TheSamba.com :: View topic - Ghia Restorations

Fri Sep 24, 2010 4:12 am

I think most Ghia fans who have been around this forum for a while will realise we are really lucky to have quite a few examples of very high quality detailed illustrated restorations in our databank.

As much as we'd like to make individual restorations individual “Stickys” there simply isn't room so this will serve as a shortcut and hopefully essential reading for anyone undertaking, in what at first sight seems the daunting task of a complete restoration.

I've listed ones that readily come to mind but you I'm sure will know of others I've missed so feel free to suggest others you think are worthy of inclusion...stock or modified and I'll add them here.

Restoration Topic Essentials
Sheet Metal Thickness & Gauge, Quality of Repair Panels

Stuck / Broken Fasteners

Restoration Topics in manufactured date order:

Jeff's Webasto Roof and Judson on a March '56 Lowlight Coupé
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=738709

Russ's Resurrection Project - May '56 Lowlight Coupé
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=434305

Loren's friend's June 58 Ghia cabriolet - Amazon Green restoration
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=737007

Dwayne's Sept '58 Coupe Restoration.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=527642

Loren's December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=403985

"Rich's 50" Takes his Ugly Duckling '58 Vert to Graceful Swan
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=178871

"Porschedave" Has some time for his '58 lowlight
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=571683

Introducing CJ. A 1958 lowlight from South Africa
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=656282

Jerome's unrestored '59 Low light Coupe
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=452128

Dan Mercer's '59 Supecharged Coupé Restoration.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=458397

Scott Doonan's '59 Cabriolet.
I – Planning and Execution:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=418455

Seth Draper's '59 Coupe.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=254162

Paul's 1960 Paprika Red Ghia in New Jersey "Schatze"
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746916

Antoine rescues a 60 strato blue coupe
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=8998137

Dave's '61 Convertible UK restoration.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=784888&

Roy Grelland's '62 Coupé.
I - Planning and Disassembly: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=263825
II - The Rebuild: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=336311

Mellow Yellow’s 1962 Aussie RHD Resto.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=697771

Ben's '63 Coupe Project.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4622150

Doug's '63 Carolina Coupe Restoration
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=625228

Dustin's '63 Coupe Build.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=327220

Brian's One Previous Owner '65 Restoration
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=355087

Marcos' Air-ride '65 Restoration
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=410717

Joe does videos of his ‘65 Restoration
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=724583

Bob Norman restores his dad's 1966 Sea Blue Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=492068

Nicholas' (sputnick60) '66 Convertible.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=270985

Saving Emiko: 68 RHD Restoration in New Zealand
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=578994

Marc's 68 Regatta Blue Karmann Ghia with 22k Original Miles
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=768107

Legacy's 1969 Karmann Ghia Auto Stick Restoration
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=730829

Phil's ("mcdonaldneal") late '69 Convertible - Factory Spec Details
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=615130

"off2wildblue's" '70 Custom 'Vert Restoration
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=299202

"The Ghia Pet" a ‘70 coupe emerges from years under a tarp
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=691306

Scotty Timmerman's '71 Coupé Restoration.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=511738

CLKWRK's '71 Coupé.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=336744

Bill Toner's (72Ghia) '72 Convertible.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=303542

Greg Porter's '74 'Vert Build
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=371878

Steve Adam's ("slafa") Roadster.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=338895

Faust's Roadster.
I – Prelude: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=354240
II - The Build: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=358060

David Carter's Electric Ghia Project.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7154764#7154764

Sun Oct 03, 2010 4:21 am

I'm sure there was a build thread for Thoms 56(?) somewhere but I can never find it??? That would be a good one to include- and the cost sheet he did :wink:

Sun Oct 03, 2010 4:54 am

Paul_Revere's Ghia wrote: I'm sure there was a build thread for Thoms 56(?) somewhere but I can never find it??? That would be a good one to include- and the cost sheet he did :wink:

Yes I'm not sure Thom had a dedicated thread for his excellent '56 restoration but you'll find pictures on his website here: http://vintagebus.com/56kg/index.html and also his itemised cost beakdown for the restoration here: http://vintagebus.com/cgi-bin/cost/cost.cgi?project=56kg

I'm not sure but I remember many broken picture links on the Samba topic for the resto when Thom reorganised his remotely hosted pictures. That's one of the reasons why I keep on at people to post their pictures in The Samba Gallery.

Sat Nov 27, 2010 6:30 pm

I found a thread that may be a good reference for this topic:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=299202

not to be a nit picker but isn't CLKWRK's coupe a 1971 not a 1961?

Sun Nov 28, 2010 3:32 am

DrakeB wrote: I found a thread that may be a good reference for this topic:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=299202

Yep thanks for that...a good addition.

DrakeB wrote: not to be a nit picker but isn't CLKWRK's coupe a 1971 not a 1961?
:oops: Whoops sorry about the typo.

Tue Dec 14, 2010 11:33 pm

Thanks for putting those out there. I am actually working on a 1971 convertible restoration and plan on posting the pictures and comments as I am in the rebuild phase now (paint and body work is done and has new top). Slow but sure well definitely slow when you are cleaning, replacing every nut, bolt, seal, etc. etc.

Labor of love right? Keep telling myself that...

Chris

Thu May 12, 2011 7:36 pm

Yes it is a slow process but should be very rewarding in the end once it all starts coming together & you have a car that stands out in the crowd. 8)

Sun Jan 22, 2012 1:41 am

Is it taboo to have your license plates restored?

Sun Jan 22, 2012 1:55 am

grpayton wrote: Is it taboo to have your license plates restored?

No...if you're restoring the rest of the car it would be odd not to.

Sun Jan 22, 2012 2:08 am

Oh thanks do you know of a shop that does this sort of work?

Sun Jan 22, 2012 2:09 am

I just noted your location. Never mind

Sun Jan 22, 2012 2:16 am

grpayton wrote: I just noted your location. Never mind

Don't worry about my location: www.finishyourplates.com

Fri Jul 28, 2017 7:12 pm

Need to find the 4-location holes for a 1968 VW Ghia rear deck lid Karmann Ghia script. The body shop filled the holes and Line-Exd the underside. No more holes. Your help is appreciated. Contact VWWIZKID @ AOL>COM :roll:

Sat Jul 29, 2017 3:17 am

vwwizkid wrote: Need to find the 4-location holes for a 1968 VW Ghia rear deck lid Karmann Ghia script. The body shop filled the holes and Line-Exd the underside. No more holes. Your help is appreciated. Contact VWWIZKID @ AOL>COM :roll:

Your answer is in another thread.....
here
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6639860

scroll to the bottom

Nicholas

Fri Nov 22, 2019 10:36 am

'65 Budget Build YouTube Series