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Thu Feb 18, 2010 5:28 pm

the wife is on a business trip till sat. It has been a long week already. I am watching our kids so can't get anything done. I will be back on sun or monday trying to make up some time.

Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:51 pm

gregmporter wrote: please tell me you are working on this car full time. You're making more progress in a week than most folks make in 6 months!

Yep...I hear ya...I feel like I'm standing still on my project. It's not the case but it feels that way when I see progress like this. It's all good though. It's a delicate balance between work, the wife, the kids and the Ghia... :lol: :lol: :shock:

Sat Feb 20, 2010 9:45 pm

Excellent progress... this thread rocks. Great to see this car coming back.. frankly I would cut up three 61's for a Lowlight vert.

Sun Feb 21, 2010 7:08 am

52HoffmanSplit wrote: Excellent progress... this thread rocks. Great to see this car coming back.. frankly I would cut up three 61's for a Lowlight vert.
I agree. No great loss.
A '61 Ghia coupe is quite possibly the worst automobile ever built.

Sun Feb 21, 2010 11:01 am

iowegian wrote: 52HoffmanSplit wrote: Excellent progress... this thread rocks. Great to see this car coming back.. frankly I would cut up three 61's for a Lowlight vert.
I agree. No great loss.
A '61 Ghia coupe is quite possibly the worst automobile ever built.

No iowegian, you are very wrong once again...Here are the worst ever built: :roll:

1) Yugo- all models
2) AMC- Pacer
3) AMC- Gremlin
4) Pontiac- Aztek

Did I already mention you have a very unique sense of humor and one of a kind taste? :lol:

Sun Feb 21, 2010 12:21 pm

sparkleplenty wrote: iowegian wrote: 52HoffmanSplit wrote: Excellent progress... this thread rocks. Great to see this car coming back.. frankly I would cut up three 61's for a Lowlight vert.
I agree. No great loss.
A '61 Ghia coupe is quite possibly the worst automobile ever built.

No iowegian, you are very wrong once again...Here are the worst ever built: :roll:

1) Yugo- all models
2) AMC- Pacer
3) AMC- Gremlin
4) Pontiac- Aztek

Did I already mention you have a very unique sense of humor and one of a kind taste? :lol:
In addition to those attributes, I also have a '61 Ghia. :lol:

Mon Feb 22, 2010 1:15 pm

I'm not I would want to cut up my '61, even if I did find a lowlight vert! If I find one can cut, Up yours. lol.

Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:28 pm

the 61 seems to be a hot topic. I will start a build thread for it and cut up a 71 to rebuild it. Hopefully that will be less controversial. :D

so I will be back to the 'grind' tonight (there is alot of grinding in my future) So soon I can post some progress pics soon.

Mon Feb 22, 2010 2:47 pm

'58, '61, '68, '72...they're all Karmann Ghias.

You can't keep all of the people happy all of the time. They're your cars, your time, your money, your skills...do what you have to do and use what's available.

I'm betting it will be a good job.

Mon Feb 22, 2010 3:31 pm

Can't cut up a fatchick! They are the pinnacle of the karmann ghia art form. They have all of the subtlety and nuance of the lowlight, with better everything else. :wink:

Only ghia that should ever be cut up is a 75.

Mon Feb 22, 2010 10:55 pm

I like to see the progress JOE... let me know if I can help you cutting and burning that DAMNED 61 and post videos... that looks good in the lowlight... at least it served its purpose, to bring the lowlight back to life... :D
One of my favorites posts is the Red Lowlight in UK in a fatchick pan... I know is a favorite one for everyone else here... No one saw a problem there... :twisted:

Regards,

Tue Feb 23, 2010 4:20 am

Well this is what I got done tonight. Just set in, need to make a few adjustments and then weld it in. Took all night to cut out the apron area from the 61, and then cut out the 58, and then straighten some things, etc etc...

How it started

61 Donor Piece

58 All cut out:

Test Fit

Tue Feb 23, 2010 10:24 pm

Nice work!! I love this tread!! :D

Wed Feb 24, 2010 12:45 am

Hi I an sure you know this but the apron on the 60s models have a larger hole for the engine.

Wed Feb 24, 2010 1:25 am

Yes, I knew about the apron difference. I decided to use it, because I will be using a larger motor. I guess it may still be a tight fit. I measured the og and the 61 and it is different, but visually (without side by side comparison, it looks correct). I will be happy with the correct look without the exact detail of correctness.

I would like to be driving this ghia sometime in the near future. So without committing too many sinnful acts (such as the apron) I will make the sacrafice for expedience, rather than pureness. I have 3 other projects that are going to be very expensive also and just as difficult as this. You should see my 23 window. :D

Wed Feb 24, 2010 10:56 am

busterbow wrote: Hi I an sure you know this but the apron on the 60s models have a larger hole for the engine.

I don't mean to hijack the thread but...
Really? A 56' has a smaller body tin arrangement? I plan on using some replacement metal out of a late 50's or early 60's model. Is this going to mess me up? :?: :?: I'm putting the original 36hp back in. The stampings look the same other than the holes where the latch release bolt down. One the later models (even a 58') there is one hole that is offset when compared to the piece currently in my 56'. I was just going to move the nut location on the new piece?? :?: :?: I will also be leaving the left side (non-damaged) tin area and replacing the rear apron area and battery tin on the right side. Am I screwed? The valance is in good shape. Also the 56' does not seem to have the suport brackets that are spot welded to the tin and valance. The valnce in the 56' also does not have the bolt holes on the exterior. What are those holes for anyhow? Later model bumpers / or a bracket? My car has Euro bumpers with no overiders. I'm going all stock original...Let me know your thoughts. Thx-Russ

Wed Feb 24, 2010 3:26 pm

LUNATIK wrote: I like to see the progress JOE... let me know if I can help you cutting and burning that DAMNED 61 and post videos... that looks good in the lowlight... at least it served its purpose, to bring the lowlight back to life... :D
One of my favorites posts is the Red Lowlight in UK in a fatchick pan... I know is a favorite one for everyone else here... No one saw a problem there... :twisted:

Regards,

:twisted: :wink:

I wouldn't say no one!!! But it's mine and I love it!!

This is fast becomming one of my favourite threads!! Your work is stunning and the build speed is putting us all to shame!!!

Thanks for the updates! :D

Wed Feb 24, 2010 7:47 pm

sparkleplenty wrote: The valnce in the 56' also does not have the bolt holes on the exterior. What are those holes for anyhow? Later model bumpers / or a bracket? My car has Euro bumpers with no overiders.

Are you speaking of the holes that mount the supports for the towel bars on American bumpers?

Wed Feb 24, 2010 7:50 pm

50Split wrote: sparkleplenty wrote: The valnce in the 56' also does not have the bolt holes on the exterior. What are those holes for anyhow? Later model bumpers / or a bracket? My car has Euro bumpers with no overiders.

Are you speaking of the holes that mount the supports for the towel bars on American bumpers?

yep...That's what I figured - towel bars on the American bumpers. I'm still confused about the engine bay opening being smaller in a lowlight compared to an early 60's car.???

Wed Feb 24, 2010 7:59 pm

I don't know how there is a difference. I do not have any measurements. But I would guess the 2 side pieces may be wider in a lowlight. The 36HP is narrower than a 1600 from head to head. I do know the apron is different in measurement from engine seal to the outside edge. It is longer on the 61 apron as opposed to the 58.