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Description
The car was originally purchased new by Adrian Classon, a machinist and folk musician from Karlskrona. During the Second World War, it was equipped with a Svedlund producer-gas unit. The car remained with its first owner until 1968, when it was passed on to a relative. In 1973, it was acquired by a veterinarian in Lyckeby, who commissioned a restoration of the bodywork. At that time, the car was repainted green; its original colour had been beige. It was also re-registered for road use.
The distinctive 1970s-style interior upholstery dates from this period and was fitted with the help of the owner’s father-in-law, who worked as an upholsterer. When daytime running lights became mandatory for motor vehicles in Sweden, the Olympia was granted an exemption due to its limited generator capacity, and documentation confirming this exemption is included with the car.
The vehicle is accompanied by an extensive collection of documents, including registration papers, inspection reports, the original owner’s manual, and a photographic diary compiled by the third owner during the 1970s. When the fifth owner acquired the car in 1989, a mechanical restoration was carried out.
In 2023, the current owner conducted a search of the Swedish vehicle registry and found that only 40 Opel Olympia models built between 1935 and 1939 remained registered, of which just 14 were 1938 models. This lively 88-year-old automobile is still very much capable of being enjoyed on today’s roads. Treated with the respect due to its age, it is ready to continue motoring through the summer. Enthusiasts seeking greater originality may choose to restore the interior to its factory specification, and there are also a few minor mechanical issues that could be addressed in the future if desired.
In addition to the documentation, the sale includes a box of spare parts for the headlights, one hubcap, and various front suspension components. Two sets of keys are included.
Free history (6)
Technical data
Condition
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Mechanical condition
The car starts easily, and the engine runs well. The fuel gauge is currently inoperative, and second gear grinds when engaged, possibly due to a worn synchronizer ring that may require replacement. The electrical equipment, limited as it is on a car of this age, is functioning properly, and new windshield wiper blades have recently been fitted.
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Interior condition
The interior is complete and well-presented, although its design reflects the 1970s rather than the car’s original period. A previous owner reupholstered the front seats, rear bench, door panels, and rear side panels using matching fabric. At the same time, the headliner was also replaced.
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Exterior condition
The car presents with a highly appealing, honest character and a pleasing degree of patina. The chrome on the bumpers is in poor condition, but it suits the overall appearance of the vehicle well. The bodywork shows various scratches, and in one area a small rust blister is visible along a seam (see photo).
It is unclear whether the green paint is an original Opel colour, although it closely resembles a shade that was available on the model. Likewise, it is uncertain whether the hubcaps should be chrome-plated or painted, as both versions appear to have existed. The body trim rubbers are old and dry, and the same applies to the Avon cross-ply tyres. However, as the tyres are fitted with inner tubes, the visible cracking is not considered an immediate concern.
Exterior rear-view mirrors were not a necessity in 1938, and the mirrors currently fitted originate from a Saab 96. The front registration plate can be removed if the next owner wishes to display the original county-letter registration plate mounted beneath it. -
General condition
A delightful 1930s classic, mechanically sound and presented in a highly appealing, well-preserved condition.
MOT (tech. insp.)
Ursprungsbesiktning: 1973-04-06 (regbes)
Datum i trafik första gången: 1973-04-06
Senast godkända besiktning: -
Besiktigad tom: -
Skattebefriad: Ja
Körförbud: Nej
Antal ägare: 5
Facts about the model
What truly made the first Olympia significant, however, was not its name but its engineering. It was one of the first mass-produced cars to feature a unitary body construction, and its roof was made entirely of steel—far from a given on a car of the 1930s. Its styling was equally modern, with the headlights integrated into the bodywork rather than mounted separately.
Models produced between 1935 and 1937 were powered by a 1.3-litre side-valve engine. From 1937 until 1940, the Olympia received a 1.5-litre overhead-valve engine, accompanied by a facelifted design. Production came to a halt in 1940 with the outbreak of the Second World War. By then, approximately 168,000 examples had been built.
Manufacturing resumed in 1947, and with a revised front suspension the model remained in production until the end of 1949. In January 1950, Opel introduced an all-new Olympia body style, although the car still retained its roots in the pre-war design. That generation remained in production until 1953.
Location and viewing Information
For viewing the vehicle, contact the inspector/case manager:
Fredrik Nyblad
+46 703187844
fredrik.nyblad@bilwebauctions.se
Pick up
NOTE! Payment (deposit to our account) must be made within 5 days and before collection.
Auction information
General information about the condition of the vehicles .
- At this auction, many vehicles have been included in car collections and have been stored (mothballed) for a long time. For this reason, they are described from a collector's perspective and may need technical reviews and maintenance service - oil, battery replacement, new tires, brake review, etc. - before they can be used. .
- During the auction days information about a vehicle may be updated up to the day before the auction ends. When you bid at the end of the auction period - and also if you have made an earlier bid - we therefore ask you to read the descriptions carefully, in case something has been changed due to new information.
Important to know before placing your bids!
- Once you have called in an item and the reservation price is reached we want you to deposit the entire purchase amount into our client funds account before retrieval can take place.
- When you need to retrieve a called in object we want you to examine it carefully. If you consider that the item does not match our description you do not need to complete the purchase. In this case the deposited purchase sum and the entry fee are refunded.
- If you do not examine the item on the spot the call charge will be debited, but you do not have to complete the deal.
- If you make the entire purchase exclusively at a distance you have 14 days to cancel, but must return the item at your own expense.
- Your shipping costs and other costs are not reimbursed when the right of withdrawal is exercised. Swedish court applies.
- For items that have not been collected within 14 days storage costs may be charged.