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thom
Samba Member
Joined: October 12, 2000
Posts: 6217
Location: Sacramento
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 Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 8:20 am Post subject: So I bought a ghia... |
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Ok, now what?
I found this car last week, seemed like a good idea at the time. 1956 ghia project, complete. Went and looked at it with a friend of mine, it appeared to be all there, so I bought it. Rented a pickup and borrowed a trailer and picked it up on Saturday. $1500. I also got the owner's manual and a rotisserie that he'd built for doing the restoration.
Honestly, I don't know the first thing about ghias. A friend of mine had a '66 convertible a few years ago on which I helped with some of the welding, and I shot the paint for him.
The major issue on this one is the passenger-side headlight; the car came with an NOS replacement piece. There are a couple of poorly-repaired spots, and some rust on each rocker, along with the normal dings and dents. Of course, someone stripped most of the orignal paint and then shot primer on it, so that has to be dealt with as well. Oh, and a crappily-fixed battery tray. Yada yada yada - you know the drill.
Thoughts? "Deal of the century" or "dude, you got hosed!"
More pix @ http://vintagebus.com/56kg
_________________
-Thom
1956 Single Cab
1957 Porsche 356A Sunroof
1957 23-Window Deluxe
1957 Mercedes Westfalia single cab
1963 Unimog 404
1965 E-Type
Last edited by thom on Thu May 17, 2007 7:01 am; edited 1 time in total |
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EdW
Samba Member
Joined: January 13, 2005
Posts: 2385
Location: Unemployment Office
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| Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 8:37 am Post subject: |
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Did you get all the parts for it? The interior seems to be missing quite a bit. Looks like a good starting point, but if alot of the odds 'n ends are missing, it will be costly to complete.
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| I would call him a dick, but a dick has a head on it |
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Gary
Person of Interest
Joined: November 01, 2002
Posts: 17069
Location: 127.0.0.1
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| Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 8:40 am Post subject: |
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Retoration = Lots of $$$$ and loss of sanity
Custom = Less $$$$ spent and a sense of relief
You are ahead of the game if you have an NOS headlight repair section. Lowlight sheet metal is difficult to obtain. Looks like the nose has taken a hit at one point. That need to be messaged.
Start reading up on Ghias and figure out where you want to go with this car. It looks like you have the original engine. I'd keep that as a backup in the event you want something "bigger" for daily driving.
Overall, it's a blank slate. Not a bad start.
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West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) |
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thom
Samba Member
Joined: October 12, 2000
Posts: 6217
Location: Sacramento
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| Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 9:07 am Post subject: |
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The car came with boxes and boxes of stuff. We spent a couple of hours with the seller doing the "Do you have the ..." dance. While all of the 'hard' bits seem to be there, ie glass, lights, knobs, switches, piston return springs, trim bits, etc, some of the interior panels were just fragments of their original selves. Good for patterns, but that's about it. There were extras of some stuff, like 3 radios, 3 sets of headlight rings, 3 clocks, extra engine lid and decklid, two sets of nose grilles.
I don't know that I'm ready to undertake an AR-restoration, but I would like to clean it up a bit and assemble it. I have the skills and tools to do the basic body repair chores, and the mechanical stuff is easy. Will it ever be a 100-point Pebble Beach car? No.
I didn't have any delusions going into this that I was getting some super-rare car for low $$, and to be honest, I didn't do any research at all before going into it. By the same token, any T&M sunk into this car is better spent (IMHO) than in a '74 super beetle.
I looked at Icy's ghia faq, and I think I already have a couple of tidbits to add to it. Also - any way you could do that in HTML instead of MS Word?
Here's a similar project I did a few years ago: a 1955 westy I pulled out of the woods:
_________________
-Thom
1956 Single Cab
1957 Porsche 356A Sunroof
1957 23-Window Deluxe
1957 Mercedes Westfalia single cab
1963 Unimog 404
1965 E-Type |
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EdW
Samba Member
Joined: January 13, 2005
Posts: 2385
Location: Unemployment Office
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| Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 9:33 am Post subject: |
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| thom wrote: |
The car came with boxes and boxes of stuff. We spent a couple of hours with the seller doing the "Do you have the ..." dance. While all of the 'hard' bits seem to be there, ie glass, lights, knobs, switches, piston return springs, trim bits, etc, some of the interior panels were just fragments of their original selves. Good for patterns, but that's about it. There were extras of some stuff, like 3 radios, 3 sets of headlight rings, 3 clocks, extra engine lid and decklid, two sets of nose grilles.
