TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sun Sep 29, 2002 8:58 pm

Hey all. I know that the Ghia body was made in one piece, but this presents a problem when a moron crunches in the nose on your Ghia. Is there any way to repair the nose so that it looks alright, and back to the way it should?

For those curious about the condition, the nose looks flat, but the only damaged part of the car is the nose; the frame is in good shape and the trunk is not wrinkled or damaged. It almost looks as if someone took a fist and hit the nose at an angle.

Anyway, is there anyway to fix/replace a Ghia nose?

Sun Sep 29, 2002 9:33 pm

depending on how bad it is , you could probably fix it or you can buy a repro nose.i cont remember who sells them. anyone know ?

Mon Sep 30, 2002 6:50 am

I make Ghia nose sections, but it does not sound like you need one. Dent repair is a thing which takes lots of practice, and developed skill,. There is a booklet called,
"The Key To Metal Bumping" by Robert L. Sargent that would be helpful in learning. If you can't find it elsewhere, try:
www.karmannghia.org

John www.ghiaspecialties.com

Mon Sep 30, 2002 5:22 pm

Thanks John. Actually, I had looked at pounding the nose out and then buying your peice to finish the job. A bit of Bondo, some primer and some new paint would do the trick temporarilly.

What I found online was a complete Ghia nose for $725, but you have to cut the body. However, that might be my option later, to do just before I paint the whole car. Right now I'm a college student, so pounding it out and spending $50 on a nose piece will probably be what I do.

Any tips on do-it-yourself body work? And will replacing the nose or pounding the nose out make the car worth more in the end? I probably won't own this Ghia all my life, so i figure I'd ask...

Tue Oct 01, 2002 6:50 am

Email me directly and I'll try to find an email I sent to someone else a while ago on this subject. [email protected] I would not try welding a nose section on as a first body working project. You really should get the book I mentioned, and then practice on some scrap first before going to the nose with a hammer and dolly. It is always best to try to save the original sheet metal if you can.

John www.ghiaspecialties.com

John www.ghiaspecialties.com

Sat Oct 26, 2002 7:53 pm

John- that was me, and I'd post the reply if I hadn't lost ALL my email recently due to computer-lameness. It was a great response too... if you could re-post it here or via email, that would be good, as I haven't even attempted to fix my nose yet. On another note, there's a little missing paint on the spot the bumper tagged the nose, and I am afraid it's going to rust if I don't cover it up with something. Anyone got any product suggestions?

Thanks!

-Charlie
'70 Cabrio

Fri Nov 01, 2002 11:23 am

I have a front clip from a 1969 Ghia and can trim the nose section you want for your car. Get in contact with me and I can ship it to you.
The clip is posted in the Ghia Parts For Sale section of The Samba classifieds.

Wed Sep 04, 2024 6:46 pm

When you have a Ghia with a punch in the nose, be sure to check if the bumper bracket mounts have been sheared off, cracked or broken - get that welding done before you get the gas tank work done.