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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32633
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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 Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 2:32 pm Post subject: Re: My 69 Ghia... Project ReStart, Seven Years Later |
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Today was pretty much a Ghia Day.
I had dragged (drug?) the Convertible nose into the garage to harvest some parts from it. A few members wanted odds and ends and I need metal to make some patches on the nose where those STUPID rubber nose gaskets are. I am havesting the air intake nostrils and some air box parts. It also has a good right side headlamp area which I need.
Anyway, I cut that apart into manageable sizes. I won't need a lot of this metal until the rockers are replaced.
I ran an extension cord out behind he Ghia shed and used my angle grinder with a cut off wheel to harvest a part out of the dash clip for a member.
Once finished I cleaned up.
During the harvest from the 70 Ghia I found a badly rusted rear apron support. A member needs to make a pair.
I cut away the metal bits clinging to it at the spot welds and carefully unfolded it so it can be traced for a pattern .
After lunch we ran some errands and then I started removing the wiring from the Ghia.
Silly me!
I thought this would be easy!
But Nooooo!
Anyway the front harnesses are out for the front lights, the wiper and the fuse panel are bare, the gauges are out and the main harness to the engine is pulled back into the rear luggage area.
I removed the Left trim panel with the heat flap control lever on it to access the harness.
I removed the Left door sill to access the harness too.
I'll be needing all new harness rubber bushings and light gaskets on reassembly.
It went frustratingly slow but I'm saving the entire harness for reuse. I'll be testing each wire with an ohm meter and clipping off the existing wire ends.
New German style ends will be crimped back on.
I've an 86 Vanagon harness to cannibalize if I need more colored wire should some be found bad.
All in all a good day, it was actually HOT outside and I shed my jacket!
I would have pulled out switches....... but do you think I can find my escutcheon tool? 
Dave
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Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473
Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537
Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32633
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32633
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 7:48 am Post subject: Re: My 69 Ghia... Project ReStart, Seven Years Later |
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I have a few hours today so I figured "let us see if my Chrysler Town & Country Stow and Go seats that are currently in my Vanagon fit in the Ghia?"
I was concerned they would be too high or too wide with the attached arm rests.
As it turns out they fit almost perfectly!
The arm rests are not needed, but they do not hinder the seat in any way. As a matter of fact the inside arm rest just may be much appreciated on longer trips!
We know that we like these seats, there is no question about an unknown level of long term comfort.
We sat in them for 30 days and 8,000 miles last Fall.
They also fold way forward for easy rear access and even fold totally flat.
(In our 66 we put in a pair of Volvo seats (1970's) they were COMFY but they were out of a four door and barely folded forward at all. We were young and nimble and we made do. Today? Not so young, not so nimble)
Without a passenger you could carry a lot of stuff, even fairly long items. Or if you need a flat "work" surface when flying solo, you've got it.
I think we've got a winner here! 
Space between door and seat is adequate....
Different view of clearance to door......
Looking through the Windshield. (The slots in the seat back allow the headrest to fold forward when the seat back folds forward)
Dave
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Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473
Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537
Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert |
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djkeev
Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32633
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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kman
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Joined: November 04, 2005
Posts: 739
Location: Michigan
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Evil_Fiz
Samba Member
Joined: May 06, 2011
Posts: 1049
Location: Jacksonville, FL
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| Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 4:20 am Post subject: Re: My 69 Ghia... Project ReStart, Seven Years Later |
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| djkeev wrote: |
...Anyway, I've been busy thinking and planning. I am linking things here to help me find and remember.
Dave |
If you don't already have it, you may want to look into OneNote for your iPad. I use it daily for my job and also have a notebook created specifically for my Ghia build. It saves your notebooks locally and to MS OneDrive as well so they will be accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.
BTW, saving your links here is a great resource for the rest of us. Thanks for sharing.
Cheers,
Emil
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It's not just about what's interesting. It's also about what's helpful, and it's helpful even if it helps just one other guy working on a Ghia.
kiwighia68
See my build on TheSamba at:
The K_R_A_K_E_N_N : a 70 Ghia Convertible reinterpreted |
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djkeev
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Mellow Yellow 74
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Joined: October 14, 2014
Posts: 1615
Location: Sydney, Australia
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| Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 4:52 pm Post subject: Re: My 69 Ghia... Project ReStart, Seven Years Later |
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I just flicked through this thread after seeing your various other threads about aircon vents, paint colours, tow bars, tachometers, hinge covers etc. Seems strange to me that you are worrying about any of these issues when you have probably years of body work ahead of you in combining two decrepit cars into one.
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1962 Karmann Ghia
1974 Deluxe Microbus
1985 Caravelle (Vanagon) |
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Evil_Fiz
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Joined: May 06, 2011
Posts: 1049
Location: Jacksonville, FL
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| Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 5:08 pm Post subject: Re: My 69 Ghia... Project ReStart, Seven Years Later |
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Any long term project is doomed to fail if you don't lay out your plan in advance.
If any of us have benefited from any of Dave's child threads, think what it is doing for his project.