I don't know that I'm ready to undertake an AR-restoration, but I would like to clean it up a bit and assemble it. I have the skills and tools to do the basic body repair chores, and the mechanical stuff is easy. Will it ever be a 100-point Pebble Beach car? No.
I didn't have any delusions going into this that I was getting some super-rare car for low $$, and to be honest, I didn't do any research at all before going into it. By the same token, any T&M sunk into this car is better spent (IMHO) than in a '74 super beetle.
I looked at Icy's ghia faq, and I think I already have a couple of tidbits to add to it. Also - any way you could do that in HTML instead of MS Word?
Here's a similar project I did a few years ago: a 1955 westy I pulled out of the woods:
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Well, it certainly looks like you have the skills to do it right, that 55 looks sweet. Also sounds like you got the majority of the parts, so I would say you got a pretty good buy.
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| I would call him a dick, but a dick has a head on it |
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retrowagen
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Joined: October 11, 2004
Posts: 1857
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| Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 10:20 am Post subject: |
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Aargh - so you're the guy who beat me to Matthew's Ghia?! (I was next in line)
Oh well, if you can work your typical magic on it, Thom, you'll be giving it a better home than I. Let me know if I can offer any lowlight help or info.
Dave R.
Modesto |
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70 140
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Joined: September 22, 2002
Posts: 8471
Location: Ontario Canada
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| Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 10:37 am Post subject: |
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| ghias are grand |
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///Mink
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2000
Posts: 5051
Location: Fair Oaks, CA
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| Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 11:11 am Post subject: |
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| retrowagen wrote: |
Aargh - so you're the guy who beat me to Matthew's Ghia?! (I was next in line)
Oh well, if you can work your typical magic on it, Thom, you'll be giving it a better home than I. Let me know if I can offer any lowlight help or info.
Dave R.
Modesto |
Hey Dave - I was the guy who went with Thom to check it out. All in all, it's a pretty damned nice and complete car. I haven't had a Ghia since I sold my '66 cabrio 5 years ago, but this one is a lot nicer starting point than mine was, that's for sure...
Tom |
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retrowagen
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Joined: October 11, 2004
Posts: 1857
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| Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 11:50 am Post subject: |
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Hey Tom!
- I suspected you might have been the co-hort Thom referred to! Glad he got it. I bet he'll have fun with it. Did you ever find the location of your old '66? That car was positively beautiful. Miss seeing it around.
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David Ruby
President, Karmann-Ghia World Club |
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RockStock
Samba Member
Joined: November 26, 2004
Posts: 4225
Location: England
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| Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 4:30 pm Post subject: Re: So I bought a ghia... |
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thom, if dave was interested, youve done ok
(nice choice of car)
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-StockRocks- |
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lonotch
Samba Padrino
Joined: August 28, 2004
Posts: 3307
Location: So. Cal. Oceanside GFK!
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| Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 4:56 pm Post subject: |
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This is why I would have bought that "barn find low light" for $1,000 and wouldn't have blinked.
BTW, should that 56 have a gas gauge hole in the dash? It seems very large.
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It's not about the window, it's about the people.
German Folks |
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retrowagen
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Posts: 1857
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| Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 7:15 pm Post subject: |
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That '56 has a hole suitable for an aftermarket MotoMeter "3 in 1" gauge cut in the dash. From the factory, there would not have been such a hole there.
This particular car has quite a few of its original bits still intact. For instance, take a look at the fuel tank. The earliest Ghias had this type without sender hole, and with two horizontal "ribs" along the front side.
I couldn't tell from the photos where the interior heater vents are. Closer to the centerline of the vehicle, or further outboard and back?
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David Ruby
President, Karmann-Ghia World Club |
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thom
Samba Member
Joined: October 12, 2000
Posts: 6217
Location: Sacramento
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| Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 12:57 pm Post subject: |
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That '56 has a hole suitable for an aftermarket MotoMeter "3 in 1" gauge cut in the dash. From the factory, there would not have been such a hole there.
Hmm. I don't remember it looking like a hack, but I'll check when I get home.
I couldn't tell from the photos where the interior heater vents are. Closer to the centerline of the vehicle, or further outboard and back?
Dunno - I'll check that, too.
