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aerosilver
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Joined: July 29, 2006
Posts: 882
Location: UK
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 Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 6:06 am Post subject: The Wisconsin 1955 Karmann Ghia |
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I thought it about time i started a thread on this Ghia 
It popped up in the classifieds back in March '14, listed as '56 ghia needs a new home' . Priced at $5900,location Wisconsin.
It looked from the photos in the ad to be a mostly original early lizard green coupe,certainly needing a little bit of work! I made attempts to buy it but it sold pretty quickly,locally. It was listed as a December '55 build car.
Last edited by aerosilver on Wed Nov 05, 2014 6:23 am; edited 1 time in total |
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aerosilver
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Joined: July 29, 2006
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Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 6:21 am Post subject: |
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After some email exchanges with the new owner about some early details I was offered the chance to purchase the car a month or so later.An offer i took up.
So,money transferred,arrangements were made to get the engine fitted back in the car and transported to the shipping agents in Chicago.
This is it at the shippers waiting to be put in a container for it's 3 week journey over here 
Last edited by aerosilver on Wed Nov 05, 2014 6:45 am; edited 1 time in total |
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aerosilver
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Joined: July 29, 2006
Posts: 882
Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 6:44 am Post subject: |
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Various delays at the Chicago end meant a nervous wait for me,but eventually the MSC Ilona set sail with its cargo. 3 weeks later on a sunny day in June i got my first look at it 'in the flesh'
Overall i was pretty happy, largely original and untouched 55 build Ghia, a little crustier in parts than i had hoped for,but still not too bad.
I spent the next week or so going through it,cleaning it out,seeing what was missing/needed. Quite a few mice had made there home in it over the years,so it wasn't the most pleasant of jobs  |
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toddb_67
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Joined: November 28, 2003
Posts: 1313
Location: Hansville, WA
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KGCoupe
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Joined: July 01, 2005
Posts: 3580
Location: Putting the "ill" and "annoy" in Illinois
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| Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 7:58 am Post subject: |
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Considering that the Ghia had called Wisconsin its home, I'd say you are very lucky that you don't have much more rust to contend with.
Regardless, a Ghia built in 1955 in any condition is a hell of a find almost 60 years later - Congratulations.
I can't wait to see it progress. |
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aerosilver
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Joined: July 29, 2006
Posts: 882
Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 9:47 am Post subject: |
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| toddb_67 wrote: |
| What are your plans for the car? |
The plan is to get it on the road as is, repair the rust issues when i have collected the panels needed and the necessary funds. |
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aerosilver
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Joined: July 29, 2006
Posts: 882
Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 9:57 am Post subject: |
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| KGCoupe wrote: |
Considering that the Ghia had called Wisconsin its home, I'd say you are very lucky that you don't have much more rust to contend with.
Regardless, a Ghia built in 1955 in any condition is a hell of a find almost 60 years later - Congratulations.
I can't wait to see it progress. |
Thanks I thought the winters weren't Ghia friendly up there 
It's been off the road for quite a few years,possibly since the mid/late '60's,so it certainly didn't lead a pampered existence when it was new.
It may even have been as far as Mexico, it has a battered 'Turista' decal on the windscreen. Maybe someone else knows better?, it looks like a temporary import/travel sticker from my research.
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tisius
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Joined: July 11, 2011
Posts: 1570
Location: Rotterdam,NL (+Chicago,IL)
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| Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 10:37 am Post subject: |
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friggin shittt.... a Wisconsin fifties car that solid???? wow that car must be a very low mileage car, or it's originally from the west of the good ol' US of A. Looking at the badge on the window which is in spanish, I guess it would be the latter, or it could even be imported from somewhere more south of the US...
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you don't have to be crazy to be into VW's, but it sure helps!!
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aerosilver
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Joined: July 29, 2006
Posts: 882
Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 10:50 am Post subject: |
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A previous owner had obtained a birth certificate for the car back in '96.
It was built 17/12/55, left the factory and headed to Chicago on 21/12/55. M codes- 18,20,128,138,950.
It seems to have stayed in the mid west for most of its life (apart from the possible mexico trip!) I managed to contact the earliest 'known' owner from the old title. I wrote a letter to the 20 year old address explaining about the car i had just bought, about a week later i received an email reply confirming that yes,he did own the Ghia back in the '90's. Winner! Unfortunately he couldn't tell me a lot about the cars previous history.
He bought the car in the mid '90's,probably '95, from a guy called Jessie from Holmen,Wisconsin. Jessie stored the car in a dirt floor garage for many years,they had a hard time getting the Ghia out because it had sunk into the dirt after sitting for so many years. Jessie and his wife have long since passed, so that trail seems to have ended.
