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Marcdeb Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2019 Posts: 3009 Location: Vermont
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2021 4:43 am Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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blue72beetle wrote: |
Finally got around to installing my new door panels. That was kind of a pain...
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Your new door panels look much better than most of the reproductions out there. I've not seen any like these with the chrome strips. Very sharp. Who sells them? _________________ 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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blue72beetle Samba Member
Joined: April 23, 2008 Posts: 846 Location: Fort Wayne, IN
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overboost Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2021 Posts: 178 Location: Huntersville, NC
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Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 5:57 am Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Those are really nice. I wish the seller shipped to the US _________________ The older I get... The faster I was... |
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Marcdeb Samba Member
Joined: May 22, 2019 Posts: 3009 Location: Vermont
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Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2021 5:35 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Oh yes, I remember this thread. They look real nice. Curious, I don't see them on eBay anymore? Maybe shipping from Germany would make it hard to sell? _________________ 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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kiwighia68 Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2013 Posts: 2867 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Fri Oct 15, 2021 6:08 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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My RHD Ghia is getting a new beam - adjustable - for compliance purposes. We ordered a 2" narrowed beam, but the standard beam arrived weeks later. It's a LHD beam, so there will be some cutting and welding required. We'll just have to make it work.
First step: scuff and paint with POR equivalent. Second coat later today.
_________________ Festina lente - hasten slowly
1968 Ghia named Emiko
Resto completed Dec 2015 |
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overboost Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2021 Posts: 178 Location: Huntersville, NC
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Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 7:48 am Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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My 2" narrowed adjustable beam came in today. It came with narrowed torsion bars installed and a set of narrowed tie rods with new ends. Complete with shipping for $513.
I am headed down the Cal Look path so I am waiting on the backordered Michelin XZX tires due in at the end of the month from Coker Tire. I am mounting them on a set of factory set of fully polished Fuchs 2L alloys with brand new factory caps and chromed lugs.
Plans are dropping the nose about 2.5"-3" and see what the stance looks like.
While I wait for the tires to make the transformation, I bought a cheap set of EMPI beauty rings and threw them on my stock steelies. It looks much better to me than the painted wheels.
_________________ The older I get... The faster I was... |
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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: Sat Oct 16, 2021 11:52 am Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Looks great already, can't wait to see it tricked out Cal style with the 2 Liters and dropped nose! Question, because I can't remember, if you use dropped spindles then use the adjusters to lower more, do you need to put shims between the beam and tunnel? I seem to remember that being the case to get the proper alignment or something. If so, do you put on the upper and lower or just the lower?
Also, who did you buy your beam from?
Thanks, 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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overboost Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2021 Posts: 178 Location: Huntersville, NC
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Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 12:11 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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rbsurfguy wrote: |
Looks great already, can't wait to see it tricked out Cal style with the 2 Liters and dropped nose! Question, because I can't remember, if you use dropped spindles then use the adjusters to lower more, do you need to put shims between the beam and tunnel? I seem to remember that being the case to get the proper alignment or something. If so, do you put on the upper and lower or just the lower?
Also, who did you buy your beam from?
Thanks, Jeff |
I got my narrowed adjustable beam from Kustom1Warehouse.net out of Santa Fe Springs, CA. Great surf rat like us from the 90's. One thing I liked about their beam was it shipped with the narrowed torsion bars installed. (one less thing I have to try to make fit)
The narrowed EMPI adjustable beam will go down as far as 3.5 inches so I am thinking this is all I need. The drop spindles put the inside of the wheel drum so close to the lower ball joint it just creeps me out so I avoided those. You could get an additional 2.5" drop with the drop spindles added but I am not going with the slammed teenager look on airbags.
Because the angle of the front trailing arms being so high in the lowered position, the caster will be the only part of the alignment that may be out of range but I will wait to see how it handles. Most of my driving with this current engine is about 35 MPH to the ice cream store and back so it may not be any drama. _________________ The older I get... The faster I was...
Last edited by overboost on Sat Oct 16, 2021 12:22 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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kiwighia68 Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2013 Posts: 2867 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 12:17 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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overboost wrote: |
rbsurfguy wrote: |
Looks great already, can't wait to see it...
