No Carpet!?

[Bub]

So, check out the interior picture of the 57' ...I'll get some better photos soon, but it has NO Carpet.
The whole front bulkhead is a molded rubber mat.
Along the heater chennels inside too. I didnt fold down the backseat to check it, but I suspect it has a mat on it too.
And I think the switch in between the gauges must be the gas-heater switch, but theres another heater switch next to the trunk open-knob that also operates the heater..I'll have to look into that one.
What do you think about the rubber mat? Is it common? I think it will crumble IF I try to remove it,- anyone know a product that I can apply to it to help salvage it? I may have to leave it in.
Cool wiper/washer foot pump too!
Bob O

[lemke]

Very early Ghias interiors were all rubber matting - no carpet. That matting you have is very rare. I would encourage you to retain it, but if you don't use it. DON"T throw it away.

[Buggeroff]

If I were you I would sell the car for parts. Here are some of the things I need, Rear bumper, front glass etc etc Chris.
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"Chris of the Ozarks"

Headlinerless 57 Ghia
Thread deleter extrordinaire.

[VW Addict]

Right... don't listen to him. Keep it. Restore it. Its in excellent condition.

[Buggeroff]

Look again you clown, the smilie's didn't tell you that I was joking ? Of course he's got to keep it. Sheesh. Chris.
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"Chris of the Ozarks"

Headlinerless 57 Ghia
Thread deleter extrordinaire.

[iowegian]

Gee Chris- I hoped you had it bought for $100 and you would share
some of the shiny bits with me! But, noooooo- everyone
else has him convinced that it shouldn't be scraped. Damn!

[Buggeroff]

Chuck, I'd a shared the parts, good looking Ghia huh ? If only we could remove the lonely. Chris.
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"Chris of the Ozarks"

Headlinerless 57 Ghia
Thread deleter extrordinaire.

[cruiser]

You're a lucky man to have an intact rubber front bulkhead mat. Save it, by all means! Only a few examples exist today.

[retrowagen]

I second that. An intact rubber bulkhead on a '57-'59 is fabulously rare!!!

Please allow me to offer a correction to an earlier post: '55-'59 Ghias did have some carpeting: namely, on the rear seat "kick panel" and on the rear seatback and cargo compartment (behind the rear seat). Basically, the entire ad hoc cargo space when the rear seat's folded down. Everything else was rubber coated--tunnel, heater channels/rockers, four removable button-in floor mats (with like-sized removable asphalt insulation mats beneath), and the front firewall cladding. The very earliest '55's and '56's had firewall cladding which combined rubber and carpet surfaces, however.
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David Ruby
President, Karmann-Ghia World Club