaraseit 2012: Mocha site 2016: Mocha Xseit 2017: Crossland X / Grandland X
Microvan / minivan / compact van / From: 1996 – 1999: Sintra 1999 – 2005: Zafira A 2000 – 2007: Agila A2003 – 2009: Meriva A2005 – 2014: Zafira B2007 – 2014: Agila B2010 – 2013: Meriva B
Microcar: from 2012: ADAMab 2015: KARL
April 2019
Text: Kristin Engelhardt, photo credit: Armin Rauschenberger