My Third Karmann Ghia and New Guy Introduction

[Larmo63]

Dash board trim looks to be original as far as I can tell.

[Larmo63]

I have both original Huf keys that fit all of the locks/ignition.

[c21darrel]

If the trim is plastic it is original, if metal then Johns.
Love your keys, I think they are such a cool accessory. Mine are similar but flat on the top.

Who knows the last year that the "VW" keys were available?
_________________
GhiaBuild
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=481184
1967 DC build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693583&highlight=67+dc
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[sputnick60]

[Larmo63]

My clock works well too! It's accurate to about two minutes a week.

[lonotch]

[John Moxon]

[Larmo63]

I'm pretty sure the car has 134,000 miles on it, but the seats are saying 34,000 to me.

Wishful thinking?

I need driver's side door hinge work. Anybody got a spare set laying around I can send out to John?

[Larmo63]

I know that the wide whites are for the earlier cars, but since it had the back-dated smoothies on it, I decided to go more retro with it. I think with the white top, it works. He did have a set of more appropriate thin whitewalls on it when I got it, but the wheels and tires didn't look right in my opinion. I do have the original slotted wheels, maybe I should mount the thin w/w tires on them and look for a set of flat caps and correct trim rings?

The og style flat caps seem to be elusive.

[Braukuche]

Beautiful car.
_________________
Go Reds! Smash state!

Retirement is here!
1956 Ghia
1959 SO-23 Westfalia
1960 double cab
1960 Baja Bug
1963 stretched double cab
1962 Golde sunroof Ghia
1963 356 B coupe
1963 Notchback
1967 21 window less rusty now

[Larmo63]

Who makes decent seals for tail lights and the license plate light?

I ordered the common stuff from JBugs, and the lic. light seal was atrocious. Terrible.

The tail light seals are iffy.

They refunded my money on the middle seal. He went in the back and pulled one & agreed with me.

[c21darrel]

try the link at the bottom of the page for KGPR or West Coast Metric also good.
I believe (double check me) that both warranty the seals they make.
_________________
GhiaBuild
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=481184
1967 DC build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=693583&highlight=67+dc
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Larmo63]

I bought a pair of supposedly Hella euro version tail lights and they arrived today. Very low quality, and I paid a lot. I'm pretty bummed considering he said they were "nice," & "heavy." They are neither. They don't say 'Hella" on them, they look like they may have been on a car before, (white wax residue,) so along with the crappy seals I bought from JBugs (complete shit) the tail light improvement is not satisfactory. I'm pretty disappointed with this Samba seller. I'll keep his name to myself for now, I'll wait to see if, or how he rectifies the situation.

[Larmo63]

I'm wondering how (or if) I can somehow lower the passenger side of my front end. It seems to be sitting a little higher than the left side. I looked at both shocks, they mirror each other as far as installation. Help?

Any ideas?

[sputnick60]

Hella Euro headlight sets are available from the European suppliers.
You won’t get Hella stamped on the headlight rings but you will on the glass. Here are two sources for just the light
https://www.paruzzi.com/uk/karmann-ghia/electricity/headlights-reversing-lights-and-fog-lamp/10600/
http://www.vw-wholesale.com/details.aspx?group=110&cat=469&subcat=2039&id=10708
Here’s a kit with the lot.
http://www.vw-wholesale.com/details.aspx?group=110&cat=469&subcat=2039&id=11014

I have these on my car and had to swap in the RHD Hella lenses. So I have surplus Hella LHD Lenses. RHD lenses are really hard to find these days.

As for adjusting or lowering the front. If you have an adjustable front beam, which is a non stock addition, then you can raise or lower at will. However, this only works for an over all adjustment. Separate adjustment of either side is not possible by virtue of how it’s designed with two torsion spring bundles spanning the front beam and connecting both sides to the one spring.

If your car looks odd, it might be a consequence of carrying poorly implemented repair work. Another possibility is simply that these cars are coach built and have variation in each vehicle. There isn’t the millimeter precision of modern car panels.

If you measure up from side to side to make sure there isn’t a “shape” problem then you might need to check out the front beam and determine it isn’t bent. Maybe the suspension arms are damaged and causing the observable difference.

You will just have to check things and compare what’s there for symmetry.

Another possibility is to flip the leaf spring bundles to kinda compensate for sagging that might have developed over the years. You should plan that work with a full front beam refurbishment.... replace all the seals, bearings, tie rod ends. It’s a serious but complete job on the front part of the car. Do the brakes while you are there.

After all that You’ll be transformed into VW expert. .... like the rest us

Nicholas
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'66 Karmann Ghia Cabriolet...
'65 Porsche 356C Coupe...
2005 Mecedes Benz C180 Kompressor Estate
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[Larmo63]

It's nothing too extreme, but just off a bit. I'm used to my 914 that is fully adjustable.

I'll measure it tomorrow.

Thanks for the head's up on headlights. Will these install and then my USA Hella rims go over the top of the black rim?

Hmmmmm

[sputnick60]

[sputnick60]

[Larmo63]

I need driver's side door hinges. Anybody have a line on a set for a '66?

Any help appreciated!!!

[Larmo63]

I guess taking the door off and sending the hinges out to John is my best choice.

New door seals while I'm at it.