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RHD UK Lowlight Cabrio
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bob-on
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 5:50 am    Post subject: RHD UK Lowlight Cabrio Reply with quote

At last I've got around to posting something up about my lowlight!
It's a UK from new one and was converted to RHD when it came into this country in '59. I am told that there are only 3 types of this conversion left, 2 of them are in coupe's and one in a cabrio - this one! Very Happy
This also has all the original interior including headling, it may be stained but it's got character! Check out the original rubber flooring too, you can see they way they've cut out the hole for the steering shaft and then glued it into the other side.
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Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


The original owner Reg had it from new until he passed away. His wife passed it onto John Figg to sell and then Ken bought it.
John stripped the insides out of the car in order to allow welding to take place at a resto garage but the guy took that long and never actually started work on the car that Ken decided to take it back.

It sat in a lockup for many years until I eventually managed to prize it out of kens hands and take it home where it will stay.
It has been off the road for many years so I couldn't wait the few years that it would take to do a full restoration and decided to just patch it up for the time being and just enjoy it so please don't think that scabby rusty arches is the way to go.

The image I saw when I went to collect it
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The car was in a bit of a state when I got it having been sat in the garage for so long, the engine hadn't turned over in a while and the usual stuff.
I got it home, drained all the fluids, gave everything on the engine the once over and a quick clean up.
The old exhaust was holy-er than a priest on sunday so I junked that and threw on an old 30hp one I had lying around.
A bit of fresh fuel, a new 6v battery and I managed to get it fired up!

After that I pulled all the brakes apart and rebuilt them, made sure everything was working, stop and go and then drove it up and down the drive!
That was fantastic until the engine went bang. Luckily I had a VW rebuilt industrial engine that had been sat waiting for the right project so I put that in and it runs perfectly.
The only problem I have is that the exhaust fouls the body so I just stood on the pipes to bend them away, I know it looks crap but it doesn't rattle like mad now.

One out, one waiting to go in
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And this one is the industrial motor rebuilt by VW, runs perfectly even without a choke.
Notice how all the tar/underseaal has been removed from around the engine bay, looks much better and it's very solid.
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I bent up some metal for the sills as there just weren't any, welded them on and a huge ugly plate for a hole in the floorpan, applied a liberal Liar amount of sikoflex to the joints and undersealed the new metal.
It's not pretty but it's solid and will do the job of getting it back on the road.

Just a little bit of the rust that was clearly apparant
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This is the rough sill that I bent up for one side.
I did the same on the other and used a flat piece of steel for the floorpan......you can cringe all you like but it's only temporary. Wink
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A very quick paintjob, not prepped up and not glossy, finished off that job.
I know the paint doesn't match but then again the front and rear don't so what's another shade,
not gonna do any harm there and it matches the interior.
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I just couldn't resist trying to give the chrome a shine, the old saying "you can't polish a turn but you can roll it in glitter" must have been made for this car.
I've polished almost every single chrome/shiney item that I could see. I've left the paintwork on purpose, I actually quite like the multi-tonal blues.

I've been collecting a few parts that will be needed to make it correct, it came with a RHS wing (fender to you US boys) and I've just managed to track down a NOS LHS wing.
I've also got the rear half of a NOS RHS inner wing and NOS nostril air box. There's loads more that'll be needed but funds don't allow any more purchases for quite some time!
If anyone has got a wing mirror for one though, please let me know as I managed to lose the LHS one when bringing it home.

It must be something about trailers because I also managed to lose the chrome trim off the passenger door on the way to Stanford Hall, keep your eyes open on the side of the M6 guys!
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Other things that I've managed to track down which are on the car are the cabrio only rear view mirror and 2 clips that hold the roof down into place.
They're all a little rusty but they at least fit in with the look of the car and look as though they've always been there.

Just gotta sort out the front indicators and adjust the handbrake and then it's off for the MOT Pray

There's loads more that I've not had chance to write yet but I'm getting stare crazy looking at the screen and loading all these pics.
Hope you like what you see.


Last edited by bob-on on Thu May 05, 2011 1:22 am; edited 1 time in total
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John Moxon Premium Member
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 7:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's a great start to a really interesting project Gareth...thanks for posting it. There are quite a few Ghia historians who will no doubt chip in other interesting facts on the RHD subject.

It appears VW had plans to produce the early KG as a RHD as the front bulkhead has the pressing for the RHD steering column...but they never got around to producing them until the '60 facelift model.

