TheSamba.com :: View topic - 60's VW Beetle to 60's VW Ghia

Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:00 am

A very generic request for useful info. on Ghia ownership. I am sure that a lot of Ghia owners were at one point, former (or existing beetle owners). I have just made the jump into Ghia ownership. While the car has that beetle feel, I am sure that there are several key differences that are obvious to most regarding owning a Ghia vs a Beetle. I am talking about 60's bugs and Ghia's.

The first obvious issue is that the spark plugs are right there on a Ghia, but on my old beetle, you needed the hands of a small child to access them. Appreciate any info! :idea:

Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:42 am

A couple of things come to mind.........
1- Body parts are a bit more expensive
2- Be prepared for alot more attention 8)

Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:11 am

I would add:
The Ghia's wider body and low to the ground design give it far superior aerodynamics and for some darn reason my right foot seems to gravitate to the floor more....?
Perhaps this is a side effect of Ghia ownership? 8)

Seriously though; a major body difference exists between Ghia and Beetle that you have already noticed but may not have considered in-depth. The Ghia's body is stressed-skin and nothing is bolt-on like the Beetle's fenders so almost any body work is immediately more involved or at least more difficult when panel replacements (if they can be found) are involved.
The wider body of the Ghia which effectively puts the road wheels "inside" the body unlike the Beetle's means the floor pans are different (ie: wider) and the chassis' rear lateral support is accordingly too. Otherwise the chassis' are identical year for year with the Beetle.

Oh yeah... the front beam's steering gear box. Identical unit but mounted differently (look at the clamp bottom of the gear box and notice two numbers - 13 and 14 with slightly different indents to set the gear box's angle on the beam)

I would characterize Ghia parts are not only more expensive but also very difficult to find. Unlike the Beetle in which any given part might still be made by several manufacturers; the Ghia is lucky to have any one manufacturer making parts for it...
Today, more things have been made in the aftermarket specific to the Ghia and for sure we're better off today than even 10 years ago as far as support by manufacturers but much of these replacement parts are just not very good at either form or function (or both yech!). So you're smart to KEEP EVERY PART you ever remove from your Ghia since very often a worn-looking OG part will be lightyears better than a new aftermarket.

Just my humble opinion, but the Ghia cabriolet roof system is Waaaay easier then the Beetle cabriolet's roof given it's much shorter with fewer articulating sections.

All I got for ya during the late morning, holiday coffee break :lol:

Mon Sep 01, 2008 5:55 pm

Thanks all!! - I love the new car. It definitely gets more attention. I was a little suprised how slow the car moved. It's stock with the OG engine. I intend to keep it that way. My bug was stock too, but the Ghia does really well at a cruising speed of 55-60. It gets a little winded at 65. It wasn't purchased for speed but it looks like a faster car. Agree on the wheel placement too. I was driving from Clearwater to Tampa and we had some feeder bands from Gustav so the car was being pushed about a bit.

My girl loves the car and that's the important thing. She hated the bug. I am PO'd that I can't use Wolfsburg West anymore for parts. Looks like there's some decent alternatives. West Coast Metric etc. Also, OG parts seem a little thin on the ground too. Fortunatley it doesn't need too much. The disc brakes are different so that will be a challenge, but I am looking forward to getting to know my car and the new scene better.

Cheers!

Mon Sep 01, 2008 6:08 pm

gondiwindi wrote: Thanks all!! - I love the new car. It definitely gets more attention. I was a little suprised how slow the car moved. It's stock with the OG engine. I intend to keep it that way. My bug was stock too, but the Ghia does really well at a cruising speed of 55-60. It gets a little winded at 65. It wasn't purchased for speed but it looks like a faster car. Agree on the wheel placement too. I was driving from Clearwater to Tampa and we had some feeder bands from Gustav so the car was being pushed about a bit.

My girl loves the car and that's the important thing. She hated the bug. I am PO'd that I can't use Wolfsburg West anymore for parts. Looks like there's some decent alternatives. West Coast Metric etc. Also, OG parts seem a little thin on the ground too. Fortunatley it doesn't need too much. The disc brakes are different so that will be a challenge, but I am looking forward to getting to know my car and the new scene better.

Cheers!

http://www.house-of-ghia.com/

Good quality parts although their parts aren't listed online you can down

load their catalog.

Wed Sep 03, 2008 8:21 am

gondiwindi wrote:

Quote: I was a little suprised how slow the car moved. It's stock with the OG engine.

Ghias are heavier than Beetles in any given year. How much depends on the year but it can be a couple of hundred pounds. This is significant given the limited output of the ACVW engine.

Thu Sep 04, 2008 4:24 pm

The Ghia has a wider chassis (floor pans, to be exact) than the Beetle. You will notice that the seats are slightly farther apart, so that your shoulders are somewhat farther away from your passenger's. Also, since the steering wheel is the same distance from the middle of the car as the Beetle, by design your body will be shifted slightly to the left, so that the steering wheel is not directly straight ahead of your torso but will seem off to the right. Much better overall visibility in the Ghia due to the narrow roof pillars and the fact that the cabin is much smaller. You can get quite a bit of luggage into the car using the area behind the rear seat back.

Enjoy the car and drive safely. If the engine and the rest of the car is in good mechanical condition, the Ghia could easily do 65-75mph all day on the highway (when there are no hills!).

Thu Sep 04, 2008 5:54 pm

It funny. I am in Tampa and the car is getting such attention. A bunch of tourists were taking photos of it the other day 8) I feel like it handles better than the bug. It's a much smoother drive and while the pick up is not as good as the bug, I am glad that I made the switch. I have been checking the forums on here about security. I am so into my Ghia that I'll have to quit my job and go huntin' if someone nabs it!!!! - The door locks dont work and there's no knock switch so I am pulling the battery each time it's not being used. Major PITA but it makes me feel better. Obviously if someone wants it then they are going to get it. Sucks but that goes with the territory of owning a classic car.

Thanks for sharing your comments!!

Thu Sep 11, 2008 3:41 pm

Door locks don't work?? What year is your Ghia? Does it have the pull-up knob at the top rear of the doors, like from '67 onward? You do know that to lock the door with that knob pushed down, you have to squeeze the outer door handle trigger so that they stay locked? If you just slam the door with the lockknob down, the door will not lock.

If you have a '66 and earlier Ghia, the lock mechanism is the small chrome tab just above the inner door release chrome handle. Just push that tab in so it is flush with the door, go outside and once again hold your door handle trigger button in. If that does not work, remove the door panel and lubricate the inner door handle and lock rod with WD-40 and 3-in-1 oil.

Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:01 pm

Nice! - It's a 1965. The key doesn't fit the locks as the ignition has been replaced at one point. The locks look to be in decent shape, but I'll do the work that you suggested and then replace the locks.

Thanks! 8)

Fri Sep 12, 2008 4:09 am

on my 63 you lift the door handle up on the passenger and it locks the door... :lol: