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Rome
Samba Member
Joined: June 02, 2004
Posts: 9641
Location: Pearl River, NY
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 Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2018 5:55 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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| And how! Look how level and straight both bumpers are- a rare sight. Scheff- why was the Ghia off the road for 38 years? |
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Scheff
Samba Member
Joined: October 04, 2015
Posts: 23
Location: North Georgia, USA
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| Posted: Wed Oct 03, 2018 6:21 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Regarding my black '68, the short story is...my dad stored the car and focused on other cars and interests. I was slated to receive the car when I turned 16, but as luck would have it the car remained in storage for roughly another 30 years. I appreciate the responses from kiwighia68 and Rome. Let's leave it here for now and allow this thread to continue on its proper course. I am planning to recap the preservation-restoration journey in a dedicated thread soon, hoping some other '68 owners and admirers will appreciate the history, details and pics to come. Thanks.
_________________
1968 KG Convertible |
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jeffrey8164 
Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2018
Posts: 3817
Location: Georgia
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| Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2018 3:19 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Welcome to the Samba!
Having done it myself, albeit a 70 Coupe, I enjoy seeing what everyone else is up to and how they overcome their problems.
I look forward to your thread. |
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didget69
Samba Member
Joined: July 22, 2004
Posts: 4927
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
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| Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 12:37 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Hmm... about that ATF light... 
bryan
_________________
I never found the need to impress people with any mechanic certifications, trophies or track wins... unless it was for Mom to post on the refrigerator door. |
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kiwighia68
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2013
Posts: 2874
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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| Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 12:45 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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| didget69 wrote: |
Hmm... about that ATF light... :lol:
bryan |
Indeed. An example of the struggle between the designers and engineers on the one side and the cost-accountants on the other. Rather than making separate dials for stick shift and auto, they made just the one. And stuck tape over the obsolete hole at the back. The accountants won, as they always do.
Didn't Henry Ford start this type of thinking?
_________________
Festina lente - hasten slowly
1968 Ghia named Emiko
Resto completed Dec 2015 |
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c21darrel
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
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Altema
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2010
Posts: 2904
Location: Lower Michigan
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| Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 9:45 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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| kiwighia68 wrote: |
| Altema wrote: |
I have not done much to mine lately besides drive it. I took it up to a local shop and bought a couple of valve cover gaskets, and I'll use those when I do a valve adjustment next week. My wife totaled our other car, and she as been using my daily driver a lot, so I've been driving the Ghia in more situations.
I took a day off work today, and was snoozing when a friend of mine asked if I could drive her to school. I said "Yes" before remembering that I had to shower and get dressed, then I found out the only car there was the Ghia. Oh well, a brisk drive it is! She's a budding actress so it was a fitting entrance for her. It's kind of poetic, as people stare at the car when we pull up, then they stare at her when she gets out. She's quite stunning and, as beautiful as a Ghia is, they make a good match. |
What? No pics! |
Well, if you insist, lol. The photo may get deleted because the car is not in the shot. To me, she looks better without makeup, but I like this shot anyways. We've been hanging out for a few years, and she's an absolute genius in math and physics. She could handle a discussion with adults on thermodynamics when she was 14. That, along with having an amazing voice and being invincible in volleyball, makes her a very interesting person.
The first time her and her mother rode in the Ghia, the conversation turned to shift points and clutch use and how to heel and toe. Her parents asked me to teach her how to drive, and I'm not sure if she wants to learn how to drive a manual, but if she does, she'll be the first person to drive this Ghia besides me in a VERY long time!. |
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kiwighia68
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2013
Posts: 2874
Location: Auckland, New Zealand
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| Posted: Fri Oct 05, 2018 11:16 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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| Altema wrote: |
| kiwighia68 wrote: |
| Altema wrote: |
I have not done much to mine lately besides drive it. I took it up to a local shop and bought a couple of valve cover gaskets, and I'll use those when I do a valve adjustment next week. My wife totaled our other car, and she as been using my daily driver a lot, so I've been driving the Ghia in more situations.
I took a day off work today, and was snoozing when a friend of mine asked if I could drive her to school. I said "Yes" before remembering that I had to shower and get dressed, then I found out the only car there was the Ghia. Oh well, a brisk drive it is! She's a budding actress so it was a fitting entrance for her. It's kind of poetic, as people stare at the car when we pull up, then they stare at her when she gets out. She's quite stunning and, as beautiful as a Ghia is, they make a good match. |
What? No pics! |
Well, if you insist, lol. The photo may get deleted because the car is not in the shot. To me, she looks better without makeup, but I like this shot anyways. We've been hanging out for a few years, and she's an absolute genius in math and physics. She could handle a discussion with adults on thermodynamics when she was 14. That, along with having an amazing voice and being invincible in volleyball, makes her a very interesting person.
The first time her and her mother rode in the Ghia, the conversation turned to shift points and clutch use and how to heel and toe. Her parents asked me to teach her how to drive, and I'm not sure if she wants to learn how to drive a manual, but if she does, she'll be the first person to drive this Ghia besides me in a VERY long time!. |
I'll come to your defence: The smile on her face says she's looking at a Ghia. That should be good enough for Everett.
_________________
Festina lente - hasten slowly
1968 Ghia named Emiko
Resto completed Dec 2015 |
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John Moxon
Samba Moderator
Joined: March 07, 2004
Posts: 13952
Location: Southampton U.K.
