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Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:21 am

Well it's finally happening, got my camera (I know how much you all love pics :P ), a piles of baggies and pulled the Ghia out last weekend and started the process. A little history....It sat in some guys back yard for about 10yrs and wasn't water tight. Needless to say some water/snow got in so my first step was to tear out the interior and see what rust I might find. There were a few suprizes but I was quite happy with what I found, or didn't find, no major rust. Best part of all this so far was at 9am my daughter comes down stairs and says 'Dad, can I start on the Ghia today'. Brought a tear to my eye.

Um, yeah, a little moisture got in, no vapor barrier either.....

....but inside the doors looked real good

You expect the worst when you see a water line on the INSIDE of your car!?!?!?

This was by far the worst rust but none of it went through, in fact it's mostly real bad surface, I should be able to grind it down and POR15 it.

Some more interior shots, all in all purdy dang clean for 40yrs old

OH yeah, my daughter found this little guy :shock: guess he couldn't handle the Colorado winters.

Must have lived there a while (big nest)

Yes that's a big pile of mouse poop

Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:38 am

Looks typical, including the nest! Be aggressive with the rust on the pan. You'd be surprised at what you think looks solid until you poke it with a screwdriver and the rust gives way. One thing I learned when I yanked the engine from my Dodge is to take a lot of pictures during disassembly as well as bagging/tagging all nuts/bolts/screws. It aids in reassembly!

Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:46 am

Icy wrote: Looks typical, including the nest! Be aggressive with the rust on the pan. You'd be surprised at what you think looks solid until you poke it with a screwdriver and the rust gives way. One thing I learned when I yanked the engine from my Dodge is to take a lot of pictures during disassembly as well as bagging/tagging all nuts/bolts/screws. It aids in reassembly!
I hear ya about the rust, I'm planning on pulling the body so I can really get to it. I did a lot of poking, even gave it a few taps with a small hammer and it was solid. This isn't even half the pics we took and I've got a half dozen bags filled and tagged already so were on the right track 8)

Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:52 am

What are your plans for the project? Restoration, customization, radical mod? Another tip -- throw away NOTHING! If you're unsure if anything can be refurbished, come here first and ask questions. There are a lot of talented people on this forum who refurbish parts on the side, can point you to someone who can, or can guide you through the process. Any parts not used in reassembly can be sold to someone on the classifieds. You'd be amazed at who needs what.

Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:07 am

A mostly stock, pan-off resto. Probably go with a non-stock paint scheme and interior.

Nope, not throwing away anything, even starting looking at products that restore nuts & bolts. In a couple years when I'm done I'll probably have a handful of stuff to sell/trade.

Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:13 am

It looks like someone already did some work to the pans, I notice the factory tar/foam insulators have already been removed, and there appears to be a black spray on paint... probably why sitting full of water didn't kill them.

That looks like a pretty solid car, when you see door panels like that, you expect to see a door that matches. Luckily yours looks nice and solid, from the angle you are showing...

You still have the footrest - neat!
Appears to have the correct one year only 1968 seats.

Fri Mar 07, 2008 8:39 am

70 140 wrote: It looks like someone already did some work to the pans, I notice the factory tar/foam insulators have already been removed, and there appears to be a black spray on paint... probably why sitting full of water didn't kill them.
That looks like a pretty solid car, when you see door panels like that, you expect to see a door that matches. Luckily yours looks nice and solid, from the angle you are showing...
You still have the footrest - neat!
Appears to have the correct one year only 1968 seats.
I removed the tar boards (see the pic with the carpet kit on the driveway) and they were original but I agree, someone did some work at some point. The carpet seems to have been replaced just before they parked it, it was way too clean and it peeled right off like they used spray adheasive not contact cement or glue. The door panel vinyl was perfect like they were replaced too, just left to old seals so water got in and ruin everything.

Yeah when I saw the panels I was scared but the doors are sweet.

Yep, still have the footrest :D and the original seats 8) Funny story about the seats. I got this car dirt cheap, one reason was the PO said the seats were replaced with the wrong kind cause when you sit in the car they don't line-up with the steering wheel. No he wasn't a VW guy :lol:

Fri Mar 07, 2008 9:15 am

I despise all rodents... with a passion! :twisted: :evil: :x

Fri Mar 07, 2008 9:38 am

What are the little pilows made from headliner material in pictures 10 11 12? I found them in my Ghia as well?

Fri Mar 07, 2008 9:43 am

rlutterb wrote: What are the little pilows made from headliner material in pictures 10 11 12? I found them in my Ghia as well?
Funny, my daughter said the same thing.... "Dad, what are these pillows for ???" :lol:

I was gonna start another thread and ask the same thing. So does anyone know what these are? Seem to be just insulation of some sort.

Fri Mar 07, 2008 9:53 am

Those are pretty much filler/noise deadeners. Chances are you'll find them stuffed up in the wheel-well area behind the quarter panels as well.

Fri Mar 07, 2008 9:56 am

Icy wrote: Those are pretty much filler/noise deadeners. Chances are you'll find them stuffed up in the wheel-well area behind the quarter panels as well.
That makes sense. I did find a different type of insulation/filler stuffed behind the wheel well areas.

Fri Mar 07, 2008 7:17 pm

I have seen those headliner square pillows and did not know exactly what they were for, sound dampeners make sense.

Sat Mar 08, 2008 8:06 am

rlutterb wrote: What are the little pilows made from headliner material in pictures 10 11 12? I found them in my Ghia as well?

there was a thread on here a while back about those "pillows"....try the search.

Sat Mar 08, 2008 8:09 am

btw...great looking project. i hope to have my body back on the pan today if its not too cold out. it snowed here last night. can you beleive it? snow in central mississippi....lol

Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:07 am

Your KG is looking great! Keep us posted!

Mon Mar 10, 2008 3:35 am

:shock:
dude thats nasty

Mon Mar 10, 2008 9:14 am

ghiacab wrote:

:shock:
dude thats nasty

Save all those little clips and the armrest and rear armrest brackets (black thing in the photo) Toss the rest into the trash.

The original clips VW used to secure the door and quarter panels to the doors/body work so much better than the reproduction clips.

Mon Mar 10, 2008 9:21 am

70 140 wrote: ghiacab wrote:

:shock:
dude thats nasty

Save all those little clips and the armrest and rear armrest brackets (black thing in the photo) Toss the rest into the trash.

The original clips VW used to secure the door and quarter panels to the doors/body work so much better than the reproduction clips.

x2 on the clips....repops are junk

Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:47 am

DONGKG wrote: Your KG is looking great! Keep us posted!
Thanks, will do!!!
70 140 wrote: Save all those little clips and the armrest and rear armrest brackets (black thing in the photo) Toss the rest into the trash.
The original clips VW used to secure the door and quarter panels to the doors/body work so much better than the reproduction clips.
OH heck yeah, saving everything