Der bekannteste „Ableger” des Rekord-D bzw. Commodore-B ist wohl der GM Ranger.

 

Hierzu ein kurzer Auszug aus der offiziellen GM-Website:

 

With the Chevy II in production, GM took the route of engine manufacture and produced the 2,5 litre 4 cylinder - and 3,8 and 4,1 litre 6 cylinder versions. To boost component production manufacturers of engines supplied rival manufacturers and so the American Motors Rambler had the Chev 4100 engine. After the Chevy II phased out, these engines were mounted in an Opel derived body but sold as Chev 2500, 3800 and 4100. The latter vehicles with tri-matic transmissions were favoured by caravanners (trailer homes). By that time the local content programme enforced by the South African Government was 66% by mass (weight) of the completed vehicle. The Chev 2500, 3800 and 4100 were Opel Commodore bodies with the three Chevy II engines. Large fuel tanks were fitted to help motorists because sale of fuel was restricted to 06:00 to 18:00 and not over week-ends!

An attempt to create a local identity led to production of the Ranger, a car with an Opel Rekord body, Vauxhall grille and Chevy II 2500 4 cylinder engine.

Chev 2500, 3800 and 4100 were South Africa's top sellers in 1975 but fell to third place in 1976 and fifteenth place in 1977.

 

In einem Forum fand ich noch folgenden Beitrag eines ehemaligen GM-Ingenieurs dazu:

 

Re: South African Chevrolet Ranger

Posted by PAUL CLARK on March 29, 2002, 15:21:16 , in reply to "South African Chevrolet Ranger"
196.2.20.25

--As an engineer in the at General Motors S.A. during the 70's I have much information on the products built by GMSA, 'hope this helps:
The Ranger was in fact not named as a Chevrolet but as the "G.M. Ranger" and sold parallel with the Opel Rekord of that time (late 60's to '72). The car was mechanically identical to the Opel and differed only in radiator grill styling, badging and interior appointment.Particularly interesting is the fact that the engine specification for the Ranger / Rekord range was the Chevrolet four cylinder engine manufactured at the GMSA engine plant in Port Elizabeth. The engine was available in two capacities:

2.1 Litre 130 cu in
2.5 Ltre 153 cu in

These engines were basically 4 cyl versions of the six cylinder 194/230/250 cu in Chevrolet engines also built at the engine plant.

Body styles were four door sedan and two door coupe and again, available as Rangers or Opel Rekords.
In the period prior to the mid 60's, General Motors along with Ford (also situated in Port Elizabeth) held the lions share of the local market. GM had two dealer distribution networks:

Chevrolet / Opel
Pontiac / Vauxhall

During the late '60s the Vauxhall brand ceased (last of the 101 Victors) and was replaced by the Ranger."South Africa's Own Car"!

The next model change occurred in 1972 and the first of the Chevrolet badged Opels were launched and the Ranger dropped from the GM product line. The new line was known as the Chevrolet 2500/3800/4100.These were 4 door Rekord based vehicles fitted with the 153/230/250 cu inch Chevrolet engines mentioned earlier. The cars became top sellers and sold alongside Vauxhall based Firenza
which was also badged as a Chevrolet (Chevrolet Firenza). Engine sizes for the Firenza:

1256 cc Vauxhall based, built in SA
1.9l Chevrolet based built in SA
2.5l Chevrolet based built in SA

The Firenza had a further distinction in South Africa, in that 100 Coupe Firenzas were built by the factory in Port Elizabeth Fitted with 302 ci in Z28 V8 Engines.These cars were Homologation specials designed to out muscle the Ford Capri V8 built by Ford locally.Happily the V8 Firenzas proved to be far too potent for the Fords and cleaned up in the 1973 season.{ I do recall the factory Firenza V8s sorting out the works BMW Batmobiles in practise for the 1973 9 hour at Kyalami!

I will try to locate pictures of the cars and hope this info is of some help to you.

 

 

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