Thanks, Jeff |
The narrowed EMPI adjustable beam will go down as far as 3.5 inches so I am thinking is is all I need. The drop spindles put the inside of the wheel drum so close to the lower ball joint it just creeps me out so I avoided those. You could get an additional 2.5" drop with the drop spindles added but I am not going with the slammed teenager look on airbags.
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The issue you mention is precisely why I'm removing the 2" drop spindles I have and replacing the beam as well. The drop spindles cause the lower ball joint too close to the inside of the wheel drums. Ons some wheels - like my Porsche 2 liters - you can't fit the wheel at all.
Chris M _________________ Festina lente - hasten slowly
1968 Ghia named Emiko
Resto completed Dec 2015 |
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overboost Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2021 Posts: 178 Location: Huntersville, NC
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Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 12:24 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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kiwighia68 wrote: |
overboost wrote: |
rbsurfguy wrote: |
Looks great already, can't wait to see it...
Thanks, Jeff |
The narrowed EMPI adjustable beam will go down as far as 3.5 inches so I am thinking is is all I need. The drop spindles put the inside of the wheel drum so close to the lower ball joint it just creeps me out so I avoided those. You could get an additional 2.5" drop with the drop spindles added but I am not going with the slammed teenager look on airbags.
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The issue you mention is precisely why I'm removing the 2" drop spindles I have and replacing the beam as well. The drop spindles cause the lower ball joint too close to the inside of the wheel drums. Ons some wheels - like my Porsche 2 liters - you can't fit the wheel at all.
Chris M |
Are your Fuchs 2L wheels reps or NOS? I know the reps have some different offsets than NOS. My NOS Fuchs are ET41 offset. _________________ The older I get... The faster I was... |
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Rome Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2004 Posts: 9603 Location: Pearl River, NY
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Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 1:23 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Some info on caster shims, for your upcoming lowered front suspension: http://www.geneberg.com/cat.php?cPath=384_2917
Shortly after I bought my '77 Std Beetle (has same front beam as a '66 and later Ghia) in 1991 on which the PO had installed a lowered beam, I bought a pair of the Berg 2.36 degree shims and installed them onto the lower supports. Car has been very stable at higher highway speeds. |
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overboost Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2021 Posts: 178 Location: Huntersville, NC
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Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 4:08 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Rome wrote: |
Some info on caster shims, for your upcoming lowered front suspension: http://www.geneberg.com/cat.php?cPath=384_2917
Shortly after I bought my '77 Std Beetle (has same front beam as a '66 and later Ghia) in 1991 on which the PO had installed a lowered beam, I bought a pair of the Berg 2.36 degree shims and installed them onto the lower supports. Car has been very stable at higher highway speeds. |
Thanks Rome. I might need to go with shims, I see them on most all of the supply houses. For now it's simply getting it down and checking the ride for harshness and stability. I forgot to mention I got a set of front shocks to accommodate the lowering. 10.27" compressed. I can get to over 3" drop without bottoming out. _________________ The older I get... The faster I was... |
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gorbur Samba Member
Joined: October 10, 2010 Posts: 187 Location: West of Calgary
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Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2021 4:23 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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First week spent getting the car prepped for new heater channels and left dogleg. Week 2 will be getting the bracing in place. Pans are solid and fairly sure that the chassis has no issues.
_________________ 73 - Ghia Cabriolet, currently under resto
76 - Type1, 1776, full restomod |
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lesmanthe Samba Member
Joined: August 26, 2019 Posts: 1 Location: California
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Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2021 7:19 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Contemplated welding or bolting in new seats.
I bought a 1966 KG from a kid out of town and when a friend began to remove the paint to give it a new paint job, found it had extensive Bondo, the frame had been bent in an accident. My dad's friend bolted it to the garage floor to the work it straight again. That mostly worked.