Cheers,
Emil
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It's not just about what's interesting. It's also about what's helpful, and it's helpful even if it helps just one other guy working on a Ghia.
kiwighia68
See my build on TheSamba at:
The K_R_A_K_E_N_N : a 70 Ghia Convertible reinterpreted |
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Onceler
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Joined: May 28, 2010
Posts: 1647
Location: Indiana
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| Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2018 5:39 pm Post subject: Re: My 69 Ghia... Project ReStart, Seven Years Later |
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I always start with a vision of how I want the final product, it keeps me motivated through the drudgery. Fortunately for us Dave is sharing his process of developing his vision plus we get very informative posts, win-win
Haha, just realized I basically said the exact same thing as Evil_Fiz
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1972 Karmann Ghia |
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djkeev
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Joined: September 30, 2007
Posts: 32633
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2018 7:01 am Post subject: Re: My 69 Ghia... Project ReStart, Seven Years Later |
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Yes!
Thanks for the support guys!
In a vehicle build you need to know where you are headed and plan for the journey.
Many modifications require welding and moving things, reinforcing things, etc.
Even the ultimate color choice is important for as I complete a given section..... say the LF wheel well ...... it will be primed and painted the body color.
This system of spot final color will happen multiple times in stages as the wheel wells, the engine compartment, the dash board, the inside of the doors, the door jambs, the spare tire well, etc are repaired and finished.
As we all probably know, the body exterior is the last part to be painted. It may very well be a year or two before the body is painted to match. I'll probably fit the Convertible Top before final paint, then remove it for paint. Why? ..... just in case...... why scratch a new paint job?
In 18 months or so from now...... I cannot now say that I want to put A/C in the dash.
Well, I can decide to do so, but I'll be taking steps backwards and probably redoing already completed work.
How much better it will be to make my new seat mounts early on and not risk weld splatter messing up already completed work?
To accomplish this, I need to know what seats I'm using very early in the build.
I may reinforce the bumper mount area to better carry the trailer hitch weight. Something that would be very hard to do later in the process.
So if it seems that I've put the cart before the horse, I really haven't.
I am also gathering final finish bits now as they become available. I'm shopping mostly for used OEM bits.
My Wife will have the rear seat recovered a year before I install it.
Door panels and convertible trim bits too.
I will actually purchase the convertible top, headliner, padding, cables and seals the moment I have a "spare" $1000 lying about.
The final "restoration" (a very much misused term, and I am misusing it here) push is always hard and frighteningly expensive! All those last minute purchases add up at an astounding pace!
Absorbing this cost early helps to lessen the final pain.
Plus having an inventory of parts is, as already mentioned, a great motivator!
Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos
Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473
Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537
Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert |
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djkeev
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John Moxon 
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Joined: March 07, 2004
Posts: 13958
Location: Southampton U.K.
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 12:48 am Post subject: Re: My 69 Ghia... Project ReStart, Seven Years Later |
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| djkeev wrote: |
So, we were out at the house in Pennsylvania today, beautiful Spring day!
Perfect temperatures, clear skies and life bursting forth around us!
We got behind a Mini with the top down.......
Says my Wife...... "The Ghia will be a Convertible right?"
Says I ..... "Yes, why?"
Says she...... "How soon before it's ready?"
Says I ...... "Two years"
Says she dejectedly..... "Oh, too bad........ We'll be old then......."
Dave |
Remind your wife, "Where there's life there's hope"...oldies have fun too.
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My 1958 Shorrock Supercharged Karmann Ghia
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KGCoupe
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Joined: July 01, 2005
Posts: 3580
Location: Putting the "ill" and "annoy" in Illinois
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| Posted: Sun Apr 29, 2018 12:47 pm Post subject: Re: My 69 Ghia... Project ReStart, Seven Years Later |
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| John Moxon wrote: |
| djkeev wrote: |
So, we were out at the house in Pennsylvania today, beautiful Spring day!
Perfect temperatures, clear skies and life bursting forth around us!
We got behind a Mini with the top down.......
Says my Wife...... "The Ghia will be a Convertible right?"
Says I ..... "Yes, why?"
Says she...... "How soon before it's ready?"
Says I ...... "Two years"
Says she dejectedly..... "Oh, too bad........ We'll be old then......."
Dave |
Remind your wife, "Where there's life there's hope"...oldies have fun too. |
Well, John, at least the dimentia makes the oldies think they're having fun anyway.
Dave - this sounds like the perfect opportunity to ask your wife how much money is in her "fun budget".
Maybe you can shorten that two year time period by paying someone else to do the work for you.
Perhaps there isn't any budget for that, or perhaps a big part of the "fun" part of the whole Karmann Ghia Cabriolet thing for you is actually doing all of the restoration work yourself - Fret not.
If you simply help your wife come around to believing there is great fun to be had in working through the restoration process, then her having fun with the Ghia can begin right away.
It's just a matter of channeling your inner Tom Sawyer.  |
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djkeev
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Posts: 32633
Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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| Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2018 1:24 am Post subject: Re: My 69 Ghia... Project ReStart, Seven Years Later |
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No, I don't pay people to do stuff very often.
I pay for tire work, don't have the tools.
Used to pay for alignments until after paying, experiencing rapid severe tire wear, paying AGAIN with two new tires and then having the tires wear EXACTLY the same in short order....... I did my own alignment.
No computers, no flashing lasers, no fancy print outs........ just the proper adjustments using protractor, tape measure, string and floor tiles.
Result on my new tires? No rapid tire wear.
The same principle seems to apply when you hire people to fix things. No care, no concern for your vehicle, short cuts taken, shoddy work.
Nope, I'll do it myself thank you very much.
Dave
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Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473
Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537
Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert |
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Tom K.
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