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My single owner 1959 Ghia
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PatterBon
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 4:11 pm    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

The beetle that I drive daily actually took me to preschool. It's a head turner and I often times catch myself admiring it in the reflection of stores as I drive by. While working at MRE I drove a 1955 beetle with a 36er in it but not for any significant distance.

And the original story with the ghia was my girl friend at the time calling me from the island saying they, "have some type of VW but it's just a shell and they're wondering if you can get it to go again." I was unfamiliar with the fact that their wiring doesn't have spade connectors like the late models do. But I rewired it, stuff the engine and transmission back into it after having to get a type 2 hockey stick for the nose cone so it could shift into all 4 gears. And the getting its engine to go again under the power of its own ignition system was extremely satisfying. I was only 17 at the time and didn't give it too much thought beyond simply getting it running and driving again. Never in my life time did I think I'd ever be one of those people you hear about being gifted such a beautiful car.

The ultimate plan for it is to eventually find the correct transmission and get the mechanical fuel pump working again and then just enjoying it for what it is. I do admire the folk who do extreme modification and toss bigger engines into them but I truly love how well engineered they were for their time and plan on keeping it that was to honor Carl and the car's history.
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PatterBon
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 7:47 am    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

The time came! Yesterday morning, my dad and I, made the trip up to beautiful Orcas Island (if you know, you know.) After the couple hour adventure there, we pulled up and without hesitation, Carl eagerly showed me the car and signed it over to me. I've never been so overwhelmed with generosity like that before. It runs strong and hesitates a bit, but nothing that can't be worked out and it needs the brakes need to be bled. Other than that, I just plan on cruising in it as it! Eventually it'll have some asthetic work done to the engine but other than that, it's a stunning and gorgeous car!

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PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 8:09 am    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

I was going to say you should go buy a lottery ticket. But then again, you already won the friggin' lottery! Laughing Congrats, you are a lucky guy Cool! The only thing is, you can't flip it. Bad juju with follow you forever Wink
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 8:21 am    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

Wow! I think I would have gotten very emotional and cried!! What a gift! Truly a beautiful car. Love the dash and the interior. The owners must really have wanted to see it go with someone that would love it as much as they did and it seems they found the right person. It's a very special story. By the way, does the girl friend know how she had a part in this event?
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 8:33 am    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

love it! nice that they truly knew you will care for the car. great story
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PatterBon
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 8:46 am    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

This generosity is something out of a fantasy. Carl spoke with my dad about why he'd chosen, of all people me, to be it's care taker and I couldn't be more honored. It's something I hope I can do for someone someday too. It's interior is beautiful and the car is more charming than I remember but I am truly honored to carry It's legacy.

My love for my beetle goes without saying, however when I was 18/19 I got several VW tattoos, one of which bring my beetles VIN. Though I won't do that again, it's rest assured that this ghia will be loved and taken care of!

My former girlfriend and I haven't spoken in ~six years so I'd imagine she isn't aware, but it would be neat note to know that had the invitation never been sent to me a decade ago, this car will probably still sit dormant in the garage.

More pics to come later today!
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 11:50 am    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

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PostPosted: Sun Apr 11, 2021 12:37 pm    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

It's probably too early to start with suggestions on how to improve this gem.

I know lots of suggestions were made when I bought my one owner 58 Ghia but respect for the previous owner means you have a bit of a dilemma now you've become an integral part of the car's history. Making changes mean while writing your own chapter you overwrite part of theirs.. You have to find a balance...Good luck. Wink
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PatterBon
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 8:49 am    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

Thank you, John. It was kind of the same thing when my dad gifted me the beetle. I'm a purist at heart so I like everything to be as original as possible. I've also been presented with the strange dilemma that I live in Texas and after leave, the car is staying I'm Washington. But I'll have my parents drive it and enjoy it while I'm away.

As old VW's are, well quirky, I was trying to drive it yesterday and it had an awful hesitation and stumble. It idles like a charm. So I naturally got ambitious and tore the carb apart and gave it it's first clean in probably the better part of 20 years. Who ever (and it wasn't me) touched it last had put the spring for the accelerator pump on the wrong side as well as the tower for the air correction jet/emulsion tube had been cracked. I am now patiently awaiting new gaskets and for the epoxy to cure and then the carb should be good as new again.

I'll be sure to post a video of it buzzing about in the next day or two.


