Karmann Ghia Replicas

[itjustbugsme2]

Really cool, interesting video. I was asking for comments on the fiberglass kits, panels etc. simply based on the "replacement" or "repair" that one may experience in the event of an accident - again we all know of the; what I will call "uni-body", no simple fender, rear or front replacement, little more difficult than repairing a Bug......so the fiberglass panels, especially the front "nose" to me was interesting....again thanks for the video, enjoyed it.

[KGCoupe]

[sputnick60]

[Altema]

[Mark33563]

[Altema]

By the way, I took a closer look at the video, and he does indeed use a beetle pan. The fiberglass body has extra material to compensate for the difference in width. I assume the extra could be cut off if you wanted to use an actual Ghia pan. In my case, I would want to use an aftermarket chassis that was made for a Ghia body, which means I'd have to adapt this glass one to it. Still have not heard back from the chassis makers yet, but that project would probably a few years away anyway...

I see where using a genuine pan would be an advantage though, as the car would be considered whatever year the chassis was, and would not need to meet regulations for a new car. That alone may be the killer for my project concept.

Paul

[barney_rebel]

This thread deserves a bump.

As stated earlier by someone, the pans are a different shape. The pans on type 1 beetles, taper in gradually from rear to front. The Ghia's is more squared, with an aggresive tapering toward the front, and are 4" wider at the front.

I wonder if this guy knows he could really make some good money selling a complete front or rearend, as long as the stock metal parts would bolt right up, that is.

It would probably be too expensive though, unless he had a lot of demand.

I know I'm not the only one who's had to cut the whole front clip off that was beyond repair, and graft in a doner. This was in the early 90's, and it wasn't real easy to find donor ghias back then, and I'm sure even harder now.

[carl4x4]

I've always been a fan of the updated classics like the Eagle Jags etc. that restore the bodywork, but update the mechanicals to modern equipment.

A Ghia with modern coil over suspension, brakes, fuel injected engine, modern lighting etc. is a appealing proposition for a different sort of customer than a lot of us on here who lke getting dirt under our fingernails. Those sort of people probably won't mind if it's fibreglass or metal.

[John Moxon]

[carl4x4]

[John Moxon]

[cseay1]

[todd73ghia]

I think it's awesome. But it would be no more mechanically reliable than an original.

[John Moxon]

[cseay1]

One thing to consider though is how far metal forming technology has come since the last ghia body was hammer welded together nearly 40 years ago. Why it's been nearly a decade since Jaguar came out with that hydroformed hood, with the contours that flowed seamlessly from the headlamps to the cowl. That was such an amazing feat that it was featured prominently in advertising for the car.

But you are true that any replica, steel or glass, is not the same as the real thing. I am very happy with my rotted 68 coupe that I paid $500 for, because I enjoy metal work. But I recently sold a 67 Camaro RS/SS that was so rotted you could stick your finger through the car anywhere for $6500 to someone who was going to spend another $12,000 for a new shell to "rebody" it, and in the end have a $60,000 numbers matching highly desirable car with an all new steel body. I don't see any VW ever reaching that level of insanity.

[tisius]

Aside from all copyright issues with the Volkswagen factory, and the purists' ethical objections , I don't think that producing a quality full metal repro Karmann Ghia body would be a commercially viable plan. It's basically a very curvy, all welded, hand made car; that combination right there means huge $$$ to build.
Even for the cost of a full body restoration at a reputable shop (of course not including the paintwork), I doubt that someone can fabricate an exact and 100% convincing steel replica Karmann Ghia body (if he was ever allowed by the Volkswagen factory, which I also highly doubt) as a long term business.
I do admire the out of the box thinking
_________________
drive it like you just robbed the bank
you don't have to be crazy to be into VW's, but it sure helps!!
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[cseay1]

I wonder if there will ever come a day that someone produces a steel body shell for the Ghia. They're making them for 57 Chevys, 66 Mustangs, 69 Camaros, and 70 Challengers so why not the Ghia? Or Oval Beetles? Finding rust free cars is getting harder and harder, and for those who can't do the work themselves end up paying a restoration shop cubic dollars just to bring a rot bucket up to a solid shell.

Personally I prefer the solid "thunk" of closing a steel car door opposed to the hollow "fwap" of a fiberglass one.

[bugninva]

[noslzzp]

[Little Harry]