TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Nov 21, 2021 8:05 pm

So, I didn’t need it, and I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it. A few weekends ago a few VW friends and I were hanging out in my garage. We all had our cars parked in the driveway, visible from a pretty well traveled street I live on. A guys comes pulling in my driveway wanting to know who owns the Ghia (my 71). Tells me he knows a woman who’s husband died, and in here words, she “wants to get rid of all his sh!t.” I give him my number, and the next day she calls me. It’s a 72 and a 74, and if you buy one you have to buy both. We set up a time to go look at them. I had no intention to buy either, more to look at them and help her sell them. If nothing else I figured my wife would say hell no. Anyway, wife, VW friend and I drive to see them the following weekend. They’re about 45 minutes away. One is completely rotten and basically a parts car. Both are complete, and she has titles. They’re both worth what she wants for the pair, but again, I don’t need them. However, the more I look at them, the more I’m liking the 74. I had a 74 about 20 years ago, and I loved it. I make a call to a guy I know who flips VWs. Send him some pics of the 72 and a price. He says he’ll buy it. So now I’m getting the 74 really cheap and not having to deal with the rusty 72. By some miracle my wife isn’t opposed to it. So, today I went and got them. Took the 72 straight to the buyer, and brought the 74 home and cleaned it up a little. The car is very original. Still has the original owners manual in the glovebox and has a service history for the first 27k or so. One respray at some point. Engine still has factory stickers and stamps on the tin. Even has a VW dealer touch up pen in the glovebox.

Even still has the light for the ebrake and heater controls.

Sun Nov 21, 2021 8:40 pm

Got to love when these opportunities come knocking. Looks like the Palisander interior which is a beautiful interior, or is it just lighting? Now the fun begins.

Sun Nov 21, 2021 9:23 pm

Looks like it might have a nice original interior. Agreed it looks like Palisander, the best late model interior.

Mon Nov 22, 2021 2:36 am

Braukuche wrote: Looks like it might have a nice original interior. Agreed it looks like Palisander, the best late model interior.

Sorry guys. Deceptive pic. Car is parked in front of my garage with a yellow bug light. Seats are that late Ghia dark brown.

I haven’t figured out yet if I’m going to keep it. Original plan was to buy it, clean it up, maybe get it running, and flip it, but I’m starting to like it.

Mon Nov 22, 2021 3:57 am

swhitcomb wrote: Braukuche wrote: Looks like it might have a nice original interior. Agreed it looks like Palisander, the best late model interior.

Sorry guys. Deceptive pic. Car is parked in front of my garage with a yellow bug light. Seats are that late Ghia dark brown.

I haven’t figured out yet if I’m going to keep it. Original plan was to buy it, clean it up, maybe get it running, and flip it, but I’m starting to like it.

Yes, I think you are describing Palisander. Here's a link to an orange 72 Ghia on BAT with Palisander interior.
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1972-volkswagen-karmann-ghia-7/
It was offered from 71 - 74. Very typical on Orange (Amber) Ghias. The interior color options were Palisander, Black, or Beige.

Mon Nov 22, 2021 3:59 am

Wow. Didn’t know that. Yes, you are correct. Faded and tattered as it may be, that is exactly the color it is.

Mon Nov 22, 2021 4:15 am

swhitcomb wrote: Wow. Didn’t know that. Yes, you are correct. Faded and tattered as it may be, that is exactly the color it is.
A not very common word for a very beautiful VW interior.
Comes from types of tropical woods and Rose wood. Actually very appropriate description.

Mon Nov 22, 2021 4:19 am

Interestingly enough, both cars were that color. The sliver one had been repainted and the interior dyed. She was more proud of the ugly marathon wheels than anything.

Mon Nov 22, 2021 4:24 am

The other car. It was a 72 and way too fat gone to save.

Mon Nov 22, 2021 12:55 pm

swhitcomb wrote: The other car. It was a 72 and way too fat gone to save.

There's been worse brought back to life. Either way, it looks like it still has the original rain gutter trim around the doors.. I would love to find some close to me because that stuff does not ship well...

Mon Nov 22, 2021 1:27 pm

Yeah I said the same thing about the trim. Thought about taking it off and selling it separately but just wanted the car gone.

That car saddened me. The woman I bought it from showed me pics of how nice it was before it sat neglected and fell into the state it currently is in. It was still complete, just too rotten to save for being a 72. If it had been a 62 might have been worth saving.

The orange 74 is also complete and in much better shape. Still needs a lot of work, but it can be saved. I’m also starting to really like it.

Mon Nov 22, 2021 1:37 pm

Great score! I would keep it and if you can manage it, I guess you should too.
Funny you describe "the other" a completely rotten, but that right rear corner in your car (when it existed)... has completely rotten.
Regarding the Marathon rims, at least I do not find them ugly, also don't know how still easy they are to find in the US.
Aren't they $$ to anybody looking into Beetle Champion restorations?

Mon Nov 22, 2021 3:41 pm

Don’t get men wrong, the 74 has some rot too. But I think it’s a manageable amount. The 72 needed way more than it could ever be worth, and more than I was willing to take on.

I did play with the paint a little today just to see how well it would clean up. Didn’t clean up half bad. Think I’ll do the whole car just got fun. When I was done I got out my borescope and looked at cylinder 3 and 4. Found some rust, and a lot of rodent nesting in the tin. Think I may pull the engine and clean it up. Going to be a while though. I have tons of other projects going on.

Tue Nov 23, 2021 11:00 pm

I need to find a rusted out 72 just like that. I have a roller body with all the work done, and need a donor car for all the trim/hard pieces.

Sun Nov 28, 2021 7:41 pm

So having owned VWs almost my whole life, I sometimes have parts I forget I have. One such example is a good set of 4 lug hubcaps.

Then there’s toys I forget I have.

Or Ghia hinges when one is broken.

Kinda nice to fix things and it not cost any money.

Also cleaned up the interior a little.

Sun Nov 28, 2021 8:53 pm

Time to tackle that rear passenger side fender. Clean it up and show us what you have there.

Mon Nov 29, 2021 5:23 am

Tom K. wrote: Time to tackle that rear passenger side fender. Clean it up and show us what you have there.

Actually both rear quarters are a mess. I’ll probably have to buy a full rear passenger clip to fix it. Part of the reason I’m on the fence about n keeping it. Most likely I will, and I’ll fix it. It’ll just be a while while o concentrate on my 66 Bug. Trying to get it on the road.

Mon Nov 29, 2021 8:50 am

If you keep and save that car you should get a medal. It’s a great color combination, I hope you do.

Mon Nov 29, 2021 10:19 am

Braukuche wrote: If you keep and save that car you should get a medal. It’s a great color combination, I hope you do.

My plan is 100% to keep it, and fix it slowly. My wife doesn’t want me to keep it, and as much as I love the car, I don’t need it. But I plan on keeping it. Over the winter I’m going to pull the engine, go though it, and get it running. I ran a borescope through the cylinders and the tin. The tin is full of rodent nests.

Tue Nov 30, 2021 4:55 pm

Put a little video together.

And took these today when I moved the Ghia to work on my 66 Bug.

The only thing better than one Ghia, is two.