TheSamba.com :: View topic - Opinions on Pampas Yellow 1970 Ghia Coupe?

Mon Jan 27, 2025 8:32 pm

There is a 1970 Pampas Yellow Ghia coupe offered for sale in the Samba classifieds. I am thinking of making the trip to inspect & buy it. I am new to Ghia's but not to VW's. Anybody want to offer some advice?

Tue Jan 28, 2025 3:44 am

carock wrote: There is a 1970 Pampas Yellow Ghia coupe offered for sale in the Samba classifieds. I am thinking of making the trip to inspect & buy it. I am new to Ghia's but not to VW's. Anybody want to offer some advice?

This thread is the "Buyers Guide"...the first thing you see clicking the link is a magazine picture...save the picture and use it as a quick visual reminder when you visit and inspect a car...it might save you a lot of money: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7108708#7108708

Read the complete topic...more links and lots of expertise to absorb.

Tue Jan 28, 2025 2:31 pm

If it's this one it appears very nice from the pics and description.
Looks like a survivor.
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=2710433

Fri Jan 31, 2025 12:59 am

I am still chewing on it.....do I want to go with this obviously unmolested car, or wait to find a fully restored car....that is the question.

1. A fully restored car costs twice as much to buy, but is a relative bargain compared to bringing any other car up to snuff.

2. It is pretty rare to find a restored car that doesn't need a whole lot of sorting. In fact, that is usually why they are for sale.

3. Getting a good surviver car like this one, at least it still has the bones of factory assembly. Not too much monkey business.

4. If this car ever needs paint in my 15 year stewardship......well, ughhh.

5. This car does need a complete interior refresh, and probably a wiring harness

6. I hate bodywork, don't mind mechanical work.

Fri Jan 31, 2025 3:44 am

carock wrote: I am still chewing on it.....do I want to go with this obviously unmolested car, or wait to find a fully restored car....that is the question.

If it's got good bones and a good history with it, I would always go for original. If you intend to keep it for a good while, you'll always find little bits of fettling to do. Mine came with one repaint which wasn't finished properly (orange peel) but I've had it 17 years; it's getting there. :)

Fri Jan 31, 2025 8:04 am

carock wrote: I am still chewing on it.....do I want to go with this obviously unmolested car, or wait to find a fully restored car....that is the question.

1. A fully restored car costs twice as much to buy, but is a relative bargain compared to bringing any other car up to snuff.

2. It is pretty rare to find a restored car that doesn't need a whole lot of sorting. In fact, that is usually why they are for sale.

3. Getting a good surviver car like this one, at least it still has the bones of factory assembly. Not too much monkey business.

4. If this car ever needs paint in my 15 year stewardship......well, ughhh.

5. This car does need a complete interior refresh, and probably a wiring harness

6. I hate bodywork, don't mind mechanical work.

A clean survivor is going to give you piece of mind over an unknown restoration unless you commission it or the seller is able to provide complete documentation.
Someone else's resto is always a bargain over doing it yourself as you have mentioned.

Pictures over the internet make it difficult from afar to know the true condition.
From my chair it looks as nice as as any other 55 year old Ghia.
It appears that maybe a dash face and pad might have been replaced?
The seat surfaces and door cards look great.
Carpet could receive a good cleaning. Great quality repro rubber mats are now available through Airhead Parts.
What gives you pause about the wiring harness?
They generally don't wear out.
It's been for sale for awhile so I would guess the seller is holding firm on the price.
If it is numbers matching, body & mechanicals check out then $20k is not unreasonable if you can't get a better price.
I purchased a very original 67 in what I believe would be in similar condition to the 70.
Here's a link to my journey
"Introducing Joan"
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=758329
Good luck 8)

Fri Jan 31, 2025 10:18 am

John Moxon wrote: carock wrote: I am still chewing on it.....do I want to go with this obviously unmolested car, or wait to find a fully restored car....that is the question.

If it's got good bones and a good history with it, I would always go for original. If you intend to keep it for a good while, you'll always find little bits of fettling to do. Mine came with one repaint which wasn't finished properly (orange peel) but I've had it 17 years; it's getting there. :)

As you well know John, they are never done :D

Fri Jan 31, 2025 2:34 pm

carock wrote:

This car does need a complete interior refresh, and probably a wiring harness

I disagree.

The seat covers, door panels, and carpet are factory original. If you re-cover the seats, you're going to have to spend $$$$ for seat covers from a company like Sewfine, or have custom ones made, that have inner padding to allow you to re-create the lateral contoured pleat. TMI seat covers don't have the ability to do that, and always look terrible (to me anyway) with no contouring or bolstering. In the end, IMO replacing good condition factory seat covers de-values the car.

The door panels should try to be saved. The re-creations of the 67-74 door panels from TMI and others are always immediately noticeable. The factory 67-74 door panels have flatter embossed lines/sections than the re-creations, which tend to look puffy. Maybe get an upholstery shop to tighten up the pockets. They look great otherwise.

The carpet for 69-71 is unicorn level. Do you see the little levers on the front bulkhead on either side? Those are controls to allow heat to the defrost vents. None of the aftermarket carpets I've seen from any company (TMI, Sewfine, Newton Commercial, etc) have the grommeted slots for the levers. If you replace the carpet you'll either have to have those grommeted slots custom made, or simply delete the levers and lose the abillity to control heat to the dash vents. You should try and have it cleaned and save it.

carock wrote:

2. It is pretty rare to find a restored car that doesn't need a whole lot of sorting. In fact, that is usually why they are for sale.

If you can wait a couple years, I am building the 66 I currently own for the purpose to eventually sell it. Check out my build thread. Entering year 6 of the restoration and still not done yet. Nut and bolt, bare metal, body-off. Everything done with an eye to how the factory did the work.

Sat Feb 01, 2025 5:09 pm

It appears that there's damage to the driver side rocker. Maybe it's a crease? It's possible some of the distortion may be caused by the shadows, but it looks off to me. I'd request more pictures of the lower body and front trunk details. How's the headliner? The interior looks like it just needs some cleaning up. I wouldn't replace anything except for the elastic in the map pockets of the door panels.

I saw this photo in the seller's photo gallery, it looks like a dent on the underside of the rocker. I'd get better pictures to see if there are any creases.