TheSamba.com :: View topic - September 1955 Karmann, 61,000 mile barn find

Sat Apr 19, 2014 6:08 pm

oldsplitvw wrote:
Tank boiled out well. No pitting.

It's alive...IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!

Original keys or the car, split window guys will notice the P-profile key for the glove box. Same as ignitions for split windows.

Really nice.

Sun Apr 20, 2014 1:38 pm

Running! Only brakes left to go and she's a driver.

Will

Mon Apr 21, 2014 7:37 pm

Hey Will! Get "crackin"" on that beast! If your offer is still on, I'm gonna take you up on it and drive that beauty up to Napa during the mid-week before the Solvang Rallye. Okay if I drag the wife along too? I know I'll love the Kabriolett experience, but if she loves it too, I'll get an extra push from her to put my '57 Kab to the front burner! Hey, maybe you should take the mid-week off and lead in a Split!

Great to hear you have her running! Good to see you again at KP!

Bill

Fri May 09, 2014 8:20 pm

Cool picture, sorry for the phone quality. Factory paint on the underside of the fender.

We have been trying to figure out why the car was parked and stored so early on, especially since there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it. The woman who owned it was meticulous with maintenance and service. The common reasons like the fiber cam gear or broken weld on the clutch tube didn't seem to be the culprit. But today, I think I might have found the answer.

The right-rear metal brake line snapped. I imagine driving down a freeway in LA, stepping on the brake only to feel the pedal slip to the floor with no change in speed, would be enough to make someone park a car and not want to drive it again.

Will

Sun May 11, 2014 2:52 pm

really cool find, not jealous at all.

Sun May 11, 2014 11:29 pm

WOW...!!! Really sweet find! Glad to see it being saved.

Wed Jun 03, 2015 1:23 pm

Great find! Sorry I am late seeing this thread.. My question is the gas tank.. Nobody else has said anything about it, but it looks like there is no strengthening ribs of any kind on your tank.. I have a rough but nearly complete 56 convertible and it has ribs that run from left to right across the front of the tank. Most '56 cars I find have either this tank or the average tank style used in '57-'60 cars. To me, this means there are 3 styles of these gas tanks from '56 model year up to 1960.. What do you all think? (I'm not counting tanks with gas sending unit holes cut in..)

Also, what does the rear view mirror look like? I have seen different ones over the years.. I saw a '56 in Huntsville,Al.(diamond green car with tan interior and top.) that was a super nice car and it had what looked like a rubber ball where the mirror head mounted.. It seems like I saw a different style another time where the mirror arm meets the mounting rod.. I can't remember exactly, but it was machined differently..

Mr.Oakly is probably right about the interior light switch because I have a '58 convertible too and it has the oval style rear view mirror with long and short sun visors on it, but has the smaller '58-'60 switch on the back for when the top is down..This switch is missing on my rough oval 'verts unfortunately.

Let's see some current pictures if possible.. Thank You..

Wed Jun 03, 2015 2:25 pm

vw356 wrote:
Also, what does the rear view mirror look like? I have seen different ones over the years.. I saw a '56 in Huntsville,Al.(diamond green car with tan interior and top.) that was a super nice car and it had what looked like a rubber ball where the mirror head mounted.. It seems like I saw a different style another time where the mirror arm meets the mounting rod.. I can't remember exactly, but it was machined differently..

Fri Jun 05, 2015 4:51 pm

If I am correct, there are actually 3 of the 56-up style tank. The earliest and rarest is the smooth, then the 3 horizontal ribs, then the "regular" style.

Hopefully another enthusiast could share more information on this. Was the smooth tank a convertible only item? Or just for the very early 56 models?

Will

Wed Jun 10, 2015 2:19 pm

Thank You Nlorntson.. See how the mirror has a regular nut on the arm right below the aluminum? This is a difference I've seen in my huntings too.. Here are 3 mirrors I have.One from my '54 and one from my '56, then one in my '58 convertible. The "flat nut" one came out of my '54.

