Restoration thread: my 60 strato blue coupe

[TRS63]

Hanks a lot Jeff for your kind words

@theghiagirl: you cannot believe how much joy your picture brought me !! Finally a picture of it in its past life in the US, and with another car that might help getting more informations!! Amazing, thank you so much!!

Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[TRS63]

I promised you to bring fast the next update.. So here we are!!

Next patch in preparation before a big welding session

Here the rust:

Template in preparation :

Cutting some metal:

First bend:

And starting with the bead:

And here we are:

Stay tuned for the next update,

Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[Marcdeb]

Antoine,
You are the Claud Monet of metal work. You make it look not just easy, but fun. If I was 40 years younger, I would look for a rusted out old Ghia just to do what you are doing. Beautiful work. Thanks for sharing.
_________________
Marc
68 Karmann Ghia Cabrio Autostick
71 Karmann Ghia Cabrio

Previously Owned:
2011 VW EOS Hard Top Conv
2008 Saab 9-3 2.0T Conv
2003 Saab 9-3 SE Conv
2001 Saab 9-3 Conv
1998 BMW 3 Series Conv
1997 Saab 900 Conv
1997 Mazda Miata

68 Ghia Vert Survivor with 22,350 miles: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=768107&highlight=
71 Ghia Vert Restoration: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=726710&postorder=asc

[halbug]

Amazing work, as always

How did you make these clean steps into the metal?

Cheers
Lars
_________________
Stealth Ghia Transformation: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7226044&highlight=#7226044
My Berg5: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=730276&start=0

[TRS63]

You guys are way too nice as usually

Lars: I used a bead roller and "improved" the corner with the alloy hammer

So, before I continue with the metal work, a small part update, as I removed my door hinges:

3 of them are really good, with no play, one has a light play and will need new bushings. And all of them need a cosmetic restoration

Then back in the right back corner, I luckily have more to show

In this seal channel we have also some rust issues:

So let's build a patch (only for the right part, I will take care of the apron later as one part) :

First bendings:

And then giving the right form:

And here we are:

This will be a great welding/assembly session:

And then the other side of this corner:

Tried the flexible shape pattern:

And let's go:

First look close to the car:

And then hammering, wheeling, fitting, hammering, wheeling, fitting,...

Looking better:

And here we go:

I will weld all this corner when every patches will be ready and the car will be on the rotisserie to have a great access everywhere

Which leads to my next plan: I want to have it strong enough for the rotisserie, so next work will be heater channel, in order to have a robust body in the rotisserie and then I will weld all this corner.. Stay tuned !

Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[TRS63]

So, as I said before, plan is now to do the heater channels in order to be able to finish the pan parallel to working on the body (I don't want to paint/assemble the pan before using it as a jig for my heater channel )

So, I started on the right side:

and soon enough found some rust

I put the ghia on the lift and worked my way further:

it takes time but I try to remove everything without damaging something else, so removing every weld point separately like here:

my heater channels will be welded on the body while screwed on the pan to ensure that it works together:

and at the end of the day, I did in fact got a lot of rusted metal together again:

Cheers

Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[halbug]

Hi Antoine, I guess this will be not so difficult for you and I see you even bought some parts instead making them this time

BTW, the picture of the KG in front of the old barn door is awesome!

Lars
_________________
Stealth Ghia Transformation: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7226044&highlight=#7226044
My Berg5: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=730276&start=0

[rbsurfguy]

[TRS63]

Thanks a lot guys!