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kurt912
Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2014
Posts: 158
Location: The Woodlands Tx
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 4:31 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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| John Moxon wrote: |
"Wyatt Earp" and I took a rural drive yesterday afternoon and stopped off to take a few pictures of course. 
Thought this would make a nice comparison...
...but this one turned out to be a much better picture...
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Pretty much impossible to run out of nice locations I'm assuming...
_________________
1964 MG Midget MK1 Monte Carlo Replica
1969 Karmann Ghia Coupe
1972 Mercedes 250 Coupe |
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Rich_T
Samba Member
Joined: May 25, 2015
Posts: 32
Location: Fort Collins, CO
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| Posted: Tue Oct 09, 2018 9:07 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Bought it (‘74), retrieved from the field, trailered it home, and started The List. Project car for my 15-yr old and I. Surprising how many wasp nets we found underneath.
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KGCoupe
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2005
Posts: 3580
Location: Putting the "ill" and "annoy" in Illinois
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:01 am Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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| Rich_T wrote: |
Bought it (‘74), retrieved from the field, trailered it home, and started The List. Project car for my 15-yr old and I. Surprising how many wasp nets we found underneath.
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Nice looking find! 
Please start your own new thread and post up plenty more photos so we can share in your excitement.
No doubt that will result in penty of helpful critiques and suggested additions for your List.
I do like the "vintage" look that the Ghia already has going for it with the sharp two-tone paint scheme and the wide white wall tires.
As you may or may not already know, 1974 was the last model year that the Karmann Ghia was produced so that in itself makes your find just a bit more special.
Just for fun, you can compare the VIN on your recent Fiel Find Ghia with the others listed in these threads ...
- Vin number/engine number--how close to the end of production
- The Newest V.I.N. number 1442727187 |
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PeteSC
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2011
Posts: 881
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| Posted: Wed Oct 10, 2018 9:40 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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I installed a new engine.
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c21darrel
Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2009
Posts: 8211
Location: San Dimas
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John Moxon
Samba Moderator
Joined: March 07, 2004
Posts: 13952
Location: Southampton U.K.
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PeteSC
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2011
Posts: 881
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 12:27 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Thanks John/Darrel. I hope to fire it up this evening, time permitting. A few relatively minor things to address first in order to do so.
John's right that it was a budget build...as in "I'm not setting a budget for this."  It's been about 2 years of collecting parts, and almost a year since assembly on the engine was started.
As John mentioned details on the engine are in the Vintage Speed thread he linked to. I can't take too much of the credit for the "well thought out" part, as much of the engine's specs/internals were documented a while back in a spread in Hot VW's on Shin Watanabe's similar 1397cc build. That engine produced 64 hp with stock rockers and 69.5 hp with Speedwell 1.25:1 rockers IIRC. I think the only major differences in our engines is mine has larger intake/exhaust valves, slightly higher compression, AA Performance 1.15:1 rockers, and 36 Dellortos. Shin's has stock valves, 40 Weber IDF's, and the aforementioned rockers. I don't know Shin but it appears his car is driven a lot, which is what I was after.
Last edited by PeteSC on Fri Oct 12, 2018 10:43 am; edited 1 time in total |
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John Moxon
Samba Moderator
Joined: March 07, 2004
Posts: 13952
Location: Southampton U.K.
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| Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2018 12:56 pm Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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| PeteSC wrote: |
| I don't know Shin but it appears his car is driven a lot, which is what I was after. |
I've known Shin for quite a few years in the early days of "The Judson Register", shows in Europe and on FB. You're right he does seem to drive it a lot...he said how much recently on FB but can't remember exactly the figures. I've stolen this from Shin's FB page...I'm sure he won't mind in the circumstances...it looks a very driveable combination.
_________________
John.
Judson Supercharger Information on The Samba
My 1958 Shorrock Supercharged Karmann Ghia
Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!
Last edited by John Moxon on Sat Oct 13, 2018 10:29 am; edited 1 time in total |
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PeteSC
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2011
Posts: 881
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| Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2018 10:27 am Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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Adjusted idle and sync’d carbs this morning. Took a quick trip down the street; it’s going to be a fun little driver. Needs a little clutch adjustment then I think it’s good.
Link
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Altema
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2010
Posts: 2904
Location: Lower Michigan
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| Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 11:26 am Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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| PeteSC wrote: |
| Adjusted idle and sync’d carbs this morning. Took a quick trip down the street; it’s going to be a fun little driver. Needs a little clutch adjustment then I think it’s good. |
Great looking Ghia, and that engine is definitely in character for it. Sounds like fun indeed! |
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Altema
Samba Member
Joined: June 20, 2010
Posts: 2904
Location: Lower Michigan
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| Posted: Mon Oct 15, 2018 11:43 am Post subject: Re: What did you do to your ghia this week? |
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I put mine up on my new ramps and replaced the valve cover gaskets. Phew, what a job! Took me like 20 seconds per side because I had to wipe off oil that dripped, lol. I did find out one of the hoses had broken off the oil breather box I have hidden in the trans area, so I cut it off and reattached it. I'll need to replace it with oil-resistant line someday.
I also decided to plan on my next engine, which I think is going to be a 2100 that leans more towards the performance side. The current "Bulletproof stocker" (as it was named here) has been great, but running it in the SBBC class at Bonneville has slipped out of my grasp like so many other dreams. It's done 104 mph without a lot of trouble (accidently, actually), but the current record is 107 mph in the thin air of the salt flats, so I don't know if I can top that. I do plan on keeping the current engine complete and ready to run though. |
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