I am probably wrong, but have owned 14 or 15 ovals over the years and have only found the "ribbed" gas tanks in 1956 oval cars, both sedans and convertibles.. This white '56's "flat" tank is the first one I have ever seen.. Now I have to find one.. My '56 has a ribbed tank, but my 2 '56 ovals have the '56-'60 tanks.

Wed Jun 10, 2015 2:40 pm

oldsplitvw wrote: If I am correct, there are actually 3 of the 56-up style tank. The earliest and rarest is the smooth, then the 3 horizontal ribs, then the "regular" style.

Hopefully another enthusiast could share more information on this. Was the smooth tank a convertible only item? Or just for the very early 56 models?

Will

I have an early 1956 (October 1955) convertible with the smooth tank.

Wed Jun 10, 2015 2:52 pm

Oooo, this is right up my street 8)

Wed Jun 10, 2015 3:58 pm

I know someone who has a non ribbed humpback for sale. I'll see if i can find our last email exchange. Anybody need one?

Thu Jun 11, 2015 9:20 pm

nlorntson wrote: oldsplitvw wrote: If I am correct, there are actually 3 of the 56-up style tank. The earliest and rarest is the smooth, then the 3 horizontal ribs, then the "regular" style.

Hopefully another enthusiast could share more information on this. Was the smooth tank a convertible only item? Or just for the very early 56 models?

Will

I have an early 1956 (October 1955) convertible with the smooth tank.

My 1956 convertible (Aug 9 1955 build date) Has a smooth tank also.

Sun Jun 21, 2015 5:59 pm

Damn! What a gem!

Sat Aug 03, 2019 11:21 am

Wow, I can't believe it has been 4+ years since I last posted. Lots has changed since then. Well, not so much with the car but more with life. My daughters are 8 and 10, and the two cars I owned that I NEVER thought I would part with (1951 Karmann Convertible and 1952 11G) are sold. I almost got out of VWs completely, but as luck/fate/fortune would have it I'm still here.

The oval vert is the only VW I own now, and I am in the process of making it a solid patina driver. The car drove like a hulk that had been sitting for 40 years. Corey Smith and his team at Smitty's Auto Body are wrapping up the mechanical restoration of the pan, and the structural repair of the body. The idea was to keep the same look, but have it be 100% renewed from a mechanical standpoint. I want to really enjoy this car: Solvang drive, teach my kids how to drive stick, bundle up in December and look at Christmas lights with the top down, etc etc.

It looked pretty good to start, but it needed pans. The rust was more than just "a pinhole here and there" and for safety reasons it needed new halves on both sides (Gerson metal).

Body off!

Certainly the best car I've ever started with

Looks good here, but pans were toast

I just like this pic. That wrinkle in the front apron is about the extent of the front end damage.

More to come
Will

Sat Aug 03, 2019 11:37 am

I wish I could have seen the vert before you sold it, your 11G was SUPER nice really surprised you sold them both!

Time sure flies! Its been 9 years since I was in Davis and my daughter just turned 5, I will say family sure slows restoration progress

Cant wait to see your progress

Sat Aug 10, 2019 6:49 pm

Wow. Just wow. Thanks for sharing your find.

An oval vert is my dream vehicle, but they’re extremely rare down here in New Zealand.

That is a stunning example. I’m definitely going to follow this thread!

Sun Aug 11, 2019 8:04 am

Will, Will, Will :cry:

Sun Aug 11, 2019 4:15 pm

Thanks for the kind words guys, I'm really lucky to be able to bring this car back.

Body off! Hopefully it won't be too bad...

Dangit. This sucks, but was not unexpected

Rear carpet held moisture against the package tray for a couple decades. Also sucks, and also not unexpected

A donor 1956 oval gave up its package tray to repair the vert

Heater channels and support rails got the treatment

Ahhh, so fresh and so clean, clean.

More to come!
Will