The push against entropy

a.wilson · Posted: Wed Apr 08, 2015 10:31 pm Post subject:

Turned out nice! Good seeing someone taking time to refinish their original Gemi clamps.

Plain old nickel plating. Did you have a shop to plate them.. or was it from a Do it Yourself kit?

I was thinking about redoing some of mine.. either with some sort of medium or dark tough paint or plating. (but haven't gotten around to it yet).

sputnick60 · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 1:17 am Post subject:

Hi Mr Wilson,

I'm glad you appreciate the Genni clamps. I'm trying to work out how to orient them on the engine so the logos face towards the back where they can be seen. In most cases the screw head is opposite to the markings and screw heads will end up facing towards the best access thus putting the markings out of sight.

I had considered those DIY kits but I don't have the means to deal with disposal of waste materials. I live within 20 meters of a creek that drains into Sydney Harbour 1 kilometre down stream. These days the water is quite clean and if the fish go belly up on account of something I did, the authorities could easily find me and the penalties are quite onerous.

I used an electroplating shop that's been around for 50 years near the Bankstown airport. They are good for nickel on small non decorative parts. For proper display pieces, like bumpers, hubcaps, mirrors, dash trims and stuff visible all the time, I use another shop in another town 360 kilometres away. I collect batches of work and drive them down when I'm passing by for other reasons. He makes more effort preparing the metal so it shines better. I can see the difference in his work. He also understands restoration work is different to production work.

Nicholas
_________________
'66 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet...
'65 Porsche 356C Coupe...
2005 Mecedes Benz C180 Kompressor Estate
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paul_round · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 9:28 am Post subject:

Awesome, awesome build diary Nicholas.
I'm particularly impressed with the fact that you did your own RHD conversion, as this is something i am considering, (UK).
Did you come across any major issues?

sputnick60 · Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2015 3:23 pm Post subject:

a.wilson · Posted: Sun Apr 12, 2015 9:44 am Post subject:

sputnick60 · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 8:21 am Post subject:

Stepping backwards before moving forwards..
All the headlining work has been removed and we are starting again.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

I wasn't 100% happy with the seal on the body bow. Even though I had put a thin piece of neoprene on the back of all the wood as seen here, I decided to go one better.

This stuff is a really good weather seal. I've been using if for years on outdoor cable and waveguides in the Satcom installation projects I do.

A length goes on the inside lip at the top of the panel.

And then some is applied to the mating side on the wooden bow

The surfaces will squeeze together create a seal

Its all back together and now we are where we were almost a year ago.

The next few weekends are being dedicated to the car. Unless something else comes up.

Nicholas
_________________
'66 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet...
'65 Porsche 356C Coupe...
2005 Mecedes Benz C180 Kompressor Estate
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

CiderGuy · Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2015 9:27 am Post subject:

Thanks for this detailed thread. I've used Butyl rubber tape on the port holes of my ocean going sailboat, works fantastic.
_________________
----------------------
Cars Currently Owned:

1970 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1973 Karmann Ghia Coupe - Project car for sale
1970 Karmann Ghia Convertible (Body off restoration)

Timing is everything

easy e · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2015 11:22 pm Post subject:

Any updates?... lookin' too good.
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aka: Evan
Spreadsheet for Bus RPM, based on gearing & tire size (Excel format)
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sputnick60 · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 6:34 am Post subject:

Nope nothing to report. I've been too busy with this...

It will launch next Friday. So there's the reason why my friends sometimes call me Sputnick.

More info here.. https://www.arianespace.com/mission-update/va231-liftoff/

Nicholas
_________________
'66 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet...
'65 Porsche 356C Coupe...
2005 Mecedes Benz C180 Kompressor Estate
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

WooleyNelson · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 7:37 am Post subject:

So... Ghia restoration *IS* the equivalent of rocket science!!! Laughing

sputnick60 · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2015 7:46 am Post subject:

Ha ha! Perhaps but maybe I'm just an orbital mechanic. Boom tish!
_________________
'66 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet...
'65 Porsche 356C Coupe...
2005 Mecedes Benz C180 Kompressor Estate
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

sputnick60 · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 8:57 am Post subject:

OK so I was chastised for not getting much done on this project of late and rightly so. The day job has been taking up so much time this year but this weekend, despite all the other demands on my time, I was able to insist on getting down to some assembly of the engine. I enjoyed the task.

