New member with a project (1970 convertible)

CowtownVW · Last edited by CowtownVW on Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:46 pm; edited 1 time in total

Greetings! I've been lurking for about a month and thought it was time to introduce myself. I've been away from air-cooled VW's for a long time but happy to be back.

My first VW was a 1966 Karmann Ghia Coupe (photo below) that I rebuilt and drove throughout High School, College and a few years beyond. I grew up in Austin and spent a lot of time out at the old Oak Hill location of Austin Veedub scavaging parts out in the yard and bugging the guys at EurAsian on Lamar for advice (any Austin members may remember them from the old days). After college and a couple of years of work I "upgraded" to an '86 Cabriolet but never got the Ghia out of my system. After the Cabriolet there were Jettas and most recently (and currently) a Touareg. All through the years I've wanted to get back to a Ghia someday. I decided to take the plunge and picked up a 1970 cabriolet about a month ago - pics also below.

Finally started a little disassembly work this weekend. She looks to be pretty straight on the surface. Was originally orange but had a black re-spray somewhere along the way. I guess I'll find out the truth once the paint starts coming off. The pans are shot but no other major visible rust. Man, I'm excited to get started and happy to be back in the air-cooled world after a long absence. I'll try to post pics periodically and will definitely be relying on the expertise of the forum for lots of help along the way.

I'm in Fort Worth, TX so I'd love to hear from any other DFW area members.

thanks, Chris

Here is my old '66:
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...and some of my "new" '70:
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pabloghia · Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 8:26 pm Post subject:

Welcome! That is a fine looking Ghia. I didn't know such nice ones were still out there.
You are really going to like this site...lot and lots of knowledge, eagerness to help and the occasional smart-ass.
Keep sending pictures as you go along, its going to be fun to watch the progress. Good luck!
_________________
67 Ghia Convertible

das skiver · Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 10:29 pm Post subject:

Hey Dude!
Your Ghia looks sweet.
You'll have a blast just getting to the point of knowing what you've got!

Have fun.

jason_hamilton · Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 10:31 pm Post subject:

Tons of potential. Body appears to be straight and any car with OE windshield trim and complete straight bumpers is a keeper. That's definitely L21 Signal Orange paint peeking at us from the corner of the engine firewall, but the black looks great. Non-original steering wheel and seat upholstery are easy to deal with, but the lower dash pad will be hard to find.
Get it driveable as quick as possible and do a rolling restoration while you enjoy it. I have an original 1970 top dash pad in nice shape if you need to replace yours.
How's the condition of the top?
_________________
Jason Hamilton
The Online Karmann Ghia Resource

Basketcase · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 10:01 am Post subject:

wow! glve her a bath and go for a rlde!
welcome

danielsan · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 11:41 am Post subject:

Looks great. I always the liked the contrast of black body and white top. Bumpers look great and it looks like good gaps on the deck lid so -- possibly never rear ended?

Anyway -- enjoy.

CowtownVW · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 1:21 pm Post subject:

zzhayward · Posted: Mon Mar 05, 2012 11:14 pm Post subject:

If I can be crass, I would ask what you paid as I am looking at a 71 vert for $2600
_________________
1973 914 2L Ravenna Green

CowtownVW · Posted: Tue Mar 06, 2012 8:19 am Post subject:

CowtownVW · Posted: Wed Mar 07, 2012 9:48 pm Post subject:

Project Update -- Started in on the disassembly tonight. Kind of shocking seeing that orange paint through the black. Got the doors apart and off, windows out, trunk and engine compartment lids off, dash/instruments/radio, windshield, rear seat and trim (where I found my first rust!). Here's a few pics:

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No rust down there!
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Anybody need a 914 Steering Wheel?
I'm thinking about going with a painted dash instead of the padding and plastic wood, what do you think?
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...and finally - we have rust!!! didn't find any in the door bottoms, thresholds or trunk but I figured it wouldn't be a Karmann Ghia without some in there somewhere...
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[/img]

Greezy Joe · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:02 am Post subject:

If you have not already, make sure the doors fit and then brace the heck out of the body front to back and left to right so that it hold it;s shape and dimensions if you are going to remove the body from the pan.
_________________
Current:74 Ghia Coupe w/ 2276
71 Ghia Vert/top in progress
07 GMC Truck
04 Chrysler Crossfire
73 Harley FLH 93 cid
89 Harley 883 Sportster (1200)

