My Build Thread - The PussyCat

[jajajill]

Hello Ghia fans,

For a while I've wanted to share my project, but I haven't gotten around to it. I hope you guys find some entertainment in this ongoing dream of mine, and more importantly, some inspiration. Here's some background:

When I was 15, I saw a picture of a Karmann Ghia, and instantly knew I would own one some day. A few years later, I found out my dad's first car was a Ghia. I was just about to enter school as a mechanic, and we both decided we'd like to build one together. We picked her up in all her rat-infested glory and dropped her in the garage. I hope to make a completely resto-modded car that I can be proud of for years to come. She's staying with me.

Specs:
1966 Ghia, coupe.
Original color - White

Chassis:
New floor pans,
Dropped spindles,
2" narrowed adjustable beam,
Drop plates in the rear,
Refurbished tranny,
Disc brake conversion (Front)



Here she is the day we got her:

Thank you for reading! Please stay tuned for more!

[motorhead364]

Cool, as you may know the 66 is a one year car. Very cool dash in them and your front bumper is wrong. I'm sure you know that already though. Good luck and can't wait to see it come along.
_________________
63 ghia coupe

[jajajill]

For those of you that don't know, Her name (PussyCat) comes from an old ad campaign. Volkswagen has always enjoyed use humor to make engaging ads.

With her home, my dad and I didn't waste any time. We quickly ripped off the doors and stripped the interior. I was careful to label baggies with nuts and bolts, trying to keep myself organized for later (much later). I noticed many things about this car that Added to its character. The car had been painted yellow, then orange, then blue... with a paint brush. The paint was thick and old, cracking and peeling. While inside the doors I saw her true color... A clean white, just like my dads. I made note of every imperfection and abnormality...

I was determined to make this car something special. I had watched too many TV shows where they had given a rust old car a new life in a show room. I wanted my Pussycat to join them.

[jajajill]

[jajajill]

Some people begin a project with no vision. They enjoy the process of trial and error, and making decisions along the way.

Not me... I had a vision from the beginning. This car had to stun. This car had to make people wonder who built it. This car had to embody my vision, and my dream. And most importantly, it had to be done in my garage. I wanted control over every bolt... Over every lick of paint. It wasn't just about proving that I could, it was about hold the brush while painting a masterpiece.

With help form the internet, some family members, and determination, I separated her from her tired old chassis. We though we had vacuumed out all of the rat feces... Then we saw the transmission. I spent days cleaning it until the metal broke through.

The body rested on a wooden dolly we made. (which was later replaced by a metal one. The legs started to give out) I was so proud, but I knew this was only the beginning.

[Basketcase]

great project. enjoy the time with Dad.
_________________
'72 Karmann Ghia Coupe (the Boss's)

[jajajill]

The next step in the process is the floor pan. I have a tutorial written up here:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5...highlight=

I have to say, it was a lot less painless than it sounds. Precision work, yes, but not enough to drive you crazy. If I had to compare it to an everyday experience, it's like being forced to talk to a stranger, but then finding out they aren't so bad after all. You're uncomfortable with the idea at first, but it becomes a learning experience, and you walk away with someone new.... Friend, floorpan; same thing... Kind of.

You should note that YES, I did have help. A good friend with lots of welding expertise. We opted for stitch welds rather than spot welds. I won't try to tell all you nice men (And the women like me) that I did this all with my two tiny fists, but I will not let you envision me on the side of the garage, lounging in a beach chair while two strong men fixed my car. No, all that air hammer work was done by yours truly, as well as the silicone sealing... And the undercoating... And much much more...

So please, enjoy my posts and my (Our) handy work.

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[jajajill]

So Now that the pan is done, what to do with the body? Well I have to admit I grappled with this decision. Obviously a show car needs the paint to be stripped, but how? Well for those of you looking for real world advice, paint stripper is a cheap-ish way to go, but you pay dearly for it with your time... Especially when you're talking about 5 layers of paint... I got about this far before realizing It would be a nightmare to do the interior crevices:

So onto the more expensive, yet still less expensive than the most expensive, alternative. Sandblasting!..... In my driveway. After buying a second-hand Harbor Freight blaster and a ton of plastic wrap, I began to blast my car. However, I learned that due to air moisture, a loss of pressure due a 'small' 50 gallon compressor, and probably the crappiest blaster I could have bought, that 5 days of work doesn't amount to much:

But I looked cool doing it...

Worth it, in my book.

So I let the professionals rob me of $600 (after haggling), and they revealed to me the pounds of bondo covering my beautiful uni-body car that does NOT have replaceable body panels. YIPPIE.

For those with keen eyes, no that is not my garage nor my father. I towed her to a friend's shop with a paint booth. She needed to be covered in primer to keep her from rusting. Plus she liked to be around all her Porsche cousins. I'm sure when she grows up, she wants to be just like them.

(Pardon my finger. I wanted to take a picture of myself next to the car but that's all I could get in the frame.)

(Yes, I mixed the paint and sprayed the entire car. I've already pat myself on the shoulder, you don't have to. Primer isn't to work of genius anyway.)

Now that I've primered over half-blasted bondo, what's the next step? Well I guess you'll find out, won't you.

[John Moxon]

[Mellow Yellow 74]

Nice one, I am a little behind you:

- body off and pans removed but new pans not welded in yet;

- external paint removed using stripper and abrasive disks, but realising I will have to pay to get it blasted to get it done properly inside and outside (unfortunately it costs a lot more than $600 in Australia);

- keep meaning to start a resto thread but haven't quite got around to it yet.