My guess is that they were surprised at the popularity of the Ghia in Europe and the US and were fully stretched to produce enough LHD cars for those markets.

The introduction of the facelift model gave them the chance to expand the production line and included a line for RHD models from the start.

If you're finding you're getting typers cramp, what I do if I have a long post, is to construct it over a few days (adding a little at a time) as a word or notepad document. Then I copy and paste it in when ready. Wink
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Gary
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 7:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, very awesome.

However -- your approach toward supporting a vehicle needs a bit of refining!

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52brezelfenster
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 7:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Neat car, thanks for posting the pictures.
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Fonz
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 8:51 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fantastic stuff!!! Thank you for posting it up.

Was that the original engine that went bang? Will you be rebuilding it?
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bob-on
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 9:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

John, I told you I'd write something up. There's loads of stuff to be done to this one, this is just the start.

Cheers Gary, I must admit that I do not recommend anyone else using this manner to hold their car in the air but gotta work with what ya got. Laughing There are axle stands at the front too, the wheels are there as a back-up just in case. If I had my way it would be on a lovely new set of hydraulic ramps but that's not gonna happen any time soon.

Fonz - the original engine that was in the car was replaced in Nov '73 @ 82k miles. The replacement was a factory exchange unit and actually from a '54. I have the little booklet to accompany the engine.
It was this one that went pop, it will be getting rebuilt but with a genuine TSV 1300 Okrasa kit which I have waiting in the wings as and when time and funds allow.
For the time being the current engine runs like a champ so can stay for a while.
Think I may buy an exhaust that fits properly sooner rather than later though coz it looks pants.
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Rich's 50
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 10:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very cool and thanks for posting up in here
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bob-on
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 11:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rich-50, I think I'm a LONG way off being as tidy as your old one but at least I've got something to aim for.
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Rich's 50
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 1:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you Sir..... Very Happy
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50Split
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 1:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Very cool car. I like it the way it is, since it can only be original once. Does anyone have a NOS rubber flooring to replace yours when you restore it???
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aerosilver
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 2:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congratulations Gareth, was great to see the cab on Sunday, my car of the show. Enjoy her Cool
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bob-on
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 2:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you very much for that Russ, such a high accolade from someone with such a rare car as yours! It was great to meet you and have a brief chat, hopefully next time I'll actually get to speak to you properly.

50Split, I think you're right there which is why it may stay like that. I'll have to sort the sills and wings out at some point though as I want this one to be around for quite a while.
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RockStock
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 3:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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Not many people realise the guy on the right was the bassist in 80s band Kajagoogoo
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bob-on
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PostPosted: Tue May 03, 2011 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think you guys spent more time by my car than I actually did all day! Laughing
At least I knew it was safe and sound with you lot, I only had to wipe the slobber off it when I got home Wink
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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2011 1:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Felt it was a shame when my father decided to organise a big family get together on the same day as Stanford Hall so that I wouldn't be able to go.

As soon as I saw pics of this, I was absolutly gutted that I wasn't there.

Hope to see it sometime soon.


PS - I agree...the originality on a car such as this, is a fantastic thing.
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technik
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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2011 5:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
It's a UK from new one and was converted to RHD when it came into this country in '59. I am told that there are only 3 types of this conversion left, 2 of them are in coupe's and one in a cabrio

love your lowlight!
I think this is one of the coupes.
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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2011 7:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is.

I think those pics were taken at Vanfest 2006.
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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2011 10:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

bob-on wrote:
Thank you very much for that Russ, such a high accolade from someone with such a rare car as yours! It was great to meet you and have a brief chat, hopefully next time I'll actually get to speak to you properly.


Good to meet you too, i'm sure we'll bump into each other again.

Have you seen this picture before? Back when Reg owned her,in the eighties,doesn't look a lot different.

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bob-on
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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2011 3:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

technik wrote:
Quote:
It's a UK from new one and was converted to RHD when it came into this country in '59. I am told that there are only 3 types of this conversion left, 2 of them are in coupe's and one in a cabrio

love your lowlight!
I think this is one of the coupes.
Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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


Thank you very much. It's good to see another one! I've seen an old pic somewhere of a red converted one, anyone know of any others?

Russ, I've got that pic saved. I think Ken sent it to me way before I ever got to see the car in the flesh.
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PostPosted: Wed May 04, 2011 3:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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