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TRS63
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Joined: December 17, 2017
Posts: 1132
Location: Stuttgart - Germany
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WrennMetallWerks
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Joined: December 06, 2007
Posts: 3340
Location: Rescue ca
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 Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 5:12 pm Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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⬆️⬆️⬆️ Thanks for the kind words ⬆️⬆️⬆️
I just finished up two 356’s that left the shop so it’s so empty I’m loving it. 😎
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WrennMetallWerks
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Joined: December 06, 2007
Posts: 3340
Location: Rescue ca
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| Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2024 8:10 pm Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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⚒ Believe In The Power Of Positive Thinking ⚒
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john morris
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Joined: July 16, 2002
Posts: 468
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| Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2024 7:23 am Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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| Amazing work! The owner and the craftsman should both be proud! |
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Loren 
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Joined: January 10, 2004
Posts: 1825
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| Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2024 1:00 pm Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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Things are moving forward at the paint shop. I spent some time last week trying to find a good match for Graphite Silver paint. Unfortunately, due to a miscommunication on my part, the original paint on the back of the glove box door was blasted and primed. I was pretty bummed out, but there was nothing to be done. Last week I went to my local PPG distributor in hopes of finding a good code for Graphite Silver and I wasn't disappointed. The manager saw it was a rare color and was excited for the challenge to track down the formula. It was in the system under the Ditzler code 31900, but there wasn't a mixing formula for it. He called the corporate office and was able to talk to a lady who always found rare mixing codes for him, even it if meant diving through old dusty boxes. It only took her a few minutes over the phone to find the mixing code. Apparently, someone in 2010 wanted some Graphite Silver mixed and they brought in an original sample to have matched. After it was matched the formula was saved in archives, but not added to the main paint database, because there wasn't any demand for it. She emailed him the formula and he mixed me a pint to have sprayed out.
In another stroke of luck, I was digging through some boxes looking for parts to have painted for the Ghia and I came across the original ash tray. The face was painted black, but after removing the face plate I could see original Graphite Silver! Im still waiting for the paint shop to spray out a sample and compare it to the ash tray, but judging from the small sample the paint shop put on the lid of the can I am confident it will be a great match.
I will include the mixing code in case any one in the future needs to mix Graphite Silver.
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Karmann Gheezer
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Joined: April 12, 2006
Posts: 447
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| Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2024 4:10 pm Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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Loren, I would take some rubbing compound and a rag and try to polish off the black paint. You might be surprised. 
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Loren
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Joined: January 10, 2004
Posts: 1825
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| Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2024 5:32 pm Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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The paint on the front is pretty thick. I was thinking of using some paint remover to expose the front paint, but I didn't want to risk damaging the paint on the back in the process and end up with nothing. I figure I will play it safe for now and wait till the paint sample comes back from the paint shop. If the match looks good then we are good to go. After all is said and done I might attempt to remove the paint on the front and try to bring the whole plate back to original paint, but for now I will count my blessings  |
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Loren
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Joined: January 10, 2004
Posts: 1825
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| Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2024 5:06 pm Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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The Ghia is finally all sanded and ready to paint. In the mean time I have been trying to get a good color match and just the right amount of sparkle. The initial paint code had way too much aluminum flake, making the color too light. I had the paint shop remove all the course aluminum flake and it looked pretty good, but thought it could be better.
I tried to carefully remove the paint from the front of the Graphite Silver ash tray cover, but the paint was so thin that no matter how careful I was I still burned through the paint. The original paint on the back of the ash tray cover was a bit runny and it was hard to get a good feel for how much sparkle it should have. My tendency was to make the paint too sparkly, so in an effort to determine the correct amount I dug through my box of glove box doors and found two original doors from a Cognac and a Lizard Green Ghia. The sparkle was way less than I was imagining. With these in hand I am now able to get the sparkle where it should be.
Looking back it looks like removing all the course aluminum flake is all that is needed. I might remove a bit of the fine aluminum flake to make the color a bit darker, but I am still on the fence with that decision. My goal is to buy the final paint this week and if all goes well the Ghia should be painted by the end of July.
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TRS63
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Joined: December 17, 2017
Posts: 1132
Location: Stuttgart - Germany
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Loren
Samba Member
Joined: January 10, 2004
Posts: 1825
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| Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2024 4:20 pm Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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No turning back now. The Ghia is on track to get painted next month.
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sparkleplenty
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Joined: January 09, 2008
Posts: 1114
Location: California
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| Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2024 4:31 pm Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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Awesome Loren….Can’t wait to see it!!!
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obus
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Joined: March 08, 2001
Posts: 11629
Location: just off Garden State Parkway Exit 81
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WrennMetallWerks
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Joined: December 06, 2007
Posts: 3340
Location: Rescue ca
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| Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2024 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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That’s some exciting stuff rite there.
I love it when a plan comes together ☑️⚒
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⚒ Believe In The Power Of Positive Thinking ⚒
Purpose Over Pleasure 🕊
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TRS63
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Joined: December 17, 2017
Posts: 1132
Location: Stuttgart - Germany
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Loren
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Joined: January 10, 2004
Posts: 1825
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| Posted: Sun Aug 25, 2024 3:04 pm Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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| Glad the photos help The project is still moving forward, though slowly. Still waiting on the painter to spray the color coat. He has a few backlog projects he needs to get finished. In the mean time I have been seam sealing the pan and trying to fix a transmission leak. I also dropped my engine parts off with an excellent engine builder and he is working on assembling the long block. Hopefully, there will be enough progress made in the next few months that I can provide some photos of the progress |
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Tall Bloke
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Joined: October 07, 2005
Posts: 248
Location: UK>Ohio>UK
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| Posted: Wed Sep 04, 2024 5:46 am Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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Any updates Loren? 
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Loren
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Joined: January 10, 2004
Posts: 1825
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| Posted: Thu Sep 05, 2024 9:32 am Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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| I don't really have any updates. Still waiting on the painter to start spraying the color coat. The engine is getting rebuilt and I just dropped off my bumpers at the chrome shop. Should be some nice updates in the next few months |
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Loren
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Joined: January 10, 2004
Posts: 1825
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| Posted: Fri Oct 11, 2024 1:48 pm Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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Things are moving slowly, but at least they are moving forward.
I had the pan undercoated to protect against rock chips and it looks great.
The engine is coming along nicely and the short block is all done. Hopefully the cylinders and heads will be assembled soon.
Lastly the painter has painted a few things and the color looks great. They body is still getting some final sanding and should be painted soon, hopefully by the end of the year.
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obus
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Joined: March 08, 2001
Posts: 11629
Location: just off Garden State Parkway Exit 81
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Loren
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Joined: January 10, 2004
Posts: 1825
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| Posted: Fri Nov 01, 2024 12:59 pm Post subject: Re: December 58 Ghia cabriolet lifetime restoration project |
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While the body is at the paint shop and the engine is getting rebuilt, I took the opportunity to install the rebuilt starter. I had the starter rebuilt in 2011 and wasn't happy with a few things. One thing I hated was that the end cap was dented and beat up. I found a replacement cap and installed it and repainted the starter to match. I also decided to replace the rebuilt solenoid with a NOS Bosch one.
Here is what the starter looked like when I got it in 2011. It is date coded 11P
The solenoid was nicely rebuilt with the correct screw terminal, but it was screwed together, not riveted like the original.
Here is the replacement NOS Bosch solenoid
Here it is installed on the stater and the starter installed on the transmission. One more thing to tick off the to do list!
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