Owned before: 58, 69 Ghia Coupes, 64 Canvas Sunroof, 68, 72, 73, & 74 Bugs, 63 Single Cab, 65 Bus, 66 & 70 Camper
"You have to be smarter than what you're working on"

74Pepper · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 10:54 am Post subject:

Hola, Chris! There are lots of us here in DFW. Hope to see you on the road soon!
_________________
'65 Beetle, daily driver (looking for a new home)
'66 Beetle, in restoration
'74 Ghia, in restoration
'77 Westfalia Campmobile
(always wanted to have more
than one VW in my signature)

Per Gary, A.K.A. "Purple dress girl")

CowtownVW · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 6:09 pm Post subject:

Marlonius · Posted: Thu Mar 08, 2012 9:01 pm Post subject:

Classic spot for a convertible to rust out...the rear window started leaking at some point and water collected behind the back seat. Fortunately, the same spot on the rustiest of coupes is often perfect.

Check out my friend Dale's blog for his repair of that section:

http://dalesghiaproject.blogspot.com/search?update...-results=3

CowtownVW · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 9:20 am Post subject:

CowtownVW · Posted: Fri Mar 09, 2012 9:24 am Post subject:

CowtownVW · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 5:38 pm Post subject:

Here's an update and some photos. I also posted a separate question in the forum with some pics of a previous body repair - take a look at that posting as well and see what you think happened...

Got her totally disassembled and spent this weekend stripping paint and bondo. What was under the bondo? some good news - some bad new. some of the bondo was just a lazy repair for dings and small dents (only about 3/8" to 1/2" thick, so I guess it could have been worse). Unfortunately some of the bondo was slathered over rusty rockers and rear fender (in the area around the torsion bar inspection covers) as well as one rusty headlight section.

A question on the rocker repairs - better to do them with the body on or off the chassis? I know there are stability issues with the convertible so I'll have it braced up, but I've still heard conflicting opinions about this. If it makes a difference - the body will come off at some point and I do also have to replace the pan halves. thanks in advance for any advice!

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Rocker rust:
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Better to get a rust repair panel or just weld in a small patch? (there is still orange paint specks there - looks like rust but isnt')
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I'm thinking this one can be patched without a panel?
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same question here - is it best to replace with a repair panel or just weld in a patch?
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These are the tacked lap welds on the drivers side front fender that I posted a question about in a separate post. looks like they cut out the panel and then welded it back in (had the same original factory orange paint on it so it wasn't a replacement panel):
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danielsan · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 7:52 pm Post subject:

I'm not a body expert but:

1. Rockers -- its much easier with the body off but you run the chance of affecting your door gaps. Even with the door braced the body can shift. If you know that you are only replacing the outer rocker and convertible brace you can avoid taking the pan off.

If you feel confident that you put deal with body shifts or you plant to replace the heater channels just take it off.

2. Repair panels. Even the best panels need some work. It is always best to use as little after market metal as possible. If you can fab repair sections that is best -- if not, get panels and cut what you need out of them. If the metal prep / sanding can't get rid of the rust you need to cut it out.

Enjoy the project -- the 70s tail lights will grow on you. I think it makes the car look better when viewing it from the side -- the lights complete the fender. The cat eye lights look great from the back but on the side, they look stuck on the back. That and people actually see them. I can't tell you how many times I had a SUV miss my brakes or signals on my 69 . . .

scotty timmerman · Posted: Sun Apr 01, 2012 10:47 pm Post subject:

if you are going to replace the rockers i would just get the panel with the torsion bar inspection hole because you have to take that lower section off to replace the rockers. taking the car off the pan makes it easier to replace the rockers and heater channels if you go that far. brace it and do one side at a time to keep it structurally sturdy.
_________________
71 ghia coupe
71 type 3 fastback auto
71 type 3 fastback manual
73 super beetle

NOVA Airhead · Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2012 8:10 am Post subject:

Check out the How to Sticky above on heater channel replacement. It was done on the car.

I am doing mine that way.

Unless there is a need I would not remove the body.
_________________
1971 Ghia Convertible Autostick
1974 Thing

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