Keep up the good work!
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1962 Karmann Ghia
1974 Deluxe Microbus
1985 Caravelle (Vanagon)

[jajajill]

[c21darrel]

The HF blasters like a big compressor, they also need a little fine tuning to get them to work as they should. Looks like you are doing nice work and getting your hands dirty!
My blasting uniform is exactly as yours, except I just wear shorts and flip flops. The respirator and eye protection is a must tho. That is one un-fun job in the heat!
The car really doesnt look too bad. Depending on your budget/level of resto...I would probably go back to the areas with filler and get that down to metal with propane torch and putty knife.
Congrats, you are getting a lot done very fast!!
_________________
GhiaBuild
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=481184
1967 DC build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693583&highlight=67+dc
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[jajajill]

[jajajill]

So naturally, the next step is to get that pan rolling right by restoring this pan and all it's suspension components. It's important to note that I want a cruiser, not a drag car, and not a fully restored museum piece. I began by visiting Old Speed in Paramount/Long Beach. Russel really knows his stuff, and he gave me a great deal on a great setup. At the bottom of this post I'll give the specs.

I started by assembling the front end. It was simple and straight forward. Didn't run into any issues there.

I got the Empi Disc brake kit with dropped spindles, and a dual circuit master.

Of course I also got a rebuilt steering box, new tierods and brake lines. Mmmmm so clean.

And no low-rider cruiser would be complete without a beautifully done 2" narrowed beam. The tuck is real.

Yes, my transmission is purple... And No, it's not JUST a paint job. I didn't feel the need to go with a prostreet dif on this car because the motor will not be a monstrosity... Instead I decided to give it a new shift fork and reverse gear and a good scrubbing. I imagine that will be sufficient.

I kept the rear drums, not only for cost savings, but also for my build, I think 4 wheel disc is too much... Plus, I like the idea of Disc in front and drum in back. It makes the car feel less like a performance car and more like something you want to take the long way in.

New shortened Empi shocks.

Hard to see, but the rear spring plate adapters should lower the car about 2 inches. Plus, the torsion sag, I think I'll be able to achieve 4 inches of drop. These plates are a very simple upgrade... They simply raise the axles... However, I did have to drill out the holes a little larger to get them to fit properly. Not too much extra work but an unexpected set-back. Because of these adapter, I also had to tweak the bump stops and switch them from side to side. If you'd like more details on how I did so, I can create a tutorial. Just let me know!

And for added reliability/performance, we installed a tranny brace. I think this thing looks sexy. Its so simple but so effective. You can't see it in this picture, but we also mounted plates at the bottom of the tranny cradle for a four point chassis brace in the rear.. Pictures will come in the future.

In addition to all of this chassis work, we did some important off-pan jobs. First, we rebuilt the pedal cluster and replaces ALL of the cables. This is an important step and should not be overlooked. By ensuring the pedal cluster operated smoothly and there was no excess play, We have prematurely eliminated some common issues. Another bit of preventative maintenance is the parking brake... The center pin that the handle pivots on had ovaled out its hole. It took some time and tweaking, but that parking brake works like brand new, and that is an important detail that makes a quality restoration.

We also ran a new fuel line through the center tunnel. Its something that was a lot easier to do than it sounded, and I highly recommend it. Don't take a chance with a rusty fuel line. I also replaced the infamous shift rod bushing, and upgraded the release bearing throw out rod. I recommend doing that as well, especially if you like to drive your car hard. I also beefed up the clutch cable hook at the end of the pedal. These are all common wear points and need special consideration when restoring the car.

Well what's next?.... I think you can guess.


Here's my spec list as promised:

- 2" narrowed beam,
- Empi Front disc conversion,
- Dropped spindles,
- New tierods
- Rebuilt steering box
- dual circuit master
- all new brake lines
- Rear spring plate adapters (2 inch lowered)
- New Empi lowered/shortened shocks
- Modified axle tubes (Cut off shock horns)
- Semi rebuilt tranny
- Tranny brace
- 4 point rear chassis brace
- all new rear drums
- New cables (Clutch, E-brake, accel)
- Rebuilt pedal cluster
- Upgraded throw out rod
- new shift rod bushing


At this point, please feel free to ask questions. This is something I spent a great deal of time doing, and I definitely want to share what I've learned from the experience.

Stay tuned! This chassis needs a mate!

[c21darrel]

[jajajill]

[jajajill]

It's been a while since I posted an update, so here you go.
A few months back we took a very important step in any VW restoration: rejoining the body to the pan. It was surprisingly smooth process, and for those looking to do the same, I've got some helpful tips below.

There's always the fear with aftermarket pans (or parts in general) that things won't line up. If you've seen my tutorial on installing the pan, there are a couple ways you can ensure that the pan will line up correctly. If anyone needs clarification I'd be happy to help.

Here's a few tips on joining the body to the pan:
* Make sure the channeling that the pan sits in is clean and free of debris.
* I advise painting or spraying undercoating in this channel. I did this to prevent rust and also ensure a good seal against the pan.
* I purchased my pans from Karmannghia.com. The holes for the body bolts were marked on the pan, but I had to drill them. (See my tutorial for more details.) Elongate/oval out the holes. This will make it easier to install the body bolts.
* We used silicone the stick the seal to the body and let it dry completely. We then applied a second layer of silicone on top of the the seal before joining the two. You'll have to cut little X's or holes in the seal where the bolts will go through.

Here's a diagram of how I cut/placed the seal:

If you have any questions please let me know.

Next step is Bodywork!! Stay tuned for more updates!

~Jill