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HBGhia
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2021
Posts: 42
Location: Westminster Ca.
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 Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:36 am Post subject: My '66 I bought in high school |
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Greetings all. I've been lurking on this forum for a while now. Props to all who make it what it is. Wonderful community, excellent resource. I've learned quite a bit, but I still have a long way to go. Many questions I have. First, a little history.
I bought this car my senior year in high school, 1985. I found it in a parking lot with a "for sale" sign on it, $1,850. I offered $1,500 cash, but the owner was a salesman and I was a teenager so...Anyway it had a cheap white maako paint job with overspray everywhere, especially the rubber seals. And some really dim 6v headlights. Not even yellow, more like bronze.
I drove it for a while then decided to "restore" it. Not knowing much about originality and not having the internet as a resource, I did what I could. Rare parts were either nla or "swap meet items" Now I know to not throw anything out no matter how bad it looks (windlass, engine compartment sound/firewall materials, etc.)  It didn't have dash trim or I probably would have tossed that as well.
With the pandemic keeping me home, I started playing with the car. Fixing and reworking a few things. Thankfully, I didn't get covid, but I did get thesamba fever/ ghia fever. Whatever it's called.
Here's a few pics and then I'll ask some questions. OK maybe a lot of questions. Please feel free to chime in on any comments, questions, gripes, complaints, etc.
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Marcdeb
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2019
Posts: 3031
Location: Vermont
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:44 am Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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Welcome. Yes, this forum is fantastic. But so is your 66. What a beauty. Nice color and you've done an amazing job. Looks like you have mostly kept it stock. I like that.
_________________
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 |
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HBGhia
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2021
Posts: 42
Location: Westminster Ca.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:02 am Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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I sent my door handles and ignition switch to Gabriel and he matched everything to one key. However, the ignition switch I sent him apparently was not correct for '66 so he supplied the correct switch. But , they are different in size and the new one he provided doesn't fit.
The old one on the right, new one on the left.
Much taller profile on the new one. Could the dash have been modified? It does look kinda hacked up inside.
I may just have to use the other key with the old switch for now. I do plan on a body off resto to repair rusted panel sections...and possibly the dash now. |
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overboost
Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2021
Posts: 178
Location: Huntersville, NC
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:03 am Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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Beautiful car! I also am from the HB area and graduated from WHS. We moved to Charlotte in 2006 and I miss things out there like the Pomona Swap Meet every other month. So many good parts available out there. (Or used to be)
So many good days back in the 80's.
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The older I get... The faster I was... |
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HBGhia
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2021
Posts: 42
Location: Westminster Ca.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:07 am Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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| Thank you. I think we tend to be somewhat skeptical about our own cars as we know them inside and out. It looks a lot better in the pics, as usual. The 30+ year old paint is stating to show signs of its age. But I still get lots of thumbs up while driving. The best one came from a guy in a 100k Ferrari |
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HBGhia
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2021
Posts: 42
Location: Westminster Ca.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:09 am Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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| OMG the eighties! Marina H.S. here. I actually live in Westminster now! |
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Braukuche
Samba Member
Joined: September 03, 2004
Posts: 10999
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:10 am Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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Looks like someone put a bus or beetle switch in it and modified the opening to make it fit. The other one is a correct Ghia switch.
_________________
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 |
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HBGhia
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2021
Posts: 42
Location: Westminster Ca.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 9:32 am Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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| Braukuche wrote: |
| Looks like someone put a bus or beetle switch in it and modified the opening to make it fit. The other one is a correct Ghia switch. |
Thanks. that's what I thought. Seems like a lot of work just for a switch. But then again, some of the dash molding mount holes were filled (poorly, if I may), so who knows what was going on.
The car came with these wiper arms. I'm not sure if they are correct but they sure don't push against the window very hard. Kinda floppy. Is this common or maybe the springs are wore out?
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rbsurfguy
Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2008
Posts: 1757
Location: Fairfax, Northern Virginia Formerly Huntington Beach, SoCal
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 11:58 am Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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Welcome, Beautiful Ghia, I probably saw you cruising it around back in the day, Ocean View, HB 81.....Those were def the fun days in So Cal!!