There are a few service stickers on the car -La crosse ,WI , and Maquoketa Iowa,and a Des Moines inspection sticker, so it didn't stray far. Most of its time seems to have been spent in barns in Holmen and Spooner WI.
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kiwighia68
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Joined: October 20, 2013
Posts: 2876
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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| Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 11:40 am Post subject: |
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Fascinating stuff. I'm incurably inquisitive and would not be able to rest or sleep until I had chased down every year of that car's past.
Enjoy the ride (in restoring it and finding out more about it). Every one who ever touched that car to service it is part of its history and its story.
Please tell me you're going to continue searching and telling us what you find.
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Festina lente - hasten slowly
1968 Ghia named Emiko
Resto completed Dec 2015 |
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aerosilver
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Joined: July 29, 2006
Posts: 882
Location: UK
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| Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 12:39 pm Post subject: |
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| kiwighia68 wrote: |
Fascinating stuff. I'm incurably inquisitive and would not be able to rest or sleep until I had chased down every year of that car's past.
Enjoy the ride (in restoring it and finding out more about it). Every one who ever touched that car to service it is part of its history and its story.
Please tell me you're going to continue searching and telling us what you find. |
Yes, it's all part of the fun Though i'm not sure if i'm going to be able find out a lot more. Jessies last name would be helpful,but the chap can't remember it,and there is no other documentation at the moment
I started the cleanup process, it had been home to a few mice over the years,various nests and mummified remains were disposed of!
The original headliner is still in place, it made a nice warm home for someone!
Lots of nesting material was hoovered out of the mouse holes.
They also managed to remove a lot of the carpet/sound deadening from behind the rear seat. Nasty job!
On the outside i gave it a light bath to get rid of the thick layer of dust/dirt.
The lower half has an old repaint in the original colour- lizard green, plus a few blow ins here and there! The roof i believe is original paint - deep green.
I quite like the survivor look, so any repairs will get blended in when they are done. |
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GHIA
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Joined: August 27, 2005
Posts: 345
Location: FRANCE
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| Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 1:59 pm Post subject: |
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Amazing 55, Russ  |
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c21darrel
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Joined: January 22, 2009
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Location: San Dimas
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Fiatdude
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Joined: April 20, 2009
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Location: now in MO.
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| Posted: Wed Nov 05, 2014 3:19 pm Post subject: |
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Foot pump for windshield washer
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For every mile of road, there is 2 miles of ditch |
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aerosilver
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Joined: July 29, 2006
Posts: 882
Location: UK
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| Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 1:13 am Post subject: |
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| c21darrel wrote: |
thats not a mouse, thats a rat!
Very nice purchase, looks very original. What is the red circular item knee high at driverside? Congratulations! |
As Fiatdude said, it's for the windshield washer system. Not the easiest to use with either your foot or knee!
The Wizard instant action washer system!
Nice placement!
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carl4x4
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Joined: March 20, 2012
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Location: United Kingdom
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aerosilver
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Joined: July 29, 2006
Posts: 882
Location: UK
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| Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 3:50 am Post subject: |
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| carl4x4 wrote: |
Very jealous where abouts in the UK are you ?
(and yes that suspiciously looks like a rat!) |
I'm in Bedfordshire.
Mouse/rat, whatever they are,they called this home for quite a while!
Things were looking better after a light bath..
It still sports the original one piece front bumper, but note the guards are in the wrong place. A pair of cast/stud guards have been fitted a few inches further out on the bumper.
Probably after it had a small knock on the nose damaging the original enclosed guards. You can see one of the mounting holes for the enclosed guards on the top edge of the bumper. |
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KarmannMarco
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Joined: January 03, 2010
Posts: 263
Location: Woodland Park CO
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| Posted: Thu Nov 06, 2014 9:56 am Post subject: |
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Awesome car! Very inspiring to peek into the car's past.
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1962 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1969 Karmann Ghia Coupe (SOLD)
1981 BMW 633CSi |
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c21darrel
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Location: San Dimas
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aerosilver
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Joined: July 29, 2006
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Location: UK
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| Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2014 11:14 am Post subject: |
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The nose badge on the car had been replaced with a later one piece item. It should have the two piece emblem with the blue enamel centre.
Closer inspection revealed they hadn't just swapped over the badge, but welded/brazed the later badge onto the older badge  Surely would have been easier to just swap the badge!
I had a spare correct badge, so put that on for now.
I may yet put the modified badge back on as it's part of the cars history/story |
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