Folks started having medical challenges and it ended up in a storage container for 12 years. We brought it out in 2019 and I looked you guys up and asked questions about modernizing it a bit. We ended up replacing the suspension, brakes, and I got the idea to make it into a SubaGhia or TeslaGhia and chose to go the Subi route. Andy, whom I met via here, (SubiSquared) did a phenomenal job with the engine, muffler, and radiator.
A gentleman I met at church did a great job with the body and finishing the frame, (It is still slightly higher on the driver side.) going so far as to replace light cups, welding in one used fender and a new nose. He did great! He recently passed.
His paint pealed on the nose and boot and I had to acquire a new painter who has since made it look like an incredibly shiny black licorice jelly bean. It looks amazing!
Oh, we had to replace the floor plans and when we did, I discovered the seat rails were no longer there. In the same week, someone wrecked their 2003 Jetta and told me I could have the entire interior if I would like. I did.
I say all that to ask this, the Jetta seats were bolted into their frame. I don't know a welder and am wondering bolting the Jetta seats into the thicker flat sides of the pan would be suffient and safe.
Thoughts? |
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kiwighia68 Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2013 Posts: 2867 Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2021 9:55 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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overboost wrote: |
kiwighia68 wrote: |
rbsurfguy wrote: |
Looks great already, can't wait to see it...
Thanks, Jeff |
The issue you mention is precisely why I'm removing the 2" drop spindles I have and replacing the beam as well. The drop spindles cause the lower ball joint too close to the inside of the wheel drums. Ons some wheels - like my Porsche 2 liters - you can't fit the wheel at all.
Chris M |
Are your Fuchs 2L wheels reps or NOS? I know the reps have some different offsets than NOS. My NOS Fuchs are ET41 offset. |
No, I have Perdrinis off a 914 Porsche. _________________ Festina lente - hasten slowly
1968 Ghia named Emiko
Resto completed Dec 2015
Last edited by kiwighia68 on Mon Oct 18, 2021 9:07 am; edited 1 time in total |
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overboost Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2021 Posts: 178 Location: Huntersville, NC
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Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 3:46 am Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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kiwighia68 wrote: |
overboost wrote: |
kiwighia68 wrote: |
rbsurfguy wrote: |
Looks great already, can't wait to see it...
Thanks, Jeff |
The issue you mention is precisely why I'm removing the 2" drop spindles I have and replacing the beam as well. The drop spindles cause the lower ball joint too close to the inside of the wheel drums. Ons some wheels - like my Porsche 2 liters - you can't fit the wheel at all.
Chris M |
Are your Fuchs 2L wheels reps or NOS? I know the reps have some different offsets than NOS. My NOS Fuchs are ET41 offset. |
No, I have Perdrinis off a 014 Porsche. |
Good to know, thanks! I am guessing my Fuchs wouldn't have fit either on drop spindles. _________________ The older I get... The faster I was... |
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kg142 Samba Member
Joined: October 18, 2021 Posts: 1 Location: uk
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Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 5:22 am Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Can anybody help me with the correct rear window shape for a 1964 seen both shapes on per 67 cars? Who produces what shape?
Thanks for any help
Iain |
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cruiser Samba Member
Joined: March 20, 2003 Posts: 206
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Car32 Samba Member
Joined: June 19, 2020 Posts: 39 Location: Colorado
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Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 4:02 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Added Porsche Phone Dials
15x6 with 52.3mm offset and 195 50R 15 tires
Wheels rub lower ball joints and I'm grinding the wheels gradually to reduce the rubbing.
_________________ First Car = 1970 Westfallen Typ II
Second Car = 1966 Baja
Nth Car = 2006 Cayman S
1971 Karmann Ghia Coupe |
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overboost Samba Member
Joined: June 11, 2021 Posts: 178 Location: Huntersville, NC
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Posted: Tue Oct 19, 2021 5:03 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Car32 wrote: |
Added Porsche Phone Dials
15x6 with 52.3mm offset and 195 50R 15 tires
Wheels rub lower ball joints and I'm grinding the wheels gradually to reduce the rubbing.
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Looks fantastic! Are you running drop spindles?
Also, is that a narrowed beam or just the wheel offset? _________________ The older I get... The faster I was... |
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