Exhibit 5.1



                                February 2, 2004



General Cable Corporation
4 Tesseneer Drive
Highland Heights, Kentucky 41076


Gentlemen:

         You have requested our opinion in connection with the preparation and
filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of
1933, as amended (the Securities Act"), of a Registration Statement on Form S-3
(the "Registration Statement").

         The Registration Statement relates to:


         1.       resales of up to 2,070,000 shares of 5.75% Series A
Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock (the "Preferred Stock") originally issued
by you on November 24, 2003 pursuant to a certificate of designations filed on
November 21, 2003 with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware (the
"Certificate of Designations"), in a private placement to UBS Securities LLC,
and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated; and



         2.       10,345,860 shares of your common stock, par value $0.01 per
share, (the "Common Stock") that may be issued upon conversion of Preferred
Stock, by the securityholders named under the caption "Selling Securityholders"
in the prospectus that forms a part of the Registration Statement.


         We have examined and relied upon originals, or copies certified or
otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such documents and corporate and
public records, as we deemed necessary as a basis for the opinion hereinafter
expressed. With respect to such examination, we have assumed the genuineness of
all signatures appearing on all documents presented to us as originals and the
conformity to originals of all documents presented to us as conformed or
reproduced copies. Where factual matters relevant to such opinion were not
independently established, we have relied upon representations of executive
officers of the Company.


         Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:


         1.       The shares of Preferred Stock have been validly issued and are
fully paid and nonassessable.

         2.       The shares of Common Stock that may be issued upon conversion
of the Preferred stock have been duly authorized and validly reserved for
issuance upon such conversion of the Preferred Stock, and such shares of Common
Stock, when issued and delivered upon such




General Cable Corporation
February 2, 2004
Page 2



conversion in the manner provided in the Certificate of Designations, will be
validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.


         We hereby consent to the use of this opinion as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and, to the use of our name as your counsel in connection
with the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby
concede that we come within the categories of persons whose consent is required
by the Securities Act or the General Rules and Regulations promulgated
thereunder.

                                                     Very truly yours,

                                                     /s/BLANK ROME LLP
                                                     ---------------------------
                                                        BLANK ROME LLP