Autobahnstormers
- Gordon Batsford, 70 Briery Way, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 7AN.
The AutobahnStormers is the Club for you and the hundreds of enthusiasts who are already members.
The AutobahnStormers Club exists to preserve and promote the bigger (and hotter) Vauxhalls and Opels (including the Lotus Carlton and Lotus Omega), though with those cars becoming ever rarer it has also taken on the six-cylinder variants of the Carlton and Omega together with the V8-powered Monaro and the VXR8.
Members benefit from a members-only forum, a glossy quarterly magazine, automatic membership of the Vauxhall Trade Club and access to the astonishing amount of technical expertise available from fellow members - who are always happy to help out, be it with advice on how to do a job or where to source spares. To date, there isn't a single part that members haven't been able to reproduce or substitute in order to keep the cars on the road.
Add to this the many events all over the country which the Club attends each year, the monthly pub-meets and the lively social interaction and it is clear that you can't afford not to be a member!
Club Information
The AutobahnStormers Club exists to preserve and promote the bigger Vauxhall/Opel models. Many owners appreciate the qualities of good looks, comfortable accommodation and effortless power encompassed in the larger machines from the General Motors stable.
It was in October 1991 that a group of 30 enthusiasts got together to form the Monza, Royale and Senator Register, the aim being to promote the German-built (and British-badged) straight six-engined Opels, and to give advice through friendly, family-based gatherings. Before long, the membership had increased to 100, and an active Committee was established to guide the Club. In addition a quarterly magazine, The Straight Six News, was set up as a journal for club members. Now the membership is over 900
Catering for the different models and all sharing the facilities offered by the Club, the AutobahnStormers covers the following models:
All Opel Monza
All Vauxhall Royale
Opel Commodore
All Series 1 and 2 Opel & Vauxhall Senator (Senator A)
All Series 3 Senator (Senator B)
Six cylinder Vauxhall Carlton and Opel Omega A
Lotus Carlton & Lotus Omega
All six cylinder Vauxhall Omega and Opel Omega B
All Vauxhall Monaro models
All Vauxhall VXR8 models
All Holden HSV models
Knowledge and Spares
The demand by members for knowledge of the vehicles has proved to be enormous and the Club has endeavoured to help with information on the cars, including the older models such as the Rekord and Commodore, but also covering the recent Series 3 Senator and Carlton models. To this end, information contained in the General Motors Workshop Manuals, road tests and other features published by motoring magazines are available. In addition, new and used spares are obtainable through the Club Shop and authorised Club Distributors, and repair panels imported from Europe are also offered.
For members with access to the Internet there is a members-only forum with over 250 of the club members actively taking part in discussions to solve technical problems on the whole range of cars covered by the club.
The AutobahnStormers has also arranged Trade Club status with Vauxhall Motors. Any club member can go to a participating Vauxhall dealership and purchase certain parts at very advantageous prices together with some frequently-used service and maintenance items with discounts up to 69%.
Events
The Club attends more than 30 classic and sports car shows throughout each season and usually members and their families are admitted free-of-charge.
Magazine
The AutobahnStormers' quarterly magazine (Straight Six News) is an interesting and invaluable publication, packed with information, advice and general interest articles on the cars which sometimes include reprints of contemporary road tests. It contains information on forthcoming events, reports of previous Club gatherings and profiles of members' cars are often featured
Of great assistance to members is the technical data and articles on maintenance and repairs written either by experts or owners who have first-hand experience of working on the cars, and who are only too willing to pass on the benefits of their experience to others. Topics already covered include fire safety, servicing fuel injection systems, buying second-hand, timing chain replacement, cylinder head torque requirements, cable harness/wiring looms, wiper motor renewal/service, Solex carburetor details, central locking problems and many more.
In addition, there are advertisements for cars, parts, and specialist services along with items wanted by other members.
Insurance
The club has access to a number of preferred insurers that can provide good value general and classic motor policies.