@Lars: yes, I did in fact bough these parts at the start of the project, thinking I couldn't do them.. now they make me win some time

Thanks a lot to you both, the shop has some bad points (so cold in Winter my water bottles freeze!!) but is in fact a beauty and I love it

Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[TRS63]

So, time for a new update..been working further on the right heater channel and it's connexions to the body

My stock of rusted metal grow again:

and I discovered a hole I didn't knew

the reason is this opening behind that let the humidity there:

so I cut up to good metal, cleaned everything, put some primer, made a patch and welded it:

Then I remade this closing panel:

and welded:

then it was time for some test fit:

and then some welding:

already looks better, a short before/after:

and then again some test fit:

looks quite good:

but before welding there, I need to fix the A-Pillar, then test fit it on the pan,... and before all of that, I enjoy the better access to take care of the holes and accident-traces from the past:

Now we are up to date, need to work to bring you the next update

Cheers

Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[TRS63]

Some more small steps done:
-here I found some more rust :

Yes here:

So I made a patch:

Adjusting:

And welded:

And onto the A pillar. I want to save as much original metal as possible so let's fix this part:

Adjusting:

And welded:

Next step is the bottom of the "flat part" of the A pillar, final adjust of the heater channel, to weld it in place and the finish the A pillar 👍

Cheers, Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[halbug]

Hi Antoine, you must have a source of unlimited self motivation Really amazing how you tackle each and every bad spot with quality work...

Keep on going!
Cheers Lars
_________________
Stealth Ghia Transformation: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=7226044&highlight=#7226044
My Berg5: https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=730276&start=0

[TRS63]

Thanks a lot Lars! Yes, this project is close to my heart and motivation isn't the issue.. Time is the biggest

Well, I managed to continue a bit the last couple weeks

I did continue with the A-Pillar, adjusting the first part:

And then time to get the TIG welder out:

All welded:

And after a bit of planishing/welding:

And the heater channel adjusted:

I will be making a test fit on the pan before welding it in place, and then finish the bottom of the A-Pillar (in this order to be able to weld the heater channel correctly to the A-Pillar).

But it might be that this happens in a few months, now that the beetle works good I discovered some urgent metalwork on my 914.. (Previous owner and fiberglass.. Yes sounds bad..)

Cheers

Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[Trylon]

Hessisch Oldendorf 2021?
_________________
1973 Porsche 914 2.0
1959 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia
1979 Volkswagen Rabbit
1973 Volkswagen Bus
1970 MGB-GT
1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire

More tomfoolery on
The Karmann Ghia Fever YouTube Channel!

[TRS63]

[Vladiiiii]

They did

Nice work Antoine, you are really sculpting a new Ghia
Vlad
_________________
Vlad's 72 Ghia (Once in a Lifetime Restoration topic)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9237746#9237746

[mooopers]

Great looking work. That A pillar is a meeting of a lot of metal parts.
_________________
1958 Beetle
1960 Ghia Coupe
1965 Volvo Amazon 131
1969 T2 Deluxe

[Rome]

Have you thought about welding in reinforcement panels to mount 3-point safety belts, such as the locations from '72 and later? The inertia-reel belts which started for the '72 model year had the retractors mounted near the front of the horizontal panels that are adjacent to the rear seat cushion. You are looking at the underside of that passenger-side panel in your photo here. You'd need a sturdy metal piece such as an engine oil pump cover with an SAE-thread nut welded to its center, then use plug welds to fasten it to the underside of those panels.

Weld in another plate and nut just below the side window for the shoulder belt upper swivel (TheFop gallery),

a 3rd plate to the floor just ahead of the rear seat base front vertical panel for the outer end of the lap belt portion, and finally the two nuts on the sides of the tunnel slightly to the rear of the handbrake. Vladiii probably has photos of the side panel bolt hole location in his '72 Ghia thread. I had a '72 Ghia parts car 30 years ago from which I took those belts and saw the mounting location, but a brief check of brochures, owner's manuals, and even the gallery don't show the factory retractor locations there.

[TRS63]

That is one great advice! I will definitely need something to bring my son with me so that would be a good time ! I will search it, thanks !

Antoine
_________________
Antoine
My 62 ragtop daily driver:
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=728873
My 914 restoration&lightweight project :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=9698432#9698432
Resurrecting a 60 ghia : https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=713906
My 52 Standard Zwitter :
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10086685#10086685

[DariuszPlich]

A piece of very good work. It is based on your reconstruction. Lots of helpful pictures. How's your progress ??