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I have it reassembled-ish at the moment just to take a before and after. All the jets and passages were removed and thoroughly cleaned. I'm excited to see the end result
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Braukuche
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 1:10 pm    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

Did you get any of the original paperwork with it?
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 1:38 pm    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

Wonderful story, fantastic car. Congrats and enjoy!
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PatterBon
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 12, 2021 3:20 pm    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

Braukuche wrote:
Did you get any of the original paperwork with it?


Unfortunately, no. I got a lot of things in addition to it, however none of the paperwork exists anymore. It did come with a lot of body rubber, a Haynes manual that's one of the official blue covered service manuals. Various VW trinkets that I need to sort through and that's about it.

Some things I've noticed that are different about it-
It doesn't have the original accelerator cable spring so there is a smaller spring connected to the generator backing plate for throttle.
It does in fact have an electric fuel pump.
The choke cable was relocated from above the ignition switch to the floor.
It doesn't have anywhere for the gas gauge to attach to the tank.
The vacuum and fuel lines are obviously incorrect.

Other than that, I'm just waiting on a 28 PCI rebuild kit to get here and then hopefully here by the end of the week, I'll be buzzing around in it!
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:12 am    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

Unbelievable.
Awesome.
Enjoy.
What a car!
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PatterBon
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 3:09 pm    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

Hey guys! Today's update-
After having broke the jet tower on the original 28 PCI, I was fretting having to reuse it, hoping that my repair would hold.

A quick trip to Morris Race Engines and catching up with my wonderful former boss, I left with the correct accelerator cable spring, a 28 PCI that needed lots of love and some fuel line! I discovered amongst the things given to me, a 36hp fuel pump rebuild kit, saving me some time.

But intore apart the "new" 28 PCI, gave it a face lift and am.now waiting on my gasket kit to arrive from California. So in the meantime, I am removing the electric fuel pump, rebuilding the mechanical one and preping the engine for when the gasket kit gets here!


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PostPosted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 8:23 pm    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

Today didn't end with just the rebuild of the "new" 28 PCI. After finishing it, as far as I could without the gasket kit (I have it mocked up for a before and after), I also went ahead to figure out the mystery as to why they had an electric fuel pump installed.
As luck would have it and as I stated earlier, I found a rebuild kit amongst the things given to me.
As it turns out, the mechanical pump never had a diaphragm or spring installed in it Rolling Eyes so after rebuilding it, checking it function, I installed it.
Next step was to take out the electric pump and mess of wire and lines that coincided with it and it was a hack job nightmare of hodge-podge parts to make the electric pump work. I then did my best to restore the metal fuel lines and route them properly as well as all new german braided soft lines through the whole car.
There was all sorts of weirdness going on with the electric pump.so.i restored everything to original.
I then loosened up the sticking brake on the rear driver side that was making it difficult to move the car.
Final step was to install the proper accelerator cable return spring. Who ever finished putting the car back together used a small diameter aluminum conduit as a shroud around the accelerator cable and routed it from the engine bay all the way to the frame horn. After removing that, I installed the proper, original return spring and everything works as advertised.
Now I'm just waiting on the carb gasket kit and fingers crossed she'll run like new!

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PostPosted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 10:05 pm    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

So... What's with the weird adapter fittings on the vacuum line?

You can buy a brand new stock vacuum line if that was your issue
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 14, 2021 10:27 pm    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

EverettB wrote:
So... What's with the weird adapter fittings on the vacuum line?

You can buy a brand new stock vacuum line if that was your issue


That I don't know. It had the original line on it when I'd worked on it 10 years ago and now it has that contraption on it. I do want to see whether or not the accelerator pump was the issue but I have ordered a new vacuum line off of WW.

Also, where was the original grounding point for the batter? Who ever put it together moved the grounding line to one of the exhaust studs and the breat plate doesn't fit all the way.
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 7:38 am    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

I've always seen the battery cable grounded to the case, usually where the distributor clamp is? But I've seen them mounted all over the place depending on the year or owner.
Jeff
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 10:24 am    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

The 1959 Owner's Manual shows it going to the mounting screw for the oil filler:
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 15, 2021 10:37 am    Post subject: Re: My single owner 1959 Ghia Reply with quote

That's where they had it originally! I'll snag the correct one today and put it where it needs to go. I have the giant Haynes service manual but didn't know. Thank you!

Funny my beetle is ugly but mechanically sound and my ghia is gorgeous but a basket case mechanically.
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