Look forward to watching what you do to bring it back to a renewed life!
Jeff
_________________
1971 Ghia convertible (Body off rebuild)
2019 VW Atlas 4Motion
2012 Passat-Sold
See my build on The Samba at:
Jeff's 71 Vert Restoration/Reassembly http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6...highlight= |
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rcooled
Samba Member
Joined: September 20, 2008
Posts: 2504
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 4:29 pm Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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Very nice  And great-looking color too...
Those look like the correct wiper arms for a '66. My '67 has the same type and the wipers are marginal at best. You might try bending the arm a bit to put more pressure on the blade. Get some good quality rubber blades too.
Replacing the spring in the base with one that's a little stronger might help as well.
_________________
'63 Ragtop (current)
'65 Ghia coupe (totaled)
'67 Ghia convertible (current)
'69.5 Ghia convertible and
'62, '63, '65, '69 Bugs (all long gone) |
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kingkarmann
Samba Member
Joined: November 05, 2003
Posts: 4111
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 5:13 pm Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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That’s awesome you have your hs ghia!
I had a crusty 67 in Hs too. They do make an impression now. Not so much then. At least mine didn’t 😃
I thought the wiper arms should be hooked style 66-67 (and probably some other years too). If the ones you have work I probably wouldn’t sweat the details.
Very pretty Ghia😎
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"Depression is a malfunction of the instrument we use to determine reality.”
Mike Gerson
What is your "Bespoke Reality"? |
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obus 
Samba Member
Joined: March 08, 2001
Posts: 11065
Location: just off Garden State Parkway Exit 81
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HBGhia
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2021
Posts: 42
Location: Westminster Ca.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 6:04 pm Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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Thank you for the kind words. Means a lot coming from you guys.
| rcooled wrote: |
Very nice And great-looking color too...
Those look like the correct wiper arms for a '66. My '67 has the same type and the wipers are marginal at best. You might try bending the arm a bit to put more pressure on the blade. Get some good quality rubber blades too.
Replacing the spring in the base with one that's a little stronger might help as well. |
I did get new blades I found in the classifieds. I will try a stronger spring and maybe bend the arms a bit. I'm not really too worried about it. I don't feel these cars should be driven in wet weather. I just like things to work properly. Heck I don't even like to wash it. I just use detail spray and maybe a waterless wash solution from my detail supplier.
Thanks for the advice. |
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sputnick60
Samba Moderator
Joined: July 22, 2007
Posts: 3916
Location: In Molinya Orbit
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HBGhia
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2021
Posts: 42
Location: Westminster Ca.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 6:50 pm Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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| They are actually silver. The arms have been chromed so there's a lot of contrast. Bad lighting too. |
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kgj
Samba Member
Joined: February 25, 2013
Posts: 418
Location: Uk, Cornwall
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| Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2021 8:55 pm Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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Hi, welcome. Your Ghia look fine. 
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1958 coupe |
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HBGhia
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2021
Posts: 42
Location: Westminster Ca.
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| Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2021 9:23 am Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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Thank you kgj. I just read 2 of your threads. I couldn't stop reading! Very inspiring, well documented.
I installed new door hinges (KGPR) and now I want to put on new hinge pillar seals. After looking at "how to threads" and lots of pics, I think I got the seal in the right place. Before I glue it place, is there supposed to be a dome light switch seal? Looks like a tight fit. I've seen pics of the hinge pillar seal installed but I couldn't find any pics that showed the switch seal also. Thank you for any advice.
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Can't have everything.....where would you put it? |
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Marcdeb
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2019
Posts: 3031
Location: Vermont
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HBGhia
Samba Member
Joined: June 17, 2021
Posts: 42
Location: Westminster Ca.
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| Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2021 10:02 am Post subject: Re: My '66 I bought in high school |
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Thanks Marc. Perfect photo, exactly what I was looking for! I will move it in a bit. Appreciate it.
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Can't have everything.....where would you put it? |
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Marcdeb
Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2019
Posts: 3031
Location: Vermont
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