The nicely cleaned and polished thermostat.

It was first washed in a solvent to clean the years of grime then sat in a lathe with a heat gun over it. This made it expand and I was able to clean it with more solvents and metal polish. It looks brand new and tested properly measured in a hot water bath with a thermometer.

The fan shroud took a while to get right on account of the Generator not being properly assembled. I did it last night and didn't have the bushes quite right. It just needed reversing of a few steps and making sure the Fan at one end and the Pulley at the other end has the right spacers.

The view from underneath showing the tin work

The view from the back showing the bulk of the goodies mounted up.This is as far as I managed this week. The Carburettor is waiting to go on as is the coil and the HT and LV wires. I will use the Vintage Speed muffler system similar to the one John Moxon uses . Boris at Vintage Vee Dub is working with them to redesign the Type 1 exhaust for the Ghia. The new design will tuck the muffler higher under the rear valance to create more clearance for cars that have been lowered. I have the original VW heater boxes to go on and these have been ceramic coated.

Steady as she goes.

Nicholas
_________________
'66 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet...
'65 Porsche 356C Coupe...
2005 Mecedes Benz C180 Kompressor Estate
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Tonyorlo · Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2015 3:45 pm Post subject:

This is a great build! You have a very impressive attention to detail.

sputnick60 · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 6:22 am Post subject:

Some good news today. The engine was started for the first time on the test stand. Normally I'd have photos for you but since, on an interim basis, an old Monza style exhaust is bolted on, I refuse to dignify it with any published image. You'll just have to wait a while. Laughing

We learned that that flywheel on this car is actually a 12V flywheel, so somewhere in its past things got altered and this discovery will reveal an impact later with the gearbox's bell housing and of course the starter motor bush. How odd is that given the car was 6 Volts when I got it. I've never heard of a 12volt flywheel and 12 starter made to run on a 6 volt car. It explains why an easy start relay was on the motor.

For now the motor runs fine but won't idle properly. Checking points to a problem in the carb. The plan is to swap it out with a known good one and see if that proves to be the root cause.

Another minor problem is the oil leaking out of the NPT plugs. It turns out I had forgotten to properly tighten them. The ones at the back responded to a few more turns to tighten them up but we'll have to get the flywheel off to get at the front ones. But this is why the test stand is important and saves discoveries in the engine bay.

Nicholas
_________________
'66 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet...
'65 Porsche 356C Coupe...
2005 Mecedes Benz C180 Kompressor Estate
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Rich62ghia · Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 4:24 pm Post subject:

Excellent progress on the build Nicholas car is looking awsome and congrats on getting the engine running. Having fired up mine recently for the first time I know how big a milestone it is. Good idea on bench testing first makes any re-work to fix much less painful. Did you do the test with the induction improver installed Very Happy

or is that after the engine is in the car??

sputnick60 · Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 12:58 am Post subject:

John Moxon · Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 1:18 am Post subject:

sputnick60 · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 5:30 am Post subject:

I took the engine for a little test run on a borrowed Beetle chassis. It runs like a clock. Not very powerful but smooth and torquey enough. It starts first crank without any added throttle. You can't ask for better than that!
We fixed the idling problem with a new idle solenoid. Just the next size up which happens to match the original 6 Volt. Obvious if you think about it.

So I managed to get it home finally and parked in behind the car. Its ready to go in.

I have to prep up the thrust bearing and a few things in the engine bay concerning the battery cables and other wiring matters.

Nicholas.
_________________
'66 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet...
'65 Porsche 356C Coupe...
2005 Mecedes Benz C180 Kompressor Estate
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

Mr.Duncan · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 7:41 am Post subject:

c21darrel · Posted: Tue Oct 20, 2015 11:48 am Post subject:


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