_________________
-Thom
1956 Single Cab
1957 Porsche 356A Sunroof
1957 23-Window Deluxe
1957 Mercedes Westfalia single cab
1963 Unimog 404
1965 E-Type |
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Rome
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2004
Posts: 10615
Location: Pearl River, NY
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| Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Two '56 Ghias for sale at Ypsilanti, Michigan VW meet this past Sunday. One was a total RAT with incredible amounts of rot, but complete (asking prioce $1000). Even had most of the rubber firewall mat in interior intact. Red body with black painted roof. The other was in red oxide primer, very solid (some rust repair in front wheelwells) but missing the entire interior except for bare seat frames. I did not note the price on that one. Original color was a dark green. |
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Gary
Person of Interest
Joined: November 01, 2002
Posts: 17069
Location: 127.0.0.1
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| Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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| Rome wrote: |
| Two '56 Ghias for sale at Ypsilanti, Michigan VW meet this past Sunday. One was a total RAT with incredible amounts of rot, but complete (asking prioce $1000). Even had most of the rubber firewall mat in interior intact. Red body with black painted roof. The other was in red oxide primer, very solid (some rust repair in front wheelwells) but missing the entire interior except for bare seat frames. I did not note the price on that one. Original color was a dark green. |
Those Ghias are being offerd for sale by The Sage. He posted one of the cars in here with questions. I had a very long telephone conversation with him explaining the nuances of the different year Ghias. Both cars are in amazing condition considering they've been sitting for many years in northern winters. Since the show, he let me know that someone has expressed interest in both cars.
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West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943) |
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thom
Samba Member
Joined: October 12, 2000
Posts: 6217
Location: Sacramento
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| Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 9:58 pm Post subject: |
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Yup, there's an unholy hole in my dash, which will be a test of my mad welding skillz 
The heater channel outlet is right where the heater channel turns inward fore of the door.
_________________
-Thom
1956 Single Cab
1957 Porsche 356A Sunroof
1957 23-Window Deluxe
1957 Mercedes Westfalia single cab
1963 Unimog 404
1965 E-Type |
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///Mink
Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2000
Posts: 5051
Location: Fair Oaks, CA
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| Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 11:31 pm Post subject: |
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51 weeks ago....
| thom wrote: |
I don't know that I'm ready to undertake an AR-restoration, but I would like to clean it up a bit and assemble it. |
3 days ago....
How things change(and quickly)!!!! |
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kingkarmann
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2003
Posts: 4549
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| Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 12:01 am Post subject: |
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Thom, it's turned out beautifully and you did it in 51 short weeks  That's the amazing part. Alot has gone on in the world. I'll fill you in if you like but most of it's not worth knowing.
I picked mine up in May of 1997 with the intention of cleaning her up a smidge and doing the daily driver bit. Well, after 500 or so weeks ( I had to come up for air every so often) I finished mine. I changed my mind about the daily driving  |
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execk2
Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2005
Posts: 1359
Location: Quebec City
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| Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 4:47 am Post subject: |
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WOW... I just went through your site. I watched the Sanford and Son video.... 
I love the color, looks like mine.... well, color anyway.
Lovely job!
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Mike
www.mikeandjosee.com |
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thom
Samba Member
Joined: October 12, 2000
Posts: 6217
Location: Sacramento
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| Posted: Thu May 17, 2007 6:57 am Post subject: |
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Yeah, I definitely got outta hand on this one.
However, I couldn't have done it without the help of the likes of Dave Ruby (RetroWagen), Bradacus, RockStock, Udo, PBaptiste, Whobba, Wiggy, DaveM, HouseOfGhia, Icy, Coad, ///Mink, JeffL, KingKarmann, AussieTrimmer, GhiaGirl, Lemke... and those are just the ones off the top of my head...
There's still a ton of stuff to do: I still need to get the rear seat fixed; the sorta-correct OG bumpers are still at the chromers; I need to send my 1-piece front bumper and correct taillight rings; install correct NOS taillights; re-do front quarter/kick panel with the sections Lemke gave me; wipers; install Brezelwerks window winders; rebuild another carb; find a better (and not broken) rear emblem; find the correct interior mirror...
_________________
-Thom
1956 Single Cab
1957 Porsche 356A Sunroof
1957 23-Window Deluxe
1957 Mercedes Westfalia single cab
1963 Unimog 404
1965 E-Type |
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